Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Dearly Beloved Part Two

Smut Warning!

The first thing they did was try to find Jimmy. Richard looked everywhere he could think of, but Jimmy's Ford wasn't anywhere-not the Commodore's, not the warehouse, not parked near the Boardwalk.

"We will take. Mmm. Tommy with us," Richard said as he took the frying pan Clara was attempting to scrub out of her hand and finished washing it. Tommy was still eating the scrambled eggs and toast she'd made while Richard had looked for Jimmy. "We'll leave. Jimmy. A note. We'll be back. Mmm. In the morning."

Part of him still didn't believe it was true, that something would go wrong and keep them from Maryland. No part of him believed that Clara would go through with marrying him. She'd realize what she was doing, she'd change her mind.

"You don't have to do this," she said rapidly. "I love you, but you don't have to marry me just because you want to save me from whatever Mr. Whitlock is afraid my father is going to do to make me pay for choosing Jimmy."

Clara was nervous, he thought. "Mmm. Is that what. We are doing. Today? I thought. We were taking Tommy. To Maryland for. The scenery."

For a moment she just stared at him, but then she smiled. "The scenery, and you know, I'm rather sick of being Clara Thompson. Seems like a good day to change that."

He reached forward to touch her cheek and Clara leaned into his hand.

"No kissing in the kitchen!" Tommy demanded from the table.

Richard and Clara stepped apart. Clara ran her hand through her hair.

"Your present! You're wearing it!" Tommy said delightedly. "I never told!"

Clara looked between Tommy and Richard.

"I didn't tell, even when I really wanted to! I helped pick it out!"

"Mmm. Tommy went with. Me to Blatt's," Richard said.

"I love it," Clara said, her voice not quite even. "It's what I always wanted."

They were packed and on the train to Elkton before lunch. When they arrived, it reminded Richard of a land-locked Boardwalk. Men hawking various wedding services lined the train platform and out into the street like carnival barkers trying to convince them to spend a nickel on their sideshow.

His plan had been to get to Elkton and get married. For once he hadn't thought of every step and was now at a loss.

"Well, I know there's not a waiting period but we do have to get married in a church according to Maryland law," Clara said as they stood in the lobby of the train station and tried to decide what was first.

A church, he thought. Was there a Catholic church in this town? Would the Catholic church marry them so quickly? Did it matter that he wasn't Catholic? Did he need to confess his sins, he had so many and he shouldn't tell...

"It doesn't matter to me which one, do you have a preference?" she continued. "After all, you are a better Lutheran than I am a Catholic."

"I'm hungry," Tommy whined next to them.

"He eats all the time," Clara whispered in Richard's ear before turning to Tommy. "Okay, kiddo, we'll get something in a minute, although you ate lunch on the train."

"That was before my nap," Tommy said, rubbing his eyes. "I'm hungry after my nap."

Unfortunately, Tommy had been sound asleep when the train pulled into Elkton. Waking him up had proven difficult and he had not been in a pleasant mood since they woke him.