When You Least Expect It (68 page)

             
The girls laughed.  “We think it’s going to be fun to have a brother, too.”

             
“Yeah, Alex is a good guy.  You’ll like him.  I guess you’ll meet him in Vegas.  Anyway, since I can’t go tomorrow, I just wanted to welcome you to the family, and ask you to be good to my mom in Maine till I get there.  I have a stepmother too, and I know I’m not that nice to her, so I’m hoping that won’t be the case here.”

             
The girls promised to be nice to Amanda.  Elisa smiled at them, liking what she saw.  They were a lot like Ray, gentle and sweet.  She hugged her mom and future stepfather.  “Have a wonderful wedding!  I wish I could be there.”

             
Amanda followed her with her eyes as she walked out of the restaurant.  “I wish she was going to be there.  It just won’t be the same.”

             
Ray stroked her hand.  “We’ll take lots of pictures, honey.  She won’t miss a thing.”

             
They left the restaurant and Ray dropped Amanda off at her house.  He walked her to the door.  “So, I guess this is what it would have felt like if we had ever officially dated.”

             
Amanda considered this for a minute.  “I guess it is.  Do you think we missed too much by starting our relationship three thousand miles apart?”

             
“No, I don’t.  We have so much more at this point.  As soon as you get to Maine, we’re going to go on hundreds of ‘dates’.  We’ll make up for lost time, I promise.”

             
Amanda smiled up at the handsome man who would be her husband in less than twenty-four hours.  “Will you be kissing me goodnight at our door?”

             
Ray smiled and brushed back the hair off her forehead.  “I will kiss you anywhere you like, Mandy.”  He bent and kissed her tenderly on her lips, basking in their softness.  “Get some rest, tomorrow’s a big day.”

             
Amanda laughed at the understatement.   “Yes, it is.  Goodnight Ray.”

             
She walked into her house and shut the door, trying not to notice how empty it seemed.
Tomorrow was the first day of the next phase of her life
.  She hung on to that thought as she went into her bedroom to get ready for bed.

             
She lay there for a while, and not surprisingly was unable to sleep.  She got up and logged on to her computer.  There were some friends she still had to tell.  She found the 40s4fun chat room and was ecstatic that her old chat buddies were on. 

             
Well shut my mouth!  TexasRose!  Where the hell have you been, girl?” 
This came from Hawaiianlover. 
It’s like you’ve dropped off the face of the earth.

Texas Rose:  I know. I’ve been busy.  I popped in to tell y’all something.  I’m getting married tomorrow!
 


Hawaiianlover:  What?  Are you kidding me?  Maineman?

Texas Rose:  You guessed it! So tomorrow at nine p.m., we will be in Vegas, in front of Elvis.  Then in a few weeks, I am moving to Maine.  Can you believe it?

Kittycat: Congratulations you lucky dog!

Stargazer:  I hope you two will be very happy
.


Texas Rose:  Don’t be like that Star…we’ll always be friends!

Goofy Grape:  I love this, my sistah!  Woohoo!

Hawaiianlover:  HIP, HIP HURRAY FOR TEXASROSE AND MAINEMAN…ANOTHER MATCH MADE IN INTERNET HEAVEN!
  GOOD LUCK TO YOU BOTH!”

             
Amanda talked to her friend Hawaiianlover for a while, telling her all the details and specifics.  She logged off with a smile on her face.  It was amazing how close she felt to these people she barely knew.  They had filled a void when she was in a bad place, and had become her friends.  She knew that many people thought it bizarre, but they were a circle of unseen faces that she had laughed with, and sometimes cried with, and she loved them.

             
                                                        ~~~

Today was her wedding day
. 
Amanda
couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous.  Okay, who was she kidding, she was a lot nervous.  She suddenly wondered if she was doing the right thing, getting married for the
third
time.  Who does that?  Elizabeth Taylor enjoyed a good wedding.  Joan Collins.  But Amanda Herrez? 

She’d heard all the clichés by now.  Third time was the charm.  Third time was like getting her Ph.D.  Three strikes you’re out!  She laughed.  She didn’t care about all the sayings.  She only cared that she loved Ray and that he was the answer to all her prayers, everything she had been wishing for, hoping for, in a husband.  She had to take this chance. 

She had packed the night before, everything but her dress.  She dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.  The drive to Las Vegas was going to be a long one, and they were stopping at Hoover Dam.  She laughed again.  She could hardly wait to tell her grandchildren that on her wedding day, she went on a tour of Hoover Dam.  That would be quite a knee-slapper!

She poured herself a cup of coffee as she waited for Ray and the girls.  She looked around her home and wondered if she would miss it.  It seemed so empty now.  She’d have hated living here alone.  There were many happy memories here, but on the other hand, many not so happy memories, too.  Her biggest regret about selling her home was the fact that buying it had been her biggest accomplishment, besides for raising her children on her own.   It was hers!    It had taken months for the loan to go through, but when she had signed those papers, it had been one of her finer moments.

Amanda looked out the window, wishing they’d get there.  She picked up a picture of Alex sitting on the windowsill.  It was a picture of her and Alex at his graduation.  He looked so handsome and so proud of himself.  Her eyes brimmed with tears.  Leaving him on this side of the country was going to be one of the hardest things she had ever attempted to do.  She may as well gouge out her heart and leave it wrapped up in a box, that’s how broken it felt.  Alex was so much a part of her, as was Elisa.  They were her heart and soul.  She was happy that they backed her, as much as they could.  This was a hard thing for all of them.  Ultimately, they wanted her to be happy.  It would be easier for them to begin their own lives, she felt, if she also had a life of her own.  Marrying Ray benefited them all, and eventually, Elisa and Alex would both see that, and she hoped love him as much as she did.

The knock on the door brought her back to reality.  She put down her cup and stood up, bravely walking to her door, to her new life.

“Finally!”

Ray hugged her, smiling from ear to ear.  “What do you say we go get married today?”

“Sounds like a plan.  Coffee?”

“Coffee?  No, let’s get going.  Las Vegas is not around the corner, you know, and we have a date tonight.  If we dilly dally much longer, we won’t get to see Hoover Dam.”

“Let’s go then.  I’m ready, Ray, my bags are in my room.”

             
Ray laughed.  “I see we’re going to dive right into the role of the wife.  Yes, ma’am, I’ll go right now and get your bags.”

             
Amanda laughed with him.   “And as your tip, you get to marry me.”

             
“Woohoo!  I’m going to run them to the car.  Anything else?”

She rolled her eyes as she locked up the house, again fighting down the raw feeling in her gut that three times was just too many times to get married.

~~~

Elisa woke up in a funk today.  She had gone to school, but her heart wasn’t in it.  She had no idea of what her English teacher was saying, and could care less.  Her mother was getting married today, what was she doing here?  She gathered her stuff and left the classroom, suddenly on a mission.  She found the closest pay phone and called Tom at work.  “I want to go to Las Vegas.”

“What?  When?  Now?”

“Yes, now, I want to be there when my mom and Ray get married.  I was just being stubborn Tom, I should be there!”

Tom readily agreed.  “You were being stubborn alright!  We’d have to leave within the hour to get there on time, Elisa.  Can you be ready?”

“I’ll meet you at my house, and will be ready before you get there.”  She hung up the phone as Tom muttered something about hoping there was a hotel room available tonight.  She knew it was a spontaneous decision, but she also knew it was the right one.  She dialed Alex’s dorm room, willing him to be there.  She held her breath as she listened to the rings.

“Yup?”

She exhaled.  “Alex, it’s me.  Are you going to Mom’s wedding?”

“Yes, I’m going with Aunt Blossom.  Why?”

“I’m about to leave.  I decided at the last minute, about five minutes ago really, to go.  If I’m not there, can you stall the wedding?”

“What?  How?”

“I don’t know how, but you’re good at that kind of stuff, I’m sure you’ll think of something.”  She hung up and ran to her car, anxious now that the she had made the decision, to be on the road. 

                                                                      ~~~

Hoover Dam was spectacular, and she enjoyed watching the girl’s exuberance as they took pictures, of the dam, the desert and all the scenic views.  Although Amanda was as fascinated by the dam as they were, she was also very aware that she was only thirty miles away from their destination, and hours away from getting married. 

She yanked on Ray’s sleeve.  “Can we cut this short?”

He looked at her in surprise.  “I thought we’d take the tour.”

Amanda did her best not to overreact, although her instinct was to grab him by his shirtfront, yank him down to her face level and remind him they were getting married tonight.  Instead, she said, “Honey, I don’t think we have time for that.  I really don’t want to get to the hotel, throw on my clothes and run to the wedding…
our
wedding.”  She gently tugged on his shirt.  “Please?”  She looked up at him wide-eyed.  “I just want to be beautiful tonight.”

Ray melted, bent down and kissed her.  He turned and yelled at his kids to get in the car. 

“What about the tour, Dad?” 

“Norma, I’m getting married soon, we can’t be late!  Maybe we can stop on the way back.”  He looked at Amanda questioningly and she nodded.  “That way we’ll have more time.”

The girls agreed and they all ran to the car and resumed their trek to the MGM Grand.

~~~

The Las Vegas strip was like nothing they had ever seen before.  So many hotels, restaurants, and people; it was exciting.  When they drove up to their hotel, the girls could only stare at it, their mouths open.  “We’re staying here?”

Amanda was also impressed.  She nodded at Ray, “Nice job, Mr. Knight.”

“Only the best for my future wife.” 

They checked in and went up to their rooms, which were just as impressive.  The king-size bed was enormous, and Amanda lay on the chaise like the queen she finally felt like.  “This is great, Ray.”  There was a knock on the door, and Ray went to answer. 

It was a bellhop with a delivery.  He had a bottle of champagne on ice, with a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries.  He handed Ray a card.  He handed it to Amanda as he tipped the bellhop.

She opened the card and was astonished to find the gift was from her 40s4fun chat room friends!  She gave the card to Ray.  “I’m sure Hawaiianlover is behind this.  Can you believe it?”

Ray could not.  It was amazing that people they’d never met would be the ones to congratulate them in this way.  The Internet, though strange and scary at times, was also amazing and wondrous.  He was speechless. 

Amanda read the card again
.  Congratulations from your friends at 40s4fun.  May you live happily ever after.  We are so happy for you two!
She smiled, feeling happy.  She really did believe they wished her well.  “Open up the goodies!  We can have a pre-celebratory drink.” 

Ray popped open the champagne and proposed a toast.  He stood as Amanda sat on the bed, and began.  “Amanda, as we sit here in this beautiful room, drinking this high grade champagne and eating these decadent strawberries, I want to remind you that this is your new lifestyle.”

Amanda giggled and took a sip of her champagne as Ray continued. 

“There’ll be no more money worries.  I will take care of you and treat you in the manner you so richly deserve.”  He raised his glass.  “To finally finding happiness, for  both of us.” 

Amanda smiled and thanked him, not really grasping what he was trying to tell her. She poured another glass and took a long swig, happy to find the golden drink was calming her nerves.  After finishing the glass, she felt warm all over.  “When do we have to leave?”

Ray informed her that the limousine would pick them up in about an hour.  “We have plenty of time.”

Amanda looked in the mirror at her flatter than flat hair.  “Maybe you do, but I better hurry.  She poured more champagne and ran to unpack her dress and get in the shower.