**Disclaimer** The characters
introduced in Scarecrow and Mrs. King belong to Warner Brothers and Shoot the
Moon Productions, not to me. The story
belongs to me. Do not redistribute
without my permission. No infringement
is intended.
Title: Jeannie (aka J is for
Jeannie)
Author:
Love
Email: golddustwoman8@juno.com
Summary: Billy and Jeannie celebrate their
anniversary.
Rating: G
Time
frame: April 2000
Archive: Here and with the other ABC stories, anyone
else, please email me first.
Feedback: In order for me to grow as a writer, I need
to know what people think of my work. So, please give me positive and CONSTRUCTIVE feedback.
Author's
Notes: This
story is part of the second round of the alphabet challenge on the smkfanfic
list. I wanted to do something
different for this round of the challenge. A big thanks to Jess, Ashley, and Lorna for betaing this for me. I
really appreciate it.
The hotel ballroom was
filled with crowds of people, all wearing formal attire. Diplomats, agents, and normal, everyday
folk, people who normally wouldn't have spent time with each other, came
together for a common cause: Billy and
Jeannie Melrose's 35th wedding anniversary party.
A worried and nervous Billy Melrose, wearing a
black tuxedo, stood near the ballroom doors. "What is taking them so long?" he asked Lee and Amanda Stetson
as he looked at his watch. "They
should have been here ten minutes ago!"
"Calm down, Billy," Lee said in an
attempt to assure his friend. "I'm
sure they'll be here any minute now. Francine is keeping watch for them."
"I guess I should calm down. I just want this to be perfect. Jeannie has put up with so much during the
past 35 years, and I want to start making it up to her."
"You have the rest of your life to make it
up to her. I know she's going to love
your present," Amanda said with emotion. After taking a moment to compose herself, she continued, "We'll
miss you at the Agency, but we understand why." Lee nodded his head in agreement.
Francine rushed into the ballroom and announced,
"They're here."
"Everybody be ready to say surprise,"
Billy directed as the guests rushed to their seats.
The room was so quiet that the conversation at
the door could be heard.
"Tina, are you sure we're supposed to meet
your father here?" Jeannie asked.
"I'm positive. We should have been here ten minutes ago. I hope Dad isn't getting too worried,"
Tina answered.
"I'll get the doors," Denise said.
As the doors opened, everyone stood up. Jeannie entered, wearing a beautiful blue
ball gown that complimented her tall, thin figure. Tina and Denise, dressed in similar black evening dresses,
followed her. After they entered
everyone yelled, "Surprise!"
Billy walked to where his stunned wife
stood. He kissed her and said,
"Happy Anniversary!"
"I can't believe this," a
flabbergasted Jeannie said with tears of astonishment running down face. The hotel ballroom was decorated with coral
and white balloons and a big banner that said "Happy 35th
Anniversary". There were tons of
small tables with centerpieces made with white roses and real coral. In the center of the ballroom was a podium
with tables that had two seats on each side. A dance floor was set up in another part of the ballroom.
"This is the first of many surprises
tonight," Billy said with a huge smile on his face as he led Jeannie and
their daughters to the tables surrounding the podium.
"Denise, Tina, were you in on this?"
Jeannie asked her daughters.
"It was our assignment to get you
here," a proud Tina said excitedly.
"It's time for us to give our speech,"
Denise told her sister. They went to
the podium. "Friends and family,
we are here to celebrate our parents 35th anniversary. My sister and I are thrilled to be here. . .
."
Billy watched his wife as their daughter gave a
moving speech. Still stunned from the
surprise anniversary party, she looked as beautiful as she did on their wedding
day. He could only imagine how thrilled
she was going to be after he was done with his speech.
". . . . Now my father would like to say a
few words." Denise and Tina went
back to the table as Billy made his way to the podium.
Billy grabbed the microphone and said, "I'm
glad all of you were able to join us tonight. Exactly 35 years ago, Jeannie made me the luckiest man in the
world. Throughout our marriage, Jeannie
had to be ready for any change in plans due to my career. She always accepted the change and made
plans for another time. Not many women
could do that day after day, but she did. Jeannie, you've spent 35 years putting up with me and the demands of my
job. Tonight is the beginning of our
new lives. I'm officially announcing my
retirement. In less than a week, we
will be able to see more of each other. I only hope she doesn't get sick of me."
Everyone laughed. Jeannie rushed to her husband with tears of joy running down her
face and kissed him. Tina and Denise
went up to them.
"Remember the cruise you two always talked
about taking?" Denise asked. Billy
and Jeannie nodded. "As our gift
to you, Tina and I are sending you on a two-week cruise in the Caribbean."
"My goodness," Jeannie said, trying
hard not to cry again. She hugged both
of her daughters. "I can't believe
this is happening."
"It is happening, my love," Billy said
with his arm around her waist. "You and I are going to spend the rest of our lives in total rest
and relaxation."
"I couldn't think of a better way to spend
time with you," Jeannie gushed. She kissed her husband, and together they started their new life.
The End