THE BEST LAID PLANS
PART THREE
"I think we should just elope."
"I am beginning to think that is a good idea."
"I believe my mother has invited every person she has ever met, and a few she has never met. People at the grocery store, and the bakery. . . The woman has got to be stopped."
"Well, you have not spent the last three days with Jean and her mother. Those two have definitely gone off the deep end. The last I heard they were considering releasing two dozen doves into the air."
"Well, that’s not so weird."
"Did I mention they want to paint the birds with food coloring first so they represent all the colors of the rainbow?"
"You-have-got-to be kidding me."
"I wish I were."
"Food coloring???"
"So it will wash off in the rain."
"Do ya think anyone actually remembers that it’s the two of us that are getting married?"
"No."
"Remind me to buy a ladder on the way home."
It was six days before the wedding. The couple had decided to spend the evening together. Odd as it may seem, since the announcement of the wedding, Rafe and Ororo had found little time to spend alone with each other. There were constant plans and decisions to be made. Storm figured that was what honeymoons were for. She knew the next few days would be a roller coaster of last minute adjustments, so she suggested a night out, just the two of them. They had been to a movie and to dinner. Afterwards they had left the car at Rafe’s apartment and gone for a walk in the park. It was late, and they were now heading back.
"I do wish M’Rin could have made it though."
"Maybe she still will. The K’dall Grand Council could convene any minute now."
"It is a peace negotiation Rafe. We should be lucky to see her within the next year."
"Well, from what you’ve told me about this mother of your heart, she’s quite the leader and negotiator. So just keep your fingers crossed."
"My husband, the optimist. Goddess, that sounds strange."
"The husband or the optimist part. In your line of work, either could apply."
She gave his arm she was holding, a squeeze. "The husband part. It sounds strange--"
"Really?"
"--But nice. I like it. I look forward to calling you it."
They reached the lobby of the apartment building.
"And I look forward to hearing it. . . Is it just me or is this conversation getting just a little too cutesy?"
"Giving the fact we are less than a week from our wedding, I believe it is allowed."
"Oh, I see."
Though the elevators were closer to his suite, when not entering through the balcony, Ororo preferred the stairs to the confining box. Rafe did not mind, even though he lived on the twenty- fifth floor.
"Will you stay?" He asked when they reached his floor.
"You know I will. I--"
"What is it?"
"My communicator. I must have left it in the car."
"I’ll go with you."
"No, we are here already. You go in, I shall be back in a moment."
"You sure?"
"You worry about me too much."
"Not nearly as much as I should."
Ororo gave him a very passionate kiss.
"Does that mean you love me?"
"Yes, I love you."
"Good, cause I love you too. And here we go again with that cutesy stuff again."
Another kiss.
"Hurry."
"I will."
Rafe unlocked the door and entered the apartment. Storm started down the doorway.
"Oh! By the. . ." Several feet down the hallway, Ororo felt the round communicator in the pocket of her jacket. Although, officially, she was no longer on duty until after the honeymoon, up until the wedding day, Ororo had planned to carry the communicator with her—just in case. She was after all, still co-leader of the team.
She turned to return to the apartment.
It is puzzling that even when time appears to move slowly around us, we are still unable to stop events from happening.
It only took a moment. Ororo knew something was wrong. But that moment moved with the pace of a snail and she along with it—or so it seemed.
Less than a foot from the door, there was a loud bang. The door to the apartment blew off its hinges and slammed against the opposite wall of the hallway. It missed Ororo by mere inches, but the force of the blast threw her several feet.
She hit her head on the wall, and fell into darkness.