The Face In The Mirror (14 page)

On Wednesday, we woke to a beautiful, crisp, clear morning, and I know
this because I jumped from the bed and ran to the window throwing the drapes
back for a peek. The view from our room revealed a cloudless, blue sky - a
shade just shy of azure - and I could see for miles.

I looked back. Mitchell was lying in bed, with one arm tucked behind his
head, his bare chest peeking from beneath the covers, as he watched me.
“Renie,” he said, “you’re standing in front of the window naked.”
I turned away again for another peek outside and when I looked back,
found him with a sexy grin. “We’re up so high no one can see me!” I pressed
my fingertips to the glass and felt the cold welcome them. I ran, jumped back in
the bed, and snuggled under the covers, into Mitchell’s arms.
“Do I need to turn the heat on? You’re freezing,” he said, rubbing his
hands quickly up and down my arms, before wrapping me in his embrace.
“You can turn the heat on later,” I said, and he laughed at the innuendo. I
scooted my naked body as close to him as I could get and ran my cold fingers
up his chest in a playful way. “There’s something I really want,” I said. His eyes
came alive with desire, and I saw passion.
Curling closer, I whispered with a light giggle in his ear. “There’s a pancake
house at the bottom of the hill. Let’s walk down for some breakfast.”

We explored the town some more and around 3:30 we decided we’d save
some more of the sights for the next day.
“Do I need to leave while you get ready?”
“Oh no,” I purred. “I want you to watch. I want you to see everything, so
you’ll be anticipating ‘later’.”
“Wicked woman,” he grinned.
“It’s just so different this time,” I said. Stepping into his arms, I ran my
fingers up his chest and neck, and then through his hair. “No one will be
waiting on us. This truly is our moment.”
“Renie, I think part of it is because we’re older; we realize what we’ve
missed. We appreciate life in a different way now. I can’t wait to walk down
that aisle
with you
this time, no one ‘giving’ you to me - you taking each step
with me.”

After I dressed, I stepped into the bathroom for one last look in the mirror
before we left for the chapel. I looked down to get my lip gloss from my clutch.
When I looked up, I saw her in the mirror - my mom was looking back at me.

I knew it wasn’t that my reflection looked like her. It was her looking back
at me, and she was smiling. I decided not to tell Mitchell. It would be our
secret, just my mom’s and mine. I slipped the wrap around my shoulders and
Mitchell took my hand to lead me out the door.

My surprise was a limo ride to the chapel. When we were inside waiting, he
leaned to whisper in my ear. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful
woman. You look like a goddess, Renie. A tall, strawberry-blonde goddess with
the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen,” he said, and then added, “Unique. I’ve
only drowned in someone’s eyes once before…”

I looked at him and could feel every beat of my heart as it slammed against
my chest.
“Yours, Renie. Before. I’ve loved looking at you forever.” He toyed with
the pearls that lay just above my breasts, leaving a soft touch on my skin in his
wake. “You are beautiful, all of you. I love you, Renee Donovan.”
I held my breath, because I didn’t want to cry.

Standing at the back of the chapel, I found that I was anxious, excited, and
nervous. Mitchell looked so handsome. It gave me such an intense, strong
feeling of love that it overwhelmed me and I was sure I would cry.

As the minister indicated that it was time, I turned to Mitchell. “Are you
sure about this?”
He took my hand in his, brought it to his lips, and whispered, “Renee Ella
Ridgeway Donovan, I have never been more sure of anything in my life.
Ready?”
“Oh my God, Mitchell. Me too. Yes, please… let’s go,” I begged.

On Wednesday, the 26
^th
of September 2012, at seven in the evening, we
exchanged twisted infinity bands and traditional wedding vows. As the
photographer took pictures after the ceremony, I thought about the photo
Mitchell had found by my mom’s bedside - the one from our beginning so long
ago. I paused in my thoughts to thank God. Even though she was no longer
with me, my mom had played an integral part in bringing Mitchell back to me.
And I gave thanks for the blessing of him wanting me again. I thought about
the night Mitchell took me to dinner at the restaurant Donovan’s was doing
work for. I realized that not many times are we offered a mulligan to make
something right. I was beyond thankful and blessed.

The limo was there to take us away after the ceremony. I wasn’t sure
where, but I hoped it was someplace to eat. When we got in the car, Mitchell
asked the driver to play some music. As I heard Alabama, one of Mitchell’s
favorite bands since he was a teenager, sing, ‘There’s No Way’, Mitchell
wrapped me in his arms as the song played and sang softly in my ear.

There’s no way I could make it without you,
There’s no way that I'd even try,
If I had to survive, without you in my life,
I know I wouldn’t last a day,
Oh baby, there’s no way.

In his arms, listening to the words, I realized that right there with Mitchell,
was exactly where I belonged. And I knew that all the days we’d been apart, I
hadn’t been living; it had been work, obligations, home, sleep, and then do it all
again the next day. I couldn’t imagine one more day… and then I heard the
words once more.

The limo stopped in front of a restaurant that looked like a log cabin in the
woods. The trees that lined the path to the entrance were alight with tiny white
lights that greeted us like a low blanket of stars. The restaurant was quaint and
they proudly let those who entered know that they were the ‘People’s Choice
for Best Romantic Dining’ in the area.

Soft music played as they led us to our table. The room was lit with more
of the tiny white lights. Other guests offered their congratulations as we passed
by.

“We’d like champagne. “What would you suggest?” Mitchell asked the
waiter.
“Cuvee,” the couple at the next table said.
“Thank you,” Mitchell told them offering an appreciative smile.
“Newlyweds,” the woman said. “You’re a beautiful bride.”
“Thank you,” I said, “The groom’s pretty beautiful, too.”
Mitchell sat beside me, not across from me, and I loved the closeness of
him. He smelled like heaven, and each time his leg brushed mine, sparks – no,
they were lightning bolts - ripped through my body. This man was my man.
Mitchell ordered steak and lobster for us and they returned with the
champagne. After the young man poured, Mitchell placed his arm around me
and raised his glass in a toast.
“To new beginnings, love that outlasts time, passion, and companionship.”
“To finding the love of my life – again,” I whispered in his ear.

We enjoyed our meal, and the restaurant’s specialty, carrot cake for dessert.
Finally, the limo delivered us back to The Vista, and as we entered the lobby,
the staff and guests who were present applauded.

“Mrs. Donovan, are you ready?” he asked when we got to the door of our
room.
“Yes, Mr. Donovan, I am.” He opened the door and then lifted me into his
arms. As soon as we stepped in, I smelled roses. Rose petals were strewn across
the bed, soft music was playing, and champagne was chilling. He put me down,
and I stepped closer, into his waiting arms. The kiss was passionate and I felt
my heart race. My insides were like Jell-O as I quivered, anticipating his touch. I
could hear the music -
violin and harp,
I thought. I could smell Mitchell’s
cologne,
Cool Water
, and again, the smell of the rose petals came like a soft
whisper to my nose. I closed my eyes. I felt the brush of every touch on my
skin, every breath. His fingers on my back, his lips kissing mine, and then
making his way to the neckline of the dress, to my breasts. My senses were on
overload and I thought I would burst if we didn’t do something quick - but
Mitchell had other plans.
He removed the rhinestone-clip that held my hair in a twist, allowing it to
fall loose. He unhooked the pearl necklace. Holding the clasp in his hand, he let
the strand fall down my chest, dropping between my breasts, and then slowly
pulled it back, with a sinful smile. The cool pearls sensually skimmed my skin.
He put the necklace aside and reached for the zipper on my dress.
“Mitchell, you’re driving me crazy,” I told him, breathlessly.
“Good,” he replied, slowly sliding the zipper down. The dress slid down
my body, falling to a puddle of organza at my feet. “Don’t move,” he said as I
stepped out of the dress. He picked it up and tossed it gently on a chair.
He slipped out of his suit jacket and removed his tie, then kicked off his
shoes. He returned to where I stood waiting, wearing only the silver sandals,
white lace panties and the bustier that I’d worn under the dress.
He placed his hands on my hips, nuzzled my neck, and whispered, “I
watched you put these on earlier and thought I would lose my mind. I’ve
thought all evening about how beautiful you looked, but I couldn’t keep my
mind off this – your gift to me - because that’s exactly what this is, Renie. A
gift.”
The bustier snapped up the front and when I’d put it on to dress for the
wedding, I’d purposely, slowly, made my way from the bottom to the top
snapping each one. I taunted him with each one I’d fastened. I’d seen him in
the mirror, watching me, anxiously. Now, his hands moved slowly up my sides
to the top of the bustier and he ran his finger along the fabric. It was a push-up
and my breasts were right there, close to spilling out. I sucked in a breath and
felt them rise with my chest as I held still, anticipating his touch.
Mitchell ran his hands back down my sides and skimmed the hem,
touching the skin between my panties and the bustier. I still wasn’t breathing.
Suddenly, with a wicked grin and sensual laugh, he grabbed both sides of the
bottom and gently pulled up and apart, causing the bustier to pop open. I felt
my knees go weak. He held me tightly and walked us to the bed. With his hands
on my bottom, he pulled me closer and we fell on the bed, with me on top of
him.
I pushed up to look at him and he rolled me off, rising above me. I reached
for the buckle of his belt and tugged frantically. I was beyond ready. He got up
and took his pants off, tossed them aside, and then reached for my foot.
Slipping the first shoe off, he ran his hand slowly up the length of my leg.
Finally, he picked up the other foot and began kissing from my ankle up to my
thigh.
At last, he lay beside me and ran his hand along the waistband of my
panties, touching me in a way that I knew with the next breath would cause me
to lose my mind completely. He slid the panties off and finally we were both
naked, ready to join our bodies.
“Renie, I have to tell you, I’ve loved you since the minute I saw you at
Granny Ella’s. I loved you when we said ‘I do’ before, and I’m so happy to
have you to love again.”
“Mitchell, quit talking… please… make love to me. Now…”
“Mrs. Donovan, I will be happy to oblige that command.”
We shared one more passionate kiss that shook me from the top of my
head to the tip of my toes, and warmed every part of my body in between.
No part of my body went untouched, or unappreciated. I reveled in each
caress, and each one left me wanting more, but I wanted to pleasure him in the
same way. It seemed to last for hours, and I never wanted it to end. It was as
though we were one. Finally, as I begged, he pushed inside me and I knew that
my life had just changed – forever.
I have to confess. As good as it was before, and as good as it had been
recently with Mitchell, this was better. It was awesome… It was incredible… It
was fireworks and a symphony that happened around us. But more than
anything, it was pure love.

The next morning I woke naked in Mitchell’s arms, every part of my body,
touching every part of his that was possible I stretched long and lazily,
squirming just enough to cause arousal, and with a growl he grabbed me for an
encore performance.

Later in the afternoon, we went to explore some more, heading over the
mountain to Pigeon Forge.
“May I borrow your phone a minute?” I asked.
“Sure. Your battery dead?”
“No, this is a special call. Coming from your phone will catch her off
guard. I need your mom’s phone number.”
“Just press and hold the number two,” he said with a big smile.
“Well, hey! I thought you’d dropped off the face of the earth or
something,” Alecia said immediately when she answered. “I was gonna call you
since you haven’t checked in with me in a few days.”
I giggled at her rant. “Renie? Is that you?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, this is a nice surprise!”
“
It’s
not the only surprise, and I sure hope
it’s
a nice surprise too, because
you’re kinda stuck with
it
now,” I said.
“Stuck? What do you mean, ‘stuck’?”
I didn’t say anything. All of a sudden she gasped and then started to cry.
“Oh, I pray it’s what I just thought it was!” I could hear the happiness in
her voice, and I started to cry, too.
“Mitchell went to Mom’s with me last weekend. We decided to get out of
town, try to clear my head. We drove to the mountains, but my head didn’t get
clear at all, it just got full of better things,” I said.
“And?” she asked anxiously. I saw Mitchell out of the corner of my eye. He
was beaming, that damn dimple seeming to wink at me, and it filled my heart so
full of love. My mind raced. I saw so much love in his expression that I prayed
that I could always keep that look on his face.
“There was a convention when we reached Gatlinburg and there was only
one room left at the hotel. It was the honeymoon suite, so we decided that we’d
use it as it was intended. We eloped.”
She got quiet. It scared me. And then she began sobbing, going on about
how happy she was, that we never should have parted, and that I was the best
thing that ever came into Mitchell’s life.
“I’m afraid it’s the other way around,” I said.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I mean that he’s the best thing that ever came into mine. I know this
sounds cliché, but he completes me. I am not a whole person without him.
Something important has been missing these last nine years, and my mom’s
death brought the missing piece back to me. I’m whole again, Alecia.”
Suddenly the conversation brought tears that I had no control over and
Mitchell took the phone.
“She’s just so dang happy,” he chuckled.
I could hear her end of the conversation. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she
scolded.
“At first, I didn’t know. I knew I wanted to, but I didn’t want to move too
fast. I was afraid I’d scare her off.” He looked at me and smiled. “When the
honeymoon suite was the only thing available, I thought it was destiny. I knew
what I hoped, but I was afraid she wouldn’t say ‘yes’. When she did, we
discovered that it needed to just be us this time. It was very special not to have
a church full of people looking on. It was personal. We have a disc of pictures
you can look through and we’ll print whatever you’d like. I gotta go, Mom.
We’re in Pigeon Forge and traffic’s getting heavy. Besides, I’m betting my
beautiful wife is ready for a bite to eat. We’ll call you when we get back. I love
you.”
After he hung up, I was quiet a minute. Not because I didn’t have anything
to say. I was quiet because I couldn’t figure out how to put the all feelings in
my heart into words.
“Apple Farm ahead, how ‘bout some lunch? I bet a place called the Apple
Farm has pie!”
“Mitchell, have I told you what a good and wonderful man you are?” I
asked.
“Not yet, Renie.”
“You are, Mitchell. You’re everything that’s been missing in my life. I’m
going to do my best to be everything in yours.”
He put his hand lovingly on my cheek. I felt warmth, but mostly, I felt
love.
“You already are Renie.” His eyes expressed a tenderness that I’d never felt
before. “There’s never been a day since I met you that you weren’t.”