My Mail Order Wife (The Value of a Man Book 1) (7 page)

The morning of her wedding began with absolute chaos. Douglas was in a hurry to get downstairs and lost his footing, tumbling head over ass down the stairs and busting out his front tooth.  The good news was that it was already loose and the replacement tooth had begun to poke through.  The bad news was that he yelled and carried on so much that Thurston wanted to take him to the emergency room.

“Thurston, it just scared him.  He is fine. Put the tooth under your pillow, Douglas, so the tooth fairy can leave you a dollar,” she told him.

“A dollar? I want a twenty!  That nearly scared the poop out of me!” Douglas said as he checked the back of his pants. “Oh man, it did.”  His little face was twisted as he went back up the stairs to change clothes and clean himself up. Thurston started to laugh as he saw the little lump in the back of his pants.

“You need some help, buddy?”

“Yes, please,” he said as he made his waddling way up the stairs.

TaeTay found herself close to the same predicament when she headed down the stairs and found four strange people in her kitchen. There were two more in the living room under the direction of a rather attractive black woman.

“Good morning TaeTay; I am Veronica,” the well-dressed woman said as she eyed her with a bit too much appreciation. “I see the clothes fit well.  I also included two dresses in there for today, but just in case, I brought one more.” Veronica waved her fingers and a woman brought forward a dress bag that she handed to TaeTay.  “I think you are going to like this one.”

The people in the kitchen announced that breakfast was ready, while the other two started moving furniture and bringing in chairs.  Douglas came back down the stairs in a pink shirt with a pink and blue necktie and deep navy pants. “Mommy, all of the bleeding stopped and Daddy helped me do this tie.  I looked so smoove,” he told her as he mimicked Michael Jackson.  Suddenly, he noticed Veronica. “Hi, I’m Douglas.”

She accepted his handshake, “I am Veronica.  I am your Aunt.”

“Did you get me all of these cool clothes?”

“Yes, I did.  Do you like them?”

He did a quick Michael Jackson spin, imitating the signature
Ooh
! As he tried to get up on his toes in the dress shoes and looked disappointed. He was frowning when he admitted, “I’m going to have to work on that one.” Veronica started to laugh in a most unladylike fashion.

Thurston came into the kitchen.  “I haven’t heard you laugh like that since we were kids,” he told his sister as he kissed her temple.

“Douglas is something,” she told him as she returned his affection. Her eyes were on the boy as he accepted bacon and eggs. His little legs swung as he ate the food.

“That is an understatement,” he replied, watching his fashion-minded son carefully throw the tie over his shoulder so he would not spill any food on it.

“And he calls you Daddy?”

“From the minute he got off the plane,” Thurston said with pride.  There was a bit of discussion about the tooth and the plan of action for the day, and then one of the ladies announced that the living room was ready.

TaeTay’s breath caught as she walked into the room that previously held only a sofa and a coffee table.  The space had been transformed into a wedding chapel. There were fresh flowers on pillars, a white runner down a makeshift aisle between two rows of chairs, and a trellis where she would stand to become Thurston’s wife.  She started to cry. 
It is real
.

All of it is real
.

“If only my mother could be here to see this,” she said while she choked back her tears.

Veronica put her arms around her shoulders and told her, “She will be.  We have her set up on the other end to Skype in so she can see the whole thing.”

“You are all kinds of awesome.  I am going to love having you as my sister-in- law,” TaeTay told Veronica.

“I would rather you have me as a friend,” Veronica said.

Her friend had been busy. The dining room was now reception central as random people popped in to drop off wedding presents and monetary gifts.  There were presents on the floor, presents in the back corner, packages in the front corner, and more boxes.
Thurston must have a lot of friends
. She bounded upstairs to get ready for her wedding.

TaeTay was getting dressed when Thurston’s parents arrived, along with the judge. She tried on the two dresses in the closet and out of curiosity opened the bag.  More tears ran down her face at the beautiful white dress with pretty little pink bows around the neckline.  She hurried and changed into the full-length gown and twirled in front of the mirror in the guest bedroom. Inside the bag were pretty pink bows on clips that she used to put her hair up. A knock came at the door as TaeTay told Veronica to enter.

“You look fantastic,” she heard the voice say behind her. Veronica was standing in the door. “Here is something blue,” she handed her a dainty handkerchief.  The borrowed item she loaned TaeTay was her favorite strand of pearls. “And I know you didn’t know his ring size, so I grabbed a simple gold band.  You can replace it on your first anniversary.”

“I cannot ever repay you for everything you have done.  I am at a loss for words,” TaeTay told Veronica.

“Just be a good wife to him.  My brother deserves some happiness.  You two seem to make him smile,” Veronica admitted.  “He is going to need that as he heads into Washington.  It is going to be important that he comes home to joy.”

“If I am nothing else, I am a bundle of joy,” TaeTay said as one of the ladies announced it was time.

“Are you ready, TaeTay?”

“As ready as I will ever be,” she said as she gathered herself.

Veronica touched her arm, asking, “Do you mind if I ask?  TaeTay is short for what exactly?”

“It is short for TataLavisha,” she said as she shook her head.

“Dear Lord,” Veronica said.

“You telling me.  My mother’s actual name is Cookie and my father was named Leviticus.  I think it was a practical joke and they wanted me to grow up to be a stripper or something,” she said with a flat tone.

Veronica burst into laughter.  Her brother was right.  This was a good choice of wife for him.  She was a gust of fresh air.             

TaeTay stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at the small room full of people. She didn’t know any of them. TaeTay held her chin high as Veronica held the tail of her dress while the bride to be descended the stairs.  A man, who looked like a big brother version of Thurston, was at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for TaeTay with his arm extended.  Something was off about his eyes, but he seemed like a gentle man with a big heart.  This must be Thurston’s brother.  Two girls, about 6 and 8, stood in front of him, and as the music started, the girls headed down the aisle while dropping flower petals.

When TaeTay stood at the end of the runway, the music started and everyone rose.
They are all staring at me
. She kept her eyes focused on Thurston, who was looking sharp at the end of the small runway.  A black gentleman of about the same age stood at his side.  The two men’s heads were shaped the same, so TaeTay figured it was a relative.

Once they reached the makeshift altar, the judge asked, “Who gives the woman in marriage?”

Thurston looked at his brother, encouraging him to speak the lines he had taught him a little while ago.  However, Lawrence wasn’t having it. “I’m keeping her.  I don’t want to give her away!”

A few people gasped.  A well-dressed woman, whom TaeTay assumed was Thurston’s mom, attempted to rise, but TaeTay held up her hand.  Quietly, she whispered in Lawrence’s ear, and he began to clap and grin. He looked at the judge. “I give this woman to my brother to take care of forever and ever,” he said at the top of his voice.

Douglas was frowning, “Dang, he loud! Momma tell him to use his inside voice!”

TaeTay placed her finger to her lips to silence Douglas as Lawrence lifted her veil and she gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek. The crowd all exhaled and in unison said, “Awwww!” TaeTay pointed to his seat while Lawrence faced the audience and raised his hands in a touchdown stance.

Thurston began to feel something amazing when TaeTay placed her hand into his.
My wife.  My mail order wife
. Five minutes later, it was official.  She placed the simple gold band that Douglas dug from his pants pocket on Thurston’s finger. Thurston in turn placed a simple gold band on her finger as he spoke the words that spoke volumes over the simple ring.

“You may kiss your bride,” the judge said as Thurston moved close and took her into his arms. He lowered his head and planted one on her that nearly made her swoon. The small audience clapped as Douglas frowned, making a yuck face.

They faced the audience as the judge proclaimed, “I present to you Mr. & Mrs. Thurston Cromwell the Fourth.”

TaeTay was uncertain if it was a good reception or not; she never had a chance to eat a bite.  She posed for pictures, shook hands, and smiled at people whose names she was working hard to remember.  The faces were all becoming a blur.  It was a diverse group of people and it looked like a proverbial melting pot. The chairs were moved against the walls and the middle of the living room was converted to a dance floor.  The man with a violin who had played the wedding march was now playing a guitar.  He started with a smooth jazz rendition of an Anita Baker song while she and Thurston had their first dance as husband and wife.

Next she danced with Lawrence, who had lots of energy, but very little rhythm. She danced with Veronica’s husband and then one of Thurston’s cousins. She also danced with the cousin who had served as his best man.  She thought he said his name was Jordan. Minutes later, Thurston pulled her away into his study where the judge and his parents were waiting.

“There are some documents you need to sign, Mrs. Cromwell,” the judge said.

TaeTay thought that with his parents present, this must be a prenuptial agreement or something. Instead, it was the marriage certificate and the adoption papers for Douglas.

This is all real
.
Dear Jesus, don’t let my husband beat me or be some kind of weird perve
. Her hands were shaking as she signed both documents.

Thurston the Third eyed her closely, but TaeTay did not balk under his scrutiny. “So tell me my dear, I know you are a fan of Obama; how will it feel to hear your husband challenge what that man says?”

Rule of Thumb.  Rule of Thumb
.  Her mind was fuzzy.
Rule of Thumb
. TaeTay opened her mouth, “Sir, my husband’s job is to do what is best for the people he represents in the 11
th
district. I have no doubt that he is going to stand his ground on what he knows is best for the good people of New York.” She closed it and watched of everyone’s faces.

Her father-in-law did not let her off the hook that easily. “Good response, but you didn’t answer my question,” he told her.

TaeTay pulled the pretty blue handkerchief from her cleavage and swatted him with it, “And I am not going to, Sir. I was attempting to be polite and let you know I do not wish to discuss politics on my wedding day. Now… maybe over dinner and a really good bottle of wine, I might be inclined to be a bit chattier.”  She grinned at him with a smile so radiant that Thurston’s heart jumped in his chest.

“Let’s not be rude, honey. We still have guests in our home,” she said and placed her hand on Thurston’s arm; he led her back out to the living area where the crowd was thinning. The kids were in the basement where Veronica had put on a movie and given them small plates of food.  TaeTay needed to eat something herself to stave off the light-headedness. She now understood what Douglas was trying to do over breakfast--eat and not get anything on her dress.

Beatrice walked into the kitchen, startling her. “That was quite a speech in there my dear.  Do you believe any of those words you said?”

TaeTay covered her mouth, trying to chew the oversized meatball. She swallowed hard as she stood face to face with her mother in law. “The question is, Mrs. Cromwell, did you believe me?”

Beatrice gave TaeTay a wry smile, but her eyes were skeptical. “I did my dear.  Are you telling me you are a practiced liar?”

“No, I am proving to you both that I can be taught,” she looked at her mother-in-law.  “I have so much to learn about living in your world.  The learning curve for thriving in the political realm is short and I am already in the deep end.” She was also hungry.  She grabbed another meatball.

“What are you saying, dear?” Beatrice wanted to know.

TaeTay’s eyes were wide. 
What part of that didn’t she understand
? “I am saying I am scared out of my mind that I am going to do or say the wrong thing.  I am asking you to train me.  I know which forks to use, but what if I start drinking the lemon water on the table for me to wash my fingers in… little things that will tell someone that I am an outsider…”

Beatrice took two steps towards TaeTay and placed her hands on the young woman’s bare arms. “The simple fact that you know the bowl exists for you to wash your fingers says more about you than you know. I will teach and mentor you.”

It was a long drive back out of the city and Beatrice bid her a warm farewell. “Out of curiosity, is TaeTay short for something?”

Here we go again
, “Yes. It is short for TataLavisha.”

A perfectly manicure eyebrow went up the forehead of his mother’s well-trained face and it seemed as if it stuck there. “Oh, this is going to be so much fun.”

TaeTay heard Beatrice’s aristocratic laughter all the way out of the door and as she told her husband on the sidewalk before they got in the car. Thurston the Third looked back at the house and said ‘Tata-Who-What-Wherefor?”

Lawrence was pouting because they didn’t get a wife for him, too. He kept asking their father if he could have a TaeTay as well. “I want a TaeTay!”

Thurston the Third yelled at his son, “Boy, get your ass in the car. You don’t need a TaeTay!”

“But I want one. Thurston has one! I want one too! I want a TaeTay!”

Beatrice was still laughing when the driver pulled away from the curb.

By 8 pm, with all of the friends, relatives and co-workers gone, the house looked as if nothing had occurred inside of it.  The furniture was back in place, the remaining food was sorted and stored, and had it not been for the mound of gifts and presents, TaeTay would not have believed any of it happened.
It must be nice to have money
.

Douglas was passed out in his bed wearing Spiderman pajamas, and a chicken wing still in his hand. Truth be told, they had never truly been hungry, but having options of what to eat was a luxury.  Standing in front of a full refrigerator was something new for both of them. It would not be difficult to get used to this life; she was just afraid that if she ever had to leave it, what would she have to go back to?

Thurston cleared his throat. “Do you need some help getting out of that dress?” 

She laughed softly as she removed the chicken from the boy’s hand and wiped his fingers with a wet nap. “Is that your way of reminding me it is our wedding night, Mr. Cromwell?”

Thurston was blushing, “No. No. That is not what I meant.  The dress has little tiny buttons on the back above the zipper.  I know Veronica helped you dress this morning.  I didn’t know if I needed to… Oh turn around.”  He carefully undid the buttons and the zipper.

TaeTay’s hands were shaking. “If you give me a few minutes to freshen up, I will change and come to your room…” Her eyes were down when she said it.
Everything has a cost, TaeTay; it is time to pay up
.

He pulled her into the hall and closed the door to Douglas’ room, “Is that what you want?  A wedding night with me?”

“I know I have to do my duties as your wife…” she said, still looking at her toes.

His hands were on her shoulders, “Yes, that is true, but I want you in my bed when you are ready to be with me as my woman, not just fulfilling the duties as my wife.”

There he was again with those fancy words. Her eyes searched his, “So you are not expecting to be with me tonight?”

Thurston was shaking his head. “I don’t even know if you feel that way about me yet, TaeTay.”  He was looking at her with a curious stare. “Are you even attracted to me?”

She bit her bottom lip as she nodded her head yes.

“Good, we have somewhere to start,” he told her after exhaling a sigh of relief.

“Thurston, are you attracted to me?” She wanted to know.

“Yes, very much so.” He told her with a wide smile. “We have time to get to know each other.  I will tell you that I am a generous and giving lover.”

She was frowning with her nose scrunched up. “What does that mean?” she asked.  She stopped frowning and began squinting at him with an accusatory stare, “You have a chicken wing flap, don’t you?”

He didn’t know what she meant as she shook the chicken bone that she had removed from Douglas’s hand at him. “A what?” he wanted to know.

“You are one of those brothers who uses fancy words and pillow talk to cover up having a chicken wing flap!” She was still shaking the piece of chicken at him when it clicked.

“TaeTay are you referring to the size of my…” he asked in shock.

“Yes, I am!  It’s okay; I mean, it’s not the size of the boat but the motion of the ocean… stop, bad analogy.  I
do not
have an ocean.”

“I think what needs to stop is this conversation.  Go to bed.  I will see you in the morning,” he leaned in and kissed her cheek before heading to his room and closing the door.

Even once he settled his head into the pillow, he was tired.  It had been a full day from cleaning poop off a five-year-old to getting married to a woman that was going to either give him a heart attack or cause one in his parents.  She handled his father and the whole marriage thing well.  The woman even had his brother trying to trade some flowers with him so he could take her home.

Yes, his hands were full. He loved it.