“I have no doubt that we’re doing the right thing. They’ll come around; I promise.” Charlotte liked practicalities so I laid it on her heavily. I told her all the things I’d done overnight in preparation for our lives together.
“I’ve written to the housing agent. I’m giving up my apartment. I’ve also written to one of the firms in Ohio that offered me a job. I accepted it.”
“Oh Alex, but your apartment, you love it,” she said, a stricken look on her face that made me chuckle.
“Those are material things. What I love is you in it. We’ll move into your place.” I was suddenly glad that Charlotte had not given up her apartment.
“I feel bad,” she said. “You were going to work in your father’s firm.”
I shrugged. “And now I’m not, period.”
“Are you sure this is what you want? I won’t be offended if you want us to break up. I understand. They’re your family Alex.”
“Families support each other. They do not judge and condemn,” I said harshly.
She took my hand and squeezed it. “We’ll be okay. We’ll work hard and you, Alexander Turner will be a success.”
“That’s my girl!”
“After my graduation,” she said. “I’ll be able to get a better paying job.”
“We’ll be fine, don’t worry,” I said. I was going to be the hardest working new lawyer the firm had ever seen. And eventually, Charlotte and I would return to New York.
I’d booked the marriage ceremony at one of the many chapels adjacent to the hotel where we would stay for two nights. I managed to buy rings before the ceremony and Charlotte wore one of the pretty dresses she’d planned on wearing for dinner at my parents’.
The ceremony was simple and full of emotion. Our witnesses were strangers provided by the chapel. When we walked out of the small chapel, I felt seven feet tall and my own man. Pride swelled in my chest. I had done the right thing and fought for my bride.
We went straight back to our room where I’d arranged for a bottle of champagne and flutes to be delivered. Despite the humble ceremony, we were happy and excited to know that we were formally husband and wife.
I popped the bottle open and poured each of us a glass.
“To a happy and blessed life together,” I said, raising my glass.
“To us,” she said, her face flushed. She’d never looked more beautiful than she did that evening.
We carried our champagne to the balcony where we had a dizzying view of the glittering city. Who would have predicted that I’d get married in Vegas? My sister’s wedding had been planned months in advance and had been the talk of the town.
I’m glad that Charlotte and I have been spared that circus.
“It looks so beautiful,” she said. “You have to be here to experience the magic.”
“It doesn’t compare to photographs or the screen,” I said as we looked out. I turned to face Charlotte. “I feel so happy and settled. How do you feel?”
She smiled. “I feel good too. A little guilty but good. I don’t know how I got to be so lucky, but I’ll take it.”
“It’s me who is lucky,” I said to her. “And you are not to have any more guilt, and I know just the way to erase it permanently.” I took her champagne flute and placed it on the balcony.
Taking her hand, I led her back into the room and proceeded to show her just how special she was to me.
Charlotte
I parked my small Honda in our drive, not surprised to see that Alex was not yet home. He worked long hours at the law firm and never complained. I was super proud of him and how hard he worked for us and our future.
It had been six months now and I still felt guilty especially on the days when Alex worked late into the night. I imagine that it would not be the case if he had gone to work for his father.
He threw all that away because of me. In the first few weeks, I’d harbored the hope that his parents would come around and they’d call us. As the weeks had gone by, my hope had diminished until it became clear that they were not going to back down.
Alex never showed it but I know he had to be missing his family terribly. He’d let it slip the previous week that his family usually spent the summer in Martha’s Vineyard where they had a summer home by the lake.
I carried groceries into the two-bedroom single family home we had rented. It was cozy and comfortable and felt like a home. Fridays were my favorite days as Alex nor I worked on the weekends.
Plus, it had a lovely deck off the kitchen where we liked to have our breakfast on Sundays. I carried my shopping to the kitchen, rolled up my sleeves and started preparations for dinner.