WG2E All-For-Indies Anthologies: Viva La Valentine Edition (11 page)

Mac threw open the wooden back door so hard
it slammed against the house and glass shattered. He marched into
the kitchen with Grant a few paces behind, as if he didn’t want to
miss a second of the impending battle. Ruth attempted to say
something, but Mac stalked toward her. John kept quiet, leaving the
battle between the two contenders. This was something Mac needed to
handle himself.

“You were out of line, Mom,” he yelled. “Way
out of line for talking to Jan like that. And I’m not having it.
She’s going to be my
wife
. You need to just accept that and
get over it.”

Thick tension filled the air. She appeared
shocked by his response.

“I love Jan, and I won’t have you
disrespecting her. This might sound cold, but if you refuse to
accept her, you won’t be seeing much of me anymore. The wedding is
Valentine’s Day. You decide whether you want to be there or not.
We’re leaving now.”

He grabbed their suitcases from the bedrooms
and strode out the front door.

• • •

John came out the back door where Jan was
still sitting on the swing. “Mac’s putting your bags in the car,
sweetheart. He’s ready to leave, but before you go I want to say
I’m sorry for the way things turned out this weekend. Ruthie is
very protective of her first-born. She’ll get used to the idea in
time.”

“And what if she doesn’t? I don’t want to
come between Mac and his mother.”

John put both hands firmly on her shoulders.
“At this point in his life my son needs a wife, not a mother.
You’re good for him.”

“And he’s good for me. I love him so much,
John.”

“That’s crystal clear, darlin’.” They shared
a smile.

Mac came around the side of the house and
announced that he was ready to leave. Pat and Grant waited by the
car in the driveway.

“This isn’t like my mother.” Pat said after
she gave Jan a tight hug. “I can’t speak for anybody else, but I
wouldn’t miss your wedding for anything in the world.”

The three of them embraced her, apologized
again for Ruth’s behavior and promised to be at the wedding.

• • •

A week after Jan and Mac returned to Atlanta,
she met Verna and Noreen for lunch. “Mac and I are meeting with
Pastor tomorrow night for our first counseling session. I’m looking
forward to that about as much as a bikini wax. The thought of me at
forty-six, getting ready to marry a thirty-five-year-old and being
counseled by a pastor who just turned forty is enough to make me
cry.” Jan winced. “My life is like a soap opera. And tonight Val
and Bobbi are coming over, so I can ask them if they want to be in
the wedding. Somebody just drop a brick on me now and put me out of
my misery.”

Noreen rolled her eyes in Verna’s direction.
“Oh, please. We both know she’s thrilled to be hooking up with that
fine young thing. She’s not fooling anybody.”

“Of course I’m thrilled. It’s just all of the
associated foolishness that has me upset. Like being insulted by
his mother, because I won’t give
her
some
grandchildren.”

“Oh, no she didn’t!”

“She even asked me why I didn’t ‘go after’ an
older man who wants the same things out of life that I do.”

“Ooh, that’s cold.”

“Like you chased Mac down and made him
propose to you against his will or something,” Verna added with a
disgusted expression.

That night Jan’s binder filled with all of
the wedding details sat on the cocktail table in the living room
awaiting Bobbi and Val’s visit.

They came in together, and Jan was thankful
they both seemed to be in good moods. The whistle from the kitchen
announced that the water on the stove was ready for tea to go along
with the cake she’d made.

Bobbie spied the refreshments. “Uh oh. She
has food on the table. This must be something serious.”

“Well, at least she always feeds us before
she drops the bombs.” Val giggled. “What’s going on, Mom?”

“Sit down and I’ll tell you. Rather, I’ll ask
you.” She poured steaming water into their cups, picked up her
binder and opened it to a page marked with a sticky note. “I asked
you to come today because I want to know if you would be my
bridesmaids?”

Val’s face blanched with astonishment. “You
want me to be in the wedding after the way I showed out on
Mac?”

“That’s all water under the bridge. Mac’s not
holding that against you, and neither am I. There’s nobody else I’d
want to be in my wedding more than you two and Mrs. Scott, of
course.”

Her daughters shared a long glance then a big
grin. “We’d be honored, Mom,” Bobbi said. “I just have one
question. You’re not going to make us wear those horrible
bridesmaids dresses, are you?”

“You know me better than that. This is the
dress I like. It’s simple and classy and would look great on both
of you.” She opened the book and placed it in Val’s lap.

Bobbi leaned in to check out the picture of
the sleek, strapless gown Jan had selected. “That’s nice, Mom. It’s
sophisticated and not fussy. What color are you thinking of?”

“Deep purple, the color of royalty. Verna
wouldn’t feel comfortable in something strapless so she’s wearing a
tailored suit in the same shade. I think you’ll all look
gorgeous.”

They discussed shoes, jewelry and hair for a
while before Bobbi finally had the guts to ask, “How did your visit
to Dallas go?”

“It was interesting.”

“That doesn’t sound too good.”

“To make a long story short, Dallas is great.
Mac’s father, brother and sister are wonderful, and let’s just say
I’ll reserve judgement on his mother until a later date.”

Bobbi grimaced. “Didn’t go too well,
huh?”

“Not really. She had reservations about our
age difference, just like I expected. She wants grandbabies. I had
to let her know that I’m wasn’t going there.”

“Thank God!” Val exclaimed then exhaled what
sounded like a sigh of supreme relief.

Jan gaped at her youngest in horror. “I
know
you didn’t think I was planning to start all over
again.”

“I was afraid to ask. That would’ve been
so
embarrassing.”

“Well, it’s one thing you won’t have to worry
about. Mac and I have agreed that it wouldn’t only be foolish, it’d
also be dangerous at my age. So you don’t have to live in fear of
being humiliated by a pregnant middle-aged mother, Valerie.”

Six weeks of intense counseling sessions at
Jan’s church covering everything from money to sex forced her and
Mac to confront the issue of not having children. Discussing the
subject with her pastor succeeded in relieving Jan’s trepidation
over the matter, and convinced her that Mac was genuine about his
decision. Neither of them dropped any bombshells or revealed any
secrets, and they received the go-ahead for a Valentine’s Day
ceremony.

• • •

Six months later small bouquets of white and
purple flowers decorated the wedding chapel. White gardenia-scented
candles filled the room with a sweet fragrance and gave it an
ethereal glow. When the music started, Mac, Ken and Grant entered
the chapel from a side door and stood at the front. Bobbi, Val and
Verna assembled in the lobby looking regal in deep purple. When the
back doors opened, and the music changed signaling the entrance of
the bridesmaids, Bobbi and Val kissed Jan. She held back tears and
watched her daughters precede her down the aisle.

“This is it, girl,” Verna said before she
stepped across the threshold. “Go get your man.”

The Wedding March heralded Her entrance, and
the guests in packed chapel stood and turned toward her, but she
had tunnel vision. The only face she saw was Mac’s. The love in his
gaze enveloped her like an ethereal cocoon. He didn’t take his gaze
off hers until she reached the altar.

• • •

During the touching, emotional ceremony,
Verna had to use the handkerchief the dressmaker made to match her
suit to dab her eyes several times before Jan and Mac said, “I do.”
But when the pastor pronounced them husband and wife, the church
erupted in cheers.

When they turned around to be introduced to
the congregation as husband and wife, Jan saw a face among the
guests she wasn’t prepared for – Robert’s.

By the time she and Mac reached the lobby for
the receiving line, Jan was livid. “I can’t believe this!” she
whispered in Mac’s ear, trying to cover what she was feeling inside
with a big smile. “Robert is here. Why would he do this to me?”

Mac kissed her to stop her from talking.
“Baby, I’m sure Val told him. At least he didn’t stand up during
the ceremony and object, so everything’s cool. Calm down.”

The mere knowledge of Robert’s presence set
Jan’s teeth on edge as they lined up to receive the guests. Once
the wedding party took their places, she leaned over and whispered
to Val with a gracious outward smile. “I guess you are responsible
for your father being here.”

“I didn’t invite him, Mom. I just told him
you were getting married today. That’s all.”

“So how did he find out the time and
place?”

“He asked me. So I told him. I didn’t think
he’d show up.”

Verna saw the heated exchange between Jan and
Val, and asked Bobbi what was going on. Before she could move over
to speak to Jan, Robert was approaching them in the line. She sent
Jan a
take it easy, and don’t panic
look.

Robert hugged his daughters, kissed Verna on
the cheek and stopped in front of Jan. He stepped back and took a
long look at her then reached out his hand for hers and shocked her
with his next words.

“Janice, you’ve never looked so beautiful…or
so happy. I know I wasn’t invited, but I came to wish you well.
It’s about time we made peace with each other. Don’t you
think?”

Momentarily at a loss for words, Jan
stuttered for a second. “Ye - Yes. Thank you, Robert. I’d like you
to meet my husband, Mac Sinclair. Mac, this is Robert, Val and
Bobbi’s father.”

The entire bridal party froze as the two men
shared a handshake that spoke volumes – like an older leader
stepping down from his position and handing over power to the
younger one. And Jan was the spoils of the exchange. The action
also showed that there was no animosity between them, something men
could do that most women seemed to find impossible.

When Robert asked him, “May I kiss the
bride?” Mac smiled and replied, “Sure, one last time.”

Robert planted a kiss on Jan’s cheek and
announced that he was leaving right away to go back home. “I wish
you two the best.”

“Thanks, man.” Mac replied looking at the
older man dead-on.

Both of Jan’s daughters were crying happy
tears. After the rounds of photographs were finished, the wedding
party filed into the banquet room for the reception.

“Robert was right about one thing,” Mac said
to her. “You’ve never looked more beautiful than you do today. He
realized what he’s lost.”

“I don’t think so,” she said with a
smirk.

“I’m a man. Believe me, I know. I saw it in
his eyes.”

“Well, I just can’t feel sorry for him.”

He grinned. “Did you hear me say I felt sorry
for him?”

A joyful reception began with the new Mr. And
Mrs. Sinclair dancing to the old song they had chosen together
because of the words, which said in part,

For God blessed me with you.
You make me feel brand new.
I sing this song ’cause you.
Make me feel brand new.
¹

Mac surprised Jan with a night at the St.
Regis Hotel and an announcement that they were leaving the next
afternoon for a week in French Polynesia. During a night of firsts,
they took their first bubble bath together to relax and prepare
them for a night of lovemaking, which lasted until the morning.
That night Mac read her body like a map he’d possessed for years
and taught her things she’d only heard about. And she breathlessly
begged him for more. “If we keep it up at this rate, we’re going to
kill ourselves.”

He nuzzled his face into her neck and
replied, “I can’t think of a better way to die. Can you?”

They came home a week later drunk in love and
ready to begin their new life together.

• • •

Looking at her life now, it was hard for Jan
to believe how much it had changed in eighteen months time. She had
gone from being a neglected wife to a woman with a gorgeous,
successful passionate companion eleven years her junior. MacArthur
Sinclair had come to her at just the right time. The love she had
hungered for after all these years now flooded her heart and made
her soul felt brand new.

CREDITS

You Make Me Feel Brand New written by Thom
Bell and Linda Creed. Produced by Thom Bell. Avco Records.
1974.

ABOUT CHICKI BROWN

Contemporary women’s fiction/romance author
Chicki Brown has published five Kindle novels, four of which had
made different Kindle bestseller lists.