A New Day

by Nancy Hopper

  The audience was deathly silent.

  Norm got the cameras to turn to him. "We have to break for a commercial, Tim. I am sure the audience will join me in wishing you the best in your coming marriage."

  There was not a dry eye in the Rain house. Tim had touched all of them. The camera men had done a spectacular job of capturing his emotion, his fiery eyes, his integrity.

  But, Tim had no idea what the reaction would be. He called home to find Tasha in tears.

  "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

  Tasha laughed. "Nothing is wrong! You were wonderful!" She assured him.

  "Well then, what are you crying for?" he chuckled, teasing her.

  "Nobody in this house has dry eyes, Timothy." She told him. "Telling me to not cry, is like asking the sun not to come up in the morning."

  He laughed. "Well, I'm not about to do that." He informed her. "So, what have I missed while I was gone?"

  "Well, I ordered furniture for Naomi and Lucas today, and I pick up Elaine tomorrow. She says my dress is divine."

  "I'll bet." Tim drawled. "Well, I'm a little concerned about the reviews from this show, but what the heck. I wouldn't do it any differently if I had another chance."

  "I'm glad. Tim, it was powerful. The Holy Spirit was on you."

  "Yeah. I know, I felt Him. I just hope I didn't go too far."

  "No. No, you didn't, darling. Don't worry about anything." She urged him.

  Tim chuckled. "I sure would like to be kissing you, right now." He told her in a low voice.

  "Mmm. Sounds very nice." She purred. "Perhaps tomorrow?"

  "Well," Tim hedged. "Actually, I've been approached to do some meetings tomorrow and the next day, while I'm in L.A. Can you spare me at home?"

  Tasha groaned. "I hate it when you're away."

  "I know. But maybe this time, it would be a little easier on me to be away. It's pretty tortuous, you know, thinking of you in my bed at home. You're so close and yet so far."

  Tasha smiled. "All right, do your meetings. But don't be gone too long. Elaine might want to do some fitting, or something. Besides, I need you too much."

  “Okay. No more than two more days." He promised.

  The reaction to Tim's broadcast was immediate and overwhelming. They found themselves reading headlines in the grocery store, like "Tim's Love for Tasha is no Sin", and "Tim Rain Tells the True Story About the Girl".

  There were numerous testimonies published by people who had been touched by Tim's ministry or who had known Tasha when she was a pastor's wife. There were hundreds of testimonies from people who had either been molested, raised without mothers, had pre-marital sex; or at least been tempted to.

  All of the public testimonies printed, supported Tim and Tasha staunchly for being brave enough to tell the truth about their lives and relationship. Every one of them congratulated them for not bowing to the tactics of the press.

  There was even an article that claimed that Pattie Danniels had been fired from her job for exploiting the situation, and attempting to discredit Tim.

  "Oh, man." Tim sighed when he heard that one. "That's rough. She did the right thing by repenting. Why don't they give her another chance?"

  "Well, I'm sure her credibility is ruined. Who'd want to do an interview with her, knowing what she did to you?" Reuben snorted.

  "Yeah. I suppose." Tim admitted. "I guess she's got to pay the consequences for what she did, huh?"

  "Have you seen what Darla Harvey's done?" Reuben asked lightly.

  "No. What now?" Tim growled.

  "Read it for yourself." Reuben offered, pushing the magazine at him.

  "Oh, my Lord in Heaven." Tim said softly, and whistled. There was a beautiful picture of Tasha, wearing a black dress suit, covered in lace. She had a hat and a veil covering her face. And there were tears on her cheeks. The title read, "The True Profile: Tasha Charles Taylor, A Woman of Strength."

  Darla had done some heavy duty homework. Most of the things that she’d written, Tim didn't even know about Tasha. There was an interview with Gary's aunt, Mrs. Walden, that told how Tasha had accepted Jesus and married Gary, and how happy they had been. She told how they had known Tasha since she was a little girl, and how sensationalized the stories about her had been. She had provided the photograph of Tasha, taken the day of Gary's funeral.

  There were short statements by Joe and Delanie, Glenn and Marietta, and by those who had been in leadership over Gary and Tasha’s ministry. All of them, telling how wonderful Tasha was, how devoted she had been to Gary, and to them all.

  Then, Lord help Tasha's critics, they had asked Lucinda what she thought about it all. She barbecued them, but good. And she threw in a word or two about how wonderful her 'Mr. Timothy' is, and how good he had been to 'Miss Tasha'. Tim was a bit choked up by it. He looked at Reuben, and shook his head.

  "Man." He sighed. "It's nice to read something about this girl that doesn't make me want to scream. How about it, Reuben? They're actually telling the truth about her!"

  Reuben squirmed. "Yeah, well. Tim, the truth is, a lot of us owe you and Tasha an apology. You know?"

  Tim smiled at him. "Don't worry about it." He said quietly. "I know it looked awful bad."

  Brent arrived in Jackson before Tim got home. With his arrival, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch. He walked into the hotel banquet hall where the wedding was to be held, looking handsome and well to do.

  He kissed his daughter's cheek, and walked arm in arm with her to stand beneath the ladder on which Elaine was perched. She was hanging greenery on a pillar, her long legs stretched enticingly before Brent's eyes.

  "Tasha, you know I can't take you to lunch until I find another beautiful woman to accompany us. How could I make my debut in Jackson Hole, with one arm empty?" he complained.

  Elaine looked down at him, in the way that a mother might convey her exasperation to a mischievous son. "Oh, dear Lord. You're here already?" she sighed.

  "Right at lunch time. I dare you to tell me that you have other plans." He challenged sweetly.

  "I wouldn't dream of it." She responded, coming down from the ladder. "I'm famished."

  Brent drew her into an embrace and kissed her cheek. "Hello, Elaine. It's awfully good to see you." He said softly.

  Elaine smiled, and watched him as though expecting him to turn into a viper at any moment. "It's nice to see you too, Brent. Thank you for all the lovely flowers and gifts."

  He shrugged. "I couldn't help myself. But I see that you're not yet wearing the ring."

  Elaine blushed, and put some distance between them. "That, Brent, was too much."

  "Tell me you didn't hock it." He teased, feigning pain.

  "It would serve you right, if I did." Elaine taunted dryly. "I'll get my coat, so we can go to lunch. Perhaps you'll be easier to manage with some food in your stomach."

  Brent gave her a predatory laugh. "Don't you bet on it, sweetheart." He warned her lightly.

  That evening, while Tasha was gone to get Tim at the airport, Brent found Elaine alone, on the deck at Tim's house. They exchanged a smile as Brent joined her, elbows on the railing.

  "Well, Elaine; what do you make of all this?" Brent asked softly. "Tasha is marrying another preacher, Emilie has turned up, God's got my knees bleeding; and I'm still madly in love with you." He shook his head. "You must be in my blood. Elaine, I've tried to get over you. Mercy, I did try. Will you tell me, straight out? Is there any chance that you'd think about coming back to me? If not, I'll understand. I wouldn't blame you. But I'm not so bad anymore, really. I've mellowed considerably, and I even have grandkids." He grinned at her, but his eyes were a little fearful. "Any hope at all, Elaine?"

  Elaine sighed, and took a ring box from her pocket. She turned to Brent and held it out to him. "Brent, I've given it a lot of thought. You're right, we need to settle this issue once and for all."

  Brent felt sharp pain stab deep into his heart, as she pushed the ring box into his hand. Deep fear and pai
n. Oh, God. He didn't really want to know! He couldn't handle it! He closed his eyes.

  "You are going to have to ask me again; and mean it, Brent. I will not put on my own ring, and I will not be hurried. I will not be bullied. I will not come to your house until we are married, in my good time, and I will not stand for any cheating, ever again."

  A hot weakness flooded Brent's body, and began turning his limbs to putty. Disbelief and confusion began invading his numb brain. "You mean, you will?" he asked weakly.

  Elaine smiled at him thoughtfully. "I have always measured other men against you, evaluated new things by whether you'd like them or not. I always knew that if you just weren't such a randy rogue, I'd love you madly. But you must realize, Brent. It's only because Timothy has convinced me that this change is totally real and lasting that ..."

  She never got to finish. She found herself wrapped in strong arms, and her lips were lost in his devastating kiss. Her knees suddenly seemed incapable of supporting her weight. No one could kiss the way Brent could. She'd missed him terribly.

  It was some time before the ring found its way onto her finger, and the two of them found their way back into the house.

  The night before the wedding, Tasha went to the hotel to be sure the finishing touches in the banquet room had been taken care of. It looked awesome – like a glittering wonderland in white, with rich jewel tone colors accenting, like a rich, bold tapestry.

  Her dress and Elaine's were hanging in the dressing room. The flowers filled two refrigerators in the kitchen.

  She consulted her appointment book, and confirmed that every detail had been attended to. She'd written out checks for every service in advance, and had them sealed in envelopes, ready for delivery.

  At last, she was satisfied that there was nothing left to do, but go home. Before she left, she smiled and went to her knees, to thank her Lord for blessing her with Timothy, his family, and all that He had done for her. Then, she prayed for her wedding day, and all that concerned it.

  When she got back to the ranch, she found Tim waiting to take her to dinner. "Isn't it a bit early?" she asked quizzically.

  He shrugged. "I don't know. I suppose it is, but I'm hungry."

  "All right. Just let me change clothes then, and we'll go."

  "Great." He answered immediately. Tim seemed particularly eager to get moving, but Tasha went along meekly. Still, it made her wonder a bit.

  She knew it would be wonderful to pull away from all the excitement and confusion, and be alone with Tim for a few hours. He'd only come home late last night, and today had been very frantic.

  And their time together proved to be lovely, and quiet. Tim advised that his mother had made arrangements for Tasha to stay at the hotel. She was afraid they might see one another on the day of the wedding, and she thought it would be best if they didn’t.

  "She's old fashioned, but I didn't have the heart to yell about it. I hope you don't mind."

  "No, but you might have warned me. I didn't pack an overnight bag."

  "Well, I'll tell you what. I know you have something to wear tomorrow, and I know it's hidden somewhere at the hotel. So I'll just take you shopping, and buy you whatever you need for tonight. That way, I can take you there; and I can have you all to myself for the rest of the evening. We can just kind of cuddle up together and be quiet, and alone for awhile." He suggested with a lazy grin.

  "Mr. Rain, I am not at all certain that you are safe to be alone with in a hotel room this evening." She said with suspicious regret.

  He made a face. "Listen to me, girl. I've gone through too much torment, to blow it now." He assured her with a growl. "If I get out of hand, you can always have me thrown out."

  “Well, all right. Let's see, now. I need jamas and slippers, and a toothbrush and toothpaste. Elaine can bring everything else to me when she comes to the hotel tomorrow.”

  Tasha had to admit that she purposely chose the skimpiest, prettiest, laciest, most feminine and sexy nightie she could find to purchase, and slippers to match. She was very gratified to watch the expressions on Tim's face as she thoughtfully considered each one, and finally selected the one that left his face the most tense and blank looking.

  "Cruel and heartless." He said through clenched teeth, as he followed her to the cash register. "And sadistic. You could at least pretend you feel bad about it."

  Tasha gave him an innocent, yet very provocative look. "Oh, I don't think so." She said sweetly. "I want to make sure you show up tomorrow."

  He could only laugh. "You've got to be kidding!" He complained. "I've been waiting at the altar like a lamb at slaughter, for a year and a half. Give me a break!"

  Tasha smiled. "Well, darling, I'll just hope it was worth waiting for." She said quietly.

  Tim narrowed his eyes, and stared down at her with insolent passion. "Have no doubt, honey baby. You will be." He assured her. The look in his eyes made her shiver with anticipation, and set butterflies flopping in her tummy. She was a bit anxious, herself.

  The cashier grinned at them. "Wedding is tomorrow, isn't it?" she asked significantly.

  Tim and Tasha gave her a shocked stare. "Actually, it is. How did you know?" Tim asked lightly.

  "Well, it's in the news." The woman admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "Everybody's been talking about it. And I want you to know, I wish you the best. Congratulations!"

  "Thanks. God bless you." Tim said, with a brief smile. He took Tasha's hand, and led her quickly out of the store. When they got to the car, he was on his phone like lightning.

  "Reuben! What's going on? Everybody in town knows the wedding is tomorrow! I was told it's on the news!"

  "Yeah, they mentioned it." Reuben said, sounding surprised. "I don't know who told. I suppose with all the orders for flowers and food and stuff, it just got out."

  Tim sighed. "Man! I hope nobody tries to turn it into a fiasco. Reuben, do you think we need any security?"

  "Might not hurt, Tim. I'll see what I can do."

  "Thanks." Tim snapped, and hung up. He did not look real happy.

  Tasha put a hand on his arm. "Don't forget the grocery store." She reminded gently.

  Tim nodded. He was quiet. When he pulled into the parking lot, he looked at Tasha beseechingly. "Mind if I wait here and make some calls?" he asked.

  "No. I'll just be a couple of minutes, anyway." She assured him.

  He was still on the phone when she came back out. He hung up as she got in the car. She was relieved to find him looking more relaxed.

  "Are you okay now?" she asked teasingly.

  "Yeah, I think so." He answered uncertainly. "I just never thought about people knowing. I'm glad that lady said something, and rattled my cage. We'll have security staff there to keep out anybody without an invitation, thanks to her."

  Tasha smiled. "Everything is going to be fine." She soothed.

  "Yeah; I'm sure you're right. But, I'll buy all the insurance I can get, just the same."

  He checked her into the hotel, and saw that she got settled in her room. Then he held a hand to her, and smiled. "Come with me." He urged.

  "Where?"

  "I want to see the banquet room."

  Tasha's eyebrows crashed together. "The banquet room? Timothy, no!"

  "No?"

  "No!" She insisted. "You are going to have to wait, like everybody else. I want to surprise you!"

  He rolled his eyes. "I told Brent you'd do this. I told him! Tasha, you have to take me down there. Just be a good girl and do it, all right?"

  "What's he got to do with this?" she asked suspiciously.

  "Please, just show me the room."

  "Timothy; I am sorry, but I absolutely refuse. I'm tired."

  "Don't do the stubborn deal on me, Tasha." He warned. "I need you to take me down, and show me the banquet room. It's so that I can instruct the security staff. I'm not going to have time for it, tomorrow."

  "You are a terrible liar, Timothy. Reuben is taking care of security. What do you take
me for, an idiot?"

  "No, no, no." He sighed and sat down. "Tasha, please. Just do it. I promised I wouldn't tell you."

  "It's not a party! It can't be! I forbid them, and if they mess up my room ..."

  "No, it's not a party." He assured her. "Honey, you'll be pleased. I promise."

  She looked at him, as though considering. "All right, Timothy. But don't you dare ever say I've not been a sweet, submissive wife."

  He rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah. That's you, all right." He snorted. "Now, listen. You’d better brace yourself. This is a pretty big surprise."

  She felt herself tensing as they got into the elevator. "How big is it, Tim?" she asked warily.

  "It's real big, but don't worry. You're going to love it." He assured her softly. He pushed open the door to the banquet room, and Tasha's mouth dropped open.

  "I locked that door myself, when I left here a few hours ago." She protested.

  "It's all right. We'll lock it up when we leave." He soothed her. The lights were on, but fairly low. Tim put an arm around her, and walked her up the aisle toward the altar. "It looks wonderful, Tash. Incredible." He complimented. He couldn't take his eyes off the clear, miniature lights dancing in potted trees that lined either side of the center aisle, and the end of each aisle of chairs, along the walls.

  There was a canopy with an arched entrance, and trees on either side, all was decked in beautiful lights, every bough. And there were can lights on the floor, shining up lovely, soft light into the canopy in lovely, rich colors. It was all fabulous!

  She smiled at him. "I'm glad you like it. Even though you're not supposed to see it yet." She chided.

  He just smiled down into her eyes, with a trace of worry. She grabbed his coat sleeves, and tugged in exasperation. "Timothy, what?” she demanded.

  He hugged her, and kissed the top of her head. "You'll see. Hang in there." He advised.

  "Leave the poor man alone and come here, Tasha. Brent and I have a surprise for you." A feminine voice called. Tasha turned and saw Elaine standing in front of the altar, with her father. She turned and walked toward them.