56 Days (Black) (19 page)

“No, you look lovely,” she said.  “Really.”

“Thanks.”

“He’s a lucky man.”  She smiled at me.

“No way.  I’m the lucky one.”

When I left the shop, I texted Jack.

Me
:  On my way there now.  Taking a cab.  Can’t mess my dress, yo.

Jack
: I’m already here.

Me
:  Have you been waiting?

Jack
:  I have been.  33 years.

Me
:  God, you’re a dork.

Jack
:  I have butterflies.

Me
:  Me too.

Jack
:  You look so pretty.

Me
:  You haven’t seen me.

Jack
:  I just know.

Swoon.

Me
:  Well, I’m getting close.  You’ll see me in a few minutes.  XOXO

Jack
:  You’ll be my wife.

Me
:  That’s how it works.

Jack
:  Elsa Conti.

Me
:  Let’s not get crazy.

Jack
:  You know you want to.

Me
:  I don’t have a ring for you.

Jack
:  Got it covered.

Me
:  Pulling up.

I paid the driver and stepped out onto the sidewalk, moving slowly towards Jack.  He was holding a small bouquet of powder pink roses that were bound with a short, flat black ribbon.  I knew someone at the store had to have arranged it.
 

He
wore a pale pink fitted dress shirt and gray wool trousers with a thin belt to match.  It was super retro mod and cute… just like him.  His tie was skinny; it was a mix of gray and pink stripes.  He wore his gray suede boots and navy glasses; hair perfectly styled, like Montgomery Clift’s in
A Place in the Sun
.  Jack knew I had a soft spot for Monty.

My throat was thick looking at him.

“Hi,” I breathed.

He handed me the flowers with
an unsteady grip.  “I got these for you.  Wow… Elsa.  You couldn’t have picked a more beautiful dress in a million years.”

I blushed.  “I know, right?  I fell in love.”

“I’m lightheaded.  Seriously.”

“Are you sure about this?” I asked
with concern.

“No, I
’m fine.  I was just overcome with excitement.”

I leaned up to kiss him.  “It
’ll be over quick.  You won’t even remember it.”

He whispered in my ear.  “What if I want to remember it?  Every minute of my whole life with you…”

“God, you’re a sap.”

“I know, but I can’t help it.  You’ve turned me into this, you know.
”  He held my face in his hands and pressed his lips to mine.  “Let’s go.  I can’t wait another second.”

He held my hand as we climbed the stairs.  “I wish Ray and Vince could be here… and your parents,” I said, squeezing his fingers.

“We’ll have a party once you’re all moved in and we’ve painted and decorated or whatever.  That’s all anyone cares about anyway, isn’t it?  The booze and cake?”

“You’re so smart.  That’s why I’m marrying you.”

“I thought it was because I was easy.”

“Well, that doesn’t hurt.”  I pushed my body into his side
and craned my neck to kiss him. 

He
kissed me once and pulled away with a laugh.  “If we keep stopping to make out, we’re never going to make it up there.  Get it together, Black,” he teased.

“Hey
, you said you had the ring covered.  How’d you pull that off?”

He smiled.  “I made
mine at the same time I made yours.”  He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to me.  It looked identical except the stripe in the middle was black instead of pink.

“Confident,” I teased.

“In love.”

*
****

We filled out a ridiculous amount of paperwork in one line and then went to a different floor to wait in yet another unreasonable line.  It was all worth it when we were standing in front of each other,
holding hands and nervously laughing like idiots. 

The judge stopped us three times to make sure we were alright.  At the end
, I jumped in place and let out a squeal.  On September 27
th
at 1:17 pm, we were officially pronounced husband and wife. 

J
ust 56 days after the night we met.

“Next,” the
clerk called.

Jack ushered me to the side and pressed me against the nearest wall for a thirty-second electric make
out session.

“Let’s g
et out of here, Mrs. Conti.  We’ll get arrested for what I’m about to do to you.”

*
****

We walked across the street, ending up at a little pub next door to the Bail Bondsman’s office.  It was practically pitch black in there
, just one dim light above the bar.  A single patron sat on a stool across from the bartender slumped behind the counter.  A sign behind him read in scrawled chalk: “Friday special.  Bud cans.  $2.”

Jack turned to me and then back to the bar.  “My lovely bride and I will have two cans of Bud.”

The bartender reached into the cooler and pulled out two beers, cracking the tops.  “Four dollars.”

Jack pulled out a 20 dollar bill and smacked it on the bar.  “Keep the change.”

We sat at a small table by the jukebox which was, by the way, epic.  The person who owned this dive had
great
taste in music.  Definitely not great taste in décor (deer head, flickering Rolling Rock sign, wall-to-wall paneling), but a stellar jukebox.  Jack gave me a 10 dollar bill and I went to work.

I danced for
him as he loosened his tie, smiling widely at me as I moved, pulling the pins out of my hair and shaking it out. 

“Skee-Lo, Elsa?”

“Guilty pleasure.  Let me have this.  It’s my wedding day.”

He threw his head back in laughter when I broke out my best butterfly.  I showed him all my
choice moves:  the Shopping-Cart-slash-Lawnmower, the Sprinkler, the Boogie Down.  I even gave him a little Roger Rabbit. 

That one even got a head nod from the
stoic bartender. 

After I ran out of breath, I plopped down on his lap and took a swig out of my can.  “Dancing
is exhausting.”

“
Is that what we’re calling it?” he asked, cocking his eyebrow.

“Eff you, man.  I gave you everything I know.”  I cupped his face with my hands and leaned in for a soft kiss.  “Recognize.”

He rubbed his palm against my backside.  “You look so fucking beautiful today.”

I popped up,
accidentally splashing myself in the face with a sprinkle of beer.  “Oh, I love this one!  Dance with me.”

Jack held me close, pressing my head to his chest.  I could feel his lips in my hair, breathing in slowly.  I peered up at him; his e
yes were closed.

“I’ve never seen your hair like this,” I said, running my fingers through it.  “
You know just what I like.”

“
Heather did it,” he replied, laughing.  “She came over when you were at the bridal shop.”

“Aw,” I teased.  “You got your
hairs did.”

Jack held a hand up to the bartender.  “Do you think you could do us a favor and take our picture?”

He took my phone from Jack and pointed it towards us.  “Ready?”

That w
as the only photograph we had of our special day.  Jack wedged behind me smiling, his hands rested around my waist.  My face was alight with laughter.  I took the phone from him and gave him a curtsy.  “Thank you, fine sir.”

We shared one last dance before heading home.  Jack
spun me out and pulled me back in for a dip, nearly dropping me.  I balanced myself by half-clutching the table with one hand and his tie with the other.  He was in hysterics.

When I was back on my feet, he whispered in my ear, “I’ll
always catch you.”

*
****

Monday morning, as I dressed for work, Jack
made an announcement.

“
I have to go deliver a bed tomorrow.”

“Where?”

“Nashville.  Wanna come?  We could do a little honeymoon thing… go to the Ryman… whatever you want.”

I sighed.  “Damn it, Jack.  I just took off last week.  Gem would kill me.”

“You’re quitting that job anyway.”

“Not yet, babe.”

“Okay.  Well, I’ll just go drop it off and come back the same day.”

“No,” I responded
.  “You should at least stay over.  I don’t want you driving it all in one day, baby.  I would be worried sick about you.  Hey, how’d you score a client in Nashville?”

“Furniture
exhibit.  I showed my work a few months back at an invitational and there were people that came from all over.  Most of them have a lot of money and want something unique.”

“Good job, Jackie.  How much?”

“How much what?”

“For the
bed.”

“Um,” he said, “don’t laugh.  After delivery, it’s just under ten grand.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

He laughed aloud. 
God, I loved that laugh. 
“Yep.  Well, when he called and said he was from the show, I bumped my fee a bit.  I didn’t really need the work, but if he was willing to pay that much, it’s not like I could say no.”

“I’ll go pack you right now if
you’re gonna make ten grand.”

“
We’re
gonna make ten grand.  I’ve got a plan for the money,” he said slyly.

“Oh yeah?  I’m not getting implants,” I joked.

“I wouldn’t want you to,” he replied, taking his hand and lightly squeezing my right breast.  “No need to mess with perfection.”

I smacked him on the hand.  “You’re gross.”

“You love it.  Anyway, you’ll like the plan.”

“I’m sure I will.  I like all of your plans.”  I pulled on a pair of
black PVC leggings and a black shiny Peplum tank with a gold zipper up the back.

Jack eyed me.  “
You’re wearing that to work?”

“
Yeah, why?”

“
I mean, it looks really sexy, but I just don’t understand why you waste outfits like that for the back room.”

“
It’s not a waste.  I like wearing clothes that make me feel good.  Besides, I’m married now.  I have to make sure my man stays happy,” I teased, wrapping my arms around his waist.

“
Always happy,” he said, smacking me on the behind.  “Hey, I’m going to the hospital this morning to get the test results.”

“Oh
, God.  How could I be so wrapped up in myself that I almost forgot about the baby?  I’m a terrible person.”

“El, we got married less than 72 hours ago.  It’s been a busy week.  I’ll call you as soon as I know anything, okay?”

“Yeah,” I replied, slipping on a pair of black booties and pulling my hair into a tight bun.  “As soon as you know, okay?”

*
****

I was nervous entering the building.  I hadn’t told Gemma about the fact that I was, well, married
.  I had to ease her into it.

“Hey, girl,” I said, locking the door behind me.  “Happy Monday.”

“What’s with you?” she sneered.

“What?”

“I’ve known you for five years.  You’ve never said ‘Happy Monday’ once.  What’s going on?”

I held up my ring finger and wiggled it.

“Yeah, I know.  You showed it to me last week.”  She took a moment, the realization starting to sink in.  “Holy fuck.  Did you get married?”

I nodded.

She came over to me and placed her hands on my shoulders.  “Aw, sweetie,” she whispered.  She followed it up by a light punch to my stomach.  “Seriously?  You fucking asshole.  You can’t even call me?”

I laughed.  “Sorry, Gem.  We just went to the courthouse on Friday morning.
  Then, Jack got us a room at the Peninsula all weekend, you know… so that we could consummate the marriage.”

She snorted out a laugh. 
“Uh huh.  So jealous.  But seriously, why get married so soon?  Are you pregnant?”

“God, why does everyone keep asking me that?  No.”

“Then why?” she asked.

“I don’t know… because I want him.  I want to be his wife.  He wants to be my husband.  We’re crazy in love.  I don’t know
.  Why do people get married?”

She smiled.  “You little rat.  You’re one of us now.  Soon you’ll be fat and bored and schedul
ing sex nights.”