With a glance at the index card in her palm and a quick squeeze of Clark’s left hand, Bobbie smiled and began.
“A little more than two years ago, I thought my life was over. I’d lost what I thought was my best chance at love and my only real chance at happiness with another person. I couldn’t understand how my heart could still beat, how I could still breathe, how I could stand the pain and loss and loneliness.
“Then I met you.”
She paused and sniffed. “You were hurting too. You understood my pain. You showed me that a person could take the worst hits life could throw at you without them killing you and keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep moving forward through life, keep on keeping on. You helped me see that no matter how badly I’d been hurt, I wasn’t unique, that others had suffered blows as terrible as mine and had survived, even thrived. You showed me how to look past my heart’s agony and – and begin to heal.”
She paused and reached for a tissue, but stopped when Clark offered her his pocket handkerchief. Her smile was so big she could hardly talk. “See?” she adlibbed. “You’re always there for me.”
A soft murmur of laughter passed through the congregation. Wanda put her hand on Bobbie’s elbow and whispered, “You’re doing fine, girlfriend. Almost done.”
Bobbie nodded, then sniffed and dabbed at her eyes. “We held each other up through some really hard times. We each shed a lot of tears on each other’s shoulders, and we laughed together even more. And I learned that no matter how difficult life is, the sun keeps on shining and the world keeps on turning, and – with the right incentive – hearts can heal from the most terrible injuries.”
She put out her right hand, the one holding his ring, tucked the card into the fingers of her left hand, and put the ring on the tip of the third finger of Clark’s left hand. “I know that I’ve healed. And you’ve done so much for me that I could never tell it all.” She turned his hand over, palm down, and said, “Clark Jerome Kent, I place this ring on your finger because I love you. I want you to be my husband. I want to be your wife. I want us to be an ‘us’ for the rest of our lives together.”
She slid the ring the rest of the way to the base of the finger, then lifted his hand to her mouth and kissed his knuckles. Clark’s sigh might have collapsed her knees had Wanda not come to her rescue once again and held her elbow tightly.
Pastor McKenzie nodded as Bobbie straightened and slid the index card back into her sleeve. “I think it’s your turn, Clark,” the chaplain said.
*****
Without prompting, Pete held his hand out so the pastor could take the bride’s ring and give it to Clark. Clark took it, then reached for his inside coat pocket.
Before he drew out the folded paper with his vows on it, though, he decided he didn’t need the hard copy. He reached out and took Bobbie’s right hand, then put it over his left – beside his ring – and gently pressed down with his right hand.
He smiled. He couldn’t help it. Bobbie stood before him, a vision of loveliness from the pages of legend, more beautiful than any beauty pageant contestant who’d ever lived. The makeup around her eyes was slightly blurred from unshed tears, but instead of detracting from her appearance it just made him even more – more of whatever he was feeling.
He stood still, smiling, drinking in the wonder of her beauty and her love for him, until Pete punched him in the kidney again and quietly growled, “We ain’t got all week, Kent.”
Bobbie heard it and snorted. Her shoulders shook with suppressed laughter, and the folks in front who heard it also laughed quietly. Clark decided it was time to deliver his speech.
“Bobbie.” He paused and closed his eyes to make sure he had a good handle on himself, then he looked at her and continued. “When we first met, my heart was just about frozen solid. I had trouble making myself get up in the morning, making myself go to work, talk to people, accept help, do anything more than just drift and stumble through life.
“Then – then I met you.
“I wish I could say that I’ve loved you ever since you knocked me down on the grass—” Bobbie’s eyes widened but her smile stayed despite the reprise of the congregation’s soft laughter “—but that’s not how it happened. I was thinking about not going on, not putting in the effort to keep on living. But you made me realize that I wasn’t as alone as I’d thought I was. You helped me see that there was still life all around me, life still there waiting to be lived, and as much heartache as I’d experienced, I wasn’t unique. You showed me I could still do what I was meant to do. I could still help others, still push for right, still be a force for good. You helped save my life. For all of that, I cannot possibly thank you enough.
“But you went beyond that. It took a while – quite a while, actually – but you let me fall in love with you. And beyond all reason, beyond all hope, beyond all good sense—” he paused as Bobbie chuckled again “—you fell in love with me. It’s hard for me to believe it sometimes, but I rely on you and on your love daily. I can’t say you’re my reason for living, but I can say you are my reason for smiling.”
He reached out and took her left hand with his right, the hand holding her ring. “I pray that it will always be so. Roberta Lynn Tracey – that’s ‘Tracey’ with an ‘e’ – I now place this ring on your left hand as a token of my love and lifelong commitment to you. All that I have is yours. All that I am will love you as long as my heart beats. I love you.”
Clark turned her left hand palm down with his left hand and slid the ring onto her third finger with no muss or fuss. Without prompting from Pastor McKenzie, and with their hands still clasped, they leaned toward each other.
Their lips met. They held the kiss for three of Clark’s powerful heartbeats. Then they slowly parted.
Even their breathing was intertwined.
After a long moment, Pastor McKenzie lifted his hands and called out, “Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, Mr. Clark Kent and Mrs. Roberta Tracey Kent.”
*****
As the pianist began the traditional recessional, the one by Richard Wagner that everyone expected – not “Linus and Lucy” or “Baby Elephant Walk” as had been threatened – Wanda watched Clark and Bobbie link arms and all but sprint down the aisle. When the happy couple was even with the third to last row, Pete Ross lifted his arm and offered it to her. She smiled and linked with him, then they stepped down the aisle together.
Pete muttered, “That’s the most laughter I’ve ever heard at a wedding.”
“Me too,” Wanda whispered. “Think they’ll make it?”
Pete smiled. “You kidding? Those two will outlive every marriage since Adam and Eve. I don’t think they could love each other more than they do right now.”
Wanda chuckled. “You know they waited, right?”
Pete nodded. “I don’t know how they did it, but yeah, Clark told me yesterday. I imagine the reception will be kinda short.”
Wanda laughed aloud. “I talked to Bobbie yesterday. I know it will. And she showed me a couple of the nighties she’s taking on the honeymoon.”
“Think she’ll look good in them?”
Wanda gave him her best “you’re such a dumb male” look. “I don’t think she’s going to wear them for long. She told me both of them look great puddled on the carpet.”
Pete blushed a little and Wanda smiled. It was good to be around a man who could be embarrassed a little, especially when discussing her best friend’s sex life, however obliquely. Firefighters tended to have few personal spaces between them.
Pete pushed through the doors without looking at Wanda. “In that case,” he muttered, “we ought to get to the reception as soon as we can. They probably won’t be there for long.”
Wanda shrugged. “They’re going to change into travel clothes first – in separate rooms, just to be safe – so I give them forty minutes once they get there, just long enough to share cake and punch and mingle a little.”
Pete looked at Wanda’s arm, which was still lodged firmly in his. “In that case, my lady, let us proceed thither ourselves. We can try to outshine the bride and groom.”
Wanda hugged Pete’s arm and chortled. “No chance of that, bud. Still, you’re not a complete loss as far as escorts go.”
“Thank you.” He blinked once. “I think. Ah – do you have dinner plans this evening?”
“Not really. I think Lucy and Felicia are planning something. Why?”
“Just wondering if you – if you’d care to accompany me.”
She stopped and turned them to face each other. “Why, Mr. Ross, are you asking me for a date?”
His expression was a cross between hopeful and scared. “Yes. No strings, no expectations, just dinner between friends. Or if Felicia and Lucy want to get both the guys and gals together for dinner, we could go with them.”
She slowly smiled. “That’s about the nicest dinner invite I’ve gotten lately. I would be pleased to go on this date with you, whether with the other couples or just by ourselves.”
She could see him relax. Then he said, “I wonder if we should invite Clark and Bobbie?”
Wanda grinned crookedly and shook her head. “They’re going to be living on love for at least a couple of days, maybe more. They might come up for air by Tuesday afternoon. Maybe.”
Pete laughed with her, then turned and looked at the door to the reception room. “I hope they’re really happy together.”
The thought hit her harder than she might have expected. “Me too,” she whispered. Then she took a deep breath and said, “Come on, let’s go face the madding crowd.”
He nodded. “Nice reference. Thomas Grey, right? Something about a church graveyard, I think.”
“Very good. You win a kewpie doll.”
As he pushed on the door, he drawled, “Aw, come on, Wanda, you’re much cuter than that.”
Instead of reacting angrily at the indirect compliment, she reveled in it, then looked around at all the people and said, “If every couple here loved each other like Bobbie and Clark do, there’d never be another divorce.”
She looked into Pete’s eyes and saw something there, something she wasn’t sure she liked seeing. Then he blinked and lifted his free hand and gestured at the table. “Shall we fetch ourselves some cake and punch?”
She blinked, too. “Sure, I could go for a high-calorie snack right about now.”
Wanda followed him to the table, thinking that, upon further reflection, whatever she’d seen in Pete’s eyes was something she also wasn’t sure she’d dislike seeing again.
Maybe she should rethink her don’t-need-a-man-in-my-life policy.
*****
Later that afternoon, just after three-thirty, Clark and Bobbie walked together hand-in-hand to the honeymoon suite of the Metropolis Marriott Hotel, already reserved for them. The Vietnamese-American bellhop with the name “Dat” on his badge opened the door for them and pushed the cart with their luggage in, then held the door for them.
Bobbie started to enter, but Clark stopped her. “Hang on, there’s something I need to do first.”
Puzzled, Bobbie asked, “What’s that?”
He grinned and lifted her off her feet, then carried her into the room and set her down beside the bed. “My groomal responsibility is to make sure you get here safely.”
She smiled and tucked her head in close to him. “There’s no such word as groomal.”
“Sure there is. You had a bridal party behind you at the wedding, I had a groomal party behind me. Don’t be chumpy.”
She slapped him lightly on the chest. “You big doofus.” She laughed, then realized Dat was still there. “Hi,” she said. “I think we can handle it from here.”
He nodded. “I’m sure you can, ma’am. Or I can unpack for you if you like.”
She shook her head. “No. We can handle that part.”
“As you wish, ma’am. I’ll leave you to your unpacking.”
She opened her purse to tip him, but the young man stopped her. “Not necessary, ma’am. All gratuities have already been provided. You folks have a lot of people who love you both.”
Bobbie’s mouth opened, but before she spoke, Clark stepped in and said, “Thank you, Dat. Please pass on our thanks to everyone.”
Dat saluted. “I will. Y’all have a good stay. And don’t forget to dial for room service if you get hungry.” With that, he turned and strode out of the room. Clark followed and secured all the locks.
He turned around and smiled shyly. “Do you – ah – do you want to change first? Or should I?”
She lifted her hands. “C’mere first. There’s something I need to say to you.”
His voice turned husky. “I thought you already said it. Your vows just about killed me, they were so amazing.”
It was her turn to smile. “Thank you, my wonderful darling.” She clasped hands with him. “I want to say this one thing right now so I’ll never need to think about it again.” She stopped and took a breath, then kissed his hands again. “I have to confess something to you. I still miss Glen, just a tiny, tiny little bit. There’s a teensy, minuscule part of my mind that’s thinking that this should have been Glen here with me instead of you.”
Bobbie gently guided Clark’s hands to her waist. “But if he and I had married, I probably never would have come to know you, to know your incredible heart, your wonderful mind, your brilliance, your commitment to truth and justice, your unfailing selflessness. I’ll never forget Glen. But I will also never regret meeting you, falling in love with you, and marrying you. He is where I was, and it was a good place.” She pulled him to her and kissed him softly. “But you are where I am now, and it’s an even better place.” Her arms slipped around his neck and she pulled him close. “I will always love you, my darling husband.”
*****
Wow.
Clark felt like crying again.
But he couldn’t, not now, not when Bobbie had just opened every part of her heart to him. He had to tell her how he felt, way down deep where he lived.
After a long embrace, he gently moved her back. With his hands still on her waist, he said, “I think I understand. And it’s because there’s a tiny, minuscule molecule of my brain that wants to say that Lois should be here with me right now. I won’t ever completely forget her, either, because she was such an overwhelmingly important part of my life for two years. And I learned how much a man could love a woman by loving her.
“But she’s not here. You are. I think you’re right, if either Glen or Lois had lived, there’s no way we’d be here right now. But that’s not reality. You are my reality. You are my wife. You are the love of my life. You are the woman I want to spend all of my life loving. I don’t think I could love you this deeply if I hadn’t already known how to love deeply. And I wouldn’t change that reality for anything or anyone.”
Bobbie’s eyes filled again, and this time they overflowed. Clark felt dampness on his cheeks too, and they leaned together as if they were opposite magnetic poles. Their lips met and sparks flew.
Clark pulled his wife as close as he could, thinking that clothes were overrated.
Bobbie disengaged her mouth from his and moved it to his ear. “Clark?” she breathed.
“Yes?” he grunted.
“Do you really want me to wear a sexy nightgown?”
His hand moved to the base of her spine. “Not for long.”
She sighed. “Me neither.”
“You’re suggesting that we can – uh – skip the preliminaries?”
Her hands moved to his belt buckle and started unfastening it. “Altogether.”
*****
Hours later, when Clark thought to look, he saw their clothing scattered hither and yon across the floor, all but covering the side of the room beside the bed.
Looks like our laundry basket threw up, he thought. Then he thought,
It really will be our laundry basket. Boy, that sounds great. Then Bobbie put her hand on his chest and smiled. “You’ve worn me out, you beast,” she said. “I need some sleep, and this very solid and very beautiful mass under my hand is what I want as a pillow.”
He lay back and stretched out his arms. “Then please make use of me.”
A pixie expression appeared on her face. “I thought I already had.”
They chuckled wearily together. “Then please, make additional use of me.”
She nestled down in his embrace, her bottom arm tucked under her and her upper arm across his ample chest. “Thank you. Good night, my forever love.”
He brushed her hair back and kissed her sleepy eyes. “Good night, my forever lady.”
“Mmm,” she hummed. “I hope you don’t get tired of hearing me tell you that I love you.”
Her face lifted toward his and he kissed her on the lips, then both of them slipped back into position. “I think you’ve exhausted me too, my lovely bride. And that’s quite a feat, although I’d appreciate it if you don’t repeat that. But I will never tire of hearing you tell me you love me.”
“Good. I plan to say it a lot.”
“And I plan to say it right back to you at least as often as you say it.”
She exhaled and made a “huuuh” sound as if she were too tired to laugh. “Good night, my love,” she whispered, “good night.”
He stroked her hair, then kissed the top of her head. “Sleep well, my beautiful, beautiful lady.”
She sighed and relaxed against him. In moments, her breathing evened and she slipped into a gentle slumber.
Clark shook his head.
All this from a mugging in a cemetery, he mused.
As he drifted off, he thought he should leave a thank-you bouquet on Lois’ grave soon. He knew she’d understand.
Just as he knew Bobbie would understand. And he’d smile and stand beside her when she did the same at Glen’s grave.
Their future couldn’t look any brighter.
=* The End *=
=* And The Beginning *=
