Law of the Heart—Alternate Ending

Still, without looking at her, I said, "I would like us to be a couple again. I want to date exclusively, only you and me and no one else."

It seemed like forever before she answered. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" she said. She jumped up from the table and hugged me tightly from behind.

"Okay then," I said, "We have a good start to the new year. Let's see how it goes."

It went well. Over the next few months, Jill and I dated as we had when I first started courting her. It wasn't completely easy for me. I never could forget that she had willingly had sex with Juan, and Hector posing as Juan. I realized that there were extenuating circumstances. She had been targeted by her so-called friends. I also know that I was set up. Nevertheless, Jill had adopted a carefree attitude when she went to the reunion that was not appropriate for a married woman.

I also knew that Jill was extremely remorseful about her actions. I was confident that anything like what happened would never happen again if we were to remain together.

In May, I asked Jill to marry me--again. I didn't do it casually. I didn't want her to think that we would just be married by a justice of the peace and pick up where we left off. I proposed on the quiet balcony of a five-star restaurant, overlooking the ocean with a full moon reflecting off the water. Just as when I asked her to be exclusive, she said, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" Then she started crying. I know it was from happiness. I was happy, too.

I told Jill of the plans I had for our second wedding. She thought it would be perfect.

It was at this time we received the invitation about our law class reunion in June. I called Steve and Meredith, and told them that we would be attending the reunion together. I also told him of our plans to remarry. They were both very happy for us.

The first day of the reunion was a little stressful for us. We met many of our old friends and classmates. Most seemed happy to see us back. Some seemed standoffish and reluctant to associate with us. Jill felt that it was obvious that some of our classmates knew that we had been divorced and the reason why. We participated in all the standard events: the buffet lunch on Friday, the nature cruise along the estuary on the tour boat and the outdoor barbeque on Friday night.

Saturday morning was the classic brunch at the resort restaurant, followed by free time that was usually divided between time at the beach and local shopping. It seemed like more and more of our old friends warmed to the idea that Jill and I were back together again. It was partly due to the fact that we hung around each other so closely and were so attentive to one another.

The banquet on Saturday night started off with a social hour in the foyer outside of our banquet room. I was dressed in a black suit with a dress shirt, studs and a bow tie. Jill was beautiful in a formal, off-white pencil shirt and a matching long-sleeved blouse.

Steve, as always, assumed the position of master of ceremonies for the event. After a few opening remarks and a series of jocular comments, he motioned to the waiters and dinner was served. Jill and I sat at the same table as Steve and Meredith and several other of our closest friends. After an unhurried five-course dinner, Steve announced that it was break time and that everyone had ten minutes to get back in their seats for the formal part of the evening before dancing.

As people reconvened at their tables that had been cleared of dishes and empty wine bottles, they relaxed with their after-dinner drinks and cordials. Steve moved the evening along with his announcements and his acknowledgements of classmates who had been promoted in their fields, received special awards and otherwise had been acknowledged for their work in law.

"You may have noticed," Steve continued, "that our two charismatic twin brothers are not with us at this time. It seems that they are being detained by the authorities for improprieties with the laws of the United States. All of us who were here last year witnessed their yacht as it burned and sank in front of us just outside the marina." Steve laughed. "It was spectacular! And too, we followed the saga in the news that disclosed that their yacht was used in the transportation of illegal substances. Since then, our Cuban classmates have been convicted of multiple felonies and are awaiting sentencing in the Miami County jail."

I didn't know what to expect in the way of a reaction from our classmates, but it wasn't silence. Since I was sitting at a table near the dance floor, I had to look around and behind me to see how everyone was reacting. They were all looking at me--everyone. An attractive middle-aged woman in an alluring formal gown put her hands to her mouth and blew me a kiss. A gentleman on the other side of me gave a salute. Yet another woman was shaking her head as if to say, "Yes, thank you."

Steve went on. "We are also missing our class cheerleader, Sally Campbell. I am not certain why but she cancelled at the last minute and said that she was having some legal problems of her own."

Steve turned more serious. "We welcome back two of our favorite people, Jake and Jill--together. Some of us might recall an unfortunate incident two years ago that caused them a great deal of trouble. I know that I speak for Meredith and myself, as well as others, when I say that had we been better friends we might have obviated the problems they had. Nevertheless, they are with us tonight and we are happy to see them again."

There was light applause that Jill and I both acknowledged.

Steve went on. "Before we start the dancing, there is one thing that Jake and Jill wanted you to witness. They are getting married again...now, this very minute."

Steve motioned for Jill and I to come forward until we stood at the front of the dance floor. Steve and Meredith took positions on either side of us. Meredith handed Jill a bouquet of flowers that matched her mode of dress. A minister stepped forward and stood in front of us. In less than ten minutes, we were married again.

As I attempted to put her wedding ring on her left hand, she instead offered her right hand. "I already have wedding wings on my left hand," she said. "I never considered myself not married to you. Now, I will be double married to you."

I slipped her wedding ring onto the wedding finger of her right hand. The rings matched. It was the same wedding ring that she bought in an attempt to mislead me some months before. Only this time, it was inscribed with our names and our new wedding date.

I whispered in her ear just after I kissed her, "If I didn't remarry you, the bad guys would have won."

Just after the justice of the peace said, "I pronounce you husband and wife," Jill turned to our friends at their tables and threw her wedding bouquet to the seated guests. It was caught by a classmate who was a widow.

The band struct up on cue and played Oh How We Danced on the Night We Were Wed, and I danced with my bride. The following music was a rock and roll number and encouraged our friends to join the fun and dance for the rest of the evening.

During a break at our table, I commented that I wondered why Sally wasn't there. Jill told me that some time ago, Sally had mentioned that she was very close to a judge who was instrumental in deciding many of her cases. Jill said that she had hired a private detective to look into the assertion. He found out that Sally had been sleeping with more than one of the judges who routinely adjudicated her cases, and the information was reported to the district attorney.

She ended her story with, "I wanted revenge, too."

While we were dancing, an attractive woman cut in and asked if she could dance with me. Jill graciously acquiesced. I recognized her as Elizabeth, a fellow graduate who I did not know well and had not seen in a long time.

She said, "Jake, the same thing happened to me with Juan Mendoza several years ago. I was ashamed but, nevertheless, told my husband what had happened. He was strong enough to forgive me and not a day goes by that I ever let him forget that he made the right decision. We haven't been to a reunion since that event...until now. We wanted to thank you."

I had to feign ignorance. "Elizabeth, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course, you don't," she replied. She gave me a hug and returned to her table. She kissed the man she sat down with and whispered in his ear. He turned to look at me, gave me a wave and a nod of his head.

Throughout the dance, several men patted me on the back, shook my hand or bought me a drink and said, "Thank you". At one point, a woman came up behind me while I was sitting at our table, put her arms around me and kissed my cheek. She returned to her husband without saying anything.

Jill remarked, "You seem very popular with the ladies tonight, Jake"

"Maybe it's the cologne I'm using," I said with a wry smile.

While I was getting drinks from the cash bar, I made it a point to approach Bill Allen. "Your firm is representing Juan and Hector, is that right?"

Bill acknowledged the fact. He said, "They had a lot of money and they received the personal attention of our senior partners." He went on to say that they were going to spend a long time in prison. Further, they would not be together. They hadn't been together since the day they were arrested. Because they had exposed a great deal of their drug smuggling operation, including names of principal operators, they were pretty-well marked for death in any federal prison. For that reason, they had been separated and given new identities. They were going to spend their time in separate state prisons, one in North Dakota and one in Ohio, with bogus convictions against them.

I asked him if he was ever able to see them. Bill said that he did some ancillary work for the partners when they had some documents the Mendozas had to sign or something on which they had to make a decision.

I asked Bill if he would deliver a message for me. He said he would. I gave him the message I wanted him to pass on to Juan and Hector, "You fucked my wife, so I fucked your life."

Revenge isn't complete unless those who hurt you know that you have, not just gotten even, but have totally destroyed them. My words would give them the inkling that I was the cause of their destruction, but not enough that they could prove anything. Besides, the law was way beyond taking action against the arsonist of their boat.

I didn't know it at the time, but Bill had taken up with Maria, Hector's now ex-wife. As beautiful and voluptuous as she was, she was most interested in finding someone who really loved her. All she really wanted was a man of her own and lots of babies. Bill was that man.

Before the evening ended, Steve announced that there would be a reception for the newly-weds the following morning at brunch. Some of our classmates had early flights out the next day and could not attend the reception. Others changed their travel plans, and some lived in the local area and did not have to leave.

At one point during the reception, Jill dinged her mimosa glass with a spoon to get everyone's attention. She had something to say. "Thank all of you for being here today. I would like to believe that you have forgiven me for my mistakes two years ago. I know that Jake has forgiven me, but I also know he will never forget. As for me, I will never forgive myself and I will never forget. Nevertheless, I want you all to know that I am supremely happy today and I will make certain Jake is supremely happy for the rest of his life."

I believed her.

END