Hearing a gentle knock at the door, Rick's heart races
wondering if this could finally be the answer he is waiting for or if a door
will be shut forever.
"Yes?" hesitantly asks Rick forcing his reluctant
voice to raise just above a whisper while reaching for the door in front of
him.
"It's Annie" in a higher pitched voice than
normal, swallowing then attempting to calm her nerves and then methodically
breathing deeply to help herself relax.
"I'll be right there" offers Rick trembling at the
sound of her voice and acknowledgement that the day of reckoning has begun.
As he opens the door, Annie impulsively hugs him
"Please don't go. I don't ever want
to be away from you again."
After a moment of holding her as waves of shared feelings
evolve around them, Rick raises her chin so he can look deeply into Annie's
eyes. He searches and finds the answer
in her tears. After gently kissing her, Rick whispers in her ear, "I'm not
going anywhere unless it is with you."
While sharing hidden emotions of love and devotion that have
beenf hidden and stowed away in protection of their hearts for so many years,
Rick and Annie find comfort and sincerity in the arms of each other.
"Why didn't you write to me?" asks Annie finally
with enough courage to ask the question "I wanted to hear from you so
much!"
"I didn't want to go through being rejected again for a
final time. I'd rather continue to
loving you from a distance that have you confirm that I needed to let you
go" honestly replies Rick feeling the exposure of his true feelings.
"I would have let you know that I still cared and
wanted to be with you" remarks Annie holding his hand and snuggling into
him once again.
"Why didn't you try to see me when I was on
furlough?" inquires Rick unaware of what her response will be.
"I did try. But
it seemed every time I tried, something or someone would get in the way. I did see you a couple of times at a few
meetings but you were across the room and as soon as I was able to reach where
you had been standing, you had already left and I couldn't find you" Annie
fearfully continues lost in the memories "In my insecurity, I thought that perhaps you were intentionally
hiding from me."
"I would never run from you" confirms Rick kissing
the top of her forehead and bringing her closer to him in his embrace which
Annie lovingly responds to.
"So when should we talk to your dad?" practically
asks Rick thinking of things to do before he marries Annie.
"How about today?" replies Annie "I've think
we've waited long enough for each other.
All our closest friends are here, why not elope but also including
them?"
Smiling not concerned at all about the wedding but looking
forward to a marriage with the love of his life, "It sounds like a
wonderful idea to me!"
A week later ....
"I'm telling you Alice Hammer, I'm getting the bouquet
this time. I am prepared!"
competitively remarks Jennings concentrating and shuffling her feet as if
preparing for a fast dash.
"All right you do that" replies Alice Hammer with
a wink "You might have some competition this year".
Under the table Alfred squeezes Alice Hammer's hand to wish
her good luck before she leaves to join the other single ladies in a small
circle in the Fellowship Hall of the local corps.
As the handful of women gather, Jennings does a couple of
stretches and practices a couple of jumps as Annie comes to the front with her
beautiful floral bouquet.
Feeling the excitement of the moment, Alice Hammer leans
over to her and giggles, "Mr.
Woodhouse needs to get prepared!"
Annie's voice carries over the entire room "One ... two
.... three!" The bouquet flies high
into the air, gracefully soaring over Lauren, then Ariel, above Beth, and finally aiming perfectly between Alice
Hammer and Jennings both exclaiming "I got it!" while harshly
slamming their heads into each other and awkwardly falling to the floor.
An unexpected hand slowly reaches out amidst the chaos, as
the floral bouquet neatly falls into her hand as if designed to from the
beginning, "Ohhh ... look what I have!" happily cheers Lydia Russell
aiming her eye directly at Mr. Elliot across the room but loud enough for him
to hear without question, "I wonder
what this next year holds for me?"
The End
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