Elizabeth To Beth

In mid-March, Margaret told me that things were getting serious between Elizabeth and Stanley. Margaret was very fond of Elizabeth and only wanted the best for her. Margaret and Elizabeth were quite close now, both attending a Christian Women's Knitting circle on Tuesdays. I could tell Margaret wanted to ask me something and finally Margaret did.

"Ricky, would you be upset with me if I were Elizabeth's Matron of Honor. "That's if Elizabeth asks me of course, and I am pretty sure that she shall.

I choked the words out... thinking, first Bea and now Beth. "Of course not, Margaret."

"I am so relieved that you are taking this so well, dear. "Take my word for it, everything will turn out for the best."

Margaret was wrong. I was not taking it well. Nothing was turning out for the best.

"Where is Elizabeth now, Margaret?" I said forcing a smile. "I want to congratulate Elizabeth and wish her luck." I was lying.

"Elizabeth is back in the Cheektowaga staying with some cousins for the weekend. They are going to throw Elizabeth a little party this evening to celebrate her upcoming engagement."

"Do you know the address, Margaret? I should pick up a little gift for Elizabeth."

Margaret gave me the street address in Cheektowaga, NY, a large town just west of Buffalo. The party was to be held at the Polish Falcons Nest, a social club, in a predominately Polish neighborhood. I had no trouble finding it for all the cars parked outside. I could faintly hear the Oberek Polka playing inside and people laughing and a having good time. My heart was breaking. Was I to late?

I knocked on the door and was let in by two very large men. The place was packed with people. Was this Margaret's idea of a little party? They immediately handed me a bottle of Zywiec beer and a shot glass of Krupnik vodka. They insisted that I drink to the health of their cousin Elizabeth & her fiancé to be. What else could I do?

I raised my shot glass, " To Elizabeth and her true love, may they never be apart."

I threw down the shot of Krupnik and quickly downed the beer. Another man joined us and handed me another bottle of Zywic and another shot glass of Krupnik vodka. We went through another round of toasts, each cousin toasting the health of Elizabeth and her fiancé. I finally got away from them, or so I thought, working my way quietly through all the people.

The place was packed with men, women and children, no doubt Elizabeth's family and friends. All good, solid, working class people having a well deserved good time.

I could see Elizabeth and Stanley sitting together from across the room. Margaret was sitting there with Linda on her right, and Elizabeth to the left.

Beth's hair was styled exactly like it was on the day we left Linda's Salon. Elizabeth was wearing the same yellow pale dress that moved with her like a cloud. Beth was so beautiful and looked so happy sitting there. I started walking toward Beth to tell her how I felt. Maybe there was still a chance for us.

I almost made it to the table when the music stopped. People were gathering behind me on the dance floor as if waiting for some kind of announcement. Those three large men were now standing next to me and behind me. If need be I might be able to knock at least one of them out, so I had a chance to tell Beth that I loved her. Before the other two beat me senseless.

The happy couple stood up and everyone raised their glasses. I took the pin out of my pocket. The pin that I bought for Beth on the day I snuck out of the movie theatre. It was a cluster of leaves.... the leaves from the oak tree. The reason it caught my eye, was because the leaves fanned out like a bouquet. Like the bouquet Beth had in her hand when I first saw her under my walnut trees. Set with numerous small vibrant semi-precious stones: yellows, oranges and reds in 18-karat gold. There was one green stone that I had the jeweler place there, not original to the piece. The pin was not ready the Sunday evening when Beth left me.

"Elizabeth wait!!" I shouted as I stepped forward and walked to their table. "You can't marry him."

"Richard, I knew you would show up and disrupt things. Said, Elizabeth. Linda, you were absolutely right about him." Linda just nodded and smiled.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, what I was seeing. Linda, betraying me?"

It is a good thing that we took precautions." Margaret said, nodding and smiling as well.

"Margaret how could you?" I felt Elizabeth's cousin's strong hands on my shoulders.

"How could I what, dear?" "You were saying, Richard?" Margaret asked.

Ignoring my betrayers. "Elizabeth, you have to understand something!" I am not that stubborn green leaf that I was before I met you. Beth...I"

"What is he talking about Beth?" Stanley interrupted. What is all this nonsense about leaves?

"Beth, I bought you this pin. I sneaked out of the theatre. Do you remember, Beth? I said that I was going to the Men's Room and then I took a long time.

"What are you trying to say to me, Richard?"

"I saw you standing under my walnut trees with a bouquet of leaves before I showed you your apartment. Red ones, and yellow ones and orange leaves; you looked so beautiful then, Beth. You look so beautiful now. I was a green leaf then and you helped me change The green stone was to remind..." I was about to say us, but there was no us, just Elizabeth and Stanley.

"Will you at least accept my present, Beth?" Elizabeth walked over to me and I handed Beth a red, heart shaped Swarovski Crystal Box. When Beth opened it, she took a deep breath before taking the pin out.

"I'm sorry that it was ready on our last day together, Beth." 'I should have gave it to you then. I should have told you then that I..."

Stanley stepped in front of me, interrupting again. "Well, Pal, it looks like the better man.... I broke away and knocked Stanley down. Beth's cousins were right behind me and quickly tackled me to the floor. They picked me up and stood me on my feel holding me in a death grip.

There was no way I was breaking loose now. But I was going to be damned if I was not going to put up a fight for her. I didn't care if I was about to be pummeled. I was going to tell Beth that I loved before they carried me out, unconscious.

"Richard, that is enough!" Followed by. "Stanley, are you hurt?" "This thing has gone far enough! Elizabeth exclaimed.

Stanley got up from the floor smiling. I thought for sure I was going to get as good as I gave him. I couldn't blame the bastard if he did, I did having it coming. Stanley just stood in front of me with a big smile on his face. He must be some kind of a nut case or liberal pacifist. I would have clobbered me. I could see the start of a bruise, a black eye starting to form around Stanley's right eye.

Stanley walked over to the microphone stand and turned the microphone on. "I have an announcement to make. Will everyone please settle down?" Things got very quiet.

"Elizabeth! " I shouted trying to break free. I stepped forward, once, twice dragging Beth's cousins along with me. "You can't marry him, Elizabeth!"

"Thank you for the beautiful pin, Richard Beth said, pinning it on her dress. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't.

"Because I love you, Elizabeth Susan Adamczyk. Beth's cousins let go of me. They took a few steps backward, and I was thinking; "Now I'm going to get it."

I turned to face them, my feet planted, ready to fight.

Those big bastards actually took a step back, their hands up and palms out

I could hear a young girl somewhere in the crowd ask. "Did he tell her yet, Mommy?

Then I shouted. "I love you Elizabeth Susan Adamczyk!" Finally, beating Stanley to the verbal punch for once and interrupting him for a change.

Elizabeth put her arms around my waist and whispered in my ear. I could feel Beth's sweet breath on my face. "I love it when you call me, Beth, sweetheart."

I reached up to take my Beth's hands. Beth then snapped one side of the blued peerless handcuffs on my right wrist, the other cuff was already on her left one "I'm not going to let you get away from me a second time, you big stubborn sweetheart you."

I turned and pulled my Beth as close as the handcuffs allowed, kissing her mouth.

"I told you Elizabeth." A familiar voice said quietly behind us. "I told you that you couldn't keep Richard away. I couldn't keep him away from Beatrice even when I pointed a shotgun at him.

"I still have to make to make an announcement." Stanley said over the microphone. "Richard loves my cousin, Elizabeth." I could see Margaret and Linda sitting at the table hugging one another and crying. I should have known better. This big, happy dummy had been had...and big time.

"Your cousin, Beth? You...I...them...he, but...?" Was all that I was able to stutter.

"Never mind, sweetheart?" "Who would have thought that a Conservative like you would ever been at a loss for words?" This is so romantic. I just wanted to hear you say it.

"Just wait until I get you home, Beth." I whispered.

"I want to introduce you around to my family...now that we are engaged. A ring would have been nice, but I love this beautiful pin so much better then any old diamond ring. And this party is for us after all." Beth said, touching my face. "My cousin Stanislaus and Margaret are paying for everything."

"All of this is so wonderful, Beth Perhaps now I will finally have a church wedding." I said, wiping the happy tears from Beth's face.

"I can't wait to finally meet your cousin Stanislaus, Beth, and thank him, Margaret too. I said looking for Stanislaus to step forward.

"Sweetheart, you already have, And you just knocked him down.

"Stanislaus, I mean Stanley! Stanislaus is Stanley?"

"Don't worry, Stanley isn't angry, he likes you, sweetheart. Stanley will be performing our marriage ceremony. Isn't that wonderful!"

"Is Stanley a minister?" I asked.

"No, he is a Catholic Priest, Sweetheart."

"I just knocked a Catholic Priest ass over teakettle. Why didn't you stop me, Beth?"

"Well it's not like we didn't try. My cousin's assured me they could handle you. Stanley was having such a good time playing the heavy. I guess that he got carried away. Stanley was bound and determined not to like you at first. I had no idea that you would pull him out of the car like that. Margaret wasn't surprised at all when I told her. When you confronted Stanley in the driveway and pulled him out of the car, he changed his mind immediately."

Elizabeth raised our handcuffed arms above our heads and shouted.

"I want everyone here to meet my true love, Richard Adams! I won't ever let him get away from me a second time!"

And then Beth's family and friends descended upon us offering us their congratulations.

But that was not the end of our story....................