Chapter 21
AJ
"Banquet day is here!" AJ thought happily. "I look great in this outfit. All grown up. I know Mitch will notice. He always notices me anyway, but this will really give him an idea of what I can do when given the opportunity. I sure don't like his wife though. She is such a hold back to Mitch. I really don't know what he ever saw in her in the first place. What a useless bimbo."
Shelly was delighted with her personal makeover. She felt fifteen years younger. She was smiling. Her duties for the day were to simply help AJ dress for the banquet and dress for dinner with Frederick. She had shopped as carefully for her dress as AJ had for hers. It had been years since she and Frederick had been out on anything like a date. They were going to an upper class restaurant. Then the symphony. She felt a little guilty about that because she had told Mal she simply couldn't let AJ down. That is it would not be possible to get AJ all ready for her big evening and then still get to Mal's wedding on time. Truthfully, she was going to be near the church where he was getting married at close to the right time. She could have adjusted her schedule to fit the wedding easily. But Frederick had suggested the symphony. It wasn't their fault that it was near the church. They had to drive to the bigger city for most entertainment.
"Oh well," She thought. "Mal will never know where we were anyway. I still can't believe he is dropping his own family for someone he barely knows. I just hope the entire affair is over quickly. When the marriage doesn't work out he will drop this dedicated Christian idea as well. Of course Christianity is a good thing, but not to the excess."
"Well," Shelly said aloud, "I am not going to let Mal's foolishness ruin my day. I am going to have a lovely day no matter what. I have earned it."
Frederick was having a reasonably good day. First an early morning round of golf; then a relaxing visit to the spa at the country club; and then an evening out on the town with his wife. He would have preferred his secretary for the evening out, but then Shelly wasn't so bad. She still looked pretty nice when she made an effort. She was a little on the tall side with naturally graceful movements. And she did have a pleasant manner when greeting people. Most people liked her. Frederick felt like he was doing his good deed for the month. He could make Shelly happy by taking her out for a night on the town. He would be free to do as he pleased the rest of the month.
Malachi
"My wedding day is here," Mal said to his image in the mirror. "Well, it feels like a normal day. It looks like a normal day. So why am I so nervous? I am just getting married. I have my stuff packed. That wasn't too hard. I already moved some of it over to Belle's house. I think I will put some things in storage because they said they are selling the house next summer. I really don't care where we live. I guess living in this house will give us an idea of what size home we will need in the next house."
Mal was well liked by both the students and professors at the university. But he had failed to make even one really good friend. There wasn't anyone he cared to ask to be his best man. None of his friends were Christians. He had shared his faith with them but everyone just made some lame comment like 'Oh, that's nice," and then ignored the subject. Since his parents were not coming to the wedding, he hadn't asked anyone else. It was too embarrassing to explain that situation. It was just going to be Mal, Belle, Amelia, Pastor CC, and enough others to make sign as witnesses to the ceremony. Belle said not to worry about it, that she would come up with people. She explained that she had to be careful because there were some kind people at the church who would like to come, and to invite some and not others could cause hurt feelings.
"Hurt feelings would be from the women," Mal thought. "Men never mind not being asked to a wedding. And this wedding wasn't even going to have a reception so there wouldn't be any food to compensate the guys for having to attend a wedding."
Mal was just planning to get married; then take the entire wedding party out to eat at a nice restaurant. He and Belle were having a short honeymoon in a nearby city. Amelia was staying with the pastor's family. Of course she was old enough and trustworthy enough to stay home alone, but it still made Belle uncomfortable. So Amelia had agreed to stay with friends.
It was all settled. Mal walked out the door of his apartment a bachelor. When he returned he would be a man with a wife and a sister in law. He felt a little weak in the knees. Maybe even a little nauseated.
"Oh my," he groaned. "Where are the antacid tablets? I have a feeling I am going to need the whole bottle today."
"Belle, you look beautiful!" Amelia stated matter of factly. "By the way, I came up with someone to come and photograph the wedding for you."
"Photograph the wedding? What are you talking about? There really isn't going to be anything to photograph."
"Of course there is. This is a small wedding, but it is still an occasion worthy of a photographer. You bought an expensive dress. Mal is wearing a tux with tails. I also bought a new and expensive outfit. We are taking pictures and lots of them. Don't worry. He isn't going to charge anything."
"I should hope not. He probably won't even take one roll of film."
"Don't be silly. He is using a state of the art digital camera. It will take 35 mm quality photography without any film. He can take hundreds of shots and we can only print the ones we want.
"Ok, whatever. Just help me with these ear rings. My hands are so shaky I can't seem to do anything," Belle said.
"Sure sis," Amelia said happily. Amelia thought smugly to herself, "It isn't my fault that Huey is a wonderful photographer. Huey is wonderful at everything."
The sisters walked out the door together, both believing their lives were going to change for the better now that Mal would be with them.
Angels of Darkness
Experience told Zisa that by missing Mal's wedding, Shelly was putting up a barrier that would be hard to take down. She had seen it many times through the ages. The family might eventually want to make up with Mal and Belle, but it would be very hard to establish a different relationship.
"Another soul sticking with my team," Zisa thought gleefully. "And another family split apart. This is a good day."
Angels of Light
"Sorrow and joy on the same day is just a way of life," Raphael thought. "Sorrow for the family rift. Sorrow for those on the path to destruction. Joy for the wedding. Joy for those who have chosen the narrow way that leads to life everlasting."