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The True Measure

Chapter 18

After the proposal Evangeline leaves to go to her apartment to shower and change.  She tells John that she’ll return later.  This will give him time to let other people visit without her hovering over him.  He wants her to stay but he understands.  When she leaves his brother drops in to check on him.  Michael asks as to Evangeline’s whereabouts and John tells him that she went home.  John asks Michael to go to his apartment and look in the nightstand and bring back to him the package that he will find there.  Michael starts to ask what it is but John just tells him to get it and bring it back.  

Several people visit with John during Evangeline’s absence and everyone is so happy that he’s doing well.  Carlotta and Natalie stop by and Carlotta thanks John for saving Cristian’s life.  She tells him that she knows the whole story and at first she was angry that John didn’t tell anyone that Cristian is alive.  She now understands that it was Cristian’s idea and he made John promise to keep his secret.  Natalie doesn’t say anything.  It’s evident that Carlotta dragged her along.  They both leave and John feels relieved that Carlotta isn’t upset with him.  Michael returns with the package and then goes on duty.  He tells John that he will stop by later to check on him.

While waiting for Evangeline to return John just relaxes in his bed thinking about all that has happened in the last few hours.  He’s fortunate to be alive and so glad to have a bright future ahead with Evangeline.  The opening of his hospital door interrupts his daydreaming. Knowing it’s not the nurse, since she just left, John is not surprised as to his visitor. Walking into his room like she owns it, is once again Natalie Buchanan but without Carlotta Vega.  

Natalie doesn’t waste any time stating her purpose.  She asks John did he keep Cristian’s secret because Cristian asked him or because he wanted Cristian in prison so that he could be with her.  John looks at her shocked at her question.  He explains to her and reminds her that at no time after he learned the true identity of John Doe did he try to have a relationship with her. She refutes his statement and says that every time she called him he would come even if he was with Evangeline.

“Natalie, if I wanted to be with you I would have been with you.  You inserted yourself in my relationship with Evangeline but I never took you up on you offer of being with you.  Cristian is back now.  Make the best of your life.”

Natalie is not convinced and her parting words are, 

“It will never last John.  You might be with Evangeline now but we all know that you rescued me first.  That has to mean that you love me more than you love her. I can be patient John.  I can wait.”

But John doesn’t allow her to have the last word, “You’ll be waiting alone Natalie.  Goodbye.”

Before Natalie can leave Antonio walks into the room, “Natalie, what are you doing here?  Cristian is asking for you.”

John jumps at this opportunity that has been offered to him. He quickly says,

“Antonio, guard the door.  Natalie just told me that she plans to wait for me because she thinks that I love her.  She equated my rescuing her first with loving her more than I love Evangeline.  I just told her that she would wait alone.” 

Antonio is flabbergasted.  Looking angrily at Natalie he tries to control himself but his words rush out,

“After all my brother sacrificed for you this is how you thank him by lusting after another man who’s told you and shown you that he doesn’t want you.  My brother decided to stay in prison to spare you any hurt.  How dare you treat his love so callously?  If you don’t want to be with my brother then tell him.  Don’t string him along.  Don’t pretend that you love him when you don’t.  I will tell him what you did here today.”

Natalie replies,  “You weren’t here Antonio.  You don’t know what I said.  You only have John’s word for that.  I can deny that I said anything.”

Now Antonio is totally disgusted with Natalie.  “My goodness you are a piece of work.  My brother deserves better than you.”  

Natalie grins and says, “But Antonio your brother loves me.  He’ll believe my version of this conversation and not yours or John’s.” Thinking that she’s won this ‘battle’ Natalie turns to leave until she hears her voice, ‘That has to mean that you love me more than you love her. I can be patient John.  I can wait.”(silence, then) ‘You’ll be waiting alone Natalie.  Goodbye.’(silence).

John has the tape recorder sitting on his lap.  Natalie looks at him as if she has daggers in her eyes. Antonio lets out a hearty laugh and says, “Guess that it’s not just my word against yours after all.”  Natalie rushes out of John’s room.  Antonio continues to laugh and then stops himself, “John, why do you have a tape recorder in your bed?” Antonio sits in the chair next to John’s bed.  John waits until Antonio is settled and explains why he has the tape recorder, 

“Evangeline and I discussed the possibility of Natalie stopping by since Cristian and I are on the same floor.  Natalie has been too quiet since the KCK case.  Evangeline suggested that I keep the tape recorder handy just in case I’m alone when Natalie drops by to see me.  Evangeline’s usually in the room with me so she could always serve as a witness so when she left earlier to go to her apartment I put the recorder under my covers with me just in case.  It’s a good thing that I did.  You do know that she went straight to Cristian to complain about your mistreatment of her.”

Antonio laughs harder.  “Natalie might be a bit surprised by his reaction. When I left Cristian’s room to look for Natalie I told him that she’s probably in your room.  I also told him about what happened while he was in prison.  He remembered how she always talked about you before he went to prison and add that to what he now knows, let’s just say that Natalie doesn’t have the hold on my brother that she thinks she has.  Enough about her, how are you feeling?”

John says, “I’m doing okay.  Wanting to get out of here that’s for sure.”  Antonio stays awhile then leaves.  John falls asleep.

A few hours later and John is wondering where is Evangeline and then she walks in.  Although she’s dressed casually in a white tee shirt, jeans and sneakers with her hair in a ponytail she looks beautiful.  She walks over to him and gives him a kiss.  

“Why do you look so different?  You’re sparkling,”he says. 

“I’m happy that’s why.  I’m happy inside and out!”she laughs.  

“Come sit down. I have something for you,”John pulls her to sit next to him on the bed.  

He reaches over to retrieve the package that Michael brought. Taking it out he takes her left hand and places the item on the correct finger.  

“John when did you get this?  You’ve been in the hospital all night and all day.”

“When you were in the hospital and sent me to buy the thank you gifts, I bought it then.”

“You knew then that you were going to propose to me?”

“I knew then that I wanted to marry you, yes.”

They both sit admiring the ring and basking in the glow of their love and happiness.  But that is short lived because they come down from the high of that joy to the reality of what is before them.  In order to avoid any backlash from their mothers that might occur because they want to have a simple ceremony first they call their mothers to announce their engagement and their plans to have two (2) ceremonies, a small private one and later a lavish one if that is what the mothers want.  Of course the mothers want a lavish wedding but agree to work within the couple’s time frame for both events.  The private ceremony will take place four (4) days after John is discharged from the hospital.  The mothers only have six (6) weeks to plan and execute the lavish ceremony because John and Evangeline want to have it before Thanksgiving. They’re postponing their honeymoon until next April because they want to go to Paris in April.  With everyone in agreement it is settled.

While John is in the hospital he and Evangeline plan their private ceremony and create a list to give to their mothers of things that they want at the lavish ceremony.  Oddly enough John and Evangeline agree on everything down to the color scheme. For John it’s more whatever Evangeline wants is all right with him.  Evangeline convinces John to stay with her while he recuperates from his surgery.  It’s a fair exchange to when she stayed with him after that man attacked her at the train station last year.  

The first day out of the hospital they both go to the courthouse and apply for the marriage license.  They have to wait three (3) days before they can get married and they spend that time reacquainting themselves with each other.

“I’m getting married today!”

Evangeline sings as she dances around her bedroom.  John is at his apartment.  He went there last night to honor the tradition of not seeing the bride the night before the wedding.  He’ll be back tomorrow because tonight they will spend their wedding night in the honeymoon suite at the Palace Hotel, compliments of the owner Renee Buchanan.  Nora will arrive in 30 minutes and then they will meet John and Michael at the courthouse.  One of Evangeline’s favorite judges asked to perform the ceremony.  So the four (4) of them will meet in the judge’s chambers. They will then have a lunch at the Palace and Nora and Michael will return to work and the newlyweds will sequester themselves in their suite.  

A month later the married couple are settled comfortably in Evangeline’s apartment.  Her lease isn’t up until the end of November.  They hope to find a home by then.  John’s apartment was month to month and his month was up the day after their private ceremony.  The owners waived the 30 day notice since John was such a good renter and plus they have a waiting list of people wanting a cheap apartment.  The only thing that John wanted from the apartment was his pinball machine and he put that in storage because his bride refused its entrance into their apartment.  ‘Happy wife, happy life.’

They speak with their mothers at least once a week and the plans for the wedding progress well.  The venues for the ceremony and reception, the officiant, the menu, the cake, flowers and favors are all selected and reserved.  The guest list is completed and all RSVPs are received.  Now all they have to do is wait for the date to arrive.  Everyone is excited even those who know that they are already married.

Evangeline and John are in wedded bliss and it is evident to everyone who sees them especially when they see John.  He is a different person.  He smiles more, he talks more, he even tells jokes and best of all he doesn’t wear dark clothes all of the time.  The folks at the station comment on his changes but he takes it all in stride.  He’s happy and it shows.

On a beautiful late October day, Evangeline McBain walks down the aisle accompanied by her mother and her Uncle Clay.  Preceding her are her bridesmaids Nora Hanen and Evangeline’s sister Layla Williamson.  Standing at the altar with John are his best man, his brother Michael, and as usher his best friend, Antonio Vega.  One hundred of their close family and friends are seated in the pews. The ceremony is beautiful. Afterwards everyone moves to the banquet hall at the Palace where they eat, mingle and dance the night away. Instead of staying at the Palace this time, the couple leaves for a weekend trip to New York City and stay at the Plaza Hotel, a wedding present from Uncle Clay.