Come Pour the Wine (22 page)

The muscles in Bill’s face tightened. “Hoax? … Mother, I don’t have to account to you for one damn thing—”

“Is that so? Well, my son, I just happen to be your
mother.
Therefore, please show me sufficient courtesy to answer this … how long have you known about your intentions?”

Lord, she sounded like a bad Victorian play … “Over a year,” he lied, remembering it was only a month since he’d pleaded with Janet to marry him.

“A
year …
you’ve been deceiving … I will
never
forgive you for this, Bill, and I will never give you my blessing—”

“Oh, really, mother … well, I’m getting married, with or without your blessing. And let me tell you something, mother … I came very close to losing Janet because of you—”

“How
dare
you say that? I scarcely know her. Those times you brought her here I was surely gracious. And you accuse me—?”

“It happened long before that, mother … my God, you’ve tried all my life to dominate me so I wouldn’t ever be able to think of anyone owning me again … yes,
owning
… do you understand anything I’m saying?”

“Oh, yes … I’m quite bright, you know … bright enough to know you’re an ungrateful son I have mistakenly devoted my whole life to—”

“And you’re like a damn noose around my neck—”

“Just the way
she’ll
be one around yours … and you know why …”

He stood as though rooted to the ground. This was unbelievable. Without another word he opened the door and hurried across the hall to the drawing room, where he found Janet nervously twisting her handkerchief.

His face was pale, strained.

“What happened—?”

“Just get your coat, we’re getting the hell out of here.”

“Bill … please, tell me what happened.”

“Not now, I just want to get out of here.”

Bill was helping her into her coat when Violet came into the room. The two women looked at each other, and Violet’s was a look that Janet had not expected, revealing as it did a hostility that the woman must have felt all the times they’d been together … Violet, no question now, was indeed the stumbling block Kit had warned her about …

Bill took Janet by the arm and was starting to leave when Violet said coldly, “I’d like to speak to Janet.”

“She doesn’t have anything to say to you.”

“You’re wrong, Bill,” Janet told him, her quiet voice sounding more confident than she felt. “I think your mother and I have a great deal to talk about.”

He hated subjecting her to this, but maybe it was better for her to know now what his mother was like. Forewarned might be forearmed …

“All right, Janet, if that’s what you want.”

“Kindly be seated,” Violet commanded.

Janet sat while Bill stood.

Ignoring him, Violet seated herself across from Janet. “I am quite shocked, Janet, that a young woman as well brought up as I assumed you were would be a party to my son’s deception, to letting me think your relationship was a casual one. You’ve known for one year that you were to be married. How could you have done this, Janet, and expect me to embrace you as a daughter-in-law?”

Janet’s heart pounded as she looked at Bill, then at Violet. Finding her voice, she said, “Mrs. McNeil, we didn’t deceive you. We’ve known each other for longer than a year, but Bill had no intention of marrying me until a very short time ago. You must believe that. I know how you feel, and why. Bill is your only son and your youngest. Sometimes it’s very difficult for parents to realize their children have grown up. When I spoke to my family about getting married my father asked if I didn’t think I should wait. I’m going to be twenty-two in July, and he thought I shouldn’t rush into marriage.”

“I think your father was quite right. I believe you’re both too young. Bill has never had the kind of responsibility that marriage requires—”

“That’s what you’d like to have me believe,” Bill interrupted, “but twenty-six isn’t exactly adolescent, mother. You’d better get used to the idea—”

“Please, Bill,” Janet said quietly. “Mrs. McNeil, I’m sorry to have brought this … this rift between you two … but we do love each other and I know you want Bill’s happiness. I promise you, I want the same thing. I’d like so much for us to be friends. If you can give me the chance, I think I can come to feel about you like a second mother. There should certainly be no contest between us. Bill will always be your son, maybe even more so than in the past. I want you to be a part of our lives—a very special, important part.”

Mrs. McNeil sat with her hands in her lap and looked at Janet, suddenly knowing there were no ploys she could use against the honesty and generosity of this girl—not without losing her son. There was really no contest, and in spite of herself Violet felt the beginning of some admiration for Janet, who might rightfully have been offended by her accusations, taken Bill by the hand and left. Instead, she had handed Violet an olive branch, and Violet knew that if she didn’t accept it she would lose her son. No, she didn’t welcome the prospect of being Janet’s mother-in-law, but in that moment she was forced to acknowledge that she had lost Bill irrevocably—or would unless she accepted Janet. After a long pause she looked at Janet and said with all the dignity she could muster, “Very well. In that case, I do give my blessing.”

Janet got up from her chair and knelt beside her. “Thank you … oh,
thank
you. That means so much to both of us.” She kissed Mrs. McNeil, and Violet was momentarily confused by the sudden feeling that Janet was indeed more of a friend than an enemy. She had been geared for so many years to resist
anyone
Bill might marry, but she couldn’t help liking, even admiring this young woman. If he was hell bent on getting married … well, at least it seemed he had made a wise choice.

That’s what she told herself.

Although Bill said nothing to Janet, he was more than a little nervous at the prospect of meeting her parents when they flew to Kansas that weekend. His fears, though, were put to rest the moment he met the Stevenses.

Janet ran to her father’s arms. “Oh, dad, I’m so happy to see you.” She was beaming as she introduced Bill and the two men shook hands.

“Well, this is a proud and happy day for us … You enjoy golf?” asked Dr. Stevens, not too easy himself.

“Depends on my handicap.” They laughed.

“That puts us in the same league.”

At dinner all the talk centered around the impending wedding.

“I know it’s going to take a lot of work,” Janet said apologetically, “but Bill and I want to be married on March the seventh, which is only two weeks away.”

“Thai’s plenty of time,” Effie pronounced as she served the coffee.

They all looked at one another, suppressing their amusement.

“If Effie says so,” Dr. Stevens said, smiling as he saw her determined expression. He recalled now that Effie had given up the man she loved to care for a sick father, and by the time her father had died her beau had grown tired of waiting and married someone else.

Janet had similar thoughts in mind as she got up and kissed her, saying nothing, the two women not needing words after all these years.

“Oh, well … nothin’ so hard about givin’ weddin’s. Just like any big party.”

“You’re right, Effie,” Martha agreed.

“Always am,” she answered, recouping her starchy facade, and disappeared into the kitchen….

Saturday night they attended the country club dance, where Janet showed Bill off. The last time Janet had been here she’d felt estranged from her childhood friends—and even more so from herself. But like her friends, she had found a measure of peace, in her own way and her own world, and now she took enormous pleasure in her friends’ excitement as they clustered about her and Bill.

“For heaven’s sake, Janet, you really kept this a secret …”

“I want to be the first to give a shower,” said Mary Lou.

“Thanks, darling, but there really wouldn’t be time. We’re going to be married two weeks from tomorrow.”

Why the hurry, Mary Lou wondered, unless … But as she watched them on the dance floor, she was sure it wasn’t that … They were, no question, a beautiful couple and obviously very much in love. Bill hadn’t taken his eyes off Janet the whole evening….

After breakfast on Sunday Bill and Dr. Stevens played golf while Janet, Martha and Effie made out the guest list and planned the menu. They would be married in church and then have a reception at the country club.

“Do you think it can all be done in that length of time, mother?”

“Of course.”

“What about the invitations?”

“I’ve already checked, and Mr. Jenkins will be able to have them printed up by Tuesday. Mary Lou, Effie and I can address them and have them in the mail by Wednesday. Now, come on upstairs and let’s you and Effie and me take a look at your grandmother’s wedding gown.”

As Mrs. Stevens took the gown out of the box, Janet saw it was even more beautiful than she’d remembered. Her mother had worn it too, and Janet would be the third generation to wear it. Martha fastened the tiny buttons down the back and then stood back to admire it. The full skirt billowed and rustled as Janet moved. The silk taffeta had been carefully preserved and had turned from stark white to golden cream. The lace yoke was as lovely as the day her grandmother had worn it, and not a seed pearl was missing.

Martha’s eyes went moist at the sight of her. “You look just like your grandmother, darling. She would have been so proud. Oh, my … how she did love you …”

“And I her. I remember the first time she took me to New York. I was about six, wasn’t I?”

“About that.”

“I remember staying at the Waldorf-Astoria. It was all so elegant and she was so grand, I thought of her as royalty.”

“She was, rather. Do you know I didn’t speak a word of English until I was three? She was going to make sure I never forgot I was French. My father knew it was no use to fight her, so he used to tell me stories about his English and Irish ancestors on the sly.” Martha laughed, shaking her head, remembering. It was a time for memories. A once-in-a-lifetime time …

“She sure must have seemed out of place in Kansas City,” Effie said as she pinned the bodice of the gown.

“I’m sure she was, and it must have been difficult to adjust. Kansas City is a long, long way from Paris.”

“I guess you’re right.” Effie nodded. “Kansas didn’t much take to foreigners back when your papa brought her home as his bride. Still doesn’t, for that matter. Bet they’d never seen the likes of her. And she was one stubborn lady, especially toward the end. Never forget it.”

“You mean about not selling her house?”

“That’s what I mean … here, Janet, turn around so I can fit the back.”

Janet did. “What about the house, mother?”

“Well, when my father built it, Kansas City wasn’t what it is today. But eventually the city began to spread out and all kinds of building went on around my mother’s house. By then my father had died and she was living in the house alone except for the help. Nothing I could say would persuade her to come and live with us in Wichita.”

“How well I remember that,” Effie agreed.

“Well, there she was, living in what was practically a chateau surrounded by all those tall buildings in the busiest part of town. The real estate agents made all kinds of offers, but she wouldn’t even let them inside the gate. She ignored them and the buildings … just went on caring for the house and tending her rose garden. Everyone thought she was an eccentric old lady. She just laughed at them, didn’t care what they thought … she was a truly extraordinary lady …”

“That she was,” Effie said. “Take a look and see if you think I should take a tuck here at the bust line.”

“No, it’s perfect,” Martha said.

“All right. Now the veil.”

The heirloom veil was made of six yards of lace and tulle, with a Juliet cap that framed Janet’s face so perfectly that Effie indulged in a rare smile. “That young man of yours is in for quite a surprise. You’re about the prettiest bride I ever did see. No,
the
prettiest.”

Rarer still for Effie, she held Janet close for a moment, then abruptly released her and cleared her throat. “Well, I’d better get downstairs and start doing things. There’s going to be a passel of folks traipsin’ in and out all day. People …” And with that cryptic allusion, she took herself out of the room before anybody, God forbid, could spot the liquid in her eyes.

After Bill and Janet left on Sunday night the marathon began. They were the first customers in Cartier on Monday morning. Bill wanted her to have something extravagant in platinum and diamonds. She wanted a simple wide gold band.

“There’ll be other occasions,” she said when he persisted. “But this is the most beautiful ring I’ll ever own.”

“I know, but it just seems so plain—”

“Not to me.”

He shrugged. “If you like it.”

“I
love
it.”

Bill wasn’t too keen on the idea of wedding rings for men, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell her. He settled for a narrow gold band, grateful that Janet didn’t press for lovers’ bowknots.

When they left the jeweler’s he went to the office and she to Bonwit Teller, where she met Kit for a shopping spree.

The lingerie department was her first priority.

“What do you think, Kit?” she asked as they surveyed the negligees strewn about the dressing room.

“The one you’re wearing. I love the set, especially the gown—sexy as hell.”

Janet viewed herself in the mirror. It was white satin and lace, gorgeous but … “Do you think it’s a little too sexy?”

“Nothing can be too sexy. Take it. Bill will be hanging from the rafters.”

“Okay,
sold. What about the others?”

“I’d buy every one of them … except I don’t know why you need so many. You won’t have them on that long….”

By one o’clock Kit was exhausted from watching Janet try on clothes. “Listen, Janet, I’ve got to slow down. These kids have got to be fed.”

“Gee, I’m sorry. Come on, we’ll have lunch.”

As they sat in the restaurant, Janet was so preoccupied with all the things she had to do she almost forgot about eating.