Home of the White Dolphin - Segment 17

Chapter 81

December 25, 2008 – At Walker's Maison du Renard Rouge

Even at this early hour, Walker noticed dozens of strangers throughout the large entrance room. Edith, at his request weeks earlier, took over the planning for the wedding. She wanted the staff of both the mansion and orphanage to enjoy the wedding festivities and hired outside vendors to decorate all the rooms involved.

Walker watched as people lined up the rented white chairs in multiple rows on both sides of the aisle for nearly the full length of the room. There were red or green velvet ties on the back of each chair, adding an additional festive note. Down the long aisle stretched a wide white carpet where Samantha would walk to meet him in a few hours.

“Sir,” he heard the voice of one unfamiliar woman say over the noise, “do you know when Mr. Walker will be coming down? We’d like to know if there is anything else he’d like us to do in this room.”

Walker answered her while looking around. “I’m Walker, and you’ve all done a beautiful job.”

The woman blushed at his praise. “The florist will arrive in an hour or so, Mr. Walker. Your mother ordered crystal vases containing red and white roses to line up along both sides of the room. Will Miss Ward’s bridal bouquet also have roses?” She saw the tall middle-aged groom in front of her smile and realized his mind was no longer on the room’s decoration. Miss Ward is one lucky woman, she thought, thinking of her own husband who had become pudgy and bald during their 20 years of marriage.

Finally, Walker brought his attention back to the woman standing in front of him. “Sam’s bouquet? I don’t know what it will be. I mean, I don’t even know what her gown looks like.” The woman startled him when she started laughing.

“That’s how it is about the gown. You’re supposed to be surprised when your bride first appears.” She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial level. “Just be sure to tell her how beautiful she looks.”

Walker nodded. “That’ll be easy since she’d be beautiful if she wore a potato sack or even nothing at all.” He realized how that sounded when the woman continued to laugh as she walked away from him.

He repeated to himself in a whisper, an image of Samantha in his mind, “or nothing at all!”

Chapter 82

December 25, 2008 – At Hannah’s Home orphanage

Once Walker finished praising the others for the wonderful work they did on the entrance room, he headed outside toward the orphanage. For the few minutes he was outside in the cold December weather, he found himself surrounded by the first quiet moments of the day. Walker noticed the overcast morning sky and remembered yesterday the local TV news weatherman predicted snow for the rest of the holiday week.

I hope all the guests make it this afternoon to the wedding okay. This thought went through his mind while watching Valentine, the large Irish Wolfhound, racing to meet him. The friendly dog spent most of his time in the orphanage with the children, but went outside now and then to hassle the local small wildlife. Walker doubted she would ever hurt any other animal if, by some miracle, she managed to catch one. “Come on, you big silly girl, I’ll race you. Let’s see who’s up already.” Walker picked up his pace to a near run, but the dog easily beat him to the front door.

When he opened the door, the noise let him know the excited children were up and waiting for Santa to pass out the presents. Because of Walker’s firm rule that his staff never cut down a living tree, there was no Christmas tree in the front room. Instead, at the opposite side of the room stood a tall aluminum tree covered with colorful decorations and tinsel. For most of the children, this was their first happy Christmas in years, some in their entire lives. A fake tree instead of a live green one made no difference to them. Mixed in with the children were the many senior guests from the mansion. They also didn’t miss having a real inside Christmas tree. Earlier in the week, Walker’s grounds crew decorated many of the outside trees with hundreds of strands containing lights that turned on automatically each evening.

“Walker, where’ve you been? The kids waited until you got here, and they’re chomping at the bit.” Hearing Jack’s familiar voice, Walker spotted his friend making his way through the throng of children. Jack was doing double-duty that day, first as Santa’s helper and later in the day standing in for Samantha’s father. She refused to invite her parent to the wedding, and Walker agreed with her decision. He once met Mr. Ward years ago and came away actively disliking the ruthless businessman who showed no affection toward his only child.

Now heading across the room to meet Jack halfway, Walker saw his future bride out of the corner of his eye. Samantha sat on the floor surrounded by noisy children, and the sound of her joyous laughter made him change his direction. Ignoring Jack for the moment, Walker slowly made his way through the throng of children until he reached her.

At first, she didn’t notice him standing behind her. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Good morning, sweetheart. I’m pleased you don’t believe in that tradition either.” Walker knew Edith wanted Samantha to stay in her room until the wedding. His mother finally stopped insisting the groom shouldn’t see his bride on that day before the ceremony.

Samantha turned her head and watched him sit down on the floor next to her. When she opened her mouth to answer, she felt Walker’s mouth covering hers in a passionate kiss. Around them, the children either giggled or made gagging sounds.

Walker raised his head and pretended to glare at them. “Can’t I even kiss my girl, you little monsters?” He gave Samantha one last quick kiss and got to his feet. “Let’s get the show on the road and open some presents.” He looked around for Jack, but couldn’t find him in the excited crowd of children. “Where is my helper? Santa Walker can’t do all the work without his biggest elf.”

Once the children helped him find his friend, Walker and Jack got down to the business of handing out the huge pile of gifts. Edith spent hours in the weeks before Christmas buying at least three gifts for each child. She also enjoyed getting gifts for her son’s elderly residents. On Christmas Eve, the mansion’s staff added to the ever-growing pile with presents the older people bought or made for one another and the children.

After two hours, Walker stopped to wipe the sweat off his forehead. “Jack, are we almost done?” Seeing Jack shake his head, Walker came to a decision. “Can you take over as Santa? I want to check on the wedding plans, and I still have to give Sam my gift.”

Not waiting for Jack to answer, Walker found Samantha in the crowd and went to join her. “I want to give you my wedding gift in private.” He held her hand while guiding her down a corridor to an empty classroom. Surprised by his action, Samantha followed without questioning him. After closing the door to the room, Walker took a long jewelry box out of his sweater pocket. All morning, he’d kept touching the box through the material to make sure it still was there.

Samantha’s eyes widened in delight when he slowly opened the box to reveal the contents. Soon after her rescue from the underground caverns, Walker contacted a jeweler in San Francisco. Using the emerald and diamond stones from the Edgeworth necklace, the jeweler set them on intricate double-strands of gold.

Walker removed the spectacular wedding gift and draped it around Samantha’s slender neck. “The jeweler designed the setting to match your emerald engagement ring, so I hope you like both of these little pieces.” He didn’t feel it important enough to mention the two “little pieces” were worth over two million dollars. Walker got his answer quickly, and long minutes passed as Samantha showed him how much she liked his gift. Knowing it was up to him to end the embrace, Walker finally and regretfully returned her to the crowd in the front room.

Leaving for the mansion, his happy thoughts went, Soon, Sam, you’ll be all mine, and I’ll never let you go again.

Chapter 83

December 25, 2008 – Midmorning in Samantha’s rooms

When the festivities at Hannah’s Home began to wind down, Edith insisted a protesting Samantha return to the mansion. “Samantha, you have to get ready for the wedding. It’s getting close to that time, and Sophia said she might need to make some adjustments to your outfits.”

Samantha groaned at the thought of more pins sticking into her, but reluctantly followed Edith out of the orphanage. They emerged into a blinding snowstorm that began a few hours earlier while everyone celebrated Christmas with the children. By the time the two women reached the mansion, snow thoroughly soaked their thin coats.

Through chattering teeth, Edith complained, “You had to have a wedding in the dead of winter, didn’t you?” She opened the front door before saying, “Well, at least Melvina made it from town in time to do our hair.” The Westbrook hairstylist already had spent the morning fixing the hairdos of most of the elderly women who were attending the wedding.

Samantha hoped to not have another discussion with her future mother-in-law of how she wanted to wear her hair. Edith thought she should wear it down, while Samantha considered that style better on a much younger woman. She knew Walker would prefer her long red hair upswept into a mass of curls, and this would also show off her new necklace to perfection. “Edith, did you see what Walker gave me earlier as a wedding gift?” She pulled her wet hair off her neck to let Edith get a better look at the jeweled necklace. “He said the stones were once in another older piece, but now we should simply think of this as the Walker necklace.”

Edith knew the older piece was originally owned by Jason Edgeworth’s first wife, Marianne, who died on the Titanic in 1912. She also knew that woman murdered her young daughter Hannah after whom Walker named his orphanage. The insane woman was the grandmother of the man who had kidnapped, tortured and raped Samantha a few months earlier. Looking closely at the necklace, Edith smiled at her son’s kindness for not telling Samantha about the jewels’ history. “It’s beautiful, and you’re right about wearing your hair up so your guests can see necklace.” While saying this, she followed Samantha across the large entrance room. They walked on one side of the room to not drip snow on the aisle’s long white carpet.

Once upstairs in her third-floor suite, Samantha stripped down to her lace bra and panties, ready for the torture of undergoing endless alterations to her two wedding dresses. Sophia already had the formal gown laid out on the bed, and she and Edith carefully helped Samantha into it. Once the gown was completely on, Edith adjusted the off-the-shoulder neckline. She then attacked the ribbon laces going down the back of the dress from the neckline to just below Samantha’s waist. Edith pulled them so tight the tops of Samantha’s breasts peeked out of the plunging neckline. She ignored the bride’s gasping voice complaining, “I can’t breathe!”

When Sophia started designing the wedding gown three weeks earlier, Samantha argued with her and Edith over the color. She refused to wear white, considering it a mockery after Colin’s sexual molestation. Samantha finally compromised with them on ivory material. The beautiful satin wedding dress fit snugly down to her waistline and flared out until it reached the floor.

Going down from the gown’s waist to the floor, delicate embroidered lace covered the satin that ended in a train three feet long. A faux-diamond tiara would eventually hold her long matching lace veil in place. The tiara was a concession to Sophia who wore it in her exotic dancing days and represented the borrowed in the old, new, borrowed, and blue tradition. “I guess, ladies, my necklace is the new, don’t you think?”

At Samantha’s innocent question, Edith continued to keep the secret about the jewels’ tainted history and just nodded. “What do you have for the old and blue items? Oh, I almost forgot that I got you the blue already.” She left the room and returned a few minutes later holding a fancy neon-blue garter. “You must wear this high up on your thigh.”

Sophia couldn’t help grinning at seeing the slight blush on Samantha’s face. “Edith, you know Walker has to remove that from Samantha’s leg at the reception in front of everyone, don’t you?” She took the garter from Edith to get a better look at the gaudy item. “Samantha, you only need to put it slightly above your knee, unless you want to wear it higher. It depends on how much you want your husband to search for the garter while he’s hidden under the skirt of your gown.” Both older women took pity on Samantha at that point when they saw her blush creeping down into the neckline of her gown.

After thankfully learning the elaborate wedding outfit satisfied Sophia, Samantha next tried on the less-formal gown she would change into for the reception. The women spent the rest of the morning doing the myriad last-minute tasks involved in preparing for a wedding. Melvina joined them at 3 p.m. to do their hair, and she left with Edith and Sophia an hour later.

Left alone for the first time that day, Samantha paced back and forth. Before leaving, Sophia warned her not to sit and wrinkle the gown. Samantha’s increasing worry about disappointing Walker in some way grew by the minute until she was at the point of calling off the whole wedding. She alternated between smiling at the wonder of marrying the man she loved and wanting to cry at the swirling emotions so many brides felt at this time.

Just before five in the afternoon, Jack came into the suite without bothering to knock. He called out while walking down the short hallway. “It’s time, Samantha. Are you ready?” On entering her living room, he found himself in the company of a tearful bride-to-be. Seeing Samantha wasn’t ready by any definition of that word, Jack spent another 10 minutes calming her down. Her next words mystified him.

“I can’t go down yet. I don’t have something old. Jack. I have new, borrowed, blue, but no old.” Samantha looked wildly around her room and grabbed an old tissue soaked through with her recent nervous tears. “I’m ready now.”

As if the past few minutes never happened, Samantha calmly picked up her bridal bouquet off the coffee table and started toward the front door. “Aren’t you coming?”

Chapter 84

December 25, 2008 – The wedding ceremony

Hearing the sound of the glass elevator descending, everyone turned to catch the first glimpse of Samantha. At the other end of the large room, Walker waited impatiently for his bride to appear. He had been forbidden to see or even talk on the phone with her after they both left the Christmas party.

His breath caught in his throat as Samantha appeared at the end of the long aisle, with Jack standing proudly beside her. As Samantha slowly walked between the rows of guests, Walker automatically took a step toward her. Only the gentle pressure of Reverend McCready’s hand on his arm stopped him.

“You have to wait,” whispered Reverend McCready so only Walker heard him. Almost everyone sitting in front of them, however, had noticed the groom’s impatience, and understanding laughter filled the large room.

Samantha felt a sense of panic when she saw Walker’s involuntary movement. Oh, God, went through her frenzied mind, what if I disappoint him as a wife? What if Colin took away any chance for happiness with this man I’ve loved for so long?

Jack felt her arm on his trembling. “Courage, Samantha,” he said when he saw the fright on her pale face. “Walker will make everything all right, whatever is upsetting you. You do trust him, don’t you?” He caught her slight nod and watched as she forced a tentative smile. “Good girl! Now, we’re almost there, so let’s put Walker out of his misery.” Samantha rewarded him with a barely audible laugh, but it was enough.

Seated on both sides of the aisle were the many elderly guests living at the mansion. Interspersed among them sat all the orphanage children plus the staff of the many buildings on the estate. This was the first wedding most of the children would attend, and the younger ones squirmed restlessly in their chairs.

Four-year-old Amy, a witness earlier in the year to the murder of her mother, expressed what so many were thinking. Her voice filled with awe, she confided to the woman next to her, “Oh, Miss Samantha looks like the princess in my storybook. Is Mr. Walker going to be her prince charming?”

Dr. Sherri Delaney agreed with Amy’s opinion of Samantha’s appearance. Like many of the adult women in the room, Sherri wished she was the one wearing the exquisite satin and lace wedding gown. She finally answered the little girl’s question. “Amy, doesn’t every princess marry her prince charming? And, yes, he most definitely is her prince charming.” She took her eyes off Samantha to look at Walker and thought, He does look the part, even with that silly grin on his face.

Samantha and Jack managed to go down the long aisle without any problems. Because there were so many people who wanted to be either groomsmen or bridesmaids, both Samantha and Walker decided not to have any attendants. This they did to not hurt the feelings of anyone. Only Jack insisted on playing a part and now prepared to stand in for Samantha’s father. For weeks after getting this important assignment, Jack practiced the important two words he would say in response to the minister’s traditional question.

When Samantha finally came to the first row of chairs, she leaned down and handed her bridal bouquet of red roses to Edith. Walker’s mother was sitting in the chair next to the aisle and held a sleeping Genji against her shoulder. Walker’s two wards, Joshua and Sue Beth, sat beside her with Joshua tightly holding the important two wedding bands in his sweaty hand. Edith passed the bouquet down for Sue Beth to hold while a puzzled look crossed her face. Why on earth did Samantha give me a wet tissue with the flowers?

Chapter 85

December 25, 2008 – The Wedding Ceremony

Jack guided Samantha to stand next to a suddenly nervous Walker. All the time his bride came down the aisle, he waited impatiently for the ceremony to start. Now, the seriousness of what he was about to do hit him. It didn’t bother him that he would be spending the rest of his life with this one woman since he knew he loved her with his whole being. It also didn’t bother him she would be sharing his apartment from now on. Most of her personal belongings were already there, brought up earlier by his staff.

What bothered and even scared him was having the responsibility of making her happy during both days and nights. When Samantha looked over at him with such love, Walker’s nervousness and fear for the future disappeared. Feeling Jack place her hand in his, Walker leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss before saying, “I love you, Sam. Are you ready?” When she nodded, Walker took a deep breath and turned to Reverend McCready. “Okay, we can do it now.”

Jack remained silent until Reverend McCready got to the part of the ceremony where he asked, “Who gives away this woman to be married?” At that point, Jack opened his mouth to answer.

Before he could respond with his practiced two words, the throng of friends sitting in back of him shouted in unison, “We do!” Reverend McCready joined in the joyous laughter that filled the room. “I guess that’s enough to meet the traditional requirement.” After saying this when the laughter quieted down, he continued with the interrupted ceremony. “Friends and family, we are gathered here to join William Daniel Walker and Samantha May Ward together in holy matrimony. I understand they have written their own vows.” Using Walker’s first name, unfamiliar to most in the audience, Reverend McCready continued with, “William, give your vows to your bride while placing your ring on her finger.”

At this point, Joshua jumped up out of his chair and handed the gold rings to both the bride and groom. Before he returned to his chair, he received a nod of approval from Walker for handling his part of the ceremony perfectly.

Walker then turned to face Samantha and cleared his throat. In a strong, low baritone voice, he said without further hesitation, “I, William Daniel Walker, take Samantha May Ward to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live.” While saying this, he took her hand and slipped the wedding band on her finger. Earlier, she had given him her engagement ring to hold so this gold ring would be closest to her heart.

All around the room at hearing these heartfelt words, tears flowed down the cheeks of the many of the women and even a handful of the elderly men. Reverend McCready next said, “Samantha, give your vows to your groom while placing your ring on his finger.”

She took a small step closer to Walker, but her voice was strong enough that all in the audience heard her say, “I Samantha May Ward, love and adore you, William Daniel Walker, with all my heart and soul. You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.” The love he felt for Samantha was so all encompassing, Walker didn’t even notice when she placed the gold band on his finger.

At this point, all in the room listened while Reverend McCready had them repeat the official wedding vows. After hearing an “I do” from the bride and groom, only two more sentences were required.

Reverend McCready looked from Samantha to Walker. “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Giving Walker a serious look, he paused. Finally, and after smiling at the new husband, he said the words Walker was waiting for, “You may now kiss your bride!”

Walker gently took Samantha into his arms. She placed her arms around his neck and raised her head so their lips met. Almost a full minute passed before the kiss ended. Walker was delighted when he saw Samantha blush on hearing the audience break into loud applause. “Come back here, wife,” he whispered, taking her in his arms once more. The second kiss didn’t last as long, but was just as enjoyable to both of them.

Reverend McCready motioned for them to turn and face the audience. “I would like to introduce William and Samantha Walker.” With those final words, the wedding ceremony came to a close.

Sue Beth handed the bridal bouquet back to Samantha, and the newly married couple made their way down the long carpet to the applause and congratulations of their friends. Samantha and Walker finally disappeared into the glass elevator and up to her old rooms on the third floor.

Once there, she would remove her wedding gown and put on the less formal gown for the reception in the ballroom. Walker's original plan was simply to keep her company, but often plans do change.

Continued in next segment

Home of the White Dolphin - Segment 18  (GC) Chapters 86 thru 90 #2091650 by J. A. Buxton