Chapter 23

When David and Sarah returned to the living room, they found that all of the remaining guests had arrived. At the same time, Sarah noticed something else: All of the women were wearing white gowns, while the men were in strict black and white. Knowing Andy Taylor, Sally was certain it was not accidental.

When they entered the room, Andy brought a handsome young couple over to meet them. "Sarah Duncan and David Wilson, I would like to introduce you to two of my most favorite people, Bobbie and Terry Williams. They have just returned from their honeymoon. Don't they both look just great?"

Having just spent three weeks on Maui, the two had beautiful tropic tans. Beyond that, though, they both appeared to be joyously happy.

Sarah noticed immediately that Bobbie Williams was a slightly smaller duplicate of Andy, even to her hairdo. When she commented on it, Bobbie smiled warmly and said, "Thank you so much, Sarah. That is the nicest thing anyone could possibly say to me. Andy Taylor is my idol. To say that, for me, the sun rises and sets in Andy Taylor is true, but there is so much more. This woman truly saved my life. Had it not been for her, I would probably be dead right now, having died from having my insides rotted out with sexually-transmitted diseases.

"You see, when I first met her, I was a prostitute who would do anything with anyone for ever-diminishing amounts of money as the ... wear and tear, shall we say... ? began to catch up with me."

"What she doesn't say, though," Andy interjected, "is that I almost killed her. I brutally beat her for days, and degraded her in every way my sick mind could conceive." Andy shook her head slowly and added, "Why she didn't kill me when she had the chance is utterly beyond me."

Sally and Dave were just watching the exchange in utter amazement. Then Bobbie said, "I think you both know it, too. Andy Taylor is one of God's most perfect creations. The problem was, though, that she was the only one who didn't know it."

Then she smiled warmly at Sally and said, "I heard what you told her a couple of months ago. Kelly told me. It was about time someone told her off about how selfish she has always been. Look at me, for instance. Would you believe it? I literally had to tie her down to be able to kiss her and thank her for all she has done for me." Looking up at Andy with her brilliant blue eyes wide she asked softly, "Do I still?"

Andy said nothing so Bobbie put her arms around Andy's neck and melted her lips to hers. Sally gasped as she could see Bobbie working her lips on Andy's and doing everything she could to communicate the intense love for her that she always felt. This time, it was Andy who was reeling when Bobbie slowly released her.

Then, with a little grin, Bobbie said softly, "That didn't hurt so much, did it?" Then she added in a whisper, "I adore you, Andrea Pierce Taylor."

The young people went into the living room. All of the women, including Bobbie Williams, helped with the serving. As soon as David and Sally were seated, Andy came over with a small silver tray holding two champagne flutes. Offering the wine to the couple she said with a little grin, "It's about time you both learned something: a man's cum, and a woman's love-juices wash down beautifully with champagne. We have found that Dom Pérignon is best." The two took sips and agreed it was marvelous.

They found themselves sitting beside Kelly and Kevin Fitzpatrick. Kelly was almost bouncing on the sofa in suppressed excitement. When Sally raised an eyebrow, Kelly grinned and said, "Sally, earlier today, you asked me if there was something you could do for me. The answer is yes, and now I can tell you what it is: Could ... Would ... Maybe, could you get Kevin and me ... two tickets to a ... Giant's home game? Could you?" she asked with her eyes wide.

"Kelly Carmichael Taylor, I am ashamed of you!" Sally exclaimed. "My God! How incredibly greedy. Not just one, but two tickets — and to a home game? Good heavens, girl, do you realize for how many years the Giants have been sold out at home? Do you have any idea how long the waiting list is? I mean ... And besides," she continued with a pout, "you didn't do so much. All you did was pound me into shape and make me into a lady in sixty days."

Then she dropped the playacting, turned to Dave, and asked, "Darling, could you get a pair of good season tickets? I mean ... Honey, do you like my body?"

"Are you kidding?" Wilson exclaimed. "Darling, you are feminine perfection!"

"Do you like the way I speak now? Maybe you have noticed how much softer my speech is? How much more carefully I pronounce words? You haven't seen it yet, but my handwriting is beautiful and ladylike, now, too. Do you like me now, David?"

"I utterly adore you, Sarah Duncan," he replied. Then he grinned and asked, "But what does this all have to do with season tickets?"

"Honey, Kelly made me what I am. Honest! She did. Now could you?"

David grinned and stretched. Then he said, "What a coincidence! Darling, you are an attorney, aren't you?" Sally just nodded, puzzled. "Well, you see, on the day I met you two months ago, I had fired my agent. Honey, I don't have one now. But the Giants are on my back. You see, they have offered me a $35-million contract and want a decision. I've been stalling them, telling them I need to get a new agent first. Sarah Duncan, will you be my agent? Will you represent me in contract negotiations? Will you see if you can get a couple of season tickets thrown into the contract? Will you? Huh?"

Sarah leaped into his arms and again the two melted together with increasing passion. Finally they eased apart and Sally said, "I would love to be your agent, my darling. And believe me: I will get those tickets!"

Turning back to Kelly she said, "Kel, two tickets for a single game are pretty tough. How about a pair of season tickets, instead? Will you settle? For your lifetimes, of course?"

Instead of replying, Kelly, who was already sitting across Kevin's lap, merely wriggled her body against his torso and said softly, "Darling, are you willing to settle?" He just enthusiastically agreed.

With the matter of the gift for Kelly taken care of, David was able to reach into his dinner jacket, and remove the ring from its tiny box without taking the box out of his pocket. He glanced at it — it was a magnificent solitaire diamond — then just held out his hand and dropped it into Sally's. "Here," he said in the very flattest tone of voice he could manage.

Sally glanced at it but suppressed the delight she felt. Instead, she just looked at it curiously the way she might examine the toy in a box of Cracker Jack and said, as flatly as she could, "Thanks." She slid it on her third finger without another word or any other reaction.

"Oh, that reminds me," Kevin said idly. He, too, reached into his jacket pocket, also produced an engagement ring, dropped it into Kelly's hand and said, equally casually, "I almost forgot."

Kelly didn't even look at it. Instead, she just slipped it on her third finger and continued the conversation they had been having. Suddenly the four young people began to howl with laughter. The two girls threw their arms around their fiancés' necks and crushed their lips to theirs.

Bill Johnson and Nita were attracted by the howls of laughter. When he saw the ring on Sally's finger flashing in the light he said, "Damn! I knew I forgot something." Fishing an engagement ring from his pocket, he turned to Nita and also said in a flat tone of voice, "Here."

When she held out her hand, he dropped it into hers.

"Thanks," she said in an equally-flat tone, and slipped it on her finger. Then she changed completely. "Are you sure, Bill? Are you really sure? I will be your mistress, if you want. But..."

"Darling, I have never been as sure of anything in my whole life," he replied. "I want you to be my wife. Please say yes?"

"Oh Bill, darling, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! I adore you," she replied with all of the joy she could express. Then they joined the other two young couples and the girls excitedly compared their magnificent rings.

The last word was Sally's. When the girls calmed down, she turned to David and said, "This is lovely, darling. But where is the mink?"

When everyone howled with laughter, she looked around as if she could not understand what they could possibly think was funny. Finally, she said, "What's going on? What's so damned funny? All mistresses get a diamond and a mink. I have the diamond. Now where's the mink?"

"But, Sally," David Wilson protested, "what do you mean, where's the mink? There is no mink. That's why I'm marrying you. I'm saving money! Everyone know wives are cheaper than mistresses ... and I'm cheap."

In spite of her laughter, Sally still managed to kiss him. It was the strangest kiss they ever shared as they both were laughing when their lips came together.

After a cocktail hour, Andy announced dinner. When the group assembled in the dining room, it looked utterly magnificent. Except for a low arrangement of red carnations, everything was done in black and white. Rather than separating the couples as was often done at dinner parties, they were sitting together except for Ellie and Sam who were sitting to the right of Jack and Andy respectively. When everyone was seated, Andy reached out her hand to Sam on her right and David on her left and asked the others please to join hands.

When they did, she bowed her head and prayed, "Dear God, we are gathered here tonight as families to ask You to bestow Your blessing on the young people gathered with us. We beg You to bless, to guide and to protect David and Sally, Bill and Anita, Kevin and Kelly, and particularly the lovely woman who I tried so hard to destroy, Barbara Cumings Williams, and her husband, Terry.

"Dear God, I learned tonight that You have already blessed their marriage. I learned that already her belly is beginning to swell with a small life growing as fast as it can in her lovely womb. Dear God, Jack and I are not worthy, but our friends are. Please make Your light to shine upon them, and let them join You at the end of long and fruitful lives to be with You in Heaven for all eternity.

"Finally, Oh God, please bless the tiny baby that is now growing in my womb. I know I am not worthy, but my infant is so small, so vulnerable, and so innocent: Please give him or her the chance he deserves and the protection he needs. I ask this, dear God, in the name of your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ..."

"Oh God!" Kelly prayed powerfully from her seat farther down the table. "What You have just heard is a prayer from Your most faithful servant, my mother, Andrea Pierce Taylor. With my father, Jack, they have set an example and a standard we cannot come close to meeting, but in our trying, they force us to become far better people than we would otherwise ever be.

"Her prayer was so typical of my mother, dear God. There was not one word about herself except to say she was an unworthy woman. But, dear God, Jack and Andy Taylor are worthy of all Your blessings! And it was so typical of my mother that we all learn that she is expecting a baby when she says a prayer to You.

"Dear God, for my parents we pray: Guide them and protect them; make Your light to shine upon them. Let them continue to serve You with all of their hearts through long and fruitful lives here on earth and then let them join You and each other in Heaven, in happiness through all eternity. We ask this in the name of your son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen"

Everyone around the table responded. But before anyone could move, a golden light appeared in a ring around all the heads at the table. Then it expanded to include the bodies and even the table, itself. As it grew brighter, it began to shimmer, but continued to brighten until it was brighter than the sun. Suddenly there was an incredible flash, like a silent explosion, and the gold exploded to cover the entire room. Unlike the previous times, though, the people did not lose consciousness. They just remained with their heads bowed as the golden light seemed to drip from the ceiling onto their heads.

"Andy and Kelly, you asked God to make his light to shine upon us. I guess He just did," Sally said in a quiet and very reverent tone of voice. Then she turned, took David in her arms and kissed him with all of her power. Andy jumped from her chair, ran down to Jack, sat in his lap and kissed him, while all of the other couples embraced, too.

When Andy eased away from Jack's kiss, she kept her arms around his neck and asked softly, "Do you mind, darling? That I am going to be a mother? A real one, this time."

The look on Jack's face was the happiest and proudest she had ever seen. His face had answered her question before he opened his mouth. "My darling, I could not be happier and still live! I've said this for months: The fruit of your womb is going to be a very special little person. I really can't wait!"

When she returned to her seat, and congratulations had been exchanged all around, the first course of a mixed fresh seafood cocktail was served which included cold lobster, shrimp and crabmeat, as well as raw oysters and clams. It was served with a magnificent grand cru Chablis.

After it had been consumed, instead of returning to the kitchen to serve the second course, Andy sat and toyed with her wine glass. Then she looked up and said, "Oh, by the way, you three couples are being married next Saturday."

When the young people spun around to look in her direction, she had to put her hand over her mouth to try to cover her broad grin. Her first thought was that she really should have had a camera at that instant — the looks on their faces were priceless. "I wasn't going to tell you, yet — I knew it would only upset you — but then I thought that Nita should tell Bergdorf's that she wouldn't be in ... And hell, you might want to get a new dress or something..."

"But ... but Mom!" Kelly protested. "How can we? I mean, Kevin and I have never even talked about it. We need to find a place to live..."