CHAPTER 38

We had just begun to split a sausage pizza when Allison asked what Sara was like. I thought for a minute before responding. "Well, to start with, she's nothing like Daisy. Daisy is controlling, Sara goes with the flow. She's easy to get along with and she wants nothing for herself. Physically, she's tall and slender. She played volleyball and ran track in high school and at Suffolk Community College wrapped around three years in the U.S. Army. You've already heard how she's Cara's identical twin. She works now as a medical imaging specialist, but not for much longer. We both want a family right away."

"If I know you, John, that means lots of practicing."

"Yeah—tough work, but someone's gotta do it. I'm sure you'll like her. We had Thanksgiving here with her mom and my parents. They're looking forward to seeing you again, Rob. Sara's mom is coming to work for me. I'm expanding so rapidly that I can barely believe it."

We finished our dinner and I drove them back to the house where we watched a Friday night football game. We had been there for about thirty minutes when my phone rang. I knew without looking that it was Sara. She was calling to make sure that Rob and Allison had arrived and to tell me how much she missed me. She asked to speak with Rob and then Allison and I could tell from their smiles that they were getting along well with my bride. Finally, Allison returned the phone to me. I wasn't at all ashamed to tell Sara in a loud voice how much I loved her. We turned in around ten, knowing that we would have to get up early tomorrow morning.

I was up at six and was joined by Rob and Allison half an hour later. I drove them into the village for bacon and egg sandwiches at the deli. We sat in the park at the same bench that Sara and I had frequented in the past. It was a relatively mild day for early December. I had just taken a bite of my sandwich when I realized that I had first met Daisy exactly two years earlier. Rob laughed when I mentioned it. "I knew then that it was a big day for you, John. I just never guessed how big. I wonder what she's doing now."

"I haven't a clue although her father tells me that she's living in Bay Shore. That's a medium-sized town about fifteen miles from here on the south shore. Sara works there at Good Samaritan Hospital. Fortunately, there are almost one point five million people in Suffolk County so the chances of running into her are slim and then there's the restraining order I had my lawyer get after her last phone call. She screamed and claimed that I had something to do with the theft of her mother's money."

"That reminds me—didn't I see on CNN that she had been arrested for some income tax scheme? I wonder how she acquired the computer skills to move all that money around."

"Knowing her, she probably cuckolded her poor husband to convince some sap to do it for her. She's still a good looking woman. Unfortunately, she's also rotten to the core." Allison laughed, but Rob knew I had spoken the truth. We finished our breakfast and were back at the house well before nine—plenty of time to shower, shave, and dress before the ceremony.

I had just finished with my tie and given my cordovan loafers a final shine with a silicone-treated cloth when I walked to my home office to open my safe. Inside were our rings, custom-made by my jeweler friend Sam. I had tried mine on for size, but Sara had refused, claiming some kind of jinx if she did. I closed the safe and walked downstairs to find Rob pacing in the hallway.

"Don't tell me you're nervous, Rob."

"I have to admit I am a little, John. Allison has been making comments about how nice it would be for us to live together, you know, as a trial for marriage."

"So…would that be so bad? She's an extremely attractive woman and it's pretty obvious that she's in love with you. God; she hangs on every word out of your mouth. Let's face it, buddy—you're a mathematician. How interesting is that?"

"Very funny; when should people start to arrive?"

"Soon, I hope. The village magistrate and his wife should be here around ten—any minute now--my parents and godparents, too. I have a limo bringing Sara, Cara, and their mom. I'm hoping that we'll get everything started by 10:30. I have refreshments for everyone until the caterers arrive at eleven."

We chatted for a few minutes before we were joined by Allison. I had to admit that she was a very attractive woman—not quite as tall as Sara and Cara, but a bit heavier and curvier—especially in the chest. While Sara and Cara were B-cups I guessed that Allison was at least a C. Despite society's fascination with breasts I knew that it was what's inside that really counted. I had a feeling that Allison had plenty there, too.

Rob answered the doorbell when it rang, escorting Magistrate Osborne and his wife, Sally. We made small talk and I surreptitiously passed an envelope with exactly ten crisp portraits of Benjamin Franklin inside. He quickly placed it into his suit coat's inner pocket. My parents and my aunt and uncle arrived a few minutes later. I made the introductions and Dad excused himself. Sara had asked if he would walk her into the house. We didn't have a long aisle like you'd find in a church, but Sara was still entitled to a moment to shine.

I had just shown Magistrate Osborne to the hearth where Sara and I had agreed to take our vows when Natalie and her date—none other than Sheldon Mayer—walked in. I handled the introductions again then Rob walked to the door to tell Sara that we were ready. He returned to stand by me and we were in position when Cara walked in, a vision in a full-length deep pink gown with matching bouquet. It was only a few seconds later that Dad escorted Sara through the door. Cara's date, a tall young man I recognized as one of the accountants from the firm across the hall, followed Dad and Sara, taking the time to close and lock the door. He stood next to Cara, but I noticed that they did not hold hands—not that I was paying them much attention