(My deepest thanks go to ArthurianMorgaine for editing this story for me. It was a joy to work with her and her edit has made this story flow so much better. In turn I hope you the reader enjoy this story as much as I had fun writing it.)
Karma: - For every unpleasant event that occurs, a second event will occur that will cancel out by virtue the first event by being pleasant.
As the organist flawlessly changed the background music to 'Here Comes The Bride,' everyone in the church turned, and gasped at the vision coming down the aisle. Toni was so very proud at that moment, I should know. I've lived with her for twenty of her twenty six years. I'm her brother.
"Damn it Jeff. What ever does a girl like that see in a guy like me?" the groom asked.
Being the best man to your best friend since grade school and having to play match maker for both of them all through college was both fun and a nightmare at the same time. I told him once that the next time this situation came up I would much rather stick my hand in a furnace. Being my friend's best man still meant I had to keep him calm, even though the beauty that was my sister, seemed to be doing a really good job of that at the moment.
I still couldn't resist it, "I suppose the two million you have stashed in that offshore account, may have something to do with it buddy."
It earned me a jab in the ribs and a small chuckle. It also earned me a glare from my Dad as he drew up alongside us, "Jeffery Andrew Marshall, this is your sisters wedding and I expect you to behave with a certain amount of decorum." Who but my Dad would ever use the word 'decorum,' yet he did and I was suitably chastised. So other than checking for the tenth time I had the ring, I pushed Jason forward and Dad went and sat with Mom. The whole ceremony went off without a hitch, even the part when the reverend asked if anyone had any objections. The urge to turn around and check out the guests was close to overwhelming. I did often wonder if anyone would ever be brave enough to stand up at a time like that and say yes. No one did so the 'I dos' went ahead and I now had a brother in law as well as a business partner. Nothing like keeping it in the family I suppose.
Even the speeches were a formality. I showed mine to Toni a few days before and she cried, telling me not to change a word of it. Getting them both on the plane to Hawaii for the honeymoon was even more fun. They were going to be late for their flight and I threatened to come into there hotel room and throw a bucket of water over them. That seemed to work. I was the one left watching them at check in, breathing a sigh of relief, just grateful that everything had gone to plan. Well at least the parts I had to organize anyway
So with one final wave to them both, I was happy that my sister had married the best guy I knew. He doted on Toni and I suspected he loved her even before his body told him what love was. They were made for each other and for the next three weeks I was left to take care of the business, as I was reminded when my cell rang. Of course being a guy has its limitations. Doing two things at once being one of them, and that's when I literally walked straight into some woman.
She stumbled and fell, the over-sized hat she wore obscuring her face as she became comfortable with the departure lounge floor. Her friend helped her up and that's when two of her bodyguards dropped me on the same part of the departure lounge she had occupied not ten seconds ago. Airport security noticed the commotion and joined in. By then of course the woman's well oiled security team had wheeled her out of the airport, leaving the two bodyguards holding me down until security cuffed me and took me away.
Even with all my details and why I was at the airport in the first place. It took nearly two hours to explain it was an accident and that I have been known to be a klutz most, if not all of my life. The two security guys didn't press charges when I insisted we watched the security footage, even they admitted it looked like an accident. When I did finally get to the car I was grateful it wasn't parked in a tow away zone. The whole incident left me feeling rather pissed at life, one woman in particular. If I thought about it long enough, her team of suited gorilla's were in there as well.
But work saved me. Work was my security blanket and I wrapped myself in it for the next two days. My phone rang and my secretary told me two men had come to see me. Curiosity got the better of me and I left the office to investigate. I recognized them instantly as the two that held me down at the airport. One stepped forward and said. "This is for you, from the lady you barged into at the airport and she accepts your apology."
Now this was interesting, firstly seeing these two guys with a bunch of flowers and then being told that I had barged into her and that she actually hung around long enough for me to apologise. They didn't say anything else, just turned and left. Janice stood to get a vase for the flowers, until I told her not to bother. My Dad had always told me I should watch my temper, all through high school and college he said the same thing. You have just got to love your parent's foresight in these matters.
I picked up the flowers and went to my office and looked out the window seeing both the suits head towards the limo parked under my window. I added a paperweight to the flowers and a small message of my own, before I dropped both out the window. I watched as it landed on the roof of the limo before going back to work. Perhaps a small part of me was grateful that our office was on the first floor. I did expect the police to turn up but they never did, so I settled into work again, just finishing up when Janice stuck her head around the door and wished me goodnight.
*******
Now I'm a creature of few habits, but two habits I do hold most dear are early morning jogs around the park across from my apartment and coffee at Charlie's when I'm done. Charlie's was a family owned diner. I went to school with Marco who runs it now and we like to keep in touch, even take in a few ball games when we could drag Jason away from Toni that is. The jogging was a left-over from school. I'm no track jock, I just liked to keep in shape. The fear of looking like Dad when I was older made me keep it up after school.
Marco was telling me about his latest date when the door opened and the diner went a little quiet. Both of us looked over towards the door and I inwardly groaned. There was only one of them this time. He spotted me and walked over, pulling an envelope out of his inside pocket at the same time. I was more surprised when he didn't say anything, just sat the envelope on the counter in front of me and left.
At first I whistled at the cost of the damage to the roof. Then I realized this had not only been a rush job since dropping my answer onto it yesterday, but it was also a limo. Telling Marco I would see him in the morning, I walked home to shower and change. It wasn't until I was back at the office that I pulled the bill out of the envelope again, only this time a hand written note came with it.
'I'm willing to go halves on the bill, if you accept my apology.'
That in itself raised an eyebrow, but my Father always told me to be beholden to no one. So I rang the shop and paid the bill in full over the phone, after all, I did it. My temper got in the way and it was time to pay for what I did, feeling very lucky that the police didn't haul my ass down town for doing it. The bill was handed to Janice for filing and the rest of the day became work overload for everyone in the office. As far as I was concerned, the whole incident was nothing more than a fading memory. When Janice knocked to remind me it was time and she was going home. She told me it was about time I did the same thing. I took the hint, being the last out and locking up after myself.
He was waiting by my car. "You have got to be kidding me. You do know the laws on stalking in this state don't you?"
The same guy who handed me the bill for the damage to the limo simply stood stone-faced by my car, until I got closer, and then his hand went into his jacket. I couldn't be bothered anymore.
