CHAPTER 16: FINAL SHOWDOWN
Jesse stood at the train station. He laughed as he imagined Miles meeting up with a man at home that would never show. He made up a fake business meeting, and he wished he could be there to see his brother's face. Miles was so carried away with work, he'd even miss his own wedding if it meant getting up higher in the world. Poor Winnie, he thought. He couldn't stand to imagine her with him. Whether she loved him or not, Miles was the wrong man for her.
He sat down on a bench. He asked a man for the time. "11:50." He looked around. No sign of Winnie. He beganto doubt she'd be there at all. The red head promised she would, but that was almost three hours ago. And Winnie still had to make her own decision. No one could force her. Could they? He wondered. "No. No one could make Winnie do anything." He quietly said to himself. "If she doesn't come, then I'll have my answer. She loves Miles."
5 minutes passed, and still no sign of Winnie. He grew very anxious, and started pacing back and forth. He couldn't stop moving. The train had pulled up, and was leaving in five minutes, but he had to wait for Winnie.
**********************************************************************************
Miles finally made it to the wedding. He didn't know why Mr. Phony had not showed up, and he tried to control his temper, in order to please Winnie. It was 11:30 as he ran up to the platform at the end of the isle. He nodded at the band, and the instruments began to play.
Everyone turned in their seats and stood in respect for Winnie who was now walking down the isle. Miles made a face at her dress, but hid it quickly. It didn't matter. He knew she was playing a game with him, and wasn't going to let her win. Infact, Winnie had become a game to him since the night of the opera. He didn't care about her, and he probably never would, but he wasn't going to lose her to Jesse, and she was beautiful, so at least he could brag about her to society.
He did wish he could see the expression on her veil covered face though. A thick, layered white veil covered her hair and her face. She gracefully walked down the isle step by step. When she got to the platform, the minister began to speak. "Dearly beloveds, we are gathered her today to join..."
"Blah, blah, blah was all Miles heard. He was already running late, and had to be at the train station in no more than 25 minutes. "Look, I really don't have time for this. Can we please just skip to the 'I do's'?"
"Do you miles Tuck take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do, and quicker please." The crowed gasped.
"Do you take him?" The minister asked
"I do" she said.
**********************************************************************************
Jesse looked out for Winnie. The train was whisteling and there was no sign of her. He sighed deeply and stepped up onto the locomotive. He walked to his cart with his eyes to his feet.
She didn't love him. He felt his heart rip in two as the train began to take off.
**********************************************************************************
"You may kiss..."
But before the minister could finish, Miles quickly lifted the viel off her head, and leaned in for a kiss. He pulled back when the crowed gasped. On woman even screamed. Miles look out at all of them, most of who were now standing, a few older people fainted, and one very old woman laughing hysterically, Winnie's maid with a huge smile on her face, and a red headed woman, still screaming hysteically.
Miles turned his head back to his bride to find a petiete, young red head. She smiled brightly at him. "How do you do Mr. Tuck?"
**********************************************************************************
"Jesse! Jesse!" Winnie screamed as she ran trying to catch up ith the entrance of the train. "Wait," she called out, "stop." A man stood at the doorway, and reached out a hand to pull the young girl in. She grabbed for it, and he pulled her up. She hugged the man with all the energy she had stored up on the trip to the station. She went down the isle, calling for Jesse, searching every box cart. Almost losing hope, she found one last door. She took a deep breath, placed her sweaty palm around the handle, and pulled it open.
A young boy sat reading a book. She couldn't tell what the book was. But he didn't seem to notice her entrance. He looked sad. She walked in front of him, and dropped to her knees. She placed her palms on his cheeks, and he stared at her speechless. Without a word, she pushed her body up, and pulld his fase to hers, until they met for a kiss. He didn't object, and he didn't pull away, and he didn't speek. Instead he kissed her back, and brushed her hair with his fingers.
When she finally let him go, she stroked his face, and stared into his eyes. Millions of things were spoken between them in that silent moment. All was understood, and all was forgiven. Winnie finally broke the silence. "Ture love conqures all." And she was right. "I love you Jesse Tuck." And she did.
Jesse stood at the train station. He laughed as he imagined Miles meeting up with a man at home that would never show. He made up a fake business meeting, and he wished he could be there to see his brother's face. Miles was so carried away with work, he'd even miss his own wedding if it meant getting up higher in the world. Poor Winnie, he thought. He couldn't stand to imagine her with him. Whether she loved him or not, Miles was the wrong man for her.
He sat down on a bench. He asked a man for the time. "11:50." He looked around. No sign of Winnie. He beganto doubt she'd be there at all. The red head promised she would, but that was almost three hours ago. And Winnie still had to make her own decision. No one could force her. Could they? He wondered. "No. No one could make Winnie do anything." He quietly said to himself. "If she doesn't come, then I'll have my answer. She loves Miles."
5 minutes passed, and still no sign of Winnie. He grew very anxious, and started pacing back and forth. He couldn't stop moving. The train had pulled up, and was leaving in five minutes, but he had to wait for Winnie.
**********************************************************************************
Miles finally made it to the wedding. He didn't know why Mr. Phony had not showed up, and he tried to control his temper, in order to please Winnie. It was 11:30 as he ran up to the platform at the end of the isle. He nodded at the band, and the instruments began to play.
Everyone turned in their seats and stood in respect for Winnie who was now walking down the isle. Miles made a face at her dress, but hid it quickly. It didn't matter. He knew she was playing a game with him, and wasn't going to let her win. Infact, Winnie had become a game to him since the night of the opera. He didn't care about her, and he probably never would, but he wasn't going to lose her to Jesse, and she was beautiful, so at least he could brag about her to society.
He did wish he could see the expression on her veil covered face though. A thick, layered white veil covered her hair and her face. She gracefully walked down the isle step by step. When she got to the platform, the minister began to speak. "Dearly beloveds, we are gathered her today to join..."
"Blah, blah, blah was all Miles heard. He was already running late, and had to be at the train station in no more than 25 minutes. "Look, I really don't have time for this. Can we please just skip to the 'I do's'?"
"Do you miles Tuck take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do, and quicker please." The crowed gasped.
"Do you take him?" The minister asked
"I do" she said.
**********************************************************************************
Jesse looked out for Winnie. The train was whisteling and there was no sign of her. He sighed deeply and stepped up onto the locomotive. He walked to his cart with his eyes to his feet.
She didn't love him. He felt his heart rip in two as the train began to take off.
**********************************************************************************
"You may kiss..."
But before the minister could finish, Miles quickly lifted the viel off her head, and leaned in for a kiss. He pulled back when the crowed gasped. On woman even screamed. Miles look out at all of them, most of who were now standing, a few older people fainted, and one very old woman laughing hysterically, Winnie's maid with a huge smile on her face, and a red headed woman, still screaming hysteically.
Miles turned his head back to his bride to find a petiete, young red head. She smiled brightly at him. "How do you do Mr. Tuck?"
**********************************************************************************
"Jesse! Jesse!" Winnie screamed as she ran trying to catch up ith the entrance of the train. "Wait," she called out, "stop." A man stood at the doorway, and reached out a hand to pull the young girl in. She grabbed for it, and he pulled her up. She hugged the man with all the energy she had stored up on the trip to the station. She went down the isle, calling for Jesse, searching every box cart. Almost losing hope, she found one last door. She took a deep breath, placed her sweaty palm around the handle, and pulled it open.
A young boy sat reading a book. She couldn't tell what the book was. But he didn't seem to notice her entrance. He looked sad. She walked in front of him, and dropped to her knees. She placed her palms on his cheeks, and he stared at her speechless. Without a word, she pushed her body up, and pulld his fase to hers, until they met for a kiss. He didn't object, and he didn't pull away, and he didn't speek. Instead he kissed her back, and brushed her hair with his fingers.
When she finally let him go, she stroked his face, and stared into his eyes. Millions of things were spoken between them in that silent moment. All was understood, and all was forgiven. Winnie finally broke the silence. "Ture love conqures all." And she was right. "I love you Jesse Tuck." And she did.