Trust Me (83 page)

“Get
dressed, wench,” he teased her. “I’m starving.” Sandra turned and walked to her bag retrieving the bright yellow sundress she had brought with her, pulling it over her head before slipping on a pair of sandals.

“Aren’t
you going to put on some knickers?” he asked with a frown, watching her pull a comb through her nearly dry hair.

“Nope,”
she said, turning to look across the room to him.

“Why
not?”

“Because
I want you to think about me while you eat, remembering that I am completely bare underneath this and easily accessible.”

“I
have never shagged a woman at my parents’ table not to mention in church,” he smiled as she joined him, walking to the door. “I think that’s probably a one-way ticket straight to purgatory if I even thought about it.”

“Not
to worry. I’ll be dressed properly in the church. Just not until then, or afterward. I think I like being naked around you; it's quite exciting.”

“You’re
going to have a wonderful honeymoon, Mrs. Ashford.”

“So
are you, Mr. Ashford,” she giggled stepping out of the room, walking together down the stairs to the kitchen where they found the family gathered around; plates of food sitting on the large breakfast table and counter. The room came to a quick silence as the heads turned to stare at the young couple. Sandra's hands folded in front of her as Creighton’s pulled her in front of him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Are
we too late for breakfast?” she asked sweetly, causing her grandmother to laugh and her grandfather to clear his throat.

“We
were just about to sit down and eat,” Emma said, a smile of relief shining on her aging face.

“I’ll
set the table,” Sabrina said suddenly while Irena gathered the plate of eggs and carried them into the dining room.

Sandra
and Creighton joined the family in their last meal as a single couple, eating farm fresh eggs, thick slices of ham, fried potatoes, homemade biscuits, fresh-squeezed orange juice and milk straight from the cow. The conversation deliberately steered clear of the morning’s events and concentrated instead on the recent football quarterfinals. Creighton, Sabrina, Irena and Derek argued with William and Andrew about the ability of Chelsea beating Fulham in the next round. Sandra listened silently, amazed that there could be so much energy spent in discussing the fate of a soccer game.

The
grandfather clock standing vigil in the entry chimed twelve, causing everyone to jump into action, leaving Sandra and Creighton alone in the dining room to say good-bye. Creighton wrapped his arms around Sandra’s waist, kissing her lips lingeringly, his hands caressing her lower back, smiling at the knowledge that she was completely bare beneath her dress.

“That
was our last single kiss,” he told her cheerfully. “The next time I kiss you, it will be as your husband.”

“I
like the sound of that,” she smiled as Emma and Nana walked back into the dining room interrupting the two.

“Enough,”
Emma said. “It’s time for you two to get ready. Creighton, go to Derek’s. You’ll see Sandra in a couple of hours.”

“Yes,
ma’am,” he said obediently, smiling back at the young woman in his arms. “I love you,” he whispered against her ear, kissing her cheek softly.

“I
love you too,” she said with an excited smile, watching as Creighton walked out of the house along with Derek and Andrew, leaving his father and Papa behind to make certain everyone arrived at the church in time.

Sandra
applied the makeup Rochelle gave her; feeling comfortable with her ability of applying the color with satisfaction. Cathy pulled Sabrina’s straightener through her sister’s long hair, smoothing it around her face and chin. Irena slipped into her lemon-yellow chiffon dress Sabrina had designed and pulled her hair back from her face with a set of rhinestone barrettes that Nana bought for all of the girls. Sabrina hurriedly dressed, applied a simple layer of makeup and began straightening her own hair while Cathy followed suit; complaining about the color of her dress. If it were her wedding, she would have chosen a more suitable color; perhaps a pink or dark blue, something that was appropriate for a wedding.

The
noise of voices and excitement echoed through the house while the children laughed and ran around as Kristine tried to control them long enough to get dressed. Mrs. Richards - the neighbor down the lane - arrived with a large platter of cookies, just in time to see Sandra and the girls come down the stairs. Emma introduced them, handing off Sandra’s wedding gown to Sabrina and instructing William and Papa to get the limousine loaded.

“Mrs.
Richards will stay here and wait for the caterers,” Emma said when Nana joined them in the entry.

“What
caterers?” Sandra asked with a frown.

“Creighton
insisted that we have supper catered, since so much was already happening. Sometimes I admire how people jump when he calls.”

“He
has a way of making things happen,” Sandra said with a wide smile.

“You
have no idea,” William assured her with a warm chuckle, sounding much like his son as he walked out the door with Papa to talk with Clark.

The
group eagerly stepped into the large black limousine; everyone except for Sandra was dressed for the wedding. Emma insisted the bride dress at the church to prevent her dress from becoming soiled, so she remained dressed in her yellow sundress, minus her panties. Papa and William were dressed in black tuxedos, yellow-orange vests and ties, while Nana and Emma wore matching dresses. Mandy and Traci Ann were in ruffled yellow and white dresses while Spencer wore a black and yellow tuxedo, like his uncles and grandfather. Sandra couldn’t help but smile. Creighton knew she liked the color yellow and had made certain their wedding was pleasing to her, even though Cathy argued again that she didn’t look good in yellow.

“Chang
is meeting us the church,” William said, brushing his hand along the sleeve of his jacket. “Creighton wants family pictures taken after the ceremony, so we’ll have to try to keep the children clean until then.”

“So
Reverend Keller said you chose a traditional ceremony,” Emma said, her voice sounding slightly thicker than it had back at the house.

“We
both wanted the full vows,” Sandra said with a blush. “Complete with honor and obey.”

“I
am so happy about that,” her soon to be mother–in–law said, searching her handbag for a handkerchief. “I think the full vows are the best way to start out a marriage.”

“Oh
mother,” Sabrina insisted. “That is so old fashioned.”

“I
decided against the honor and obey part,” Kristine said, trying to hold Traci Ann’s dress down as she squirmed in the seat. “My mother was so insistent that we include it, but I decided it was my wedding and I wanted at least one say in it.”

“Your
wedding was a nightmare,” Irena complained. “I didn’t think you’d ever get married, the way your mum acted.”

“She
meant well,” Kristine smiled. “I’m her only daughter and she wanted everything perfect.”

“Expensive
you mean,” Irena said boldly.

“It
was much more than I would have preferred paying, that’s true, but it all worked out well. Derek and I have made it seven years and we’re very happy.”

“I
think Sandra and Creighton are going to happier,” Irena said. “I think the way they got together is very romantic. He is so much in love with her. He would have moved heaven and earth to make her happy.”

“I
still think it’s all much too quick,” Cathy grumbled.

“No
it isn’t,” Irena argued. “Creighton has been in love with Sandra for two long years.”

“But
she didn’t know that. She has known him less than two weeks.”

“That’s
what makes it so romantic.”

“Ridiculous,”
Cathy complained softly.

“Enough,
both of you,” William insisted. “It doesn’t matter how long they have known each other; it's their choice to get married and we won’t have anyone upsetting their day. Understand?” Cathy glared at the man, but looked away quickly when Nana raised an eyebrow to her, warning her to remain silent. The rest of the drive was relatively silent, with just a few corrective comments to the children to hold still or sit down, mainly directed to Traci Ann.

They
pulled up in front of an old brick church a few minutes later and Sandra found her nerves coming back to life. She was beginning to feel more excited with each passing second and when she stepped out of the back of the long black car, she found herself unable to hold back the smile.

Chang
was standing on the top step of the church next to his wife, both in formal black Chinese kimonos, talking and pointing silently. Sandra was sure he was instructing her as to where the best places would be to take the pictures and how he wanted them to stand. She smiled at them as she approached accepting the hug Miing offered her. Cathy frowned at the familiarity of the two, but chose to dismiss it when they stepped into the church. Parker stood inside the foyer and smiled at Sandra, nodding to her silently.

“Who
are all these people?” Cathy asked her with a frown as the man stepped out of the chapel.

“The
Chinese man is the photographer Creighton hired and his wife and that was Parker, one of the security guards.”

“You
seem to know a lot of Creighton’s friends.”

“It’s
been a wonderful vacation,” Sandra giggled softly. If her sister knew exactly how she knew Chang and Miing, she would have thrown seven kinds of fit.

The
chapel was very silent, each step of their feet echoing on the wooden floor as they entered. Emma led the women to a nearby room; a place reserved for young mothers who nursed their babies, next to a bathroom. The room was designated for Sandra to change in and they hurriedly unwrapped her gown, corset and slip from a thick plastic covering. Nana took her veil and laid it out across the back of a small settee while Sandra took the under garments and stepped into the bathroom, slipping the hose, corset and garter belt across her slender frame. She smiled wickedly, choosing not to wear panties. She couldn’t help but giggle, thinking of taking the dress off later for her new husband and what his reactions would be.

Sandra
stepped into the thick slip and looked into the mirror above the sink. The alterations were expertly done and she felt comfortable, able to breathe much better than when she wore it for Sabrina’s photos. She stepped back into the sitting room as Nana gasped. The corset lifted her breasts higher than normal and made her look more mature than her twenty-six years.

“Honey,
you are so beautiful,” Nana said, reaching for a tissue sitting on the small table next to the settee.

“Wait
until you see her in the dress,” Sabrina said excitedly, unzipping the dress and pulling it off the hanger. Sandra let her pull it over her head, slipping her arms into the short sleeves and turning for Sabrina to zip up the back. Sandra stepped into the center of the room, watching the wide-eyed expression of her grandmother and sister.

“Well?”
she asked nervously.

“Oh,
Sandra, if only your mother could only see how beautiful you’ve grown up,” Nana said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Let’s
get finished,” Emma said, sniffing back her own tears.

Sandra
sat on a chair as Cathy touched up her hair, Irena placed the veil on her head, and Nana secured it to the crown of her head. Emma slipped a wreath of yellow daisies around the ring of the veil while Sandra slipped her feet into four inch white pumps.

“Creighton
said to hurry up, he’s tire of waiting,” Kristine smiled stepping into the room with her young daughters, who screeched excitedly when they saw Sandra. Kristine handed the young bride a dark wooden box.

“What’s
this?” she asked with a slight frown.

“A
gift from your fiancée,” Kristine said, sitting down on the settee. Sandra opened the box and removed the small card lying on top of the velvet lining.

“For
you my darling, on our special day,” she read, blinking back the tears that threatened her composure.

“What
is it?” Irena said eagerly. Sandra pulled the velvet lining aside and gasped. Inside were her mother’s earrings. She found her eyes filling with tears; her throat was suddenly thick and very dry.

“The
police found your jewelry yesterday and released your belongings back to you. Creighton arranged to have your mother’s earrings delivered here in time for you to wear,” Emma explained as the young woman slipped the diamonds into her lobes.

“There’s
something else,” Kristine said with a warm smile. Blinking away the moisture, Sandra glanced down at the box to the silver chain with a single teardrop-shaped sapphire, surrounded by a circle of diamonds.