Forget Me Not, Books I, II and III

Forget-Me-Not

Calvin, flushed with embarrassment, rushed to follow her. He heard a woman with a sophisticated air, most likely Laura's sister, Jeanne, say, "Leave them some privacy, ladies," before his attention was completely focused on finding Teddi.

The short hallway was lined with massive windows that overlooked the snow-covered backyard. Between each window was a landscape painting and almost directly across from each picture as if lined up to be geometrical was a door. All of them shut. Wonderful. He pressed his ear to the first one, listening for a sound from her. Nothing. He tried the next. More nothing. When he came to the third door, he heard something drop then a succession of short sniffles followed by a hiccup. He knocked softly. "Teddi."

For the second time that day, he was startled by a flung open door at the hands of Teddi Donovan. "A wedding?" she sobbed, her face crumpled, before shaking her head and slinking back into the large powder room with three interior doors, each leading respectively to a guestroom, a washroom and a toilet. She plopped down on a tiny love seat across from the antique vanity along the left wall.

"For cryin' out loud, I'm sorry," Calvin said in a rush, closing the door behind him. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted it to be a surprise. Are you mad at me because I didn't propose because I was going to do that. I was going to do that as soon as you saw the surprise, but if you don't want to marry me, it's okay. I'll understand. I just thought that, well, I have no doubt in my mind who I want to spend the rest of my life with, and times being what they are I thought we might not be able to set a real date. So, I asked Laura for some help, and she suggested this house. She did everything, even told me not to worry about the guests," he paused, taking a shaky breath, hating that she wasn't looking at him. "Oh, Teddi. I'm sorry."

"Shut up, you idiot," she sniffled, turning to him with watery eyes. "Of course, I want to marry you, and if you say sorry one more time, I'll slug you."

"But why did you run away?"

She shrugged, laughing a little. "I didn't want to cry in front of everyone."

Calvin sighed, resting his forehead against hers and framing her face with his hands. "You really scared me."

Her eyes slipped shut. "I'm sorry," she whispered before kissing him. They stayed like that until a light knock on the door broke through their haze.

"Is it safe to come in?" asked a small voice from the opposite side of the door.

Calvin got up to open the door to see a worried looking Laura standing there with round eyes.

"We're fine," said Calvin.

"Maybe we are, but," said Teddi, smirking a bit at him before turning her attention to her friend, "I think I might literally kill you, Laura Norwick. I talked to you on the phone just yesterday, and I never suspected a thing."

"I had to make sure you weren't going out in the morning."

"Well, shame on you," she said feigning an air of haughtiness. "I have absolutely nothing to wear."

Laura's face brightened upon hearing the complaint, turning to the male in the room. "Calvin, would you go get my sister and Harper? I think we can handle it from here."

"Um, okay," he said, feeling a little wary about leaving but when he received a small nod from Teddi, he started toward the door.

"Don't worry. Your outfit is all taken care of," Laura was saying, as he closed the door quietly behind him. He heard Teddi's muffled reply through the door and laughed. She was surprised all right. That much was for certain. And she did seem all right with things, happy even, which was what he wanted. Now to make it through the day without upchucking. Funny how that seemed much more doable sailing the choppy waters of the Atlantic.