The Wooden Nickel

by Alisha Paige

  “Is it getting late?” Louise asked, coming up for air.

  This kissing business was entirely too much fun. Louise had no idea what making love would feel like, but kissing suited her fine for now. It was simply delicious and my, my... Cliff was good at it. Louise thought it strange that she felt as though she’d been drinking spirits. Last New Year’s Eve, her parents had given her a glass of champagne and it had made her feel so light headed and giddy. Funny how Cliff made her feel exactly the same way. She felt as though a thick cloud clung around the both of them and somehow they’d been drugged. She thought of

  Cupid and suddenly understood the story of the winged man who fluttered about, shooting folks with his arrow, making them fall in love. Well, Cupid must have shot her and Cliff full of his love arrows.

  Cliff pulled his pocket watch out and glanced at it. “No, we still have a couple of hours left. Are you ready to go home?”

  “No, I’m warmer now and besides, I don’t want to waste one minute. You’ll only be here for a few more days.”

  Cliff sighed deeply. He was having second thoughts and it surprised him. He thought he was ready for a great adventure and it would be good for his career, but now he wasn’t so sure.

  “I wish we were married, sugar. Wouldn’t that be something if we could get hitched before I left for Europe?”

  “Do you really mean it, Cliff? Would you really?”

  “Absolutely. In an instant.”

  “Let’s do it, then,” Louise said excitedly.

  “Really? Are you sure?” Cliff asked, his smile wide as his eyes flashed in the moon light.

  “Yes, I’m sure. Let’s go tell my folks.”

  Whoa, tell her folks? Tonight? Cliff knew her parents liked him, but would they want him to marry her and then travel overseas, leaving a young wife for months?

  “But where will you stay, sugar? We won’t have time to get a place and you can’t stay in my tiny bedroom at the newspaper.”

  “I’ll stay at home, silly. With my folks, just like always. We can get a place when you get back home and it’ll give us something to look forward to.”

  Cliff nodded. He could picture it now. God. It would be swell if he could travel to Europe knowing he had a sweetheart waiting for him at home. Waiting to start their new life together. She’d be his wife and that would make it okay. Okay to make her his once and for all before he left. Thank goodness, cause the thought of waiting for months seemed unbearable.

  “Okay, you ready to go tell them?”

  Louise took a deep breath. “Yes.”

  “Okay, Mrs. Emberton,” Cliff added as he started the engine and took off to break the news to her parents.

  My, my, Mrs. Emberton. Didn’t that sound fine and glorious? Mrs. Cliff Emberton. Wouldn’t Lily just die? Oh, Louise knew she would. She didn’t care what Cliff said, Louise knew that Lily had a terrible crush on her beau. But, now she’d have to take her eyes off of him for good.

  Cliff took Louise’s hand as he drove around the lake and out onto the main road. She smiled at him and began smoothing her skirt, wondering how disheveled her makeup appeared. She glanced up at Cliff to see if he was looking and saw his eyes on the road. Very discreetly, she lifted her skirts and refastened her stocking to her garter belt. Just as she placed her dress back over her leg, he looked her way, winking at her as he drove. She smiled back at him, her curls bouncing as she turned her head his way. Cliff thought she looked adorable. She would be his wife and he longed to mess up those beautiful curls and kiss her senseless.

  Louise knew she’d wear her mother’s wedding dress. It was the perfect size. Lily was already a head taller than their mother and it had been decided long ago that Louise would wear it, besides Lily had already said that she’d have an expensive store bought dress. Her mother’s dress was simply too antique for her tastes, but not for Louise. She admired the intricate beading on the bodice and the lovely bow that draped over the train. The train was trimmed with tiny freshwater pearls that her grandmother had sewn on by hand. Louise thought it was the most beautiful train she’d ever seen. She’d be honored to wear it. She just hoped Cliff thought she looked as beautiful in the dress as her mother did in the large photograph that hung in the parlor.

  Cliff squeezed her hand as if reading her thoughts and Louise decided that this moment would be filed under sparkling white, just like the moon as it had shone on the lake when they decided to tie the knot.

  Five

  “I now pronounce you man and wife,” the preacher announced as he closed the leather bound bible.

  Cliff lifted the veil that covered his bride’s face. Tears pooled in her blue eyes and he thought she had never looked more beautiful. He kissed her gently on the lips and pulled her to him, reaching around her small waist, claiming her as his. The tiny chapel seemed to swirl around her. Bill smiled at his wife as it brought back memories of their own wedding day. Cliff’s gesture of possession for his new bride did not go unnoticed. He knew full well what was on Cliff’s mind. Their love and adoration for one another was very apparent.

  Lily and Ida straightened Louise’s train as she turned to walk back down the aisle. Only family and a handful of friends were present on such short notice. Bill had arranged for Sally and the girls to travel by train for the ceremony, but Hank was too busy with the TVA. He’d sent a telegram conveying his good wishes and promised to visit as soon as Cliff returned from Europe.

  Cliff guided Louise back down the aisle, flashing that bright smile that Louise adored. Bill had stood as Cliff’s best man, his closest friend, next to Hank. He was proud to take the role and couldn’t be happier for his daughter. Cliff was a fine young man with a promising reporting career. Bill had come to respect and admire him as a father and a boss. Lily took her father’s arm as he guided her back down the aisle with Ida, Cecile and Mary in tow, tossing white rose petals onto the narrow red carpet.

  “Everyone is invited to a reception at the home of Bill and Viola Bolton. See me if you need directions,” the preacher stated warmly as the last few rose petals were tossed by the flower girls as made their way outside with their families.

  Cliff stood proudly outside, squinting in the sunlight with his arm wrapped snuggly around his wife’s waist. His chest swelled with pride. It was a beautiful, cool Saturday in February. He would be was leaving in three days for Europe. The thought weighed heavy on his heart. They had three days of honeymooning and he intended to make it unforgettable.

  The few guests filtered slowly out of the church, greeting the happy couple, hugging and kissing loved ones in the bright sunlight.

  “The bride will now throw her bouquet,” the preacher announced to the small crowd.

  A small handful of young women and girls gathered on the church steps as Louise turned her back and tossed her bouquet high into the air. A myriad of squeals filled the crisp air as they all reached for it. Louise turned around and laughed gaily. Twelve year old Ida had caught it and surprised everyone by practically snatching it away from Lily as it grazed her eager fingers. The photographer snapped a quick photo, undoubtedly capturing Lily in her usual pose, with a sour look on her face and her hands sitting squarely on her hips.

  Cliff helped his bride into a decorated horse carriage. The driver was dressed in long coat tails and a top hat. Louise was thrilled and knew this was just one of Cliff’s romantic surprises. He promised to sweep her off of her feet in the three days they had left. She knew it would be a whirlwind of romance, fun and excitement. It was hard to imagine him leaving for Europe. She pushed it to the furthest corner of her mind until she was absolutely forced to deal with the inevitable reality.

  The horse clip clopped slowly as Cliff turned to his bride. Blonde curls caressed her shoulders beneath her veil as it blew softly in the cool breeze. Cliff watched the sunlight dance on her bright hair as she looked up at him, feeling his gaze on her. She smiled and dipped her eyes, her eyelashes shadowing her features as the sun blinded her for a moment. She was
so gorgeous and now she was his wife. He could hardly believe that five years had passed since he was a filthy hobo, standing in a bread line, next to the most beautiful girl in the world.

  “Louise, what happened to that old wooden nickel that I gave you all those years ago?”

  “I still have it,” Louise admitted.

  He had finally asked. She wondered if he’d ever think of it again. In a way she was kind of embarrassed about keeping it. After all, it was worthless, but it meant so much to her. She never guessed it meant a thing to him. She had no idea that the generous gesture had meant so much to her father, but Cliff was fully aware of it and had wondered many times if Louise had kept it or not.

  “You’re kidding,” Cliff replied incredulously.

  “Nope. My favorite doll keeps it in her purse.”

  “You mean, Miss El Giva, the pretty doll with bouncy red curls?”

  Louise nodded as he pulled her closer and kissed her on the cheek.

  “I had no idea that old wooden nickel meant that much to you.”

  “Don’t be silly, Cliff. It’s a symbol of our love. If it weren’t for that old wooden nickel, we might not have ever met.”

  “Now you’re the one being silly. I would have found some way to meet you. If all I had was a wooden spool, I’d have found a reason to give it to you.”

  “Oh, come on, what reason would you have for giving me a wooden spool?”

  Cliff laughed as the horse stopped in front of Louise’s home. “I would have tried to give it to you, telling you that you might need it, cause America was short on spools. Heck, we were short on everything back then.”

  Cliff helped her out of the carriage and caught a glimpse of her white stockings. A million images flitted through his mind. Tonight would be heavenly. “And you think I would have bought that?”

  Cliff shrugged. “Heck, I don’t know, but I would have thought of something to say to you. You know, Hank and I stayed an extra week because of you.”

  “Really? You never told me that,” Louise replied, touched that she had meant that much to him.

  “Truth is, I would have done anything to get closer to you. I decided straight away that we would go to school. I knew you’d be there and Hank was powerful mad, too. I can’t blame him, though. After all, we were supposed to be looking for work and I was too busy looking for you.”

  Cliff led her inside and the room burst into applause. A beautiful wedding cake sat in the center of the parlor, alongside a silver bowl of punch. Viola was busy ladling ice cream punch into silver goblets. Sally walked up to Cliff and gave her son a long hug and kiss on the cheek before hugging Louise.

  “Oh, Louise, what a lovely gown!” Sally cried as she admired the heirloom.

  “Thank you. It was Mama’s,” Louise replied as Cliff shook hands with the preacher, thanking him for performing their wedding ceremony on such short notice.

  “Well, it certainly is beautiful and so are you!” Sally beamed. She was so proud of Cliff and his new bride. She knew Louise would make him very happy, pleased he had married into such a warmhearted family. In a way, Louise’s family had adopted her family and she was eternally grateful. She felt more like an aunt to Louise and her sisters and she was sure that Viola felt the same way about her sons and daughters.

  The two families had grown miraculously close over the past five years and now with Cliff and Louise tying the knot and Cliff taking off for Europe, working for his father-in-law’s newspaper, they were destined to become even closer. Sally couldn’t help but wonder how long her son and his new wife would wait to have children. They would make fine parents and though her girls were still only eight and nine years old, the thought of grandchildren warmed her heart. Hank planned on marrying his sweetheart this year, too. The thought struck her that both of them would be adding little ones to the family and she found it hard to believe that her two little boys had grown up so fast. She felt partly guilty because in a way, they had to, but my how she was proud of them. They had stepped up to the plate with their chins held high, determined to provide for their mother and sisters and save their home, even when their own father had given up on all of them and himself in the end. They had both turned into fine young men and though Bill insisted it was her doing, undoubtedly she knew his generosity had played a major part in God’s plan for her family.

  Cliff kept a close eye on his pocket watch as he spoke to family and friends, thanking them for coming and sharing in their magical day, but he knew for him and his new bride, it had barely begun. They hardly saw Bill and Viola as they were too busy serving cake and punch and making everyone comfortable in their home. Ida, Cecile and Mary stopped by for hugs and kisses, but then disappeared upstairs to play, only coming down to fetch cake and punch for their tea party in the play room. Fortunately, Lily kept herself busy flirting with another one of Bill’s reporter’s, a young man that had befriended Cliff and with a little more experience, would possibly join him in Austria or at least relieve him when Cliff returned home.

  Viola passed around tiny sacks of rice wrapped in pink netting, tied with yellow bows. Louise ran upstairs to say goodbye to Ida and Cliff’s sisters, though she would only be honeymooning in a nearby hotel for a couple of days. Cliff kissed his mother goodbye and promised to write often. She and the girls would be returning home in the morning.

  Bill and Viola were busy in the kitchen when Cliff came up behind them, hugging his new mother-in-law and shaking hands with the man who’d become his surrogate father.

  Viola wiped tears from the edges of her eyes with her checkered apron. “I’m so proud to call you my son, Cliff. You’ve made Louise so happy.”

  “You have a nice time on your honeymoon, son,” Bill added.

  “Don’t worry about Louise. I’ll take good care of her,” Cliff promised.

  Neither of them was worried in the least. Cliff had a good head on his shoulders and they knew she would be safe with Cliff looking after her. Cliff left the kitchen and found his bride waiting near the front door, hugging Lily goodbye and for once, Cliff saw a sweeter side to Lily as she wished them well and congratulated them both. Cliff breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps she had decided it was time to grow up after all and just for the sake of the happy moment, he hugged Lily, too.

  “I’ll miss you,” Lily whispered in his ear as he held her close, instantly regretting the fact that he had let his wall down for a mere second with her.

  Cliff let her go as if he’d touched a hot poker. His eyes blazed a warning to her as she plastered a fake smile on her lips and feigned innocence washed over her features. Cliff took her firmly by the shoulders and pulled her to him, positioning his mouth over her left ear, so close, his teeth clinked her silver earring dangling from her ear. “I won’t be missing you, Miss Lily and don’t think I won’t embarrass the hell out of you in front of all our friends and family!” he hissed, leaving a hot spray stinging in her ear.

  Lily kept the same expression and never said a word as she nodded to him like a marionette while he released his tight grip on her shoulders, leaving red marks where he had pushed so hard. Cliff led Louise outside where everyone lined the front, rice in hand, ready to send off the happy couple.

  “You ready, sugar?” Cliff asked Louise as they stood on the front porch as man and wife.

  Louise nodded, smiling brightly into the cool sunshine as she lifted her gown to descend the steps. Cliff kissed her once on the cheek and then positioned her veil back over her eyes, already taking the role as protector, saving her face from the onslaught of tossed rice. He took her hand as they ran to the waiting car. Both of them laughed like children as rice rained over them. Cliff pushed Louise in first and then dove head first into her father’s Tin Lizzy. The crowd of onlookers cheered as Cliff started the engine. The car popped and hiccupped to life as both of them waved goodbye, their arms sticking out of the windows, dragging half a dozen tin cans in his wake, rattling all the way to the hotel.

  Cliff helped his bride out o
f the car and retrieved their bags from the back. He walked up to the front desk and rang a bell. A round man appeared with a bright red face, grinning from ear to ear.

  “May I help you?” he asked boisterously.

  “Yes, sir. I have reservations for Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Emberton.”

  Louise blushed, still dressed in her wedding gown, rice still dripping rice from her hair.

  “Of course! The honeymoon suite. Congratulations!” the man said.

  “Thank you,” Cliff answered as the man unhooked a key from a board behind him. Cliff signed some papers and took the key. He led Louise up two flights of stairs, helping her with her dress.

  “Here we are,” Cliff said as he set the bags down and unlocked the door. Louise began to enter the room first as she was accustomed to him holding every door open for her.

  “No, you don’t! Wait!” he blurted out, nearly forgetting completely.

  Cliff tossed the bags inside and swept her up, carrying her over the threshold. He closed the door with one polished shoe and kissed his new bride all the way to the bed. He threw her onto the bed and collapsed onto the bed beside her.

  “We did it, sugar,” Cliff said as he looked down upon his new bride, her chest heaving from laughter at being unexpectedly swept up in his arms and tossed onto the bed.

  Damn, she was a stunning girl! Cliff could hardly wait, but he knew he’d better take it slow. Even though he’d saved himself for Louise, he knew she would be more afraid than him and he wanted her to feel safe and truly enjoy their first night together. Cliff brushed a golden curl off of her flushed cheek and kissed her fully on the mouth. Excitement already began to build within him. God, he wanted to claim her once and for all. Now that they were officially married, he could barely contain himself.

  Louise held nothing back as she draped her arms over his neck and pulled him closer, drawing him to her and shocking him senseless by forcing his mouth open with her delicate tongue. Cliff groaned as electricity sizzled through his body and his hungry mouth went into overdrive. His hand rested on her hip, crushing the satiny gown in his fist as he began gathering the yards and yards of material, searching for that dainty stocking covered leg that lay somewhere beneath all that silken gown. Ah ha! His fingers rolled over tiny, freshwater pearls that had been so carefully sewn, one by one onto the hem of her gown. Cliff kissed her neck and moved to her chest, the lace of her bodice tickling his chin as his cheek caressed her fragrant, warm cleavage. A growl escaped his throat. He had to have his bride. Her fingers were wrapped tightly around his neck as he trailed kisses down the intricately beaded bodice.