A Man for Life

Storm clouds laden with rain quickly crossed the vast sky. In the distance, a rumble of thunder was heard, and a wind began to rise, filling the front yard with dust. At the door stood a woman holding a bridal bouquet, looking anxiously toward the distant road to see if any cars were approaching. At that moment, a flash of lightning cut the sky in two. The clock hands were approaching noon. the hour of confrontation.
That was too much like a scene from a bad movie, Carey Winslow thought. And she'd been in too many not to know. He watched as the first drops of rain darkened the ground and splashed against the porch railing. Then the wind picked up even more, and the rain seemed like a curtain of water. The forecast he had heard on the radio that morning had been right, and Carey knew that a front of strong storms would cross the entire state, including the airport, which was several hours away by car.
Kyle wouldn't make it in time. When she considered the harsh reality, Carey's stomach sank. Kyle's car, which wasn't even a pickup truck and had poor traction, would end up skidding and in the ditch. Why did he have to leave everything to the last minute? That was a very typical thing for men. She sighed, stepped away from the door, and placed the small bouquet of white rosebuds on the hall table."Has the groom arrived yet?" Ophelia's calm voice sounded from the other side of the aisle.
"The judge is getting nervous. He says if the groom doesn't arrive soon, it's best to leave. Besides, with the rain that's started to fall...""Yeah, I know. I'm not going to wait much longer, " Carey said as she straightened her sleeveless chiffon dress with green and red florals. The only jewelry she wore was a cameo, a memento from her mother. A garland of tiny white roses in her hair completed the ensemble: the bridal set.
It wasn't a traditional dress and veil, but she certainly wasn't a conventional bride either. Both the dress and the rest of the accessories were improvised. It wasn't overly traditional, but enough to keep up appearances; enough to satisfy the terms of her father's legacy and allow her to inherit. But none of that would be possible without a boyfriend, Carey thought desperately. And she was running out of time."Ask the judge if he'd like something to eat while he waits.
I'd better go find my fiancé.""In this weather?" Ophelia shrieked. "You're going to make a mess of your dress. Why don't you wait until Willie gets back? He'll find you a man."Offering her husband's help in such a confident tone, Carey felt a strange sensation in her heart. Her mother had died when she was seven, and her father had never remarried. Ophelia and Willie, who had been the caretakers of Whispering Oaks Ranch for over 25 years, had been a wonderful example for Carey of what a lasting, loving union between a man and a woman could be.
It was the kind of relationship she had always wanted for herself, always dreamed of; a relationship that should begin on her wedding day. But, like many of her childhood dreams and hopes, it was sadly not to be. Had he been there, Carey knew Willie Jackson would have braved the rain and wind to help her. But Willie, who was currently taking over the position the overseer had left, was out in the fields in the pouring rain, tending the cattle.