Laura's Big Win

by Michelle Tschantre'

  “Ryan?”

  “Umm?”

  “Where are we going to live after we’re married. There’s plenty of room here for you, but the kids are getting bigger and will need their own rooms soon. I was sort of thinking about that.”

  “Tell you what, let me handle that for now. I’ll do the finance and property management; you do the social things. Deal?”

  “Deal. Wanna sign a contract or …..Mufft.” Laura’s comment was cut off in mid-sentence by lips on her own, a response she both understood clearly and enjoyed thoroughly.

  “I think I probably need to head for my own digs for now. Half of my brain is trying to talk the other half out of that ‘let’s wait’ commitment I made, and it’s starting to win. Besides, I think with the Alice and Vinny deal tomorrow, we’ll probably need all the sleep we can get. Kiss me enough to last until morning.”

  And after a lingering good night kiss, the two parted for the evening, but looking forward to another day closer to their own wedding.

  Chapter 18 – Alice’s Restart

  The day dawned clear and crisp, a little warmer than average for a fall day, and a perfect day for a wedding. The Windmere family was not about to let Alice get away without at least a semblance of a party, and efforts were underway to get organized. Much depended on the arrival of the groom, but Alice received assurances that if he didn’t show as promised, Dennis would go get him, wherever he might be. As it turned out, Vinnie called mid-morning to say he would be a little later than the promised 11 AM, having had to stop and replace a tire enroute, but that he was on his way to claim his woman. Alice was back on cloud nine again, and amenable to almost anything the gang suggested. Dennis assigned the gate intercom to his pager so there would be no delay getting the motor home captive on Windmere grounds, while Franz and Jack worked out a way to feed temporary power to the unit so they could forego the generator for the time being. Laura, with Amanda helping a bit, assisted Alice in doing some packing of precious belongings, some for storage, some to go with her. Vinnie’s attitude was that they would buy what they forgot to bring along, but he understood about keepsakes, grandkid pictures, and things like that. Doris had decided the previous day that at least a wedding dinner was in order, and came in on her day off to help fete her long time friend and ally. The entire place seemed to be taken with the prospect of a lot of fun, with a deep appreciation of this woman who had helped so much to forge the image of Windmere and what it had become. Everyone understood that Laura now stood where Alice had stood for a long time, and they recognized that now was the time in Alice’s life she could truly reap the rewards she so richly deserved. It went without saying they would truly miss her, in spite of e-mails and things, but there would not be the slightest moment of hesitation in giving her what was due in recognition and happiness.

  Dennis anticipated the arrival perfectly, positioning himself at the main gate just as the motor home rolled to a stop in front of it. Introducing himself, Dennis gave Vinnie brief instructions to follow his quad-runner on to the grounds, and started the triumphal entrance. Dennis was quick to realize the huge motor home would need plenty of turning space, and made a quick mental note on how to get the job done. He was also in possession of a secret and wanted very much to see the faces of the assembled group when they met Vinnie for the first time. Passing by the group, he lead the unit past the cottages toward the golf course to gain enough space for it to turn around with style and grace rather than a lot of backing and filling. Dennis was a little surprised to see no small car in tow as such motor homes usually had for convenience, but assumed it had been left somewhere for the time being.

  Making the turn around, Dennis guided Vinnie to the front of Alice’s cottage and brought the parade to a stop. The sheer height of the motor home made it difficult to see through the windshield, and the assembled crowd was anxious for their first glimpse of this man who could work such excitement in the staid Mrs. Hamilton. The side door opened finally, and out stepped…..not the short, olive skinned, dark eyed Italian man everyone had rather come to expect, but a man somewhere over six feet tall, slender but in obviously good physical condition, blue eyed, with silver hair rather than gray. One step and Alice was in his arms; there was no question she knew exactly who this was and the welcome wagon was out. Finally breaking their clinch, the two turned to start with the introductions, Alice with a big grin on her face at having put one over on all of them. She could see in their collective faces they were having a difficult time reconciling Vincent Lupinacci with the man they were seeing.

  Alice reveled in the moment: “Gotcha, didn’t I? Please let me introduce to the lot of you Mr. Vincent Lupinacci, Vinnie would do nicely. I should mention that he is Italian as you may have thought, but from northern Italy close to Germany. Now, if you please, say something, someone.”

  Ryan was quick to jump in: “Okay, you got us good; so we were stereotyping; I’ll admit it. But, please, Mr. Lupinacci, I’m Ryan Williams, and this lovely being is my betrothed, Laura Nessing, her children Amanda and Jackson. Welcome to Windmere; whatever this day may bring, may it include everlasting happiness for the two of you.”

  “You are indeed a gentleman and a scholar, sir. It is with pleasure I make your acquaintance, and that of your betrothed. I feel welcomed, and honored. Now, you kids ever see the inside of one of these critters? Maybe Alice will take you for a tour; she knows what the inside looks like, don’t you my dear?”

  Alice Hamilton blushed for the first time anyone could every remember, and it was rather clear she knew a great deal about the inside of the motor home. “Okay kids, up for a tour?”

  “Yes ma’am, please?” and in the door they shot like bullets. In the meantime, Vinnie and Ryan continued with the introductions, finding himself comfortably among friends here, all of whom seemed to be as caring and concerned about Alice’s well being as he could ever ask. Vinnie was equally impressed with the preparations that had been made to receive him and the mammoth motor home. Franz had dozens of questions, but was outflanked when Vinnie produced a set of compartment keys and simply told Franz to open up whatever he would like to investigate.

  “And when you get that far, my friend, if you like engines, pop the hood on this thing and take a look. Had it modified so it would fit this chassis; nothing like having a Caterpillar if you’re driving something the size of an earthmover.”

  True to form, Franz headed for the engine cover and was duly impressed by the big v-8 diesel, with a blower. It reminded him a lot of what semi rigs used for the long, heavy haul, and his appreciation of Vinnie notched up considerably, from a rich guy who was stealing Alice away to a consummate consumer of heavy iron.

  The motor home itself had been custom built for long term comfort, everything from the powerful diesel to handle any hill, to the six way power seats, to the popouts that made it even larger when parked. Franz admitted he had never seen a motor home with a bogey axle to help carry the weight of the large unit, but was curious, as was Dennis, about the absence of a small car for convenience.

  “Not something I have ever done,” Vinnie confided. “Towing something is a pain in the butt; you can’t see where it is without a remote monitor, and you can’t back up more than a few feet. I tried it once and gave it up. Now, once my route is set, I call ahead and have a car delivered to wherever I decide to spend time. Works for me. But say, Alice hasn’t told me much about this operation. Looks pretty exclusive to me. How about I get a couple or three Iron City’s and we chat a bit?”

  As Dennis and Franz would discover, this man traveled well, and made it clear he traveled sober but was always well prepared for the night’s rest. Neither had ever imbibed an Iron City, and both were impressed with the new aluminum bottle. Truth be told, Vinnie knew how to win friends and keep them. It is possible things would have deteriorated, but the arrival of another guest changed the direction of the festivities to a more serious note.

  Judge Harry Comstock would not have missed this moment for anyt
hing, but came with a surprise of his own. Apparently, he had invited an associate to participate in the festivities. Parking clear of the crowd around the motor home, Harry and associate quickly joined the ranks.

  “Morning Ryan, Laura, and the ever beautiful Ms. Hamilton. I see the kids have you in custody.”

  Jack and Amanda remained a little in awe of this man, as much for the tone of authority in his voice as for what had been explained to them about how he had helped their mother through the recent bad times. They had just finished their tour of the motor home and were waiting not so patiently to tell their mother all they had seen inside. Still, they would not interrupt this person, not Judge Harry. An accomplished reader of people, Harry sensed the kids excitement and granted them freedom as quickly as he could. “Tell you what kids; you tell these two what you saw in there while I have a short business conference with Ms. Alice here. Okay?”

  “Yes sir” came the quick response. They weren’t really afraid of him per se, but their respect was quite healthy. Anyway, relief had been quick in coming and the words came tumbling out to Ryan and Laura, as Harry and Alice turned to meet his associate.

  “Alice, I’d like you to meet Father James Jesse from Saint Matthew’s, and no smart remarks about the name. I don’t know all the details here since Ryan was a little sketchy on the phone. All I know for sure is you landed a trophy fish and you want us to help you fillet him; right?”

  “Father, the pleasure is mine, in spite of the company you keep. What has this madman told you in error so far, besides everything?”

  “Ms. Hamilton, Alice, Harry is a near and dear friend of mine for many years, back when we were in high school together. I preach goodness on Sunday, and he scares the hell out of ‘em the rest of the week. Anyway, he brought me along as a back-up; promised me I’d have a good time, he did. Neither of us knows where either of you stands with religion, so Harry figured if you wanted something with a little more God in it than is in his normal routine, I’m his resource. I’d be happy to oblige, and by the way, being Roman Catholic is not one of my requirements for a wedding. So, there you have it. I’m at your service.”

  “And I could not be more pleased with you being here. This may sound a little nutty, but we actually like Harry too for some reason. Would it be out of line if you two did a duet, or is that asking too much?”

  “You up for this Harry? Dog and pony show? How about I do a little reading or two, quote some scripture, we’ll skip taking up a collection this time around, and you follow up with the civil stuff?”

  Never one to waste an opportunity, Harry replied: “Great, but are you sure about skipping the collection? May have to run an extra night of Bingo this week.”

  “Heathen.”

  “Do gooder.”

  Father James pressed on regardless: “I’m in. What’s show time, Alice?”

  “We’re working our way around to that. Come over and meet the catch of the day, and of a lifetime for me.”

  As the three went in search of Vinnie, the crowd continued to swell by twos and threes as word spread and people arrived: Roger and wife, Cal and family, Alicia and her husband, Fernando plus children as summoned by his wife, and others from the Windmere family and close associates. Half an hour later, Doris sought out Roger as CEO and told him dinner would be ready about 1 PM, if they intended to have a wedding first. And with the authority vested in him simply because these people all liked him on this highly unofficial but perfectly delightful occasion, Roger checked with Alice for confirmation, and confirmed to the assembled gaggle, now numbering well over fifty and still growing, that there was “about to be a weddin’ hereabouts”. In the meantime, Laura and Alice had retired to her cottage for a minute or two to get ready, Vinnie ducked into the motor home to change clothes, and Franz and Dennis found a makeshift riser of sorts so everyone would have a good view. Harry and Fr. James reviewed their routine, thought it would go well in harmony, considered floating it as a Broadway musical, and decided they would behave and do what was asked without undue hurrah. Since he had heard that Ryan was probably next in line for this sort of adventure, Vinnie had asked him to be a witness for his side, while Laura would stand by Alice. Roger would be the escort of record for the bride, and for an impromptu and mildly unorganized gathering, the event took shape of its own accord, there being no “his side” or “her side” to deal with, just a lot of good and caring friends.

  No one ever figured out how Franz had managed to get the wedding march played over the temporary loudspeakers mounted in the carriage house, but it carried well toward the cottages and had the desired effect. Everyone moved into place, and Roger with Alice on his arm started their short walk from the cottage. Video cameras hummed from multiple locations, but without disturbing the proceedings. It was a scene to be recalled later with fond memories by all the assembled guests: Alice looking radiant in her happiness, Vinnie reflecting her joy, Harry in a judge’s robe and Fr. James in his cassock, sun beaming down on the assembled party. Whether it was in a church or wedding chapel or a field, nothing could have been more perfect for these two people. Fr. James held his own, but kept things reasonably short, then deferred to Harry for the legal ceremony. The pleasure they took from performing this ceremony was evident, down to the moment when they jointly presented the newly married couple to the gathering.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we take great personal pleasure in presenting to you Vincent and Alice Lupinacci. Sir, you may kiss your bride.” Vinnie complied with enthusiasm, matched by Alice, to the wild applause of the crowd. It may have been unprecedented in the annals of Windmere history, but it certainly set the tone for the rest of the day. As the congratulations were extended, Roger gently noted that dinner was being served somewhere inside, exactly where being unknown to him in that he didn’t know exactly what was being cooked, by whom, or for how many. But, everything else having carried the day, there was no reason to believe the dinner would be anything less than a match for the other events. Not to be outdone by the Harry and Fr. James duet, Doris and Marie were prepared to the gunnels, each in her own area of expertise, and with Roger’s blessing to use whatever they wanted for the meal. It would be the wildest combination meal anyone had ever seen, and was in itself memorable for the range of edibles. Both women hauled out their favorite recipes, Doris from her New England cookbook and Marie more from memories of her Mexican heritage. The combination of two cultures produced scents that by themselves could make a mummy hungry. Alice had told Laura a little secret about hosting high level cocktail parties and avoiding problems with drinking guests: keep food, really good food, in front of them and they’ll be too full to drink much. Not that it would have been a problem with this group, but Laura noted the menu for future reference, and watched as notably picky eaters were stuffing with gusto.

  With deference to those assembled, Fr. James gave the blessing, which was notably short, then got out of the way. Sidling up to the Judge, he commented “You’re right about this place Harry; it may seem a little scary to the uninitiated, but these are wonderful people. What I heard about Laura and her kids, the deal with the homeless shelter, things like that, makes a better believer out of me. By the way, that Dennis fellow, is that his girlfriend I see him with? I’ve seen him around, and I know her from visits to the shelter, but I didn’t know they were an item. Maybe I need to get out more.”

  “You got me. I think maybe this is somehow related to that sacrifice to the food gods they put on at the shelter; Roger and I were having a cup the other day in town and he said something in passing about Windmere suddenly becoming more alive than it had been in years, at least for the staff. They have a habit of making money, and evidently going out of their way to lend a hand to deserving people. I hear they took in a girl and her newborn from the shelter just the other day. And then there’s Ryan and Laura. That sort of started things off. Nothing has been quite the same since that girl came here, and it’s about time Ryan got on with his life. We know there’s going to be
a wedding, and I would guess pretty soon. Maybe you can get in on that action, too. Should be a little more organized, and quite a bit bigger.”

  “Sounds good to me. Really, the thing about all this is that there are all sorts of people here who seem to be a family, getting simple joy just from knowing each other, and seeing one of their own make a large step forward. I mean, have you ever had a soft shell taco with New England smothered beef filling, or seen an Iron City can sitting alongside a Tecate bottle? It truly does restore my faith in mankind, and womankind if you want to get picky about it.”

  “Truly does. But for now, where’s one of those brats with the TexMex chili on it? Gotta die from something, and I think maybe this will do it. Cheers, Father.”

  The festivities continued unabated for hours. Alice had been right; keep the food coming and no one can get tanked. Not that considerable amounts of beverage were not consumed; they were in general, and in particular during the multitude of toasts given and received. The container rebates alone could have made a considerable sum, something not lost on Jack and Ernie. Ever aware of impending opportunity, they made it a point to offer to run drinks for people, and since it was all free, and even more especially since Judge Harry let them bring him a drink, it was all sanctioned; the boys made a point to salvage all the aluminum containers and recyclable bottles, generating a sizeable pile by the end of the day. Cash-in time would see them well rewarded.

  And finally, as a gesture of his true appreciation for all these people and the love and kindness they had shown him and his beloved, Vincent Lupinacci stood on his chair and declared himself the happiest man on earth, surrounded by the best people he had ever met, and truly fortunate to find a love of his life in these later years of life.