Jill and Richard's Delayed Wedding

When their sandwich plates were in front of them, Monique asked in French, "What should we talk about?"

Richard said, "Love - but back before you began selling your body to gentlemen."

She said, "The usual story: 'There was a man' with whom I was very much in love in my small Alsatian city near Strasbourg. I worked as a retail clerk. But, two years into our relationship he first cheated on me and then left me for another woman. Devastated, I migrated the one hour drive to Strasbourg where I got another retail clerk job and then met an American. We fell in love, got married, I emigrated here as his wife, and we had five good years. But, in time a Gynecologist informed me that children were not in my future, and I knew my husband was playing around, having lost interest in me. He asked me for a divorce, and I agreed, reluctantly, and he pays me a fairly nice alimony check. But, I now seduce certain gentlemen to supplement my income. Never before have I met someone like you who shows a genuine interest in me personally - albeit it's only to practice your French. Today is my day, Mister."

Richard said, "Hmmm I have only been in love once and I still 'suffer' from its aftermath. As crazy as that sounds I am still in love, and she remains in love with me -hearsay has it."

"But why Mister Black, and why are you two not together if that be the case?"

Richard finished his sandwich and his beer and spent 15 minutes or so telling her the whole story while she ate her food. He finished by saying, Jill's sucking a male stripper's cock was the final straw, but not the reason I stood her up at our wedding. We are different people: I started out intent on learning a trade, and my parents scraped for funds to loan me and I pursued my dream alone, while she relaxes while spending Daddy's Money and works at a laid back job in Daddy's company. We are people - too much different from each other."

When the couple was in the Uber vehicle en route to La Guardia, the Hooker asked, "Yet, you spent two wonderful years together, why and how?"

"She wanted to get married to please her Mom and her Dad - as in providing them with a grandchild. But frankly I admire her father's ability to put things together, but personally, I didn't want to be cocooned into their web and selfishly wanted Jill mostly to myself - didn't want to marry a dozen people. But I relented, and we two live-in lovers set an event date for a year later after our first year living together. But, I had increasing trepidation as our shindig approached because my judgment was that we were marrying for the wrong reason and were entirely different people. So, I hired a PI to attend her Bachelorette party. She did and gave me the video proof of what Jill did at her drunken brawl, and I called the wedding junket off as the final straw."

As Uber approached their terminal, his companion asked, "What about the future, Mister Black?"

The two said their 'thank yous' and 'goodbyes' to each other and he squeezed her hand warmly. As Richard exited the Uber car and the driver had fetched his suitcase from the trunk, Monique's customer said, "I would marry Jill tomorrow, if and only if I witnessed that she has made the rumored 4.0 changes in her life that hearsay has reported over the past two years!" He watched her smile and wave goodbye as Monique remained sitting in the back seat. Turning to the driver, he said, "Your dispatcher has you dropping her off where you picked us up, right?"

"Yes, sir, and thank you," as he pocketed the $20 tip.

!!

A year later, Jill and Barbra, now two thirty-year-olds, were inspecting their second off-site storage acquisition, EZ-Store, and its manager was with them. The refurbishing General Contractor also walked with them going over each item of a punch list to verify all previously reported glitches found in that firm's completed work were now corrected.

Suddenly, they came upon hundreds of small USPS packages awaiting pick-up which were neatly stacked up. Jill asked her manager, "Black Shipping Agents? Who are they?"

The EZ-Store manager, who now worked for the two ladies, replied, "They rent 400 hundred square feet in one group of 6 by 10s and have a part time employee who comes in briefly to stock and ship beauty products."

After Jill had signed off the General Contractor's paperwork, they went into their manager's office. Barbra asked, "Who exactly is 'Black Shipping Agents?"

He pulled up a screen and said, "'Richard Black Enterprises.' Most of their inventory shipments come in via DHL international freight from France. Then they ship the product to many locations."

Jill froze inside of her and couldn't say a word, more. Barbra said their courtesy goodbyes to their EZ-Store manager and the two ladies drove toward Jill's office. On the road, Barb said, "Your Richard is a busy man, indeed. He not only is adding shops he now has a commissary that is staffed by only one part-time employee - talking about low overhead. But, amongst all that success, I will bet you money, Jill, he still diddles himself nightly while thinking about you."

Jill said, "In my dreams, at any rate. I wonder if Richard would throw me out if I went over and personally thanked him for his business?"

Barb said, "He would either do that, or move his business elsewhere, or throw you on the floor and make whoopee until both of you barely could move. Think about it, Jill. His only problem with you was that your life was laid back living on Daddy's success while he, in turn, busted his ass to grow his business. Yes, you once held down a pretend job that Mister Parkman had created for you, I know that, but the game has now changed. You now are a desirable woman yourself, girlfriend. If it were me, I would stalk Richard until I was in his life once again or got served with a restraining order - one or the other. I will bet money that you are exactly the woman he is looking for at this point in his life - and certainly, he is the man you desperately need at this juncture in your life."

"Hmm Yes. I will think about that, Girlfriend."

!!

Richard Black had talked to three of his four zone managers while he ate the not-so-tasty delivered food sitting in his apartment alone this early evening. He felt by himself on the planet and even turned on cable TV and watched a couple of sitcom episodes where the girls were sexy and alluring - except he turned the TV volume off because his experience was that to the extent the girls became pretty, the plots became progressively trite. Tiring of that, Richard turned on his piano keyboard and played some simple pieces over and over that the hair-dresser-turned-business man first played when in junior high school. At times like these, when he felt completely alone, he always promised himself, "At some point, I am going to slow down enough to get back into piano lessons. I will have a companion who will encourage me and laughter will dominate my home." He stopped playing and sat up straight. He promised himself, "After I get Tyson's Corner Va up and running smoothly with four or five shops, then I will stop and..." He paused for a moment to bring to his mind an image of Jill Parkman dressed as a star-quality living doll who has stopped traffic - a smile spread across his face because she had been wearing a gown he had recommended and had completely made her up to be a doll. He almost swooned and remembered that Jill had said, 'Richard, you need to stop and smell the roses.' Yes, Jill was right, and enjoying life is my new goal - just as soon as..." Then he had an idea.

Black ran an electric razor over his face and walked up nine floors with the goal of taking the first step to reconnect with Jill Parkman. He rang the building superintendent's buzzer, and a machine recording of Jill's voice answered, "My office hours are from 9:00 until 4:00, please come back tomorrow unless you wish to report an emergency."

He pounded on her door and said, "Jill, it's Richard Black. And, I want to report almost an emergency! May we talk?"

He heard the chains coming off and the door flew open. Jill, not believing the voice she thought she heard, asked, "Richard?"

"May I come in?"

She replied, "I am not dressed to entertain you, man I think of daily, but hurry on in and relax in my living room while I make myself somewhat presentable." He smiled as he noted that she wore thick horned rim glasses, and her hair was a mess. She was looking over her glasses at her visitor, but she did manage a smile of gladness that he visited her - even under these bazaar circumstances.

When she returned from her bedroom and bathroom looking somewhat like the beautiful woman he remembered, she just smiled at him as if she were speechless. She took a seat at her desk that contained two monitors and a host of other equipment and focused on him standing in front of her desk.

Richard said, "In one sense, Jill, I am here on business, but I wanted to see you, so I walked up nine floors for my cardio exercise and took a chance that you would see me." There was a pause as Richard suddenly had no idea what to say next.

She took the initiative and said, "The last time you and I were in the same room together was seemingly just yesterday. I am elated that you visited me - please do it again and often."

Richard finally said, "Uhh. My neighbor said he had signed a small office lease in the 2nd Floor office space Buildout of this structure that Sunrise has ongoing right now. I, too, am looking for a small office. I would like to rent one. Want to give me a tour?"

She leaned back in her chair disappointed that Richard came to see her on business - which, she told herself, "He could have done that online - he aches to see me as much as I hurt to see him and he doesn't know how to greet me." Trying to think of some fill-in information she said, "Well, a second floor retail shop zone was not a lucrative idea the prior owners had for this part of town - so I talked Daddy into converting the space to offices." Since Richard did not join in their conversation she continued, "Barbra, who was to have been my maid-of-honor, you will remember, and I are now in business together, and we just might establish an administrative support firm in that space and..."

He interrupted and said, nervously, "Administrative help is what I need. That commissary that had been in my plan if you remember is now functioning, and two other companies in the health and beauty industry now want me to be their agent to stock and ship their products as well. So, I need help."

Jill relaxed and said, "Yes, I know, Black Shipping Company rents storage space from Barbra and me." She noted that her former lover was stunned, and continued, "Let's take the elevator down to the second floor where the contractor has the buildout underway. You will be able to pick out your office space will be."

He jumped up to walk behind her admiring her perfect rear end but once in the elevator, he unconsciously held her hand, and she squeezed his back, and for the first time, the two former lovers stayed focused on each other. However, both remained silent unable to force themselves to speak.

On the second floor, she clung tightly to his hand, and said, "Here is a 300 square feet unit in two rooms, right next to the elevator and the toilets are 20 yards down the hall. You will be pleased with the pre-construction price."

He finally turned loose of her hand and managed to say, "Sold."

Jill thought, "It's now or never, Girl." She said, "Now that our business is complete let's go out to dinner and talk about us? It is apparent that we two are completely comfortable around each other once again even after just a few minutes even now when I look like Witch Hazel."

Inexplicably, the tense hair-dresser relaxed. Richard gently placed the back of his hand on her cheek and gently caressed her face and said, "Thank you, let's do. May I knock on your apartment combo office door in thirty minutes?"

"Yes."

!!

Richard showered and shaved and put on aftershave. He then chose a stylish pair of slacks and a sweater. Right on time, he rang her buzzer after using the elevator this time. She quickly opened the door and said, "Please come in. You are going on two years late."

After some greeting chatter, she continued, "Come in, my dear long lost man, and let me show you around." The living area was spotless, and even the wine glasses decorating a lighted china cabinet along with the glassed enclosure were sparkling. But the shock was the sight of Jill because she was ravishing now - compared to looking like a stressed out workaholic just a short while ago. After the tour, the two just stopped and stared at each other.

Richard broke the silence and said, "Jill, I have no appetite. In fact, I only want to hold you close again. Could you and I..."

She interrupted him by rushing to squeeze the man she never stopped loving and pressed him to her body. They passionately kissed and..."

Two hours and thirty-seven minutes later the two lay naked on her plush carpeted floor wrapped up in each other's arms. Their clothes covered the couch. She said, "We can not go to dinner because I refuse to turn you loose, Richard. If you were to disappear again for two years, it would be the end of me." She used her foot to drag her house phone over to her and ordered two Curried Tuna sandwiches delivered. She said, "Now, may we talk?"

"Yes, Jill, about anything you wish."

She said, "The seven days in St. Kitt, planned with trumpeted fanfare for our marriage, but without you, was the worst week of my life. I deliberately avoided my relatives and friends who stayed at the same resort and walked along the ocean by myself as much as I could. On my flight back home I concluded, "I wouldn't have married you either if your life had been a passive bed of flowers the way mine had been at the time."

Richard said, "That was an unusually harsh judgment of yourself. What exactly precipitated it?"

She paused several seconds and squeezed him tighter and said, "I took the nude dancer's cock into my mouth at my bachelorette party. It was only for a moment, and my resulting guilt shut down my mind. My friends thought I was drunk, but guilt disabled me. I haven't fully recuperated from that moment of passionate lust until just now."

Richard raised up on one elbow and smiled broadly into her reddened eyes. He said, "A Private Investigator provided me visual evidence of your moment of wanton passion. But, Jill, that was not the reason I called off the wedding, Darling."

Shocked, she opened her mouth to exclaim, "You... you knew, but yet here you are in my arms? Why? Why did you stand me up at our wedding and cost my Dad all that money for nothing?"

"I had trepidation about our marriage since I first agreed because you and I were two different types of people. In a visual image, anyone as affluent with Daddy's money as you were was the opposite of me - my mantra was and is to be independent, grow my business, and be my own person. I have even paid back Dad and Mom all the money they loaned me to get started in my adult life."

After silence, Richard continued, "My estimate of you began to change recently when my Newberry Street manager told me that you and his ex-cheating wife lover, Barbra, had gone into business and were 'hell bent' to become independent..."

Jill laughed and kissed Richard lightly on his lips and said, "Well, to be honest, the get-it-done scrapper is my normal state and had been since Swiss High School, but the high fashion of the fashionable and beautiful people around me uppity alma mater momentarily diverted my attention. So, I have a question for you. Why are you certain now the stylish, despot Jill inside me won't reappear?"

Richard replied, "'Certain' is the wrong word, I think. Your business and motherhood commitments after becoming a mother greatly decrease the probability that you will revert to the Jill you became while in college and were when we lived together."

She asked, pleasantly surprised, "A baby? I sense that the only reason you agreed to our original marriage plans in the first place was that you wanted to father and nurture our child. Is that accurate?"

He replied, "Yes, even though I knew that a divorce and cheating were in the future of our marriage should I have gone through with the planned ceremony. I don't feel that way now because you have changed BIG-TIME, and my goal is to make Jill want to be with me exclusively more and more daily. The bottom line is that Jill reverting to the Coed Jill would become highly improbable."

!!

After the two had refreshed themselves, they heated up the food delivered earlier and sat down to eat. "I have a proposal to make," Richard said and continued, "Let's hang with each other again to be certain we can become happy with our new 'togetherness.' Then if that works lets sign that prenuptial that separates our assets, fly to Mexico and get married, get you pregnant, and then come home and announce our three lives together to friends and family."

She started crying, "A baby?" How did you know that the more success in business and in life I have achieved since you refused to marry me, the more I wanted your child?"

Richard said, "Let's face facts. The primary reason you wanted to get married then was that your Mom wanted a grandchild. This time, you and I will have been the only decision makers."

The End.

Epilog: In the coming weeks, She kept her Sunrise Properties apartment and manager's office although she began quietly spending time with Richard in his apartment. She took her meals and slept nine floors below in Richard's apartment, once again. Only Barbra knew that the two lovebirds were back together and swore to keep their secret.

Three months later Richard had bought three coiffure shops in the Tyson's Corner area and had found a good manager whom he trained to turn them into an unmistakable "Richard Black Coiffure" shop - with the now legendary instant beauty where the client beauties were his best advertisement for his shops.

As the holiday season neared, Richard, whose presence was a welcome shock to everybody, attended the Parkman residence gala dinner with Jill. Unbeknown to their host, their presence was after Richard and Jill had gotten secretly married, and Jill had become pregnant in Mexico. The two showed up at the main holiday annual dinner in the Parkman luxury home to the surprise of everyone. A dozen plus family members, in addition to a myriad of children, had gathered. The married couple stood up, and Jill said, "Hey everybody, I have an announcement!" There was silence, and Jill continued, "Richard and I are married, and a rabbit test reports that I am pregnant." A cheer went up while Mister and Misses Parkman visibly cried with happiness.

Life is good.