“Absolutely no black today and not again before I get back from my honeymoon.”
She brings in her super hero suit then grabs her backpack and drops in a pair of white patent heels. She transfers her things from her normal purse to a white purse and adds it to her pack as well then heads to the garage. Fitting her helmet on her head and her pack on her back she throws her leg over the bike.
She pulls up at the courthouse in Clayton half an hour later at two-thirty. She watches closely for Norman's truck as she drives through the parking spaces. She notes its location and finds a space of her own then heads back to his truck. Pulling out her keys she opens the passengers door and sits down to change her shoes. She leaves her sneakers and helmet on the floor and shoves the empty pack under the seat. Pulling out her phone she turns it on as she heads into the court house. Once inside she looks around the lobby as she calls Norman’s phone.
“Come out, come out wherever you are. I know you're in here. I found your truck in the parking lot. Give me a call so we don’t play hide and seek all afternoon.”
“She sits down on a nearby bench playing a game on her cell phone while she waits for his call. After about fifteen minutes he finally calls.
“Where are you at?”
“Main lobby to the left of the door, where are you?”
“Just above you wait there and I’ll be right down.”
Soon she can see him carrying his briefcase and making a bee line to her across the room. She stands up and meets him about half way across the room.
“My, don't you look marvelous! I see you brought the bike.”
“How did you know that?”
“Elementary my dear Watson, the top of your head is just a little bit fuzzy.”
“Oh, dear I didn’t fix it as soon as I got in. Is there a bathroom near here so I can?”
“Yes but we don’t have time for that. Judge Franklin agreed to do this for me but we need to do it while he’s in his chambers. So that only gives us about fifteen minutes.”
Norman leads her through the courthouse to the judges chambers and knocks on the door.
“Come on in Norman.”
They enter his office and walk up to his desk hand in hand.
“So this is Wren, Norman has been telling me about you for years. It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“Thank-you, your honor.”
“Well now I guess Norman told you I don’t have much time so let’s get on with it. Do you Wren Swan Robbins take this man Norman Walter James forsaking all others to be your lawfully wedded husband, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.”
“And do you Norman Walter James take this woman Wren Swan Robbins forsaking all others to be your lawfully wedded wife, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.”
“Then by the power vested in me by the state of Missouri I do hereby proclaim you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
Norman kisses Wren while the judge signs and seals the paperwork and has his clerks sign on as witnesses.
“Congratulations to the two of you and may you have many happy anniversaries to come. I wish I could stay and chat but I have to be back on the bench in five minutes so if you will excuse me.”
With that he takes their leave shaking their hands as he goes.
“Well that’s done, now all we have to do is take these papers over to the clerk's office and file them.”
Forty-five minutes later finds them leaving the courthouse hand in hand each wearing a shiny new wedding ring. They stop at Norman’s truck for Wren to change shoes and grab her helmet then head for home where they spend the rest of the evening packing for their trip.
Five-thirty in the morning finds Wren backing the Mustang out of the garage and Norman pulling his truck in as they finish their preparations for their trip. Norman climbs into the car and they head off to Cracker Barrel. At six forty-five Wren calls her Mom as they leave heading down highway one forty-one to interstate sixty-four. They pull into the designated rest area at eight o’clock with no sign of Margret’s Buick. They park and walk around taking advantage of a chance to move around while they can before they continue on their long ride. After about fifteen minutes they see the Park Avenue pull up. Wren watches in disbelief as her mom, dressed in a denim ultra mini, a white tube top, oversized white sunglasses and mile high white sandals starts coming towards her.
“Wren!, sorry about the time there was a wreck on the ramp to one-seventy. Is something wrong dear you don’t look at all well.”
“No, no nothings wrong. I’m just a bit shocked, that's all.”
“Oh!, I forgot you haven’t seen the new me enough to really know me.”
“Yea, I really wasn’t expecting to see you dressed like this.”
“I know all I used to wear was black. Boy was I dull. When I started seeing the psychiatrist he suggested I get more color in my life. He said it might help. I really don’t know if it’s the color or the medication but why change now?”
“Mom I wouldn’t change a thing, you look good.”
“Well if you two don’t mind I’ll take a quick trip to the girls room and we can be off.”
Soon they are all back in their cars and heading along the highway. Wren jamming to Aerosmith while almost immediately Norman drifts off to sleep in the reclined passengers seat. Four hours later they pull into St. Joseph Missouri.
“Hey, sleepy head. It’s time for lunch.”
“Lunch, you’re crazy we just ate breakfast.”
“Six hours ago! You’ve been asleep for the last four.”
“I haven’t been asleep that long.”
“Alright then what CD was playing when we left the rest area and which one is playing now?”
“It was Aerosmith when we left, and it’s, Blue man group now?”
“Very good, we’ll get you up to speed yet.”
“I’m very up to speed now thank you very much. I just can’t figure how I could have slept that long with your stereo running like that.”
“I guess you're spending too much time prowling with nocturnal predators and not enough sleeping.”
“Well as far as lunch goes, where are we?”
“St. Joseph.”
“Well I’m spent. I've never been there. I guess we should stop at a filling station and ask your mom what her feelings are.”
They pull into an Amoco station right off the highway and are followed in by Margaret. Soon they are all sitting down in a small nearby Mexican restaurant recommended by the station attendant.
“Something wrong Norman? You look like you just woke up.”
“He’s been asleep since we left Wright city.”
“And I still don’t see how with your stereo running.”
“Well mom I guess it went alright with your boss then?”
“Piece of cake. Although he was trying to insist on coming along, I explained that you went to enough trouble just to get me allowed and I did not think you or your grandparents would appreciate him tagging along.”
“Yes, showing up with your boyfriend might have made a few problems.”
“Order 158 you're ready for pickup.”
“That’s us you two stay here I’ll go get it.”
“Norman sure is a nice man, I am happy that you found him.”
“Here we go girls.”
They eat and are soon on their way, the pavement sliding away below them as they get closer to Sioux Falls. At six-thirty they pull into the hotel parking lot, check in and head to their rooms.
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