I got married at age 25 to Karen who was just barely 20 at the time. We had been living in Alexandria Virginia. Karen was a student at Catholic University in Washington and I was working for the government like so many others in the area. Her family was from Kennebunk Maine. We'd had a whirlwind courtship and engagement that spanned a mere four months before our intended marriage date. Karen came from a well to do family and I expect lots of resistance from them when we announced our marriage intentions. Though I had only met them by phone when Karen told her parents of her intentions they were very welcoming and set about put together a wedding for their daughter.
Karen's family had lived in Kennebunk since the 17th century but had none of the stuffiness that one would expect of bluebloods. They belonged to the Congregational Church and although considered themselves members were seldom in attendance. Karen had told me her father would do anything for her. I took that with several grains of salt but when her father enthusiastically congratulated us on our engagement I knew what she said was true.
We planned the wedding for mid-June. Karen had always wanted a June wedding. We traveled from the DC area to Maine the weekend prior to the wedding. Karen told me her parents house was large and they had a guest bedroom I could stay in.
"Why don't I stay with you in your room?" I asked kiddingly.
"My parents are pretty liberal but let's not push it." She retaliated.
"I was just kidding."
Karen is a beautiful strawberry blonde, five seven in height. She has these large green eyes that intoxicate you. She has the lithe body of a cross-country runner that she in fact is. When I first asked her out I thought she'd say no because I was a little out of shape and being built like a football play, which I had been in both high school and college, I thought it showed. Karen is very unpretentious and I quickly found that unlike so many of her peers she always looked for what was on the inside of a person. She did that so well that at times she'd remind me that I should be a little more understanding of people. Karen had hooked me from day one and this was a major reason why.
The trip from DC took almost 12 hours right up Interstate 95. I was on pins and needles the entire trip. Meeting Karen's parents a mere weeks prior to the wedding was intimidating. I had visions of her father growling at me as I shook his hand for the first time.
We pulled into the driveway of her parent's house a little after 9PM. The last bits of daylight were draining out of the sky. The house was a large colonial. Though I could see it sat on a large plot of land I didn't find out until later that they owned close to 50 acres of land.
In my mind I had us entering the house unnoticed and not having to go through the introductions until the next morning. I hadn't counted on the Jack Russell terrier alarm system bringing everyone out of the house before we were able to pull a single bag out of the car. The first one out was Karen's younger sister Leah, she was 16, who ran to Karen and kissed her. She was followed by her brother Mike or Mikey as Karen called him. Make was a year older than Karen.
"Hey squirt, it's about time you came home!" Mike said as he came up behind Leah. "You must be Peter." Mike said as he shook my hand.
"Peter, this is my sister Leah," Karen said.
"Please to meet you," Leah said shyly averting her eyes from mine as I shook her hand.
"Daddy!" Karen screamed. I turned around to see Karen jump into her father's arms and hug him. I wasn't at all prepared for her father's physical presence. He stood six five and weight close to three hundred pounds and he was in shape. Karen quickly grabbed her father's hand and pulled him over to me and said, "Daddy this is Peter."
Instead of the growl I had expected he greeted me with a very sincere, "It's good to finally meet you." And instead of the vice grip break my hand handshake I'd expected he shook my hand firmly and in a very friendly manner. "Let's get your stuff inside and get you settled." Her father said. "Mike, give a hand."
Mike and Karen's father carried virtually all our bags into the house. We entered through a side door that took us directly into the kitchen.
Karen's father called out as soon as we got into the house, "Marie, Peter's here!"
The words had no sooner escaped his mouth when a woman who I thought could have passed as Karen's twin came through the kitchen door. I held out my hand to shake her hand but she pushed passed it and gave me a very warm hug. Seeing her close up it was evident that Marie was much older than Karen but still a strikingly youthful looking and beautiful woman.
"Welcome to the family Peter," Marie said.
I thought I detected an accent but unlike the broad downeast accent I'd expect it sounded like a southern accent. "Well, I'm not a member of the family yet Mrs. Cooper," I replied.
"Please, call me Marie."
We all went into the living room where we spent the next couple of hours getting to know each other. Karen's brother for a while seemed to be taking me to task with lots of pointed questions. But after a while Marie told Mike to "hush" as he was being rude according to her. I brushed aside his comments and defended him saying I'd be the same way if a stranger were marrying my sister.
I stayed in the guest room that night. I was awakened to the sweet scent of bacon and coffee. I went downstairs immediately after showering and dressing and found Karen sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen drinking coffee and talking with her mother. Marie was still in her nightclothes. She was wearing a loose fitting gown though sheer and flowing was not at all transparent.
"How do you like your eggs Peter?" Marie asked.
"Over easy."
"Do you like grits?"
Grits is a very popular southern hot cereal that I loved. I sat at the counter with Karen and ate my breakfast while Marie and Karen talked of their plans for the day. Karen was going with Becky, her best friend, and maid of honor, to be fit of her wedding gown. Her father and brother had already left. Her father was off to play a round of golf and Mike had gone to "parts unknown" simply saying he wouldn't be back before supper.
I was just finishing my breakfast when the outside door to the kitchen opened and in walked a stunningly beautiful woman.
"Hi Becky," Marie said welcoming her in. "Have you had breakfast yet?"
"I've eaten already Mrs. Cooper," Becky replied.