UNDERCOVER {Competed} 😌

chapter 30

Mercy.
 
A cavalcade of cars streamed down the road from the highway,boiling up the dust. People started pouring out of the darkened motor homes. I saw a man in a hot blue suit,and only the white band at his neck identified him as the minister.

"Wow,at least there's a minister. They didn't have to go to the jewel shop and be husband and wife," Joshua quipped.

I smothered a laugh and kept watching. Mrs David was there,bustling around,attending to detail, Joe Piper,who had ridden in with Jim,was directing the wedding party to their positions in front of the bridge. I saw several of Jim's band members and a host if celebrities. I snapped pictures like crazy

Rows of chairs appeared. People began sitting soon all was quiet to preparation for the bride's appearance.

Mrs David tied the second palomino in the motor homes,disappeared inside and came out a few seconds later with laura. I gritted my teeth enviously as I took in the snowy wedding dress. Actually it was a pant dress which I soon saw when laura climbed astride the horse. But it glittered from shoulder to white boots.

Laura paused after mounting and rode slowly to the temporary alter. Too slowly,I thought.

"Something is going one," I whispered,my eyes still glued on the cameras. With a blurred vision I saw Joshua's nod.
Instead of ridding the aisle between the chairs, as expected, laura directed the horse towards the far side.

"What is she doing?"

I didn't know, but I rushed to the recorder and turned on the volume and heard a rush of voices asking the sane question.

By the time I returned to the camera,laura had stopped her horse beside the front are and was starring down to it.

"I can't do this ,Joe," she said,tears in her eyes.
"Do what?" Jim asked
.through my lens,I saw Joes astonished face,which was mirrored by other faces around  him. He stood up and walked towards laura.

She dismounted. They both began running. When laura reached Joe,he circled her waist and spun her around. Her words were lost in the roar of the speculation.

But Jim's words came out loud and clear. " what the hell?" He jumped on his horse and sprinted towards The couple,range and confusion covering his rangy features. The audience fell quiet suddenly all ears.

Jim's tore laura from Joe's arms. "Get back on the horse,we have a wedding to get through." He ordered.

Joe stepped up  and removed Jim's hand on Laura's wrist. "Don't you get it? She's not marrying you,mam."
"That's ridiculous!"

"No Jim, it isn't ."  Laura's reedy voice none of the sophistication I heard that day he was flirting with Joshua. "I can't go through with this,I'm in love with Joe."

"We almost got married in town last Saturday night," Joe said. "But Caro couldn't stand to hurt you."

I glanced over at Joshua and raised a pregnant eyebrow. Hurt Jim? He'd burry his sorrows in the arms of the next willing woman. Joshua's return grimace told me the same thing.

"Is that true?" Jim sounded truly astonished.
"So marry Joe then, laura," one of the spectators shouted. "We came a long way for this wedding. Give us one."

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Came echoing cries. The audience broke into s chant. "Wedding wedding wedding."

Jim divided Hus glare between laura and Joe and the guests, "so who's the husband of choice?" He asked laura.

"We do have a license," she said sweetly,moving closet to Joe. "Did you bring it?"

Joe parted his picket and looked at Jim, "you think I could get you to lend me that suit man?"

Jim grunted. "You are nuts,laura you know that? You could have had the Jim." He turned then and walked to the horse. As he rode away,he called back,"I hope you both rot in hell."

"You know,Joshua said  as the new murmur from the crowd erases all fears of being overheard. " I always thought there was something phony about Laura's flirting with me. Do you think she was trying to get  Jim to break it off?"

"Could be."

Then,unable to hold it any longer,I broke into a whoop of laughter. A second later Joshua joined me. Holding on to one another,we laughed,then laughed again and barely recovered in time to shoot pictures for the wedding.

When the last shot was taken,I gave Joshua a thoughtful look,"if you ask me Joshua,this story is for  shakers."

Joshua had been wearing an eternal smile since the sudden twist in the wedding but now it faded. "No,Mercy. This is your story,I meant what I said."

"Does your magazine has room for me?" I suddenly felt shy,"if I remember right you asked me to marry you. "

"So now she gets around in accepting." Joshua swept me in his arms and planted a kiss on my nose.

"You bet,Mercy. We have lots of room for you."
"Good. But one more thing." I stood on tiptoe. "Call me pepper all the time, I like it better since its from you."

And then I kissed the man I loved.

The end.

I hope you liked the story.
Show me some live by voting and commenting.
Kisses.
AlycBee