My Husband’s Impatience

The day of our wedding dawned bright and early, a time when I was usually still reeling from the previous night’s events. But today was different. Today, I was finally going to be with Kathryn, to hold her in my arms and claim her as my wife. We had decided on a traditional wedding, with all the trimmings, but I couldn’t help feeling a sense of restlessness, as if I couldn’t wait any longer to be with her.

My mom found me exactly where she had left me the night before, my eyes fixed on the window, willing Kathryn to be on her way. “JJ, you need a shower, make it a long one,” she said, her voice firm but gentle. “You want to be very clean on your wedding day, don’t you?” I nodded, still staring out the window, my mind a thousand miles away.

As I stood under the warm water, I couldn’t help but think of Kathryn, of how much I wanted to be with her, to feel her arms around me, to taste her lips. I washed my hair, scrubbing my scalp until it felt raw, trying to shake off the sense of longing that had settled over me. But it only seemed to intensify, until I was hard and aching with desire for her.

I dressed quickly, throwing on a pair of boxers and a T-shirt, and headed downstairs to breakfast. Grandma was already there, a mischievous glint in her eye. “You look worse than yesterday, JJ,” she said, giggling. I managed a weak smile, feeling a pang of guilt for wanting to be with Kathryn so badly.

“It’s not just that we’re addicted to each other,” I said, trying to explain. “It’s like our connection is stronger than anything else. We can feel each other’s emotions, sense each other’s thoughts. It’s like we’re two halves of the same whole.”

My mom smiled, a look of understanding on her face. “I know, dear. That’s why we’re making sure you two are married today. We don’t want to separate you, not even for a moment.”

But as I looked at my mom, I knew it was too late. I had already made up my mind. “Mom, can I call Kathryn?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. My mom looked surprised, but then nodded, a smile on her face. “Of course, dear. Go ahead and call her.”

I picked up the phone, my heart racing with excitement. “Hi, Kathryn,” I said, my voice trembling. “It’s me. I love you.”

“Hi, JJ,” Kathryn’s voice was like music to my ears. “I love you too. I’m so glad we’re getting married today. I can hardly wait to see you.”

As we talked, I felt my anxiety start to dissipate, replaced by a sense of calm and peace. I knew that we were meant to be together, that our love was strong enough to overcome any obstacle. And as I looked at my mom, I knew that she felt the same way.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we had to hang up. But I knew that I would see Kathryn soon, that we would be together again, and that nothing could ever separate us.

As I stood up, I felt a sense of anticipation building inside me. I knew that today was going to be a day I would never forget, a day that would change my life forever.

And as I looked out at the crowd gathered on the dock, I knew that I was ready. I was ready to marry Kathryn, to promise to love her for the rest of my life. I was ready to take the leap of faith, to see where our love would take us.

The music started, and Kathryn came out of the boat house, her wedding dress shining in the sunlight. I felt my heart skip a beat as I saw her, my love, my everything. And as I took her hand, I knew that I would never let her go.

We walked down the dock, the music swelling around us, as we made our way to the podium. The crowd parted, and we stepped into the sunlight, our love shining brightly for all to see.

And as we stood there, surrounded by our friends and family, I knew that we were meant to be together. I knew that our love was strong enough to overcome any obstacle, that we would be together for the rest of our lives.

“You may now kiss the bride,” the Judge said, his voice booming through the speakers. And as I lifted Kathryn’s veil, I felt a sense of joy and happiness that I had never felt before.

Our kiss was like a spark, igniting a fire that would burn brightly for the rest of our lives. And as we pulled back, I knew that we were married, that we were husband and wife, partners in love and life.

The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, and we were swept up in a tidal wave of congratulations and well-wishes. It was a moment I would never forget, a moment that would stay with me forever.

As we walked back to the boat house, hand in hand, I knew that we were just beginning our journey together. We were just starting our new life, our new adventure. And I knew that I was ready, that I was excited to see what the future held for us.

We cut the wedding cake, a towering masterpiece of sweetness and beauty. And as we fed each other, I felt a sense of joy and happiness that I had never felt before.

The rest of the day was a blur of laughter and tears, of friends and family, of love and happiness. It was a day that I would never forget, a day that would stay with me forever.

We stood on the reception line for what felt like an eternity, greeting the many guests in attendance. Some had been at the first wedding, while others claimed they were stuck in the hall or hadn’t made it into the courthouse. As we spent a long time greeting people, they offered their congratulations on our marriage. Kathryn and I eventually excused ourselves to change into something a bit cooler, walking into the house where we found a few couples lingering around inside.

We changed quickly in our bedroom, not into our normal attire, but something suitable for the occasion – dress slacks and a light shirt for me, and a summer dress for Kathryn. Many would wear this to church on a Sunday during this time of year.

As we left our room, we found a few more guests waiting to say their goodbyes. A couple of younger girls were giggling in one of the rooms, apparently having wandered into the bedroom while someone was using it. Kathryn and I returned to our room to check the security cameras, and what we saw was appalling.

There was a couple engaged in sex on the bed in the master bedroom, currently occupied by my grandmother. A quick scan of the room revealed that they weren’t the only ones; a line of men waited for their turn. One man at the end of the line wasn’t watching, and when a new man came in, the one at the end of the line demanded money from him. The man handed over twenty dollars and took his place in line.

“That’s just wrong,” Kathryn exclaimed, wanting to go kick their behinds right then and there. I told her we’d get the cops to arrest them quietly.

The cops were already here, coincidentally. I knew the Police Chief and several others from our charity work. The chief loved playing Santa at our Christmas present-giving events, saying it was much more fun now that we were his top elves. Kathryn and I usually bought more presents for him to hand out than most of the county.

Walking through the crowd with Kathryn, who was visibly upset, we found the chief pulling someone over to the side. We told him what was going on. We found my grandmother in the kitchen of the boat house, helping out. We informed her about her room being used as a brothel, and she was just as upset as Kathryn.

The Police Chief quickly rounded up an off-duty deputy and made a call. A car was on its way with the County Sheriff. The chief and deputy would assist, but the Sheriff had to make the arrest. I showed him the security footage from my cameras, and it was more than enough evidence, he said.

The Sheriff soon arrived, and matters were handled quietly. The gentlemen who had paid for the service were ticketed and given court dates. The prostitute and pimp were arrested and taken away to the County jail, where they’d wait for bail on the fifth.

The party continued on without much interruption, except for a few people who quickly left after the cops showed up. After lunch was served, an area in the boat house was converted into a dance floor. Several tables still had food and drinks, but most had been cleared away. Kathryn and I spent a lot of time dancing together, and our tango lessons seemed to have paid off – we got a standing ovation.

As the sun was still high in the sky and the day was truly entering its full heat, many of our guests left either to find some cooler air or just to go home and get ready for the fireworks tonight. Kathryn and I walked around our meadow, gathering trash so we wouldn’t have to do it later.

I heard soft crying coming from behind a few trees at the edge of the meadow. Setting down the trash bag, I moved closer to investigate, with Kathryn at my shoulder. Seeing the girl, Kathryn immediately walked to her. The child was unknown to us, neither Kathryn nor I had seen her before.

“Princess, what’s your name?” I softly asked the girl.

The young girl looked up, her eyes wide and wild with fear. Kathryn placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, and the girl stuttered, “Sam, Samantha, my name is Samantha Sheridan.”

It took a few minutes of gentle coaching for Samantha to tell us that her mother had come to our house earlier today with her boyfriend. She said she’d be back in just a little while, but never came back. Kathryn and I looked at each other, and the only person this sounded like was the prostitute who had been arrested today.

Kathryn and I stopped our cleaning duties to help Samantha, who insisted on being called Sam. “So, Sam, are you hungry?” I asked, to which I got a hesitant nod from her.

“What would you like to eat today, Princess Sam?” I gently asked.

Sam’s reply was a loud growling of her stomach as she said, “Chicken.”

I couldn’t help but notice a few belt marks on the child’s legs before I asked, “I hope there’s some left, but we’ll have to go check. Could you help me check on that, Princess Sam?”

She shook her head no before nearly whispering, “I can’t leave. If I do, I’ll be punished.”

I noticed Kathryn stiffen, but she still managed to gently ask, “Princess Sam, who would punish you for getting something to eat?”

Looking down at her feet, Sam said, “Mom’s boyfriend, he doesn’t like it when he has to come find me.”

I gently asked, “Princess Sam, what does Mom’s boyfriend look like?” I was afraid to ask too many questions and have her stop answering or even talking to us.

Thankfully, Sam did answer this one. You didn’t need to be a psychic to know he matched the description of the pimp from earlier.

Telling Sam, “Princess, he did something bad, and the police took him to jail.”

For the first time during our conversation, Sam’s expression changed, and for a moment, the fear was gone, replaced by hope. Sam asked, “The cops got Lester?”

I answered, “He looked just like you described, even to what he was wearing. Yes.”

Now, there was a big ray of hope shining for Sam, “The cops did they get Mommy?”

I wasn’t really sure what to do. I was sure I wouldn’t hurt her; I didn’t want to lie to her. Sooner or later, lies would hurt, and the truth can hurt too. You never lose trust in someone who tells you a painful truth, even if you may not believe it at first, but eventually, you’re grateful for it.

As gently as I could, I told Sam, “There was a woman with him when they took them away together. But I’m not absolutely sure, Sam. I’ve never met your mother before. Can we go look for her? We may find you some chicken when we’re looking for your Mommy.”

Sam held on to that hope, her stomach growling again as she looked into Kathryn’s face and said, “You’re pretty. If I don’t find my mommy, could you be my mommy?” Kathryn immediately scooped up Sam into her arms.

We started walking towards the kitchen of the boat house, where my grandmother and several other people were still there. As we walked in, a few people followed, seeing Kathryn holding the young girl. Kathryn set her down at one of the last tables, and I placed my hand on Kathryn’s shoulder. She sat down beside Sam, and if I hadn’t done that, she would’ve gotten up and found some chicken somewhere.

I walked over to my grandmother and asked, “Is there any chicken here? Our young friend here is very hungry. We’re going to look for her mother as she eats.”

I glanced over my shoulder, and Kathryn was taking Sam to the restroom, probably because the poor girl was too afraid to go. I did get several looks, and a plate of chicken with some sides was quickly presented to me.

I walked back over to where they were sitting and waited for them to return. In a few minutes, a more relaxed Sam came back with Kathryn, both with clean hands and ready to eat. When they sat down, I slid the plate in front of Sam.

I’m not sure, but Sam obviously had never had fried chicken this way before; she picked up a whole breast and bit into it, getting part of the bones in her bite. She pulled it out of her mouth, looking confused. Obviously, all she’d ever had was chicken nuggets.

Kathryn giggled and took another fried chicken breast. She began pulling off the meat, showing Sam how to eat it. Sam only took a second to copy what Kathryn was doing. I let the two of them eat, then I walked away to spot Marshall and Misty and the Judge.

I quietly explained about Sam and that we needed to look through the house to ensure there wasn’t a woman there. I also explained about the two people I’d arrested earlier that day.

The Judge was a little more than upset, and I could understand it was coming from the parent side of him more than the judge side. He made a few phone calls, first to the County jail to ask about the woman they’d arrested. He was informed that she was out cold, possibly drunk or on some narcotic. The Judge ordered them to take her to the hospital for blood work and observation.

His next call was to child protective services, and they were going to send a caseworker out here as soon as possible.

By the time the Judge finished, we’d searched the house and found no one missing a child. I did have to ask another couple to leave. I also had our sisters and the coach help maintain the situation in the house. I had them go look for Sam in the boat house, maybe one of them recognized her and knew her mother.

After Sam finished eating and got a large glass of milk, she curled up into Kathryn’s lap and promptly fell asleep, still holding onto Kathryn. Everyone around agreed that Sam was a little angel, but no one knew who her mother might be.

Kathryn was becoming more protective by the second, and seeing the two of them together, I knew she’d be a great mother.

I pulled the Judge over to the side and told him what Sam had asked for, if Kathryn could be her mommy if we couldn’t find hers. I told him we’d make all efforts to find the girl’s mother, but if possible, could Samantha remain here until we did.

The Judge told me not to count on child services showing up before tomorrow.

We searched the grounds and located an abandoned vehicle with out-of-state plates. Looking in the backseat, we found Mom’s jewelry box hidden under some clothing. We went to my room and replayed the security footage from Mom’s room.

Shortly after eleven, we saw the two of them come in, go through Mom’s jewelry box, and take the whole thing, wrapping it up in clothing from her closet. They disappeared out the door. He took it outside, as she rummaged through the other master bedrooms. She just finished going through Grandma’s room when he found her, and he had two clients with him.

She immediately stripped and began to service the two men. More and more men showed up as each finished and left.

The Judge asked me how much I thought the jewelry in Mom’s jewelry box would cost. I told him, “I purchased most of the jewelry for Christmas and birthdays, somewhere between seventy and seventy-five thousand dollars.”

The Judge stated, “That’s enough to make it felony grand theft, with the video evidence – there’s not much chance they’ll ever get off. Let’s not forget they abandoned and endangered their child to commit a crime.”

We decided not to look for the woman’s mother that night, but instead, we’d search the grounds again the next day, hoping to find some clue that would lead us to her. We were exhausted, but we knew we couldn’t give up on Samantha yet.

As we walked back to the house, Kathryn and I looked at each other, knowing that we had a long road ahead of us, but we were ready to face it together.

We went to bed, hoping that tomorrow would bring us some answers, and more importantly, lead us to Samantha’s mother.

The days went by, and we searched the grounds, questioned the neighbors, and even put up posters in the nearby towns. But it seemed like the more we searched, the more we realized how hard it would be to find Samantha’s mother.

But Kathryn and I didn’t give up. We kept searching, hoping that one day we’d find the woman who abandoned her child, and Samantha would finally have a mother to call her own.

As we sat on the couch, holding hands, and looking out at the meadow, Kathryn turned to me and said, “You know, I think I’m starting to feel like a mom already.”

I smiled, knowing that I felt the same way. We looked at each other, and I knew that we’d do whatever it took to make sure Samantha was safe and loved.

And so, our journey as a family began, a journey that would take us through ups and downs, but with Kathryn by my side, I knew we could face anything that came our way.

Kathryn’s eyes locked onto mine, her voice barely above a whisper as she handed me the sleeping Sam. “Sam won’t let go, Mom tried to take her but she wouldn’t let go. Mom said, then lay down with her maybe she’ll let go of me then.”

As I carefully helped Kathryn lay down with Samantha, supporting her so she could gently recline, I whispered, “I’m going to take some pictures of those welts on her legs if I can.”

I raised Sam’s skirt up over her thighs, displaying the welts that were probably a day old. I moved the dress completely out of the way and noticed there were newer ones on her lower back. I took several pictures of Sam this way, trying to capture the full extent of her injuries.

When I finished with the camera, I went to the bathroom to get some antiseptic cream to help the welts heal. As I returned, I could see the look of outrage on the faces of the family members, as well as the indifference on the child protective services worker, Ms. Clark.

Ms. Clark stopped me from giving first aid to Sam, saying, “That child needs to go to the emergency room at the hospital. I will not be able to do anything until we have a doctor’s report.”

I carefully brought Sam’s dress back into place, even in her sleep she moaned from pain. I informed Ms. Clark, “Samantha won’t let go of Kathryn. We’ll take her to the hospital, or we can call an ambulance. Which is better?”

Ms. Clark replied, “You would be so kind to take her to the hospital I will follow you. Officially I can’t ask you to remain with the child. But your presence may help; already she seems to bond with you.”

Judge Thurgood suggested, “If you and CPS have no qualms with this, could I get Mr. and Mrs. Meyer a temporary custody of Samantha until permanent custody can be determined.”

Ms. Clark responded, “Mrs. Meyer seems to be quite young herself, would she get assistance from her family?”

I said, “I’ll speak for everyone here and say, yes.”

Ms. Clark turned to the Judge, “I don’t see any problem at the moment with that. Given the fact she will have no shortage of assistance.”

As we prepared to leave for the hospital, the Sheriff arrived and Mom pointed to the car with her jewelry box. “I’ll take care of this you two go ahead and I’ll be there shortly.”

Misty, Kara, and Karen rode with Kathryn and me as we took Samantha to the emergency room. Kathryn reclined in the middle seat, holding the child to her chest. We drove carefully to the hospital, with Ms. Clark following us, and the rest of the family came with her.

About half an hour later, Mom arrived. A little less than an hour after that, the Judge showed up with his order for temporary custody. He also gave us the news that the woman we thought was Sam’s mother wasn’t. The doctors had given him the blood tests, which confirmed that both blood types in the little girl couldn’t be the daughter of the woman who was arrested.

The look on Sam’s face cut through the silence that had filled the emergency room, “NO DON’T TAKE MY NEW MOMMY AWAY. NO! MY OLD MOMMY IS BAD SHE LET HIM HURT ME. DON’T MAKE HER GO!”

I explained to the Judge, “Samantha had said her mommy’s boyfriend had punished her. Samantha’s description of her mommy’s boyfriend matched the pimp. Either that woman still is here who Samantha calls her old mommy, or some woman now in hiding that we don’t know or haven’t seen on the videos. The only woman we saw with him is her.”

Judge Thurgood replied, “Once this exam is over, we will have Samantha give a description of her mommy. If they match that woman I’ll have charges brought up on child neglect and endangerment. If she can’t prove custodial ship of Samantha I’ll see about extending your temporary custody. It will require several visits from Ms. Clark.”

Michelle Collins spoke up, “You won’t believe how hard it is to find you some days. I was interviewing some people in town, when I heard about you finding the little girl as you were cleaning up after your party. You know how few billionaires even know how to pick up after themselves?”

I chuckled, “Actually, I’m a bit of an anomaly among my peers. I do try to take care of my own messes.”

Michelle asked, “How would you like to help me come running to the rescue? I need a good investigator to help me find out who this little girl’s mother really is. Course you’re not going to be doing it alone. For legal help we have the Judge here, and the law firm back in Los Angeles.”

I smiled, “I’d love to help. First, we need to figure out who’s sleeping beauty over there is. Then find out what happened or how it happened that put that little girl in her hands.”

Michele’s eyes lit up, “I can get my research people to track down that information for us. Sell it to your boss as a human interest story, or you can just do some independent work for me.”

As we continued to discuss the case, the Police Chief came in with a folder. The fingerprints had come back, and her boyfriend had numerous outstanding warrants in at least three states. He’ll spend the next two years on trial. Apparently she’s also as wanted as he is, she has several outstanding warrants as well.

The Judge shared with us what information he could, which was little more than her name, his name, and their last known address. Michelle giggled, “With that my research people can give you more information on her in ten minutes than law enforcement could over three days.”

I said, “The only problem I have is Kathryn is becoming more attached to Sam, and Sam is becoming more attached to Kathryn every second. I hate to see the two of them hurt.”

Just then, Sam’s voice cut through the quiet, “Mommy it hurts!”

The doctor’s mumbled voice came from the exam room, “Tried to hold still Princess Sam. It will be over real soon. I know it stings a little. It will make you feel much better.”

We got a glance through the door, and I saw that the doctor was applying a medicine to Sam’s back and Sam lay nude on an exam table. Although the glance was brief, it will remain a painful memory for me. There were many welts across Sam’s lower back, buttocks, and legs.

Judge Thurgood and Michelle saw this as well, and Michelle said, “I will text a friend of mine who’s on the research division at the magazine. When I tell her what it’s about I’m sure she’ll help.”

Michele’s friend replied within the hour, and Michelle said, “She’ll have the information we need. We’ll be able to find out who Sam’s real mother is.”

The news about Nicole’s death was devastating, “She seemed to be just a little high until her boyfriend struck her in the stomach as they were being in processed. Their restraints were removed to obtain the fingerprints. It’s at this point he punched her in the stomach. We have videotape of it.”

The time of death was called at just about 6:45 PM. As we processed the news, I couldn’t help but think about Sam’s words, “No, don’t take my new mommy away.”

The darkness of the courtroom seemed to weigh heavily on Judge Thurgood’s conscience as he made the difficult call to the DA. His voice was laced with a mix of regret and determination.

‘I’m afraid I have some disturbing news,’ he said, his words hanging in the air like a challenge.

‘What is it, Judge?’ the DA replied, her tone a perfect balance of professional curiosity and concern.

‘It’s about the incident at the jail,’ Judge Thurgood continued, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for an escape from the weight of his words. ‘The woman I struck, she’s passed away. The autopsy revealed a massive drug overdose.’

The DA’s silence was a testament to her professionalism, but Judge Thurgood knew she was reeling from the news.

‘And the doctor’s findings?’ she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

‘It’s a miracle she’s still alive,’ Judge Thurgood said, his voice cracking with emotion. ‘But I’m afraid it’s not just that. I’m going to have to accuse myself of a crime.’

‘What do you mean, Judge?’ the DA asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

‘I witnessed the events leading up to the incident, and I’m willing to testify against myself in the upcoming trial,’ Judge Thurgood said, his words a testament to his commitment to justice.

With that, the DA’s expression turned from shock to determination. She knew that this was a case that would shake the very foundations of the justice system.

The chief of police arrived promptly, his expression a mask of professionalism as he began to gather the evidence from the doctors.

Meanwhile, in a separate part of the city, Michelle’s friend was busy gathering information about Nicole’s past. She scoured the obituaries of Nicole’s relatives, her eyes scanning the words for any hint of information about the aunt who had taken custody of Sam.

Nicole’s grandmother had been a kind soul, but her grandfather’s multiple marriages and divorces had left a trail of heartache in their wake. Nicole’s mother, Nancy, had been just a young girl when her father abandoned them, and she had grown up without a father figure in her life.

As Nicole’s aunt, Sam’s biological mother’s half-sister, Nicole had always felt like an outsider in her own family. She had grown up without a father, and her own choices had led her down a path of self-destruction.

But despite her flaws, Nicole had been Sam’s last living relative, and her death had left the young girl without a family. Michelle’s friend couldn’t help but wonder if Nicole’s passing was a blessing in disguise for Sam, who had been living with her abusive aunt and her boyfriend.

As she delved deeper into Nicole’s past, Michelle’s friend discovered a web of deceit and abuse that had left Sam vulnerable and scared. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief that Nicole was no longer a part of Sam’s life, but she also felt a pang of sadness for the aunt who had never had the chance to change her life for the better.