Darryl Pine stared in the mirror as he straightened his bow tie. Who would have thought that a mere seven months ago he had been embroiled in the most confusing episode of his life. He still had not shared with anyone the details of his unplanned marriage to Iris Gilford. That was a chapter of his life that Darryl intended to keep firmly closed.
He had delayed a month or so after the annulment before going home to visit his family. Darryl was convinced anyone who knew him well could see some remnant of his unplanned marriage written on his face. As a result, his behavior had been so odd that at some point each member of his family (and several of his friends) had questioned him on his state of mind. Several times his father, with the uncanny profiling skill that had placed him in high esteem with the local authorities, had gently attempted to determine what had happened while Darryl was away.
At first Darryl denied that anything had happened. When his father quietly stated that he knew something life-changing had taken place in Darryl's life and that his son's inability to concede even that much disturbed him, Darryl admitted that something had taken place but that it was a private thing and nothing to worry about. His father had responded with a knowing smile and a quietly amused 'Ah, a woman.'
Nathan Pine, Darryl's father, misunderstood as Darryl began to choke on the Sprite he was drinking. The older man took his son's reaction as confirmation that he had correctly guessed the cause of Darryl's changed demeanor. Darryl had absolutely no intention of correcting his father, not even when he gently promised Darryl that his heart would heal in time.
Each time his cellphone rang during that visit, Darryl apprehensively glanced at the screen. But true to her word, Iris' phone number never again appeared on his caller id. She was apparently more successful than he was at completely putting their impromptu marriage behind them. More likely, Darryl thought, Iris did not care enough about others' opinions to worry herself with the matter. He deleted her contact from his phone, though his finger hovered over the touch screen several minutes before he did so.
As the days passed, Darryl began to relax, a fact that was not lost on his family. Thrilled that he was once again the son and brother they knew, the Pine family no longer concerned themselves with Darryl's state of mind.
Darryl threw himself with enthusiasm into the dating pool. Some dates were setups arranged by friends, others were hookups with women he'd met through the job. After a while, both groups lost their appeal. Much to his mother's delight, he reconnected with his high school girlfriend, Brittany Snow. Britt had been the head cheerleader at a nearby school, a more elite and far more expensive place than the private high school Darryl attended, thanks to his father's connections. She was blonde, petite and willowy. Her upper-crust upbringing was evident in her speech and her walk.
Much to Darryl's delight, he discovered that despite Britt's genteel ways, she had a very healthy sexual appetite. He set out to replace all his memories of sex with Iris by overlaying them with sex with Brittany. Their dates were usually cut short in order to rush to somewhere more private and answer the call of their aroused bodies.
After one such incident, Darryl and Britt lay sprawled naked on a beach towel in the bed of his Dodge Ram. It was summer and they were parked on a tract of barely used property belonging to the studio. As the sun gently warmed their damp bodies, Brittany raised her head from Darryl's chest and quietly asked where their relationship was headed. Darryl gave her a gentle smile and replied, 'Marry me and find out.'
It was not the proposal Darryl envisioned. But in between her tears, Brittany swore that she would not trade it for anything in the world. It was heartfelt and spontaneous, she sobbed, and said more about Darryl's feelings for her than any rehearsed speech.
They repeated Darryl's proposal for family and friends, prudently leaving out little details like their nakedness at the time. Together they informed their respective mothers that with Brittany's step-by-step approval, they had only a month to plan a small gathering of fifty or so select family and friends. Brittany's mother and Darryl's dove into the task.
The guest list was currently just under three hundred.
A quick rap on the door startled Darryl from his thoughts. He turned to face the door. "Come in!"
The visitor was Darryl's best friend from elementary school, Michael Lofton. Called Mickey by all of his friends, he had moved at nine years old into the neighborhood with his family.The Loftons originally hailed from Dallas, Texas where Mr. Lofton had made his fortune in oil.
Mickey stood out among his classmates. Tall and lanky, he wore Stetson hats and pointy-toed boots, and didn't care what the other kids thought. His independent spirit meshed with Darryl's right away. Darryl had been taught by his parents all his life to stand or fall on the strengths of his own decisions. Even now, Darryl smiled, his best man stood just inside the doorway with his trademark black Stetson in his hand and a bolo tie about his neck.
"Everything okay, Mick? Is Brittany alright?"
Mickey brushed off Darryl's fears. "Your bride-to-be is just fine," he drawled. "Still the prettiest little thing I ever saw. And way too good for you. But that ain't why I'm here." Even though he hadn't set foot in Texas for over fifteen years, Mickey still sounded like a character from the old television western Gunsmoke.
Darryl gestured his friend into the room. "What is it?"
"Well, I was out back taking a smoke before things started and this...lady came up to me. Asked if I knew you and would I give you a message."
Darryl made a hurrying gesture. The opening strains of Bach's Cello Suite, No. 1 began to waft up into the room where he'd gotten dressed. In just a minute or so he would have to descend the stairs that would take him to the gazebo, and his bride. "Well," Darryl prompted, "what was the message?"
Mickey's face became indecipherable. "She told me to tell you that your 'baby mama' was waiting downstairs."
End Note: Thus ends this tale of Darryl and Iris. I hope my love for Iris' character came through.
