Laura's Big Win

by Michelle Tschantre'

  A couple of months previous, a middle age couple who had been at Windmere a time or two for business reasons called and wanted to know if they could rent a suite for maybe a week, in December, just the two of them. In the office that day, Laura had handled the call, checked the schedule, and reserved Suite A for the couple. The reservation was scheduled properly, the couple was picked up at the airport, and since housekeeping took care of the Suite itself and the couple had already been there and knew the ropes, Laura had rather neglected them in the wedding excitement. This morning she realized her neglect and thought it best to make apologies directly to the guests. Tapping on the door to the suite, she was met by the husband.

  “Good morning. I hope I’m not disturbing you. I’m Laura, the one who made these reservations for you. Can I come in for a moment?”

  “Sure, come on in. There isn’t some problem is there?” he asked.

  Laura noticed the tension in the room between the man and his wife. They seemed civil enough to each other, but it seemed more like two acquaintances who didn’t know each other very well, rather than a married couple of nearly 30 years. Invited to have a seat, she did so on the familiar side chair, introducing herself to the wife in the process.

  “First up, if there is a problem it is that I have neglected to do my job in making sure guests are taken care of and feel at home here. What you see going on here today is not our usual Saturday activities, and it’s pretty much my fault. I will marry Mr. Williams of Windmere this afternoon; you may have met him. But, that is no excuse for not tending the store, so to speak. It’s sort of a collateral duty for me, but all of us are here to see to your needs, whatever they may be. My immediate problem is, I don’t know what your needs are, or what I can do for you. I’m sorry if it seems you have been neglected; we haven’t been through anything like this before, and the learning curve is a little steep. So, is there anything I can do to enhance your stay with us?”

  The couple looked at each other for a moment before the wife finally spoke up.

  “No, I don’t think we need anything, really, except…..look, we don’t even know why we’re here. Maybe this was all a mistake; I don’t want to burden you with our problems; with a wedding on your plate, I’m sure this doesn’t matter. We’ll be fine, really.”

  “Sorry, but I don’t think we can leave it at that. I know you two have been married quite a while. Kids?”

  “Yes, two, boy and girl.”

  “And, where are they now?”

  “They’re both out of the house now, out of college and doing their own thing. We hear from them regularly, but mostly it’s just the two of us in the house.”

  “So, you woke up one morning and realized this man living there had become a complete stranger, with habits and things you didn’t even know about. You have to know that he’s having the same issues. Trust me, it is a whole lot better you are learning these things now rather than having a couple of lawyers arguing over who gets to keep the cat. I can relate to this, but believe me, I did it the hard way; today......I got really lucky when this man crossed my path. We talk a lot about things. But, that doesn’t help your problem.. Play golf, either of you?”

  “I do, my wife doesn’t; she just never learned. Guess she never had the time with the kids on her arm.”

  Laura was remembering her “golf lesson” with Ryan the day before the divorce hearing, and how much fun it had been. Turning to the wife, she asked “Would you like to learn?”

  “Well, I...maybe I could.”

  “Good. Stand up and take a swing using.....um.....this umbrella as a substitute for now. That’s it, good. Now, do you see anything wrong with the way your wife swings a club, real or not?”

  “I....um.... yes, but I don’t see…..”

  “Okay; now, can you stand behind her, hands on hers, and try it again slowly, couple of times……that’s it, slowly now.”

  This is crazy, Laura thought to herself; I’m not a marriage counselor or therapist or anything. What am I doing here? But as she watched them take a couple more practice swings, she realized that the stiff arms and postures had relaxed, that they were actually touching in other areas now. She wondered if they had ever even touched each other’s hands in the past 20 years. But, 2 PM was coming, and she needed to move things along. “Here’s the deal, if I can pull it off. First, if I can find the golf pro, I’m going to have him set you up with an assortment of drivers and a couple buckets of balls. The course isn’t really open this time of year, but you can use the driving range. You have to teach her how to drive. When you’re done, come back here to grab a shower, have lunch sitting with whomever you find in the kitchen, then come to the wedding. There will be people there who know each other, and people who don’t really know anyone, so you’ll have company. Dance. Enjoy each other, and talk, even if you have to yell above the music, talk. This time tomorrow, my new husband and I will be a happily married couple; you two can be as well, if you work at it. Bet I can have your golf cart at the back door before you can change clothes. Any questions?”

  “Just one.” the wife asked. “How do you know this will work?”

  “I don’t. That’s up to you, but I think you’re started. Okay?” Laura had noticed that even though the practice swings had come to an end, his arms were still around his wife, and hers were over the top of his. Laura could feel Ryan’s arms around her just then and it sent a delicious shiver through her being. “Sorry; gotta run. Wedding to go to; mine! See you there.” And out the door she went.

  “Hi. My name is John. Pleased to meet you.”

  “I’m Willadeen; you can call me Willy. Wanna play golf?”

  “Yes, with you. And I’ve never really learned how to dance, but I remember you like dancing; how much patience do you have?”

  “A lifetime, if you want.”

  “I do”.

  That was something entirely different, Laura thought to herself, as she wished the couple the best. Her own world had been though the same thing, only hers had come crashing down around her while theirs had a good chance of recovery from what she had seen. She vowed to herself to never get so caught up in things that she neglected Ryan, not with work or home or kids or friends; nothing was to come between them. The fact that she loved having him around helped, of course, and she was about to make that a permanent situation. Stopping in the kitchen for a quick snack, she met briefly with Alice to talk about the afternoon, then realized it nearly was afternoon already. It had long been the custom that the groom was not to see the bride on their wedding day until she came up the aisle; today would be no exception. Her parents would help get Jack and Amanda ready for the event and would keep them in tow for the duration. Laura herself would finish dressing in the big house ladies lounge since it was much closer to the tent than her cottage. In the meantime she conferred with Doris and Marie about the dinner arrangements, learning that they were prepared to serve until people quit eating. Both agreed this was easier than when Alice married, mostly because they had time to coordinate their efforts, and to bring enough help to handle the work load. It was a tribute to the two of them that they got along so well, literally working in each other’s territory from time to time. At the end of the day when Fernando produced a bottle of Tequila he had carried back from their last visit to Mexico, the four declared their friendship forevermore, laughing about the things that went a little wrong, and enjoying what they had learned from each other.

  Checking with staff, Laura learned that Ryan was in the White House, so it was okay for her to go see the tent set-up and to check out the great room of the big house. She almost felt as though she were in a dream sequence, looking in from the outside at the beauty of the arrangements. The tent was filled with flowers, chairs, more flowers, a raised platform for the ceremony, more flowers, and so on. There was a sound system, but it had been done so skillfully it was nearly invisible, and instead of the more traditional loudspeakers, it was setup with more of a surround sound effect, excellent coverage wit
hout a lot of volume. The temporary lighting was more than enough, and if there had been much of a chill in the air, the lights heat output would have been enough to warm the air anyway. Tripods with remote controlled video cameras were in multiple locations, all designed to interfere as little as possible and to be very unobtrusive. The great room of the big house was in similar stage of readiness, with the large conference tables removed and a number of smaller tables brought in to provide more intimate seating for the diners. Doris had estimated correctly that they could not seat many more than one third of the attendees at any one time, which is why she and Marie had elected to serve continuously over several hours.

  With everything coming together, Laura made a quick visit to her office, more for having something to keep her occupied than anything urgent, then headed for the ladies lounge and her beautiful white dress.

  Ryan arose at about his usual time, and decided an early morning run would be in order. Running togs on, he planned on doing the golf course perimeter road for a lap or two, but a sudden urge made him change course. Turning off his original path, Ryan made his way to the pond. He had let the dogs out to accompany him, and they were noisily lapping water and chasing after water walkers for sport. Sitting for a moment, Ryan recalled the conversation with Jack, and he wondered if he was doing the right thing, marrying this woman and adopting her children. What if he really couldn’t pull it off and things didn’t work out so well. It was at that moment that an apparently stray thought made its way to his conscious mind: “You planned on having children with Mary; why do you think this is different? You’re being given a chance to catch up on lost time. You can do this, Big Guy.” Ryan grasped the thought, turned it around in his mind and examined the logic. It was true, he realized, that he was being given some time back by adopting the kids, and he was sure Laura wanted him rather than needed him. That much was obvious. In a moment of crystal clarity, Ryan realized this was not just the right thing to do, it was the only thing to do unless he wanted to squander this chance of a lifetime. He felt a growing knot of anxiety in his belly, not for fear these events were about to happen, but for fear they wouldn’t for some unknown reason. The feeling passed quickly, and he realized that this was the place and the time; he had a warm glow and felt an urgent need to get on the with the rest of his life. Rising with a clear mind to continue his run, Ryan noticed for the first time that the pond didn’t seem to have its usual musky smell or the dry leaf scent of early winter; there was a faint hint of roses in the air, although he knew full well there weren’t any growing in the dense brushy undergrowth, and certainly not at this time of year. Filing the thought, he called the dogs, and feeling as though a weight had been lifted and his vision clarified, he continued his run.

  After a quick shower and back into street clothes, Ryan checked on Laura’s whereabouts, ever aware of the “no see” rule on their wedding day, and with Doris’ clearance on the subject, popped into the kitchen for a bite. Downing a light snack, and coffee, Ryan decided it was time to go to the White House, a structure he had all but abandoned over two years ago. What he had said about staff maintaining the place was true, and he had allowed it to continue while his own wounds healed. Today he would complete the healing process at last by returning to where the pain had started. The mere act of opening the front door was significant, and once inside, closure was begun. Looking around, he realized the memories were still there, but the pain was gone, and for a fleeting moment, Ryan imagined he heard children’s excited voices in the rooms. The head housekeeper had assigned herself to this area for the day, but kept in touch with the rest of her staff by pager as often as she needed. Ryan found her in the kitchen area making sure all preparations for the reception were in place.

  “Morning Edna; got it all under control?”

  “Morning boss; It’s coming along well, even if I do say so myself. Any new orders?”

  “Kind of. Place looks great, but then I knew it would. On Monday, all the furniture in the master bedroom comes out and goes to the Salvation Army thrift shop. The furniture store will be bringing in all new in the afternoon, along with some things for the other two finished bedrooms. Those will be kids rooms for you know who, so you know what goes where. The furniture for the main bedroom is leased, so we can change it out easier later on. The other furniture, I had a lot of help from a lot of people picking it out, so I hope it’s the right thing. Anyway, not a word about this to anyone else today, okay?”

  “You got it. It’s a surprise for the new missus, isn’t it! Anyway, let me say ‘Welcome home’. You belong here, and I think the world of her and the kids. This place needs a family,”

  “Thanks, Edna. You’re a treasure. By the way, how’s that new girl working out, Leslie?”

  “Love her like my own daughter. You know word travels fast, and we all knew Ms Laura had taken the girl in. Les has never mentioned it or used it for anything that I know of. All she needed was a chance, and believe me, she’s earned it. Dirty shame the way that guy treated her, but I think she’s got a good one on the line now. I’ve seen them together outside here, and he just treats her and the baby like gold. She’s a great kid, but we’re going to lose her in maybe a year, soon as she gets her EMT ticket. Anyway, for now it’s great having her here.”

  “That’s great to hear. My Laura seems to have a knack for reading people, better than I have. Have to run for now, but thanks, Edna. You didn’t have to come in today.”

  “Yes, I did. This is my place too and I want it to be right. Now, you get out of here before I stuff a dust wipe in your hand, and Ryan…..”

  “Yes?”

  “I look forward to the pitter-patter of little feet in here. This place wasn’t meant to be a house; it was meant to be a home, and I don’t mean just Jack and Amanda either, if you get my drift.”

  “Come on. We’re not even married yet, Edna.”

  “No, but you’re a great guy, marrying a great gal. Can’t let it stop there, can we?”

  “Edna, only time will tell, but if that happens, we may need a little help. When’s the last time you changed a really bad diaper?”

  “Last weekend. Grandbaby. I’m still in practice; maybe I’ll need to teach you a thing or two, Big Guy.”

  “Could be, just could be. But, I’d sort of like to get married first. Now, remember, not a word about the upstairs until Monday; okay?”

  “You can count on me; now, get out of here and go get married.”

  With that order, Ryan took leave of the kitchen, but couldn’t resist heading for the front stairway. The velvet rope was across the stair, a polite way of pointing out that while the downstairs might see anyone for an event, the upstairs was a private residence. Ryan unhooked the rope and took a step, only to hear a voice behind him say: “Sorry mister. That part of the house is…..oh, I’m sorry sir. I didn’t know it was you. I’m sorry.”

  “Not a problem. You did the right thing. You’re Leslie, aren’t you? How’s that EMT program coming along, and the new boyfriend?”

  Les turned slightly red in the cheeks before responding: “The EMT program is going great and I really like it; as for the boyfriend, how did you hear about that, not like it’s a big secret or anything.”

  “Les, there are virtually no secrets in this world. Do you know how many people are watching over you? I just talked to Edna, and you know about Laura, and that crazy Cindy person. And, I heard about your friend meeting Dennis. You have a pretty good sized fan club. I hear he’s a nice guy; sounds like things are going good. Keep it up.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Williams. I will. It’s like having a whole new family, and one not much like the original, thank God.”

  “And don’t call me Mr. Williams. Makes me sound old. It’s Ryan, okay?”

  “Yes sir, Mr. Williams; I mean…..well, you know.”

  “I know. See you Les.”

  Ryan walked up the steps, savoring the experience. It felt good, not at all like the last time he had climbed these steps, to sit wit
h Mary for what would be the last time. Like entering the front door, the memories were there, but not the pain, and he realized he was thinking about coming up the stairs with Laura, and the kids, and luggage, and noise; a family. Edna was right; Ryan and Mary had built a home, not a house, and it deserved to be lived in. He recalled Alice talking about giving up the house she and her husband had shared for many years. In one of those poignant moments, Alice had said: “It’s a family home, and it deserves little kids in it. I’ve sold it to a young couple with two on the ground and one in the hanger. It needs lived in, and I can’t do that anymore, so I think it’s a good decision.” Alice had been right, of course, and Ryan remembered the moment well. This house too, he thought, deserves a family, and if Jack and Amanda are it, then it’s still a family; but maybe…..and his thoughts trailed off to looking around one more time. Five days, he thought; didn’t seem like much time, but the kids had to get back into school after the holiday recess, and this wedding thing had rather crowded some other things around in the Windmere schedule of events. It could all be done, but everyone needed to carry their load, including the newly formed family: Ryan, Laura and kids. Pleased with what he had seen, Ryan headed back to the big house to finalize a couple of things, then find some lunch and get dressed. Seeing a light smoke haze from around the other side of the house, he had to take a moment to investigate. Rounding the corner, he found Fernando sitting on a camp stool almost in a flower bed adjacent to the nearby kitchen door, with a smoke cloud coming apparently from the ground.