Thank you to everyone who have been so kind in sending me their wonderful reviews. It makes me realize that people like happy endings. I hope to this little story that just poured out so quickly will set the stage for a few more.

Going to the Chapel

Chapter Five

Richard Betancourt looked at the fifteen steps that lead from the yard to the porch of his ranch house on Avenue K and frowned. After foot ball players, garage mechanics, toll booth collectors and police academy drop outs Karen had stopped bringing her boyfriends home. Now, finally, his baby had someone who was worthy of his smart, beautiful daughter and the front steps were probably going to keep him away.

"At least there isn't any snow on them," the scratchy voice of his beautiful Concepcion was there, forever looking for the best in any situation.

"Connie, I can tell you are thinking about adding an elevator just to get Karen and her man to start visiting every Sunday."

"Well, Sundays with the family is what's supposed to happen." Connie stated in her don't fight with me when I'm right tone of voice. It was that attitude that persuaded Richard Betancourt to stay in America when his first teaching contract had finished twenty seven years ago.

Richard turned back into his house and looked at the guests already there. A judge and a priest sitting in together in this neighbourhood usually indicated a plea bargain deal and not a meet the relative's supper.

"May I freshen your drinks?"

"No, I'm fine," Brian Daniels answered quickly, "but knowing my brother there isn't enough coffee in this world to keep him happy."

"That is untrue," the grey haired priest smiled at his nervous host, "but this is such good coffee I can't resist."

The knock at the front door stopped everything. Karen always knocked before she used her key and today was no exception.

"Daddy, could you help…" and then she noticed the men in the living room and was tempted to turn right around and leave when Judge Daniels walked past her and down the stairs to where Frank was waiting at the bottom of the staircase. She followed him out the door and watched what was going to happen. The Judge went down to his son, took the crutches and wrapped his arm around Frank's waist. Together the walked up the fifteen steps that lead to her parents home.

"I think you picked a winner," Richard whispered to his daughter as he came up behind her. "And I like his family too."

"Well, most of it," Karen leaned back into her father's shoulder, "and as for the rest; keep your fingers crossed."

Dark, snow laden clouds dipped low over the Manhattan skyline and hid the tops of the tall buildings. Hank's leash hung loosely in Christie's hand as he walked close to her left side while Jim twined his fingers in hers on her right.

"Penny for your thoughts," Jimmy broke the companionable silence what had wrapped the couple close to each other.

"We were so lucky, weren't we," Christie answered carefully. "Two nearly perfect people heading into a nearly perfect life when we said I do."

"It didn't turn out so perfect, did it?"

"Nope," a sad little laugh escaped her lips. "I was a princess who expected the world to do what I wanted it to and when it didn't I got pissy."

"No," Jim laughed, "no kidding." He stopped and pulled her close. "But then, I'm not much of a Prince Charming either, more like a Prince Idiot sometimes. I wonder how many of your relatives thought I was marrying you for your money."

"I can't count that high. Still, how many guys from your old neighbourhood have a good paying job like you, a legitimate good paying job? I knew I found someone real when I found you."

"A real big pain in the ass," Jim kissed her on the top of her head.

"That too," Christie slipped out of Jim's arms and they started walking again.

"Life threw us some curve balls, that's for sure. Why all the deep thoughts today?"

"Well, I talked to Frank Daniels in the lobby today, seems like the wedding will go off without a mother of the groom of tonight."

"That's her problem, not his and not Karen's. That woman doesn't know what she's missing." Jim paused for just a moment. "Christie, you'll tell me how Karen looks in tonight."

"Including the baby bump?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind."

"No, not anymore."

"Somehow I figured you'd get married at the country club, not on a VFW hall," BJ Daniels said as he straightened his little brother Frank's tie.

"The Schultz family reunion cancelled at the last minute so there was an opening." Frank dead panned.

Big brother Brian Jr. laughed at his brother's quip. "Last minute cancellation three weeks ago, yeah, sure; I believe you when millions wouldn't. You're just lucky Joyce was there to answer the phone when you called. It's very hard to get an RSVP from an answering machine."

Frank looked up into his brother's eyes. "Do you like her?"

"Yes, I like Karen."

"So do I," Clare, the Daniels' middle child broke up the brother bonding moment. "Karen got you to finally cut the old apron strings and get away from Mommy Dearest."

BJ swung his arm over his sister's shoulder. "That is so cruel; correct but cruel."

"I was just saving money living at home." Frank wheeled between his siblings before the inevitable nuggies started. "It isn't as if I was a doctor or a book editor or anything that could be done here as well as all over hell's half acre."

"Can I help it if I teach immunology at the University of Toronto?" Clare tossed off, "and now that I have tenure so I'm not moving back here. BJ can read a manuscript anywhere."

"Better a Baja beach than Brighton Beach."

"Trust my children to start arguing the minute they get together." The Judge said as he walked up to his terrible trio. "This is the first time we've together in three years and all I hear is complain, complain, complain." He reached down and put his hand on Frank's shoulder. "Don't worry, your mother will come around eventually, but in the meantime there is a very nervous young lady waiting for you."

"And enough cops in the place that if you tried to escape there'd be an APB on your ass before you hit the Belt Parkway." BJ offered Frank his arm, "time for me to do my best man job. Let's go before Uncle Greg starts without you."

Frank grabbed his crutches and pushed upright and then he and BJ slowly walked into the room with their heads high. All around trellises draped in blue and silver hid the concrete block walls of the VFW hall. The harsh fluorescent lights were replaced by soft, hanging swags that added to the charm of the ceremony. A white runner led from the door to the small portable altar where their uncle, Father Greg Daniels, waited to start the show. The Daniels clan filled the most of the front row with his Dad flanked by Clare on one side and his sister in law, Joyce, on the other. Both his siblings had huge weddings at the country club and probably envied this casual ceremony that baby brother had managed to pull off. Only sixty four guests, just friends and family; this was all Frank and Karen wanted. Juan and Anita, Karen's cousins, had been playing flamenco guitar all the while the guests were being seated. Frank could see the Dunbars, his new neighbours, behind the Betancourts family. College buddies and plain clothes cops filled the rest of the seats.

Then, the tempo changed and the strains of "Here Comes the Bride" filled the room. Everybody stood, blocking Frank's view of Karen until she was right in front of him. She was gorgeous. The icy blue silk dress shimmered in the soft light. Blue and silver lace peeked out of the v-neckline and took the view for provocative to demure. Pearls circled her neck, clung to her ear lobes and were woven through the auburn curls that framed Karen's heart shaped face. She was so beautiful it took Frank's breath away. Then she looked him in the face and crossed her eyes. Yep, Frank Daniels had found his perfect mate.

The rest of the night was a blur. To keep things casual the meal was a buffet and there were no place cards. Soon Cousin Alice from Jonesboro was talking dress design with Christie Dunbar while Father Greg had Julie Russo on his lap while he talked to her parents, Marty and Janice. The precentage of police and lawyers present made it feel more like a professional development day rather than a wedding.

"That's a funny look on you face," Frank said as pulled Karen down, onto his lap.

"Just nerves," and then she grinned at him. "We did it. We kept to my budget and everything went off without a hitch."

Frank raised his eye brows, "so you don't mind the million dollar condo?"

"I love the million dollar condo, I just wonder if the neighbours think I'm the cleaning lady."

"They had better not. They let Jim into the place."

Karen smacked the back of his head. "You had to buy in the same building my partner lives in. What were you thinking?"

"I didn't know, I swear to God I didn't know."

Then Gary Fisk interrupted the freshly minted marrieds, "Congratulations, I told you everything would work out. The band is setting up and I want to make sure I get a dance with the bride before I go. My wife has to go from here to St. Clare's tonight. She's an x-ray tech." he explained.

"I don't know if I want anyone but me to dance with my wife, but you are the boss, so I'll make an exception." He watched the man turn away and pulled her close again. "I'm not much of a dancer, but I'll make all the guys jealous tonight because I'll have the prettiest girl here on my arm."

"Ah, for that I'm going to hug you and squeeze you and call you George," Karen drawled and they both laughed. Then she leaned over and whispered in Frank's ear, "I just felt the baby kick."

With that Frank took her face in his hands, "God, I love you."

Brian Daniels walked into the kitchen and up to his wife, Eunice, as she watched the proceedings from there.

"Its more like a frat party than a wedding," she muttered.

"They're happy. Can't you just come to grips with the fact that our children were never going to be the pretty, plastic people that populate the social scene?" Brian Daniels took his wife's hand in his, "I thought that was why you loved me, because I worked for the underdog."

"You're father was a Roosevelt liberal and you were a freedom rider. Your brother used to hang around with the Berrigans and all the kids could say social justice before they could say Bloomingdales. So I should have just sat back and enjoyed the ride." Eunice looked up at her husband and was grateful there was a smile on his face. "Neither of us was ever this poor."

"The poor will always be with us, I think that's the quote. These people aren't poor; they just have less money than us. It was only an accident of birth that put you and me in our families." He tugged her toward the door. "Come on, kiss the bride. She's a nice girl."

"I can't; not right now," and Eunice Daniels simply shook her head and walked away.

FIN