Chapter 23

The next morning Kelly came out to the kitchen and found Chris was already up and watching the coffee drip. Chris gave her a big smile, and Kelly saw a difference from the day before. Her legs were bare below the bottom of her flannel bathrobe; the previous day she had seen pajama bottoms. She asked Chris about it. She grinned and replied, “I’m becoming more like a teenybopper I know. I haven’t quite got up the nerve to wear nothing ... yet.” She frowned and said, “I hope I didn’t screw up the coffee too badly.”

Kelly noticed that the older girl was cooking bacon and had the eggs out. “What’s going on?” she asked. “It almost looks like you’re being domestic. If I didn’t know you better, I would say you were.”

“Kelly, I’ve got a problem. It was that kiss in the car yesterday. Bill Carlson and I don’t agree on the time of day — or anything else, for that matter — but that kiss curled my toes. All last night I was tossing — or felt like tossing — listening to his breathing just a couple of feet away. Kelly, I so wanted to get in bed with him and ask him to hold me.

“What’s the matter with me?” the girl asked plaintively.

Kelly looked at her impassively. With a completely straight face she said, “The problem is you’re a woman — in spite of everything you say. Incidentally, I have a question for you. Will you be a bridesmaid in my wedding?”

Chris looked at Kelly in utter amazement. “You want me to be a bridesmaid? Why?”

“Well, first, you’re a girl. That always helps. Second, there seem to be a number of men who we want to be in the wedding, and we need more women. My problem is I don’t have many girlfriends. I’ve been out of the country for nearly three years. Before that I went through about one and a half schools a year, so I never had a chance to develop friends. Anyway, it’s just a thought.”

“Kelly, I would love to be in your wedding. But are you sure your mother would approve?”

“I don’t really see why not. I happen to know that some of her best friends are liberals. She’s very tolerant,” Kelly finished with a grin.

Moments later Bill appeared, followed by Mike. Mike gave Kelly his usual warm kiss. Meanwhile, Bill went up to Chris who was standing at the stove. He took her chin in his hand, gently turned her head and kissed her gently. Kelly heard the spatula drop in the pan as Chris’s arms went around Bill’s neck as she returned his kiss with increasing passion. Mike looked at Kelly and winked.

Over the next few weeks the foursome fell into a pattern to prepare for the wedding scheduled for the last Saturday in November. Chris started to accompany Kelly on her workouts, and she realized the girl had a beautiful figure. Surprisingly, she started to use the automatic Kelly had given her and quickly developed into an excellent pistol shot.

The coroner’s inquest into the Georgetown deaths was open and shut. There was an immediate finding of justifiable homicide, along with a finding of accidental death with respect to the two passengers in the station wagon.

The morning of the wedding dawned bright and clear. Katrina Murphy, now back from her honeymoon, was Kelly’s matron of honor, while Kevin was Mike’s best man. Kelly kissed Katrina who was now deeply tanned and looked absolutely beautiful after her honeymoon in Hawaii. Cathy Adams, Mary Harris, and Chris Collins were the bridesmaids. The ushers included Sam Adams and Ned Carlson.

Mike was standing at the altar with Kevin, when they heard the wedding march begin as the bridesmaids entered. The last to enter the cathedral was Katrina who Mike thought looked absolutely gorgeous. Her silver-blonde hair had been bleached almost white by the Hawaiian sun and she looked spectacular with her golden tan.

Kelly walked slowly up the aisle on her father’s arm. She was so happy, tears were clouding her vision. She was glad her father was walking beside her, and she had his arm to guide her. The cathedral was magnificent and appeared to be very crowded in spite of its great size. As she approached the altar she saw Mike standing there waiting for her. It was truly the happiest moment of her life.