Chapter 13

Day Thirteen: Friday

It seemed as if I had just closed my eyes when I awoke to the blaring buzz of the alarm at 4:30 AM. The sudden transition from sleep to wide awake was like a bucket of icy water on my psyche. For a moment I reached for the alarm clock with malice aforethought. I sure missed being woken up by the gentle music of the radio. Alas, radio stations were no more.

Suddenly the reason for the early wake-up call came to me and broke through the lingering narcosis that half-shrouded my mind. As I locked on that purpose my mood changed in an instant and a smile replaced the surly frown on my face. I found new energy in that moment and a sense of peace and happiness as I thought about our forthcoming private ceremony. After all, I wasn't the first man in modern times to be married to five women. I recalled hearing that Mickey Rooney had been married to eight different women and was sure he didn't hold the record. What difference did it make that my commitments were all to be made on the same day and at the same time. Unlike Mr. Rooney and others I fully intended to honor my lifetime commitments to each of my five betrothed.

As we awoke I found that all of the three women sharing my bed seemed nervous. From the moment they rushed to the bathrooms the chatter was constant as they competed for space. After I relieved my morning wood, I moved out of their way into the kitchen where I started a pot of coffee. Not surprisingly, I had no idea whether Lana or Laura were coffee drinkers but knew that Irene loved her coffee almost as much as I did. I tried to find out Lana's preferences as I corralled her and gave her a good morning kiss. After the query Irene, who had overheard my question, immediately gave me grief.

Irene remarked, "I thought you said you said you spent time getting to know her and you don't even know how or even if she drinks coffee ... do you? What exactly do you know about this woman you're about to marry?"

Laura jumped in with a grin and said, "I'm sure he knows my bra size. I saw him studying it when I took it off for bed last night."

Lana piled on and teased, "He wasn't looking at the bra, sis; that was just the wrapper for the candy."

Irene looked at Lana and Laura who were still nude from the waist up and said, "Yeah, I just hope he doesn't get sick from all that candy."

I couldn't help myself and added, "I'm sure if I get sick honey, you'll nurse me back to health."

Laura cupped her breasts and walked straight over to me. She was looking in my eyes as she offered herself saying, "Want a taste of this candy before breakfast?"

Lana and Irene almost doubled over laughing over this and I bent my knees almost to the floor to put my mouth on the same level as her nipples. She suppressed a laugh and moved forward, about three more steps as I waddled forward which sent her into a fit of laughter. She laughed so hard she tripped and fell onto the bed.

I turned to Irene who was looking at me from the bathroom door and said, "That's what I first loved about Lana and Laura."

Irene said, "What ... their tits?"

I chuckled and said, "No, they're both crazy and love to tease me. Every morning I'm with them makes my day brighter and happier. With all the emptiness around us, that's something I need to keep my sanity."

I went back and got coffee for Irene and myself. As soon as I sat Irene's coffee down on the nightstand Laura said, "We both take it with two sugars." I went back and brought them their coffee as well.

As soon as we finished our coffee Irene pulled the clothes I was to wear from the small closet. I don't know where she had found the suit or how or when I was measured for it, but it fit as if it had been tailored for me. Lana, Laura and Irene put on beautiful frilly summer dresses that were each a different color and yet carried a similar design.

In my mind there is a certain something about a woman wearing a light summer dress that makes her more feminine and appealing. All of my women had an abundance of sex appeal and even looked sexy in coveralls and baseball caps but ... when I saw them standing in those dresses it was as if someone suddenly goosed my prostate. I was certainly glad whoever tailored my suit left plenty of room in the crotch.

I was half dressed and putting on my shoes when someone knocked on the door. I danced over to open it while trying to fit my foot in my shoe. Opening it revealed two more beautiful women and a younger girl on my doorstep. Kim looked very pretty all washed up and was wearing a dress and shoes that seemed made just for her. She also wore an almost superficial smile and had that deer caught in a headlight look of someone who wasn't quite sure where she was or where she was supposed to be. Julie and Kari wore long Tee-shirts and with Kim there I didn't lift them to see if there was anything underneath. They both rushed past me with hardly a glance and headed for the bedroom. Irene and Lana came into the living room, fully dressed, and both made an effort to make Kim feel comfortable and welcomed.

About that time there was a peal of laughter from the bedroom and a half dressed Kari stuck her head out and said, "Steve, I thought I told you to lay off candy before breakfast." Then she burst into a fit of laughter and headed back into the bedroom.

Poor puzzled Kim looked first to Irene and then to Lana for an explanation. Lana seeing another opportunity to tease me said, "Must be an inside joke, maybe Steve will explain it to you." Then she grinned, knowing she had me cornered.

I wasn't going to leave Kim questioning our sanity so I just said, "Ummm, Kim, have you ever heard the expression, 'eye candy'?" Kim nodded yes and then seemed to understand a little and even managed a weak grin. I continued, "Well these beautiful women in their dresses are ocular gourmet confections."

Kim looked over at Irene as if to confirm that interpretation and Irene said, "Close enough."

Kari and Laura must have explained to Kim about the ceremony as she kept casting nervous glances at me as we sat there. I sensed she had questions about what was about to happen. From the uneasy way she played with her hands I knew she was skirting the edge of her comfort zone. I tried to open her up with friendly small talk but her replies were curt and monosyllabic. I could see she had questions that she was too polite to ask. I was betting her first question was 'what do five beautiful women see in him?' That was a question I had no answer for.

We left the room just before sunrise. As I opened the door I received quite a shock. It looked as if everyone on the base was standing outside the door. Not only were they standing there but they were dressed in their Sunday best. None of my women seemed shocked to see this and they each pushed past me to greet our neighbors. Sheila saw me standing there with my mouth open and came up and gave me a big hug. As she hugged me she said, "We all just wanted you to know that we're happy for you and behind you all the way."

I almost fell over as my knees instantly turned to Jell-O. I had winged it up to that point and suddenly what I had anticipated being a private ceremony, perhaps witnessed by Lana and Laura's parents, was to be a public event. I wondered how my planned ceremony, consisting of us holding hands in a circle as we exchanged our vows on the former parade grounds, would play out to the whole base. I felt as if I lost control completely when I was separated from my wives to be and ushered into a security vehicle. I regained my presence of mind a moment later and noticed that Jim was driving and Tom was seated next to me in the back seat.

Tom started quietly talking as we drove. "Jim and I talked it over and talked this up with the others while you were flying yesterday. We feel like we owe you a lot and figured you needed some help on this. Two of your wives to be are my daughters and they deserve, hell all of you deserve, to have the community stand behind you on this. I hope you're not gonna be upset but we changed things up on you a bit. The women yesterday decorated the base chapel and, well, Fred Johnson was a Justice of the Peace. So you need to decide between now and the church whether you want a private commitment ceremony or a full blown wedding. Whatever you decide to do will be what happens when we get there."

I was stunned. Hell, I'm not ashamed to say I had a tear in my eye. I turned to Tom and said, "Of course I would love a full blown wedding. I didn't even bring that up because I didn't want to rub people's noses in something that was so different. I was afraid of what might happen if I forced them to choose whether to support our marriage or oppose it. I mean I knew you and Jim and a few others would support us but..."

Jim turned briefly as he drove and said, "Hell Steve, you need to give folks more credit than that. Most of us could see right away that the old ways of doing things are gone. Most of us lived as we thought the good book said to live. The good book had a lot of prophecy about the future but there's no way you can square that with what's happened. That doesn't mean that we throw out all the rules but it does loosen things up a mite."

"Look around the last few years at all the single mothers raising kids on their own. You can't tell me they wouldn't have been better off in a plural marriage, with a good man, than living alone. I'm not trying to say that everyone's for this, there are still a few hold outs, but even those folks decided if it was gonna happen anyway, it ought to be done right. Besides, if it weren't for you none of us would be living here and most likely some of us would be dead. You supported us by finding us and we all owe you that."

Tom quickly added, "Jim has rings for all five of your wives to be. We picked them out from what they had at the exchange. We found five gold bands that were already in the correct sizes. Pat Simmons has your ring and will stand beside the women as their maid of honor. She won that right in a drawing amongst all the women. I hope you won't mind."

Jim added, "The womenfolk are responsible for organizing all of this. You be sure to thank them when you get a chance. It will make it a lot easier for the next guy."

I wasn't sure what he meant about next guy and kept my mouth shut. Besides, by that time we were at the church. The chapel was beautifully arranged. There were even fresh flowers on the altar and in the windows. One of the ladies was playing the organ and everyone seemed to have arrived before us; most were already seated in the pews. Jim quickly escorted me down the aisle and made sure I didn't fall over. As soon as I got to the front of the chapel, almost before I could get my bearings, the organist started playing the wedding march. Those that were seated rose as Carrie Barker proceeded slowly down the aisle sprinkling rose petals from a decorated basket. Where she got those rose petals I had no idea. She was followed by my lovely Irene, who was escorted by Bill Jenkins. Irene was beautiful in her light pastel green summer dress and was even wearing a matching bridal veil. I couldn't help myself as tears fell from the corners of my eyes.

Jim handed me a handkerchief and I no sooner finished drying my eyes than I saw little six year-old Jenny Collier started down the aisle sprinkling even more rose petals. Then my eyes started watering again as Julie came into view on the arm of John Simmons. Her dress was powder blue and she also wore a matching bridal veil. Nine year old Ruth Simmons was the next pretty little girl adding rose petals to the carpet. She was followed by my beautiful petite Kari. Kari was wearing a pastel yellow summer dress again complete with a matching veil. She was escorted by Frank Willoby, who was sporting a big grin on his face, as if he had thought of the whole thing all by himself. After Kari, I saw nine year-old Pauline Johnson trying to drop her rose petals on any carpet that wasn't already covered. She momentarily distracted me and when I looked up I saw Laura and Lana both being escorted by their proud dad, Tom. Lana had a beautiful lavender sundress that looked lovely next Laura's dress that was hot pink. Their matching veils couldn't hide their 1000-watt smiles. As they made their way down to the front the escorts and flower girls took their seats in the pews with their families.