Chapter 6
It had been six weeks since the deaths of Sarah and Edward and the town slowly began to go back to normal again. Meghan still was undecided about the house, but it didn’t seem to matter she was busy with her plans for her wedding. Both her and Mark agreed on a small simple wedding perhaps at his parents’ home, who were delighted when they heard the news. They were enchanted with Meghan the first time they met her and so happy Mark had found his soulmate. As they sat in the hotel suite enjoying a midnight snack of cheeseburgers and cokes, they imagined how their lives would be changed in the next few weeks and how a whole new life awaits them a husband and wife. With her marriage to Mark, Meghan would have the family she had longed for and the man who would love her until his dying days. Snuggled on the sofa with his arms around her, he looks at her and smiles, “how was I so lucky to find someone like you? From the first time we met I knew you were special.”
“Well I wouldn’t have said that. I was just a fifteen-year-old girl who was your sister’s roommate. I saw you as this handsome knight in shining armor who in my eyes could do nothing wrong.”
He gently kisses her forehead, “maybe a fifteen-year-old girl but in your eye, there was a spirit, a fire, a soul that captured my heart. That’s why I came to get you that Christmas holiday.”
“I’m so glad I came back home.” She realized it was the first time she had every called the Mitchem house home.
“I’m glad you did and that I found you again. At least there is one thing I can thank your grandmother for.”
“Oh, but remember she wanted you for Katherine.”
“Do you actually think I would ever think of another woman? I knew the last time I saw you I was fool to let you go and I would spend my lifetime to find you and never let you go again.” She put are arms around his neck as they share a passionate kiss. A kiss that seemed to melt all those years and they were those two teenagers with the world ahead of them. He picked her up in his arms and headed for the bedroom. They both knew there was no turning back and neither was what was about to happen. If there was any doubt in Meghan’s mind was the morning sun floating into the windows and dancing across the bed awakening Meghan and Mark still in each other’s arms.
Three weeks later they became husband and wife. It was a sunny day, and with the Gentry family and Brad Roberts and his wife Marsha were their witness. Mark recited his vows as he looked into Meghan’s eyes.
“I, Mark, take thee, Meghan, as my lawful wife, from this day forward, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, all the days of my life. I pledge this to you.”
He places the ring on her finger. A ring that was his grandmother’s that was given to him after she had passed. Meghan looked at him and smiled and repeated the vows he spoke. It was a short and small just what the newlyweds wanted. Meghan finally had a family who loved her, nieces and a nephew who had a new aunt and their uncle was back home. Since there was no time for formal Meghan wore a simple dress and Mark’s mother helped with the old something old Mark’s grandmother’s lace handkerchief that was her mother’s before her, something new her dress, something borrowed Mrs. Gentry’s earrings, something blue a blue sapphire and diamond ring Mark gave her as an engagement ring. Mark’s parents made arrangements for the newlyweds to spend a week at their cabin up state where they had everything stocked from food to firewood.
Mark looked at his bride and smiled, he still couldn’t believe it, he found his true love and she married him. He smiled at her as she looked toward him. He waited a few more minutes then made his way to her as she continued to talk with Brad’s wife.
“Yes, I would love that Marsha, I’ll check with Mark” She turned as Mark came up behind her.
“Oh Mark, Marsha insists we have dinner with them when we get back from the cabin.”
Mark puts his arms round her and pulls her closer to him as he smiles at Marsha, “how do you like this only married a few hours and she’s already finding ways to get away from me.”
Meghan turned and looked into his eyes, “Mark Andrew Gentry I told you once we are in this together, I have a piece of your soul and I’m never letting it go. I love you now and for always.”
She put her arms around him and kissed him, not caring who watching. Suddenly Mark picked her up in his arms and began to head for the door.
Brad opened the door and smiled, “the bags are in the truck good luck you two.”
Someone yelled, “your bouquet Meghan, throw the bouquet!”
Meghan turned and smiles at the girls she turns and throws the bouquet, Anna’s daughter caught it to the laughter from everyone.
As Meghan gets in the car she yells to the child, “you’ll have to wait a few years to get to use that, but it will be well worth the wait” She throws a kiss to her and the rest as Mark opens the car door and gets her in. It was only a few minutes later that they were out on the road and about to start their lives as Dr. and Mrs. Mark A Gentry.
Mark looks at her and smiles, “happy Megs?’
“More then you’ll ever know. I have everything I could want right here with me.”
“So do I Megs, you’re everything I want or ever wanted.”
As the newlyweds drove off Brad heard his phone ringing an picked it up as he walked from the crowd.
“Yes, this is Brad Roberts, doctor what can I do for you?”
The doctor on the other end of the line explained that Katherine had somehow managed escape and it was believed she was heading back to the Mitchem home.
“Yes, thank you doctor I’ll notify the police to be on the lookout. Thank you again for the heads up. I’ll be in touch with you.”
He walks back over to his wife, “Marsha, seems a small problem has come up we’ll have to leave.”
Marsha looked at him, “Alright, Brad, I’ll get my coat, you can make the excuses.”
It was another ten minutes before Brad and his wife were headed for town and home. Marsha looks at her husband, “Alright, Brad, what’s wrong?”
He lookers over to her, “The phone call from a Dr. Westford stated that Katherine had somehow escaped; they believe she’s on her way back home.”
“Oh Brad, how awful. Thank God Mark and Meghan are not there.”
“You’re right there, and I’m not telling them anything.”
She looks at him.” How can you keep it from them?”
“These two kids are on their honeymoon. You have to understand our young Dr, Gentry fell in love with Meghan fifteen years ago. They parted ways and call it a stroke of luck they found each other again, I’m not going to take this from them not now at least.
It’s their honeymoon for God sakes Marsha.”
She put her hand on her husband’s cheek, “you’re such a dear soul Brad, and that’s why I love you.”
A solitary figure slowly males its way through the forest behind the Mitchem home. A figure who knows the grounds quite well and how to avoid being detected by the two police officers in front of the building. Slowly it opens the back window that was in the study and climbs in. In the evening light there was just enough light to walk through the room without alarming anyone that there was anyone in the home. With the sleek movements of a feline the figure ascends the staircase making its way down the row of bedrooms until it reaches its destination. Opening the door, we see its Katherine. She runs to her bed and collapses on it. She had been walking for hours after stealing some clothes from the hospital’s laundry all she wanted was to get these off her and put on her own clean clothes and maybe a bath. Still not forgetting her cousin was still alive she still needed that little task to take care of, but that could wait at least until after her bath. Yes, after her bath she would deal with dear cousin Meaghan and Dr. Gentry.
“Dear Dr. Gentry, ahh we could have been so happy together, but you chose my cousin instead, seems grandmother feels you also have to go. I will be sorry to kill you but grandmother says you must die.”
Silently she laughs and she plans their demise. As the hours pass darkness has sets in Katherine is still on the bed. Slowly she gets up and make her way to the dresser to get some clothes then heads to the bathroom. Suddenly she hears voices downstairs, could be the officers doing a check on the downstairs. It would be best if she waited for that bath, they would hear the water. Mark and Meghan arrived at the cabin in record time and were enjoying the peace and solitude of being together. Mark had started a fire and Meghan as busy in the kitchen preparing supper for them Though Mark offered to take her out Meghan insisted on making supper for them. As she said it’s part of being a wife, and Mark had to admit he was looking forward to having Meghan’s cooking again.
He slowly walks into the kitchen and smiles as he sees Meghan at the counter making sandwiches. He walks up behind her and kisses her neck.
“Don’t tell me you missed me?”
“I’m determined not to let you out of my sight again.”
She turned and puts her rms around me,” well my dear husband, I am flatter by you dedication but there are times we will be apart.”
He pulls her closer to his body and smiles down on her, “well that will only mean we’ll have to make the time we have together more memorable, like this.”
He leans down and kisses her passionately lost in the moment Mark picks her up and carries her to the bedroom. Placing her gently on the bed he as he laid beside her and continued kissing her and moving his hands over her body. For so long she had dreamed of this moment, the memory of their last kiss still lingered in her mind, and here she was in the arms of this men who had capture her heart when she was fifteen. This man who vowed he would love her until the end of tine.
Katherine silently left the house as quietly as she had entered her first move was to find her cousin and that doctor. Oh, she’d make him sorry for not choosing her. She couldn’t very well go to the hotel the police would surely be there waiting for her. It was a long walk into town it would be the best move to stay off the main roads. The dark of night was in her favor to go unnoticed by anyone. If she didn’t find them tonight she could always go back to the house and start the search tomorrow night. She would find them no matter how long it took. Meghan looked up at the skylight above her bed at the stars. She looked over at
Mark peacefully asleep by her side. She had often wondered what her wedding night would be and this was all she could hope for and more. She turned as Mark stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes and smiled at her, “hi there.”
“Hi yourself.”
“What are you doing?”
“Well I was looking at all those stars and thinking on how lucky I am to have you in
my life.”
He moves closer and takes her into his arms and kisses her cheek, “you got wrong Megs, I’m the lucky one who has you in my life. I’m here looking at my beautiful wife and only wanting to hold you and never wanting this moment to end.”
She puts her arms around him and making sure the moment would not end even after the sun raises. “Well, we’ll just have to try make sure we hold on to this moment as long as possible.”