| General Fiction posted February 23, 2025 | Chapters: |
...11 12 -13- 14 
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Another attempt to figure out the wedding interloper.
A chapter in the book The Wedding Crasher
The Ghost of Weddings Past
by davisr (Rhonda)
End of first chapter/prompt:
Having finished the dance, Sally grabbed her maid of honor, Debby. "Hey, do you know that guy? Over by the cake table?"
Debby glanced over, then frowned. " I don't think I've seen him before. Is he a friend of yours, Jack?"
"Nope. Never saw the guy before."
Curious now, Sally and Jack made their way toward the stranger. He smiled as they approached, lifting his glass in a toast.
"Finally," he said. "I was wondering when you'd come say hello."
Jack cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, but, who exactly are you?"
Newest New Chapter Begins:
"We'll get to that later," the stranger said. "Jack, it's good to meet you, my friend. This is a wonderful celebration. Most people have a simple reception for renewal of vows. You and Sally chose to make it a complete wedding."
"This is 50 years for us," Jack explained. He rested a protective hand on the arm on his bride, Sally. "Our original wedding had 500 people in it."
"You have at least that now," the man said.
"Not really. Most are Sally's friends from FanStory. To be honest, after these past few years, they've become my friends, too."
"I know the feeling," the man said. His salt and pepper hair framed a face that was both kind and stern. He shifted in his seat, then stood. "You're a great guy, Jack, but for the moment, I need you to stay here."
With a touch on Jack's shoulder, he lowered Sally's groom into a seat. Jack's head drooped forward, chin on chest, and soft sleeping sounds emanated from his gentle face.
"What did you do to him?" Sally demanded. She stomped a sandaled foot, her pink polished toenails gracing a dainty foot.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine. This is all about you right now." The man took her by the hand and spun her around.
Sally's head began to spin along with her body. Instinctively, she reached out for the nearest person, which happened to be Carol. "You started all this," Sally said.
Carol reached for my hand. I'm Rhonda, by the way. I grabbed Debi, Debi grabbed Karenina, who held onto Helen. Helen snagged Pam, and so forth until Debbie D, Ulla, Barbara, several Carols and Debbies, a bunch of men and all the rest of the crew were pulled into the throng.
Our host's voice became central to a journey across time and space.
"Are you an angel or devil?" Sally asked as the world swirled around us.
"Neither," he said succinctly, "but I'm a force of good."
"Should I close my eyes?" she asked.
The rest of us didn't bother to ask. We had ours slammed shut.
"Absolutely not," he said. "Sally, tell us what you see."
"Me?" Sally scoffed. "I've got to be the last person to put in charge of seeing for everyone. Sandra, where are you? You just got a new set of peepers."
"This is your dream sequence, you do it," Sandra replied.
Sally finally focused on her surroundings. "Okay, but don't blame me if I don't catch much. Everything is sort of spinning around."
Having finished the dance, Sally grabbed her maid of honor, Debby. "Hey, do you know that guy? Over by the cake table?"
Debby glanced over, then frowned. " I don't think I've seen him before. Is he a friend of yours, Jack?"
"Nope. Never saw the guy before."
Curious now, Sally and Jack made their way toward the stranger. He smiled as they approached, lifting his glass in a toast.
"Finally," he said. "I was wondering when you'd come say hello."
Jack cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, but, who exactly are you?"
Newest New Chapter Begins:
"We'll get to that later," the stranger said. "Jack, it's good to meet you, my friend. This is a wonderful celebration. Most people have a simple reception for renewal of vows. You and Sally chose to make it a complete wedding."
"This is 50 years for us," Jack explained. He rested a protective hand on the arm on his bride, Sally. "Our original wedding had 500 people in it."
"You have at least that now," the man said.
"Not really. Most are Sally's friends from FanStory. To be honest, after these past few years, they've become my friends, too."
"I know the feeling," the man said. His salt and pepper hair framed a face that was both kind and stern. He shifted in his seat, then stood. "You're a great guy, Jack, but for the moment, I need you to stay here."
With a touch on Jack's shoulder, he lowered Sally's groom into a seat. Jack's head drooped forward, chin on chest, and soft sleeping sounds emanated from his gentle face.
"What did you do to him?" Sally demanded. She stomped a sandaled foot, her pink polished toenails gracing a dainty foot.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine. This is all about you right now." The man took her by the hand and spun her around.
Sally's head began to spin along with her body. Instinctively, she reached out for the nearest person, which happened to be Carol. "You started all this," Sally said.
Carol reached for my hand. I'm Rhonda, by the way. I grabbed Debi, Debi grabbed Karenina, who held onto Helen. Helen snagged Pam, and so forth until Debbie D, Ulla, Barbara, several Carols and Debbies, a bunch of men and all the rest of the crew were pulled into the throng.
Our host's voice became central to a journey across time and space.
"Are you an angel or devil?" Sally asked as the world swirled around us.
"Neither," he said succinctly, "but I'm a force of good."
"Should I close my eyes?" she asked.
The rest of us didn't bother to ask. We had ours slammed shut.
"Absolutely not," he said. "Sally, tell us what you see."
"Me?" Sally scoffed. "I've got to be the last person to put in charge of seeing for everyone. Sandra, where are you? You just got a new set of peepers."
"This is your dream sequence, you do it," Sandra replied.
Sally finally focused on her surroundings. "Okay, but don't blame me if I don't catch much. Everything is sort of spinning around."
"Just try to focus on what you can see," the man said.
"Okay," Sally agreed. "It's like the years are falling away before me. Oh, I see my grandchildren as babies." She went on a bit describing each child, how they looked, sounded and felt.
Occasionally, she would address us individually as parts of her stories came to light.
"Rhonda, you have to see this," she said once. "It's the twins, Tyler and Caleb. They're toddlers and cutting each other's hair like Kylie did."
At that point, we all opened our eyes. "Yeah, I see them," I said with a chuckle. "How adorable. Is that their older brother, Joshua standing with them?"
"Yeah."
"And the little girl that just appeared? Is that Sophia?" Debi asked. "She looks just like you."
"She does, thank you, and yes, that's her."
Another energy burst, and we heard Sally squeal. "It's my own kids now. Look everyone, they're babies. Oh, and I can see them so clearly. All four boys."
"Those are some handsome guys," Ulla remarked. "But, I want to know the identity of our host. Enough messing around. Who are you?"
The man didn't answer, but instead, the whirling cloud settled. Our feet landed gently on the ground. We found ourselves standing on the porch of a church.
As our eyes cleared, we saw Sally stroking the door frame.
At that point, we all opened our eyes. "Yeah, I see them," I said with a chuckle. "How adorable. Is that their older brother, Joshua standing with them?"
"Yeah."
"And the little girl that just appeared? Is that Sophia?" Debi asked. "She looks just like you."
"She does, thank you, and yes, that's her."
Another energy burst, and we heard Sally squeal. "It's my own kids now. Look everyone, they're babies. Oh, and I can see them so clearly. All four boys."
"Those are some handsome guys," Ulla remarked. "But, I want to know the identity of our host. Enough messing around. Who are you?"
The man didn't answer, but instead, the whirling cloud settled. Our feet landed gently on the ground. We found ourselves standing on the porch of a church.
As our eyes cleared, we saw Sally stroking the door frame.
"This is where Jack and I got married. I mean, the actual church. Everything is so beautiful. I never remember colors being this vibrant. And, the memories, so lovely... so haunting."
"How are you feeling?" Helen asked. "You've been fighting such battles with your health and stamina. Has this trip been too much for you?"
"Right now, I feel like a kid."
Sally turned and gazed at all of us who had made the trip. We were definitely a motley crew, but such a collection of talent and heart had seldom been seen in one spot.
"Let's go inside," Pam said. She held up her camera. "I want pictures. This is the stuff poetry is made of."
"And children," Carol chuckled. "So, host guy, are you the Ghost of Christmas Past? "
"Not close. First of all, it's not even Christmas, it's December 13th."
"What year?" Debbie D asked. She's always good with details.
"1975," Sally answered. Her voice was confident and assured. "The year we got married. I was 20 and Jack was 21, and we are in Winter Park, Florida."
"So," Carol said, "You're the Ghost of Weddings Past."
"Not everyone in stories are ghosts, Carol," the mysterious man said.
"So, you're not a ghost?" Ulla asked. "I mean, I don't actually believe in them, but I'm open minded."
"Not a ghost." The man said.
"Can you at least give us a name?" I asked. "You're surrounded by writers. You know we're going to post our takes on this experience."
"Call me Mousa," he said. He turned to Helen and winked.
"Very funny," Helen said, "That's Greek for Muse."
"Greek!" I exclaimed. "Karenina, I knew he was a Greek god."
Mousa cocked an eye my way. "Not a god, or Centaur, so don't even ask."
"I thought it was a good suggestion," Karenina whispered in my direction.
"Let's go inside," Mousa said. He opened the heavy door with a dramatic creak, and motioned with a sweep of his hand.
Sally took a deep breath, leaving her fractured past behind. The abuse, neglect and abandonment of her childhood was left on the stoop of the church, just as it had been 50 years previous.
"How are you feeling?" Helen asked. "You've been fighting such battles with your health and stamina. Has this trip been too much for you?"
"Right now, I feel like a kid."
Sally turned and gazed at all of us who had made the trip. We were definitely a motley crew, but such a collection of talent and heart had seldom been seen in one spot.
"Let's go inside," Pam said. She held up her camera. "I want pictures. This is the stuff poetry is made of."
"And children," Carol chuckled. "So, host guy, are you the Ghost of Christmas Past? "
"Not close. First of all, it's not even Christmas, it's December 13th."
"What year?" Debbie D asked. She's always good with details.
"1975," Sally answered. Her voice was confident and assured. "The year we got married. I was 20 and Jack was 21, and we are in Winter Park, Florida."
"So," Carol said, "You're the Ghost of Weddings Past."
"Not everyone in stories are ghosts, Carol," the mysterious man said.
"So, you're not a ghost?" Ulla asked. "I mean, I don't actually believe in them, but I'm open minded."
"Not a ghost." The man said.
"Can you at least give us a name?" I asked. "You're surrounded by writers. You know we're going to post our takes on this experience."
"Call me Mousa," he said. He turned to Helen and winked.
"Very funny," Helen said, "That's Greek for Muse."
"Greek!" I exclaimed. "Karenina, I knew he was a Greek god."
Mousa cocked an eye my way. "Not a god, or Centaur, so don't even ask."
"I thought it was a good suggestion," Karenina whispered in my direction.
"Let's go inside," Mousa said. He opened the heavy door with a dramatic creak, and motioned with a sweep of his hand.
Sally took a deep breath, leaving her fractured past behind. The abuse, neglect and abandonment of her childhood was left on the stoop of the church, just as it had been 50 years previous.
She gathered the good memories and successes with her... the jobs, the affiliations with Christian groups and mentors, her mother and her sister, Suzanne -- the things that brought her joy. She brought us as well.
She was suddenly attired in a Victorian styled white dress, a symbol of good choices, white slippers and a traditional veil. In her hand was clutched a bouquet of white orchids.
Glowing from deep inside, she strode towards two ministers standing at the alter. She held the arm of her brother, Robbie, in place of her father. Fanstorians, of which I was a humble member, sat in pews on the bride's side.
Slowly, confidently, she marched to meet a man dressed in camel brown. Beside him stood groomsmen clad in dark brown tuxedos to match the groom.
To the other side of the alter were bridesmaids holding goblets with candles resting inside. Flowers wrapped around each glass and cascaded down the front of their gowns. I was moved to tears and the wedding ceremony hadn't yet started.
My eyes perused our group. Many I knew from reviewing their work, others I hadn't met. Sally had more friends than me, lol, but they seemed a decent lot.
Tears graced all their eyes. A few had rivulets glistening beneath sparkling eyes. Debi and Karenina were openly weeping.
Sandra had her hands crossed over her heart in mutual wonder. Pam had her camera, a real one, not just a cell phone, focused on our favorite bride. Debbie D was poised with pen in hand. I'm not sure where she got it and a notebook, but they had appeared in her practiced hand.
Ulla was smiling, but still watching with a vigilant eye. She loved love, but didn't quite trust our mysterious host and his shenanigans with the whole time warp thingy.
Before Sally reached the alter, the world began to spin again. Sally's voice penetrated all our shrieks of disapproval. "Where are we going now, Mousa?"
"Back to your groom. His nap is about over."
"But what about all of that?" Sally motioned with a sweeping hand towards what we all assumed was the church.
"Part of your past, just like everything else you've experienced."
"Why did you show it to me, then?"
"I do it all the time," Mousa said. "Your turbulent childhood, celebrations in church and with the Lord, lost child and grandchild, even your current health state. They are all what make you you. They all affect your writing."
She was suddenly attired in a Victorian styled white dress, a symbol of good choices, white slippers and a traditional veil. In her hand was clutched a bouquet of white orchids.
Glowing from deep inside, she strode towards two ministers standing at the alter. She held the arm of her brother, Robbie, in place of her father. Fanstorians, of which I was a humble member, sat in pews on the bride's side.
Slowly, confidently, she marched to meet a man dressed in camel brown. Beside him stood groomsmen clad in dark brown tuxedos to match the groom.
To the other side of the alter were bridesmaids holding goblets with candles resting inside. Flowers wrapped around each glass and cascaded down the front of their gowns. I was moved to tears and the wedding ceremony hadn't yet started.
My eyes perused our group. Many I knew from reviewing their work, others I hadn't met. Sally had more friends than me, lol, but they seemed a decent lot.
Tears graced all their eyes. A few had rivulets glistening beneath sparkling eyes. Debi and Karenina were openly weeping.
Sandra had her hands crossed over her heart in mutual wonder. Pam had her camera, a real one, not just a cell phone, focused on our favorite bride. Debbie D was poised with pen in hand. I'm not sure where she got it and a notebook, but they had appeared in her practiced hand.
Ulla was smiling, but still watching with a vigilant eye. She loved love, but didn't quite trust our mysterious host and his shenanigans with the whole time warp thingy.
Before Sally reached the alter, the world began to spin again. Sally's voice penetrated all our shrieks of disapproval. "Where are we going now, Mousa?"
"Back to your groom. His nap is about over."
"But what about all of that?" Sally motioned with a sweeping hand towards what we all assumed was the church.
"Part of your past, just like everything else you've experienced."
"Why did you show it to me, then?"
"I do it all the time," Mousa said. "Your turbulent childhood, celebrations in church and with the Lord, lost child and grandchild, even your current health state. They are all what make you you. They all affect your writing."
Sally's tear-filled eyes regarded us with love and pride. Without speaking, she nodded to each of us in turn. To her muse she leaned over and graced his cheek with a kiss.
"Mousa, why bring us with Sally on her journey?" Carol asked. She raised an eyebrow toward our host.
"It's your writing prompt," Mousa answered. "You invited them when you called them by name."
"Mousa, why bring us with Sally on her journey?" Carol asked. She raised an eyebrow toward our host.
"It's your writing prompt," Mousa answered. "You invited them when you called them by name."
"So, to be clear," Carol pressed, "You're not a ghost?"
"Nope, Sally's muse."
"If this is my past," Sally said, trying to make sense of it all. "What of my future? Will I ever be whole again?"
"You're whole now," Mousa's voice said tenderly, "but as for the healing, that's in the hands of the God you've always followed."
His words vibrated in the air as we landed in the reception room of the second Sally, Jack wedding. We saw Jack nodding in the chair where we left him moments earlier. His head rose and his eyes rested on his bride still clad in her original Victorian gown.
Nonplussed, he said, "Time to throw that garter."
"If this is my past," Sally said, trying to make sense of it all. "What of my future? Will I ever be whole again?"
"You're whole now," Mousa's voice said tenderly, "but as for the healing, that's in the hands of the God you've always followed."
His words vibrated in the air as we landed in the reception room of the second Sally, Jack wedding. We saw Jack nodding in the chair where we left him moments earlier. His head rose and his eyes rested on his bride still clad in her original Victorian gown.
Nonplussed, he said, "Time to throw that garter."
 Recognized |
Thank you, Carol of the begin again fame, for starting this thread. It's been fun reading other chapters and adding my own.
The photos I got from Sally, as well as details of the wedding. I'm sure I was super subtle and she had no idea why I was asking, lol.
I'm sorry for any FanStorians I left out in the narrative. You all know who you are and how much you contribute to Sally's story. I tried to make the tale flow without a listing of the many friends and colleagues we've all come to admire and love.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. The photos I got from Sally, as well as details of the wedding. I'm sure I was super subtle and she had no idea why I was asking, lol.
I'm sorry for any FanStorians I left out in the narrative. You all know who you are and how much you contribute to Sally's story. I tried to make the tale flow without a listing of the many friends and colleagues we've all come to admire and love.
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