#50 (It's Will and Connor's wedding day...)
“All of Kingsport, Manhattan, London, Paris, and Hong Kong are a twitter with the news of today’s wedding of Montgomery scion, William Harrison Montgomery to Dr. Connor Lorenzo Windsor, both of Kingsport, Connecticut. The wedding ceremony will take place at a private chapel on the Montgomery Estate for close family and invited guests before the reception which is rumored to be hosted in the grand ballroom on the estate for three hundred and fifty people,” explained the Kingsport Press in breathless detail. “William Montgomery, the youngest child of Charles Montgomery, IV and Alison Farrell Montgomery, is the owner of the Kingsport Polo Club as well as the captain for the King’s Polo team. Dr. Connor Windsor, the eldest child of Alistair and Raquel Windsor, is a surgeon at Fairfield County Hospital…”
Jill Stanhope Montgomery tossed the newspaper aside as she took a deep, cleansing breath. Although she tried to block out the events of the other from her mind, she couldn’t stop thinking about her moment of passion with Connor. Her body ached for him. He still knew everything that made her quiver, cry, moan, and melt. Warren hadn’t had sex with her in three months. To have a man inside of her…on top of her…and ravaging her made Jill want nothing more than to run off with the man who was due to marry her brother-in-law at eleven o’clock this morning.
“Are you ready?” Warren Montgomery walked into his wife’s dressing room as he fastened his nineteenth century cufflinks.
“DeShawn will be here to do my hair in a few minutes. We won’t be late.”
Warren eyed Jill carefully. “We can’t be late for my brother’s wedding,” stressed Warren. “I’m his best man.”
Jill fastened an emerald and sapphire bracelet around her wrist. “We’ll be early,” smiled Jill, lightly.
“We should’ve stayed at the estate last night,” muttered Warren. “With all of the out of town guests coming in today, there may be traffic.”
“We’ll be fine,” sighed Jill. “Warren, I want to apologize.”
“For what?”
“Everything. I know I haven’t been myself recently and I am sorry. I should have put my personal beliefs and feelings aside when it came to Will’s wedding.”
Touched by his wife’s sudden about face, Warren kissed her forehead. “That means a lot. Thank you, Jill.”
Just then, the doorbell rang as Jill’s phone bleated to life. “That’s DeShawn. Showtime,” tittered Jill.
“I don’t think we should be talking right now,” Nicholas said into his cell phone as he waited to climb into an idling black town car. “What we did the other night…”
“We didn’t do anything wrong. It was just a kiss,” whispered Will.
“You’re getting married today. I knew it was a bad idea letting myself get sucked into your orbit again,” snapped Nicholas.
“Please don’t be mad at me, Nicholas. I… I was in a weak state and I should’ve known better,” stammered Will. “I just… Help me make sense of what to do, Nicholas.”
“I can’t, Monty. You’re on your own.”
“Nicholas…”
“Monty, I can’t be your talk-to. If you want to marry Connor, marry him. If you don’t, call it off. Either way, the decision is yours. I can’t… No, I won’t be your consolation prize or back-up plan. Whatever you do next, you have to do it on your own.”
The chapel on the Montgomery Estate was last used on the occasion of Warren’s wedding to Jill. Outside of that, the chapel sat dormant except of weekly cleanings and the off times when the Montgomery family would use it to repent for sins of the past, present, and future. Sheila Davenport, Dylan Davenport, Lisa Davenport Collins, Jackson Collins, Oliver Collins, Elijah Davenport, Faren Davenport, and Nicholas Davenport made
their way into the chapel past the assembled press dressed in their finest wedding couture. Eli led Faren towards the holding area where she joined her cousins, Hannah and Kate Montgomery, the other flower girls in the wedding party.
“How tastefully done,” Sheila said to Dylan, who walked by her side.
“I suppose,” muttered Dylan. “I’m surprised Charles allowed the press to attend.”
Sheila pursed her lips. “Raquel Windsor begged for press coverage. People like Raquel think the Montgomerys are a royal family.”
“Aren’t they?” mused Dylan.
“Royalty doesn’t have this much money,” tutted Sheila.
“I didn’t think you’d come to your ex-boyfriend’s wedding,” Lisa whispered to Nicholas as they made their way to their pew.
Nicholas lowered his eyes before saying, “If I didn’t come, people would talk. I’m happy for them.”
Lisa gave Nicholas a curious stare. “All right. If that’s the story you want to tell…”
“Drop it,” Nicholas ordered his sister. “Let’s enjoy the wedding.”
In a small sun drenched waiting room, Will waited calmly as Warren finished tying his bow tie. “Is everyone here?” worried Will.
“Yes,” said Warren, calmly. “Uncle Walton and his brood just showed up.”
“How do you know for sure?”
“Jill texted me. Everything is going to be fine, Billy.”
Will forced a smile onto his face. Despite everything that had happened, he could feel the clouds lift. He was getting married today to the man he loved! Will couldn’t think of anything more wonderful. A second later, the clock stuck eleven. Without a word, Will drew a deep breath before leaving the room and walking towards the altar.
It had been agreed that Will would begin the processional with Alison and Charles followed by Connor and his parents. After what seemed like years of stress and worry, Will cast a confidant eye over the his wedding guests. They were dressed in their finest morning clothes just for the occasion. Even his sister, India, and his sister-in-law, Jill, looked good. Will smiled confidently at Nicholas Davenport because he knew his future was with Connor. As Will took his place at the altar with Warren by his side, they faced up the aisle to await Connor’s entrance. The music swelled and…
Nothing.
Silence.
Three seconds (which felt like six years) ticked by.
More silence.
Someone coughed.
Silence.
People looked at each other with mounting concern coupled with polite society smiles.
More people coughed.
Will turned to Warren with pensive dread in his eyes.
Alison grabbed Charles’ hand with a heavy squeeze. Their eyes locked ever so briefly before they both cast them to the stone floor.
Suddenly, the door to the chapel opened.
Everyone turned around with eager anticipation.
Alistair Windsor stepped into the chapel with a worn look on his face. “We… He’s gone. We don’t know where he is. Will…I’m so sorry.”
Will let out a scream so deafening, it sounded primal. His blood ran cold before he collapsed into Warren’s arms in front of the entire congregation. A second later, everything went black.
In our next installment, questions abound in Kingsport…
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