The Long Winding Road

Her name was Nancy Ellen.  It was a name that made you think of the South and visions of women with long dresses and hoop skirts.  She did not live in an old antebellum home, but when speaking to her you couldn’t help but picture this in your mind.  She had a deep Southern accent and when entering a room  no one could take their eyes off her.  She moved with grace and there was no one that wanted to miss even a gesture or motion she made.  All attention and concentration were upon that small figure.  There was warmth coming from the heat of the church. The song she had chosen for the wedding began to play as the mothers were ushered to their seats.  The people began to stand waiting for the special moment.  The hours she had spent preparing for her wedding wanting only perfection for this day was exhausting, but well worth every moment.  As she walked slowly down the aisle, every eye was upon her.  Slowly her lips curved and her eyes glittered as she gracefully reached the altar.  William, the man of her dreams, extended his hand toward her and she gently put her hand in his.  Richard, her brother performed the candlelight ceremony.  As they were pronounced man and wife, you could hear the sleet falling and hitting the stained glass windows of the church.  As they walked out of the church to get into the limousine, rice from their friends and sleet from the cold hit their faces.  William and Nancy Ellen just laughed and waved good-byes.

In December, and only one day from Christmas Eve, William and Nancy Ellen decided to go to their new home for the night and take a honeymoon when summer arrived.  The roads were getting bad and it was only a twenty-five minute drive from Cascilla to their home. “Nancy Ellen, I want to carry you over the threshold,” said William.  “Well, be extremely careful.  I surely don’t want you to drop me or hurt yourself,” she laughed.  When the lights were turned on and the heat set  to warm them, William pulled her close and held her.  “You smell of petaled flowers and scented candles.  I love you so much,” he said.  She held his hand ever so tightly and he squeezed her shoulder and drew her next to him. “I love you too, William.  This day has been the most exciting in my life,” she added.  Nancy Ellen cuddled closer to William.  Mrs. William Blake popped into her mind as she smiled at him.

As she started out the door, it began to pour down rain.  When she got in her car and started down the street, she had a very hard time seeing where she was going.  It was almost like a guessing game of where to turn next.  No one in their right frame of mind would be out in this if they didn’t have to be.  She was amazed at how many cars were out at this time.  People at grocery stores, cars packed at K-Mart, and eating at restaurants. “ Why would the people be eating after nine o’clock at night?  I can understand some, but not this many,” she thought to herself.  It took her about ten minutes to get to the college after Curtis had called.  He had been standing there under the cover of the building all by himself.  She pulled up and let the car window down.  She handed him his keys.  She waited for him to reach his car and start out of the parking lot.  They pulled up at the apartment and Nancy Ellen got out of her car.  She walked over to help Curtis get to the gate since she had an umbrella and he didn’t.  They still got soaked because the rain was pouring down and blowing sideways.  Once they entered the apartment, Nancy Ellen went straight to her bedroom and Curtis went to the bathroom.  She heard the shower going.  “I guess he decided to take a quick shower since he was already wet,” she thought to herself.  By the time he got out of the bathroom, she had her gown on and was ready for bed.  “Mom, where do you keep your iron and ironing board?” he asked.  “Why are you going to iron this time of night?” she asked.  “I am going to McAllen to see a friend,” he said.  Nancy Ellen swung around and looked at him.  She couldn’t believe what he just said.  “Curtis, are you crazy or something?  You know what the weather is like outside.  We could barely see to get three miles from the college. Now  you tell me you are going to McAllen, which just happens to be forty-five miles from here. You can’t drive in this kind of weather.  Use some common sense, please.  You are not going,” she said with force.  “Yes I am, Mom!  This is why I didn’t want to move back in with you.  When I was living on my own, I did what I wanted to.  You aren’t going to tell me what to do.  I am going!” he said. “You know what, Curtis?   Something bad is going to happen to you one of these days by taking chances in bad weather.  It is storming outside  and you can’t even see where you are.  Go ahead-go!”  Then, she slammed the door in his face and went to bed.  Within minutes she heard the car starting up.  She thought he would go around the block and come back home, but he didn’t.

Around eleven o’clock the telephone rang.