AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you to those who reviewed. I hope you all enjoy chapter two as well. I've fixed some things in chapter one, such as spelling and grammar errors and adjusted a couple of dates. This chapter and the next one or two chapters will be a bit dull, so I apologize. But they have to happen.
DISCLAIMER: All characters mentioned in this chapter are © me. The Darkwing Duck realm is © Disney.
CHAPTER 2
That was how the core of my life was started. Over the next year, Abigail Cleeson and Jake Mallard became known as being inseparable. Even though she was pursuing a major in social welfare, Abby became actively involved with the campus theatre during our senior year. She had an extraordinary voice and began to show it off to everyone. I'd go to see every performance to hear her angelic voice. She loved to sing and I loved to listen.
Graduation came and I passed in the top five percent of our class. The position landed me an entrepreneurship with a local corporation to get me started in the world of business. Abby and I moved into an apartment together while we struggled to establish our careers. She managed to find a job working as a child protective service agent in St. Canard while I continued my entrepreneurship over the next year. That was all the time I needed to begin planning out one of my biggest accomplishments.
It was now the early 60's and the country's military forces were becoming more technologically advanced. I figured out a way to start my own company to manufacture electronics and weaponry to the military and Department of Homeland Security. Many sleepless nights and stressful days were spent applying everything I'd learned in college to concocting the perfect ideas for two years. I went through the hassle and headache of acquiring loans to get everything I needed. And although it was off to a shaky start, I did it.
Mallard Enterprises was born, specializing in manufacturing weapons and electronics to the government. Blood, sweat, and tears went into one of the biggest achievements of my life. And another was soon to follow.
She stood by my side the whole time. During those hard years, Abby never once left me. Her encouragement was what ultimately pushed me to the end. She was always there when I needed a shoulder to lean on, or to cover me with a blanket when I would pass out on my desk from exhaustion. I never would have made it without her and I knew I needed her to always be there for me.
At only twenty-four years old, I was the youngest CEO in St. Canard. Abby and I went out for dinner at a prestigious restaurant to celebrate my success. Or so she believed. That was only half of the evening's purpose.
"Jake, this place is wonderful," Abby said and took a sip from her champagne glass. She was wearing a stunning off-the-shoulder green dress that flowed nicely around her knees. The gold cross necklace she wore around her gracious neck sparkled in the light of the chandeliers hanging overhead. Abby was a Christian and she always wore that necklace. A small orchestra in the far corner played classical music in the background. The Canard Riviera was a classy place which I was proud to be able to afford.
"A wonderful place to be seen in with a wonderful person," I added with a sly smile. She returned the glance and we lifted our glasses to a toast.
Abby set her glass down on the table and smiled widely at me from across the table. "Jake, I'm so proud of you. Where most people would have given up, you kept going and succeeded."
"Most people don't possess my charm, wit, and good looks," I pointed out smugly. She playfully raised an eyebrow at me before letting out a light laugh. "But in all honesty, I couldn't have done it without you, Abby. You constantly pushed and pushed and continued to be a real nag."
My last statement received another laugh from her side of the table before I continued. "You were the reason I kept going and achieved my goal. You were there when I needed encouragement. My success is credited to you. And there's only one way I can repay you for all you've done for me."
I stood up from my chair and stepped around the table towards her. I could clearly see Abby's eyes begin to widen while I reached inside the jacket of my Armani suit and withdrew a small, black box. Her hand came up to her bill in shock as I got down on my knee and stared hopefully up into her wide eyes which began to sparkle.
"Abigail Marie Cleeson," I opened the little box to reveal a silver ring that held sparkling 24-karat diamond. "Will you marry me?"
She must had been holding her breath the entire time because she had to shakily inhale a deep breath that was caught with a choke of joy. Tears bordering her eyes glimmered as she lowered her hand from her bill and nodded with an excited smile.
"Yes, Jake. Of course I will!" Abby answered, her voice still partly caught in her throat. I removed the ring from its box and gently took her hand to slide it onto her ring finger. Before I could get back to my feet, he lunged out of her chair and wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace. I faintly remember hearing clapping in the background from a few curious witnesses.
Finally, I pulled myself to my knees and sat Abby back down in her seat before returning to my own. After I sat down, she lifted her glass once more with a radiant smile.
"To happiness. I know we'll both be happy together, Jake," she toasted. I nodded and lifted my glass to her.
The wedding was set for September; Abby loved the Fall season. During the six months until then, I bought a house in an upper-class neighborhood in the suburbs of St. Canard which we moved into immediately. While I was busy with work, Abby was in charge of planning the wedding. I gave her free reign to have it the way she wanted; what did I know about weddings, anyway?
The time flew by fast--very fast. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of an altar in an outdoor set-up with an audience of a few hundred people. Most of the guests were employees and associates from my corporation and many of the family members who attended were from Abby's side of the family.
She was stunning. Absolutely stunning. I could feel my knees weaken while she gracefully glided down the isle towards me. She smiled radiantly at me from beneath her veil. I must have been losing my balance because I felt my Best Man's hand on my shoulder to steady me.
"Do you, Abigail Cleeson, take Jake to be your lawful wedded husband? To honor him, cherish him, and protect him? To have and to hold until death do you part?" the minister recited.
"I do," Abby answered as our eyes locked.
"And do you, Jake Mallard, take Abigail to be your lawful wedded wife? To honor her, cherish her, and protect her? To have and to hold until death do you part?"
I nodded, holding her hands gently in mine. "I do."
"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister announced after I slipped the wedding band onto her finger. "You may now kiss the bride."
Abby tilted her head towards me and our bills were pressed together. Friends and family erupted into applause and cheers behind us. When we parted, I smiled and gently wiped away the tear of joy that slid down her cheek before we swiftly made our way back down the isle.
The reception was held in the Mallard Enterprises Ballroom after the ceremony that night. I found it difficult to hold a conversation with all of the people congratulating me. My eyes kept drifting back to my new bride. Her delightful laugh and joyous smile lit up the whole room and made me smile. It seemed like nothing could break the spell she had on me, until….
"There will be plenty of time for that later, young man," a familiar, feminine voice quipped from behind me. I turned around to see a woman in her late 40s with brown wavy hair and green eyes who was barely shorter than I, grinning at me.
I smiled widely and wrapped my arms tightly around her. "Hi, Mom."
My mother, Jeannine, hugged me tightly before pushing me back to look up at me. "I'm so glad you found her, Jake. You deserve to be happy and I know she will do that for you. I wish your brother could be here for this; he'd be so happy for you."
I tried not to frown. Of all the days to be reminded of Nick's murder, my wedding day was not ideal. But I nodded in reply, "I know. I wish he were here, too."
My mother smiled at me, then she suddenly erupted into a fit of violent coughs. Her hand came up to cover her bill and I tilted my head in concern. I placed me hand on her back and handed her a glass of water from a table. "Mom, are you alright?"
She nodded and took a few swallows of water before setting the glass down. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm just getting over a virus I contracted last week."
"A virus?" I asked skeptically. My mother wasn't one to get sick. She had always been very healthy and health-conscious.
But she smiled and nodded insistently. "Jake, I'm fine. I promise."
Another woman, whom I recognized, approached me from behind my mother. Abigail's mother, Claire. My mother noticed and gave me a nod before kissing me on the side of my bill and retreating to socialize with the other guests.
Claire, being rather short, smiled widely up at me before embracing me. "I know you're going to keep my daughter very happy, Jake."
"You should expect nothing less from me, Claire. I wouldn't dream of doing anything else," I ensured with a wink.
"Just take care of her. I don't doubt that you will," she added hopefully.
I nodded sincerely, realizing the seriousness in her voice. "I will. I promise you that."
A hand closed gently over my shoulder. When I turned around, I smiled widely down at Abby. She took one of my hands in hers and grinned anxiously. "I know I've talked to everyone here at least twice. You and I have barely spoken two sentences to one another. Are you ready to go and have some…private time?"
She was right. We had both been bombarded with guests and family all evening. I nodded and we quickly made our way towards the door before we could be stopped by anyone else who thought they needed to congratulate us for the third time.
Our first night together as mallard and wife was spent in our own home. Took the liberty of accessorizing the master bedroom with candles and roses along with other things I knew Abby enjoyed. A bottle of expensive wine with two tall glasses waited on the nightstand.
I pushed the front door of the house open with my foot and staggered inside with Abby in my arms. The train of her gown flowed up over my arms and made it difficult to see where I was going. Finally, I set her down on her own feet on the threshold.
"I thought we would never escape," Abby laughed as she smoothed out her gown and I closed the front door.
"No kidding," I agreed and turned around to face her. I smiled slyly and sauntered over to her, sliding my arms around her tiny waist. "Now I can finally have you all to myself."
Abby chuckled lightly and began planting kisses on my bill. I responded by kissing her cheek and moving down to her neck.
She smirked and tilted her head back. "I need to get out of this dress."
"I think I could help you with that," I suggested between the kisses I continued to give her.
Abby laughed and playfully shoved my face away. She lifted up the train of her dress and quickly scampered up the stairs towards the master bedroom, pausing to smile coyly over her shoulder at me. I caught on to her game and quickly pursued her up the stairs and into the bedroom.
When I slid into the doorway, I watched her lean over to remove her shoed and toss them aside. She turned around and beckoned me with her finger. I strutted to her and she began to slowly remove my tie and unbutton the jacket of my tuxedo. While she was trying to undress me, I placed my hand gently under her bill and lifted her face to mine. She tilted her head curiously as I stared thoughtfully into her eyes.
"Jake? What is it?"
I shook my head. "I'm just trying to figure something out."
"Oh? Figure what out?" Abby asked.
"What I did to deserve you."
Her bill went agape before she smiled softly. I could see tears forming in her eyes. She lifted her hand to my face and gently stroked my cheek. "You're a wonderful man, Jake. I have something magnificent that no other woman can I have. I have the honor of being Mrs. Jake Mallard. I wouldn't dream of being anywhere else or with anyone else. We're together, 'until death do us part.'"
I took her hand that was on my cheek and clutched it tightly in my own. And I nodded, agreeing with her quotation before. My head lowered and we met in a passionate kiss. Her hands returned to their work of removing my jacket and unbuttoning my shirt. My own hands moved to her back to search for the zipper on her gown.
"Until death do us part…"