Jerry heard the words but they seemed not to make sense. He sputtered for a few moments and then, still on his knee and a bit dazed said, “No Mary. You’re wrong! I’m sick in
love for you and there’s nothing for it. You are stuck in my heart like an indelible mark. I want you in my life forever Mary. I’ll do anything. Just say that you will be mine or I think I’ll die!”
They stayed mute, staring at each other for what seemed like eternity, the only sound was the rumbling of bowling balls and pins in the back ground. Finally Mary sighed deeply and said, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll say yes under one condition.”
“Whatever it is Mary, I’ll gladly endure it.”
“Oh, I know you believe dearest.” She paused for a few more moments. “Here it is. We will continue from this day forth as if I said yes. But at some point before I say, ‘I do’ I will subject you to a test of your undying love and if you pass, I will choose you and love you for the rest of our lives.”
Jerry positively beamed! He knew quite instinctively that he could pass any test his sweetest could devise and so over the next six months they went about the process of planning their wedding. Every day Jerry would wake and wonder if that day would be the day that Mary would try her test of his love till finally it was days before the wedding ceremony and he had begun to think that perhaps the test had already occurred and he had passed it so easily that he had not even noticed it.
The wedding day was a glorious fall spectacular and even the trees were in their finest form. Not to be outdone the attendees came to the wedding Mass dressed in their Sunday best and packed the beautiful old gothic Sacred Heart Parish church. The magic moment came for the bride to walk down the aisle and the mighty pipe organ, roused from its too long slumber of inept players by the finest organist money could persuade to play for the marriage rites, began the bride’s fanfare. Mary appeared at the end of aisle. Jerry’s breath escaped him and tears filled his eyes. The congregation gasped. As she passed each pew the people’s hearts were moved in love by her beauty. She placed her hand into her intended’s and electricity shot through his body. Everything was a blur to him until it came time to exchange their vows.
They stood holding right hands before the priest in front of the high altar and the priest began, “Do you Jerome Waverly take Mary Malloy as your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to be true to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, will you love her an hono
r her all the days of your life?”
With great emotion Jerry responded, “I do!”
The priest then turned to Mary. “Do you . . .”
“Wait,” she interrupted him. Jerry’s heart began to beat wildly. Turning her eyes to the man who had just publically declared his undying love for her she asked, “Do you mean that Jerry?”
“This must be the test!” he thought to himself. So mustering all of his will he definitively declared, “Yes, Mary. Absolutely.”
“In good times and in bad? Sickness and health? All the days of your life no matter what?”
There was a certain amount of trembling in his heart and with just a slightly less assured voice responded, “But of course Mary.”
“Then re
member our deal.” And with that she left. Well, she didn’t exactly walk out as much as it seemed she faded away - or perhaps back. In any event she was gone. Oddly enough nobody seemed to think it terribly strange. Mary was, after all, different.
love for you and there’s nothing for it. You are stuck in my heart like an indelible mark. I want you in my life forever Mary. I’ll do anything. Just say that you will be mine or I think I’ll die!”They stayed mute, staring at each other for what seemed like eternity, the only sound was the rumbling of bowling balls and pins in the back ground. Finally Mary sighed deeply and said, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll say yes under one condition.”
“Whatever it is Mary, I’ll gladly endure it.”
“Oh, I know you believe dearest.” She paused for a few more moments. “Here it is. We will continue from this day forth as if I said yes. But at some point before I say, ‘I do’ I will subject you to a test of your undying love and if you pass, I will choose you and love you for the rest of our lives.”
Jerry positively beamed! He knew quite instinctively that he could pass any test his sweetest could devise and so over the next six months they went about the process of planning their wedding. Every day Jerry would wake and wonder if that day would be the day that Mary would try her test of his love till finally it was days before the wedding ceremony and he had begun to think that perhaps the test had already occurred and he had passed it so easily that he had not even noticed it.
The wedding day was a glorious fall spectacular and even the trees were in their finest form. Not to be outdone the attendees came to the wedding Mass dressed in their Sunday best and packed the beautiful old gothic Sacred Heart Parish church. The magic moment came for the bride to walk down the aisle and the mighty pipe organ, roused from its too long slumber of inept players by the finest organist money could persuade to play for the marriage rites, began the bride’s fanfare. Mary appeared at the end of aisle. Jerry’s breath escaped him and tears filled his eyes. The congregation gasped. As she passed each pew the people’s hearts were moved in love by her beauty. She placed her hand into her intended’s and electricity shot through his body. Everything was a blur to him until it came time to exchange their vows.
They stood holding right hands before the priest in front of the high altar and the priest began, “Do you Jerome Waverly take Mary Malloy as your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to be true to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, will you love her an hono
r her all the days of your life?”With great emotion Jerry responded, “I do!”
The priest then turned to Mary. “Do you . . .”
“Wait,” she interrupted him. Jerry’s heart began to beat wildly. Turning her eyes to the man who had just publically declared his undying love for her she asked, “Do you mean that Jerry?”
“This must be the test!” he thought to himself. So mustering all of his will he definitively declared, “Yes, Mary. Absolutely.”
“In good times and in bad? Sickness and health? All the days of your life no matter what?”
There was a certain amount of trembling in his heart and with just a slightly less assured voice responded, “But of course Mary.”
“Then re
member our deal.” And with that she left. Well, she didn’t exactly walk out as much as it seemed she faded away - or perhaps back. In any event she was gone. Oddly enough nobody seemed to think it terribly strange. Mary was, after all, different. 
1 comment:
"Mary was, after all, different."
Different? How different? You can't just stop here and leave us guessing !!!
I know ... she was a ghost ... No ... no ... she was a figment of his imagination ... she didn't exist ... a hallucination ...
Can't guess anything else ... I suppose I'll wait until tomorrow ...
Great story. Thanx.
God bless.
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