Chapter 7

I closed my eyes and opened my mind to the link with Pat and July, with Elaine and Zander. I charged in as the "White Knight," ready to place my greater maturity and experience at dealing with strong emotions between Elaine and the unknown terror.

Bullshit.

That might have been in the back (maybe even the front) of my mind - "rescuing" Elaine - and who could blame me? The woman I loved was in mortal terror of something. I wanted... I needed to help.

Fear, alarm, consternation, dismay, dread, fright, horror, panic, terror, trepidation, trepidity... all mere words from some thesaurus. Emotions are not words, and the words we create to represent those emotions... have you ever noticed that we have to attach qualifiers when we use them? Sheer horror; depths of despair; blind panic. No, I hadn't noticed either.

I fainted.

Elaine wrestled with the living, writhing feelings that threatened her sanity. She was aware of her mother and B trying to comfort her, and when her mother said "permission to marry" that broke through to beat back the demons for a moment. A flash of radiant joy that startled her and her oppressor, if only for an instant.

She turned to B. His face took on that distracted, "seeing in the distance" look. She felt concern, love, even courage... then her demons washed over him. Surprise, shock, agony, and his own fear! More than anything that galvanized her to action, gave her strength.

Nobody knew what happened. Nobody told the exactly the same story afterwards. I was there, at least while I was conscious, and I am the last person to ask. I've tried to reconstruct events. Where the stories don't conflict, I have a fair picture, but it certainly isn't all-inclusive.

Take Eleanor's eye-witness account:

"One moment we were holding Elaine's hands, trying to calm her down. You started to collapse - Elaine shook herself and eased you to the floor. She screamed, 'Stop it!' in a voice that rooted me where I stood. She was breathing hard, and where a minute ago she was scared out of her wits, now she was angry and concerned and totally focused... on you.

"She yelled, 'Here! Now!' and the air was full of fire lizards screeching and flapping. She just kept looking at you. The big one browbeat the rest into settling down, even hers.

"I pulled my daughter out of the way and checked you myself. I was a nurse for a while. You were showing signs of shock. You know, skin pale, cool and clammy; pulse week and rapid; shallow rapid breathing, and unconscious. I loosened your shirt, elevated your feet, got a blanket and covered you. Elaine talked softly to you the whole time. Don't ask me to repeat it; a lot was just reassuring you that you were going to be all right, some was more personal, and I blush easy.

"I wanted to call 911. Shock can be nasty, even fatal. Elaine wouldn't let me - how would we explain the fire lizards? And you started responding to her. Your pulse slowed and got stronger. Your breathing, too.

"The big fire lizard, a gold I think, was practically crooning in time to Elaine's words, and they all seemed to take it up. Your color returned, and you seemed warm enough, so I didn't make the call.

"Then your daughter showed up with Jessica and Brenda. I kept them on the porch, except when your daughter called you in sick to work. Within half an hour, all the girls were gathered. Jay kept them supplied with drinks through the back door, and they were all talking quietly."

She told me all this just before she went home with Elaine. But she did allow us a few minutes alone.

"How are you feeling?" Elaine asked.

"Weak," was what I managed to get out. I would have liked to have said physically exhausted, mentally beaten, and emotionally drained, but I wasn't quite up to the effort. "Love you." That part hadn't drained, seemed ready to overflow.

"You need to rest. Jay said she'd watch you like hawk."

"Gold?" I hoped she'd understand what I was asking.

"She was here! I didn't realize it until you were out of danger, but Mom said she showed up with the rest. She isn't dead! But she isn't impressed, so she's been alone out there, somewhere. I can't quite get a lock on her unless she wants me too - I guess she's learned to guard her feelings, something we all need to do."

I barely nodded. I was in no condition to guard mine, so Elaine knew I felt love and gratitude. She kissed my forehead. "You rest now. Pat and July will let me know if you don't."

I smiled feebly as she got up to leave. At the door I was looking at her well-rounded ass, departing. She whirled around and said, "You are much too weak for that kind of thought." She grinned wickedly, though, when she said it, and winked. She closed the door behind her.

I was asleep within moments of closing my eyes.

I got more of it the next day. But first, I saw my doctor, who prescribed 72 hours rest and faxed his report to my boss. The boss called shortly after I got home to express his concern but told me not to worry about work - the new guy was covering my shift. As for explaining things to my doctor... he has a daughter, and his daughter has a rather strange pet. It was an interesting examination. The report cited "job-related stress." Had Elaine or her mother known, he offered, they could have called him instead of 911.

Actually, I felt much better, and probably could have returned to work that night, but I was warned to expect company after school. Doctor Orsten thought he might drop by as well. He had a few more questions than my "exam" covered. At my request for a blood test, he allowed as how Virginia doesn't require one for a marriage license but worked up a blood test anyway.

Eleanor came by around noon. "Jeff was... less than thrilled with the idea of our daughter getting married, particularly to a man old enough to be her father. How old are you, anyway?"

I smiled. "Jay and I celebrate our birthdays together on July 14th, but mine's actually the 16th. She was my 'twentieth birthday present, ' her mother always said."

Eleanor did the easy math. "So you're thirty-six going on thirty-seven? You're my age?" She shook her head, resignedly. "If you ever call me 'Mom, ' you're a dead man. I won't be thirty-seven until October."

I laughed. "I hope you won't stop me completely from teasing my mother-in-law. It's a time-honored tradition."

She just snorted. "You just watch out, or I'll let your future father-in-law kick your ass." She sighed. "I made a few calls. The licence comes from the clerk-of-court at the circuit court. Only one parent of a minor needs to give approval, so Jeff realized it was going to happen either way. There's also no waiting period, and our court clerk is a certified justice of the peace. There's no requirement for witnesses, either, but if you two don't invite the other girls, at least, you're both crazy."

"You seem to have it all figured out. Did you set a date for us?" I wondered why she was rushing this along. She didn't seem all that enthusiastic.

"I'm thinking that the Court House is a mile past the high school, and school lets out tomorrow at noon. You pick up the bride and her maid of honor and I'll bring the van for the bridesmaids. The rest can come in someone else's car." She sighed. "We'll hold the... 'reception'... at the Denny's down the road from the circuit court, my treat."

I had to ask. "Why all this haste? I have to tell you, just the fact that you're willing to let us be together at all is amazing enough. This breakneck rush to the altar is astounding."

She half-smiled. "I know. I'm surprised at myself." She barked a small laugh. "Call me old fashioned. I'd rather the man that my daughter is making love to is her husband, not sneaking around and hiding things. Besides, it's a small town. Do you really think it would be a secret for long? So, are you in, or do I need to bring the shotgun?"

My turn to laugh. "You won't need it. I'll be there, if Elaine accepts. You realize," I pointed out, "that I haven't even asked her, yet?"

"You have any doubt she'll say yes?" Eleanor looked at me as though dementia was already settling in.

"I've tried not to make a habit of taking things for granted, especially where women are concerned."

Eleanor cocked her head, "You'll probably make her a good husband, if for that alone." She finally showed me a genuine smile. "She'll say yes. She's been remarkably changed these past few weeks, all to the good." She suddenly looked startled, then gave me a devilish grin. "She'll eventually want children of her own, you know. A step-daughter isn't going to satisfy her maternal instincts."

I nodded. I hadn't thought that far ahead but it was fairly obvious, once she'd said it.

The grin became more evil. "You share feelings in a way I can't fathom. Will you share morning sickness? What about labor pains?"

The hair on my neck came to attention. "You have a sadistic streak, you know that?"

"Just paying you in advance for the mother-in-law jokes you threatened me with," she snickered. We talked a bit longer before she left, nothing consequential.

As soon as she was gone, I made a dash to the mall. There were a few things I figured I'd be needing soon.

I was home before the bus was due, but Jessica's car was already in my driveway, so I parked at the curb.

I was welcomed home by Jay, Elaine, Kimberly and Jessica. Once again I marvelled that the warble of the fire lizards seemed a higher pitched echo of the teenagers' chatter. Jay kissed my cheek, Kim and Jessica waved. Elaine went tonsil diving, to everyone's (especially my) delight. Pat and Julie vied for the shoulder Elaine didn't take control of.

Of course, I was royally chewed out for being out, once I had been welcomed back. I assured everyone that I was fine. Well, I was a little tired and Pat and Julie ratted me out to Elaine, but she didn't tell the others.

On the other hand, Jessica and Kimberly became apologetic. "We didn't know - well, we knew that Elaine could 'read' our fire lizards, and that made us a little scared..." babbled Jessica.

"You were scared; I started off angry! I didn't get scared until Papa Smurf started feeding me the fear that she" meaning Elaine "was getting from you and Brenda and the others," Kimberly interrupted.

"That's the point!" Jessica said, heatedly. "Individually, most of us were a little scared. Some of us were angry; some were jealous; some were worried. Elaine picked up on all the fears, and leaked it back out. The little fears got bigger, which Elaine picked up separately and combined, and leaked out as even bigger fear." Elaine nodded. "It was one of those viscous circle things."

"Vicious circles," interjected Jay.

"I know that!" Kimberly said. "We talked about it last night. I'm just saying..."

I winked at Elaine, and said, "Ohhhhhh," as I slumped into her arms. Pat and Julie squawked and took wing, mildly annoyed. Elaine wrapped one arm around me and brushed the back of my head as I snickered into her shoulder. Elaine said, with mock sternness, "Do you two think you could calm down?"

Both girls were immediately contrite and subdued, until I made a loud smacking noise against Elaine's neck, and sat up grinning. Much giggling and teasing ensued; an argument was averted.

Donna stopped through on her way to work, just to check on me and the others. Brenda was still on her way back from the mountains with her family, but Keanu popped in and out a few times. I found out I might have a hefty collect call charge from a KOA campsite pay phone. It was how they (Brenda and Claire) had participated in the previous evening's aftermath. The call had run so late that they'd stayed over another night.

Linda popped in for a time with Elvis. So did Debby with blue Skyler and Sara with Fido, another of the blues. Pat and Julie were meeting the last three for the first time, and exchanged excited trills and warbles for a bit before settling down.

Jay was in some sort of hostess zone, distributing drinks and snacky things, and a huge tray of meat strips, which the flits enjoyed. I knew there would be no frenzied, red-eyed feeding tonight; they were being stuffed to immobility, teens and fire lizards alike.

As things calmed down, I decided it was time for a bit of ceremony. Linda and her dad, Doctor "call me Bill" Orsten were on the demi-sofa. Debby, Sara, Jessica and Kimberly were squeezed together on the couch. Elaine sat in the single chair with Eleanor perched on its overstuffed arm. I sat on the Ottoman, near Elaine, while Jay fluttered about. Unlike Jay, the fire lizards were arrayed around the room on shoulders and seat backs, quite comfortable.

I pushed back the Ottoman and told Jay to sit for a minute. I asked Jessica to pass me a small throw pillow. I think, despite my best efforts, Pat picked up a mental image of what I was about to do; she scrabbled down my right arm. I hoped the fair of fire lizards were enough to distract Elaine from what I intended.

I fished one of my mall purchases from my left pocket, and tossed the throw pillow at Elaine's feet. Good; she looked perplexed. Now I knelt with my right knee on that pillow, and took Elaine's left hand in my right. Pat chirruped happily - she'd moved to my forearm for a ringside seat. I moved my left hand toward Elaine's, asking, Elaine, will you..."

"YES!" she shouted before I could finish. She let me slide the engagement ring onto the appropriate finger. Pat supervised the process, trilling happily. Without more than glancing at it, she was off the chair and into my arms. Overbalanced, we tumbled to the floor, upsetting not only our flits, but the others as well. We hugged and kissed and laughed.

Of course, we couldn't stay on the floor. Their were more hugs, and kisses, and the ring was displayed and inspected. Doctor Orsten was slightly bemused but congratulated me anyway (probably glad it wasn't his daughter.) He kissed Elaine's cheek and congratulated her. He turned to Eleanor and said, "Look at it this way, Elle; you're not losing a daughter, you're gain-"

"Don't even think about finishing that!" Eleanor cut him off. "I warned him that'd I'd sacrifice his ability to give me grandchildren if he calls me Mom. You don't even get that much consideration." He bellowed a laugh.

Jay had held back while the others hugged and kissed Elaine. She had a huge grin, and had hugged me, beaming, but was waiting for the crowd to thin around Elaine. Jessica noticed, and turned Elaine to face her. Jay threw her arms wide, shouting "Step-mom!"

"Step-kid!" Elaine squealed back, and they shared an enormous hug.

"Do we have to wait until after the ceremony before we talk about raising my allowance?" Jay stage-whispered.

Elaine looked surprised. "I just realized I lost mine, permanently," she replied, winking at her mother. "Does this mean I can ground you if I don't like the boys you hang out with?"

Jay looked even more surprised. Without releasing Elaine, she looked at Eleanor. "You don't tell her father everything you know about your daughter, do you?" Eleanor only laughed - so did me and Elaine. Jay decided it was best to laugh along with us.

From that amusing note on, the impromptu engagement party gradually dwindled to just Elaine, her mother, Jay and me. On his way out the door, Bill shook my hand again, shaking his head. "I think I have a lot of questions for Linda. But they'll wait. Congratulations, again."

Eleanor turned to Jay. "C'mon, step-granddaughter. Let's get all this stuff to the kitchen and give these two some time alone. Say, ten minutes or so."

"Ten Minutes!" Jay was indignant. "That's hardly enough time to..."

"More than enough time to, on the night before the wedding, kiddo. Grab those empty cans, too," Eleanor grinned. "Let's move it!"

"Okay, step-Granny, whatever you say," Jay grinned back. Eleanor's mouth dropped open.

It took two trips, with Elaine and I helping for the first one. Eleanor looked at her watch, then pointedly at us, as she disappeared into the kitchen. To the background music of running water and clattering dishes, Elaine melted into my arms.

The kiss ate up eight of ten minutes, and ended with hands in each others back pockets, crotches rubbing through cloth. I murmured to Elaine, "You should probably get plenty of sleep tonight, tomorrow's going to be a long day."

She whispered back, "You should probably be in bed pretty soon, too. I don't want you to stay up too long, either." A slight emphasis on the word up told me we were on the same wavelength.

Eleanor's throat-clearing told us our time "in the flesh" was over for tonight. We touched lips one last time and exchanged "I love you's" until her car door closed. We waved as she went out of sight.

Jay waved as well. I put an arm around her shoulder. "You okay, kiddo?"

"Yeah. I think so, she said. "all day, and epecially after you proposed, I was thinking how neat it will be to have a step-mom who's my age, and a good friend." She swallowed. "Her crack about grounding me... Wham! A totally different perspective I hadn't thought of. It kinda threw me."

I smiled. "I hope you'll stay friends forever, but I don't think she'll be partying quite the same. At least I hope you're not out trying to pick up boys together."

"Elaine was never like that. She had guy friends, but she was never serious enough about anyone to, you know, get physical. Not that I ever knew about, anyway." I filed that away. I must have raised an eyebrow, because Jay continued, "Hey, don't take that as gospel, I don't know for sure, Dad. That's between you and her."

I nodded. "You haven't spilled any big secrets; you're just speaking your mind. And don't worry about Elaine spilling all of your secrets, just because she'll be my wife. She won't tell me anything I don't need to know, before I need to know it." Jay relaxed, visibly. "Of course, I expect I'll be much better informed about your dates than you were ever willing to share. Can you deal with that."

"I guess I'll have to, won't I."

"In the meantime, I have a favor to ask of you."

Jay was wary of a trap. "What?"

I just laughed. "Come on, you can show more enthusiasm than that! I want you to be my 'best man' And I won't even make you throw a bachelor party."

Now she laughed, too. "Cool! Um... what does a best man do?"

"Besides the bachelor party? Carries the rings, and enough cash to pay for the license and the minister or justice of the peace. Stands next to the groom at the ceremony. Makes a toast at the reception. Soaps the words, 'Just Married' on the trunk or rear window of the groom's getaway car, or makes a cardboard sign. Can't cover the license plate, though. Can you handle it?

"I think I can handle that," she grinned. "Are you staying here or going out of town for the honeymoon?"

"Why? Are you thinking of inviting some bachelors to a party if I'm gone?" I asked, making a stern face.

She just laughed again. "No, nothing like that. I just think you better put some distance between you guys and here, unless you want all the other girls saying, 'I know what you did last summer'."

"What?" This was a piece of the puzzle I hadn't seen!

"You didn't know? That's what started fright-night! While you were unconscious, the rest of us figured out that you and Elaine were broadcasting. And it was an x-rated video, from what Jessy and Linda said." She giggled. "I think they got the clearest, um, reception, so to speak. But they all got a bad case of the hornies. Even Brenda said she had a wet dream, and she was like sixty or seventy miles away, at least."

I must have turned pale. Jay told me to, then made me sit down. "Does Elaine know about this?"

She opened her mouth to say yes, I could tell by the beginning of a nod. Nothing came out while she paused to think. "I don't know," she finally answered. "She was inside with you while we all talked about it. But her mother knows. Wouldn't she have told her?"

That was a question I couldn't answer. "Let's get some sleep. One of us has school, and both of us have a wedding to attend tomorrow." We went to bed.

Despite the excitement of the engagement, and the expectation of being "joined" by Elaine, I hovered at the edges of sleep. The exhaustion that the doctor had diagnosed was real enough, if not job related. I thought I should be planning a honeymoon, since the wedding was out of my hands, but the concentration required was beyond my grasp.

For months now, I had pictured myself going to hell for coveting an underaged woman. Truthfully, underaged women, plural, now happily narrowed to a single woman whose age would be rendered irrelevant by a simple ceremony. I had pictured fiery pits, and demons with pitchforks.

I now knew the inadequacy of my imagination. I had visited hell. Worse, I had recognized the landscape; I had been there before, the memories suppressed. Feeling Pat and Julie stir uneasily against me, I suppressed them now. Elaine had seen the abyss as well, and triumphed. She knew that hell was a bottomless well of fear and hopelessness - I would not willingly visit those memories on her again.

Even so, I felt a welling of concern and comfort, and the trembling bodies on my pillow eased to restfull slumber. I should have known that Elaine would be "listening." I would never be alone again.

I did my best to send those feelings of warmth and security back to Elaine, to let her know she had affected me and to reassure her, as well. She was taking the same giant step tomorrow.

For all the pent-up lust with which we had said goodnight, the mutual admonitions to hurry to bed, the next thirty or forty minutes were spent just mentally cuddling one another. Whatever your mental image of gender-roles, believe me when I say that men appreciate a good snuggle every bit as much as women. True, the physical and visual cues might trigger arousal, but that works in both directions.

I don't know which of us "made the first move." I know that I was perfectly happy basking in Elaine's comforting thoughts and I'm certain I was projecting the same warmth and all-around good feeling back. Whichever of us had the first stray image of physical contact, it quickly evoked shared memories of our only time together physically. That led to tactile sensation, and mounting arousal for both of us

I stroked; she plumbed; we soared. Afterwards, we luxuriated. Sleepily, we let contact abate. We slept.

The morning went by in a blur. Showered. Shaved. Dressed in my good suit. Jay went to school in a dress. A dress! If you knew Jay, you'd know this alone was a major event. The last (only) time I saw her in an honest-to-goodness dress was for her Junior High School Prom.

I ran into Eleanor at the local florist and she ran me right out again, claiming that flowers were her responsibility. She also suggested I make reservations somewhere out-of-town for a few days, and offered to look in on Jay. I accepted the offer and the suggestion.

I remembered to ask if she had mentioned the exhibishionist/voyeur aspects of the preceeding day's discussions to Elaine. When she grinned and said, "Oops," I groaned.

A high-rise hotel on the beach in Virginia Beach accepted my booking, despite the short notice. It was a weekday, but more importantly, I didn't quibble about the cost. I could easily afford a few days without dipping into the long-term savings from my late wife's insurance.

Something reminded me to check in with my boss, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that my new schedule was Sunday through Wednesday, ten-hour day shifts, effective this Sunday.

Finally, it was time to go. Driving toward the high school, my mind whirled with the breakneck speed that events were occurring in. I was about to marry a woman half my age. We hadn't discussed any of the typical couple topics. Did she want kids? How many? Would she take a job? What about college? Hell, she had a year of high school left, never mind college! Would she finish? (I'd vote yea, and urge college, too.) What side of the bed did she prefer? What was her favorite color, for crying out loud?

All good questions, which I now hoped we would spend a lifetime answering. I had a truckload of uncertainties, but I had one certainty. I wanted this; it felt right. I no longer felt like I was going to hell. I know it's silly. A marriage certificate is just paper. It wouldn't miraculously age Elaine. And that paper isn't what made it feel so right.

We'd be together. Everything else was just detail.

Arriving at school, I learned of the first change of plans. Several of the girls came out and informed me (without allowing for discussion) that I would be taking Jay, Kimberly and Brenda to the courthouse, and should leave right away. The rest would be split between Eleanor's van and Jessica's car. I wasn't permitted to see the bride before the wedding, and the girls riding with me were to enforce that.

I let the "Best Man" drive. Kim and Brenda rode in back, and Jay ordered seatbelts without my saying a word. I looked back, but evidently Elaine was waiting out of sight until we were gone.

At the courthouse, I passed Jay a wad of cash. We met the Clerk of Court, who would also be performing the ceremony, and filled out my part of the licence and marriage certificate. Jay explained that the others would be along momentarily, and how many were expected; he sent us to conference room 1, a medium sized empty room, except for U.S. and Virginia Flags and a wall-sized Seal of Virginia. Jay and I stood to the right side of the wall opposite the door, waiting nervously.

Eleanor entered just minutes later with Elaine's brother, carrying several items. She pinned a carnation on my lapel and on the shoulder strap of Jay's dress. She set up a camcorder on a tripod near the door, which her son (what was his name? I'd forgotten!) would evidently operate. He had a digital camera on a strap on his wrist as well. He set a "boom box" on the floor.

The Clerk of Court entered, and took position directly opposite the camcorder. Jay and I adjusted our positions to his left, allowing more room on the bride's side.

My "almost-a-brother-in-law" leaned down to push the play button, and some classical wedding march began to play. One after the other, other the girls entered, each carrying a bouquet. They stepped in time to the music, the single step typical of bridesmaids and brides, and I briefly wondered if they'd ditched classes to practice. It was quite lovely. They formed a semi-circle enclosing the Justice of the Peace, Jay, and me. Jessica, as Maid of Honor, entered the semi-circle and stood opposite Jay.

There was an awkward moment while Elaine's brother (David! His name was David.) switched tapes, starting the one I can only think of as "Here Comes the Bride." Finally, Elaine entered the room.

My God, she was beautiful! She was wearing a white pleated skirt, and a white blouse under a white jacket. White nylons (pantyhose? Stretchtop? Stockings with garters? I looked forward to finding out.) in white flats. She even wore a sheer white veil, that just hung below her eyes.

Our fire lizards were nowhere in evidence, but I could feel her excitement, her anticipation, her love, and I know she could feel mine.

As important as the vows were, I drifted through them. My eyes were locked on Elaine; hers were locked on me. I snapped out of my intoxication when the JP intoned, "... man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

It was one of those slow-motion movie scenes. Somehow our hands were together between us; she let go with one hand and raised it to lift her veil out of the way, leaning toward me. I leaned toward her, sliding my freed hand around her waist. Our lips barely touched, but our minds were in a full-frontal clench. That kiss lasted only seconds (I've since watched the tape many times) but the emotional link seemed an eternity of bliss.

The best man had, in fact, arranged to have "Just Married" spelled out on the trunk in flexible magnetic letters. I know she didn't do it herself; she was with me the whole time.

Elaine hadn't seen it yet. I noticed it after I seated her in the car, brushing birdseed from her shoulders, and circled around the back to the driver's side. I didn't think my smile could get any wider, but it tried.

We caravanned to Denny's, lights on and horns honking. In my rearview, I could see a budding photojournalist still shooting tape. At Denny's, I parked the car nose out, so the "Just Married" sign would be facing the windows. It would also make for a faster getaway. I'd have a word with Jay as well, to make sure Jessica didn't try to follow.

To my surprise, we were expected. The staff had reserved tables in the back of the dining area, and even had placecards. They had sacrificed a lot of seating to push long tables together to form a square, four seats on a side. Just enough for our party, as it turned out. Denny's was no Sheraton or elegant ballroom, but they had gone to some trouble.