Another Chance

"I know it's only been a few months but I want you in my life everyday. If we haven't made love enough, we can go back in the bedroom and spend the day there." Angie had to smile at that remark.

"Angie, I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?"

Angie had tears in her eyes. "Ray, so you know, I don't take love lightly. I made a mistake once like I told you. Yes, I'll marry you. I want you to know that I will always be there for you and the kids. I know what you went through in your first marriage. I will always be honest with you and will never cheat on you. I will expect the same from you." She came to me and kissed me very passionately.

"Honey, what's the matter? You look happy but yet sad," I asked her.

"It's my thoughts about my dad and how happy I think he'll be. Most young girls think about that special wedding day. How they would dress in their white gown and be walked down the aisle by their father and given to their husband. I know that will never happen with me and it makes me sad." She was crying lightly. "My dad didn't even know that I was getting married last time. By the time I had written to him I had a miscarriage and was on my way to a divorce. I'm sorry Ray, I shouldn't be thinking about that now. After all, I'll be marrying a man my dad approves of and whom I've been in love with since I first met him."

"What? You loved me from the beginning. I wanted you from the first time I saw you, but I know you knew that."

She gave me a sweet smile and asked me when I wanted to tie the knot. I told her that any arrangements would be on her terms. We both agreed it would be as soon as possible.

I asked her if I could start telling everyone and she told me she was going to so all we needed was the date. We decided it would be in two months.

I was on Cloud Nine for the next few days. I told Amy and her husband Kenny. They were both very happy for us. I had to tell the kids. I called over to their house and had them both get on extensions so I could tell them at the same time. They were both screaming how happy they were and how much they liked Angie. I told them it would be in a couple of months but I wanted them to be one of the first people I told.

I stopped at Angie's office and Mary, her receptionist, congratulated me. She told me that Angie was telling everyone and invited them all to the wedding reception. She rang Angie and told me to go on in; Angie was waiting for me.

When I went in, Angie was crying lightly. "What's the matter, Angie?"

"I called the prison and talked to the Prison Warden and asked him if my dad could get a one day leave to attend our wedding. He told me that Dad wasn't allowed to leave the prison under any circumstances. His life imprisonment meant just that. He did tell me it was out of his hands and there was nothing he could do."

"I'm so sorry, Angie; I know having your father there would have meant a lot to you."

"It gets worse, Ray. Dad has cancer although it has been in remission but is now back. They give him three to six months to live." She started crying and I held her to my chest.

I thought, 'Why, God? Why do this to her? She was a good person and I really hurt for her.'

"Angie, I've been buying your father cigarettes since I have been released. It was a deal I made with him. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. Dad doesn't smoke anymore. He uses the packs of cigarettes that people send him to barter with the other prisoners. You haven't contributed to his cancer."

I had an idea but I didn't want to tell Angie and get her hopes up. I kissed her goodbye and told her I would see her the next day.

I called off work for the next day and went to the prison to see Killer and the warden. When Killer saw me he smiled. "You take good care of my little girl, Ray. All I ask is that you make her happy. She deserves a lot better out of life than what she's received."

I explained my idea to Killer and at first he said, "No" but finally agreed to go along if I could get the warden to agree. So I told him I would see him later, I had an appointment with the warden.

The warden greeted me, "Well, Ray, I see you are keeping your nose clean and getting married. I'm sorry about Killer but he's a lifer and we can't let him out to go to his daughter wedding."

"Warden, are you in total charge of the prison and allowed to make most decisions about the facilities?"

"What are you getting at, Ray?"

"Can we get married on the premises? Could we use the chapel and Killer can escort his daughter down the aisle?"

"You and Killer's daughter want to get married here? In prison, just so her dad can be there? Is that what you are asking?"

"Yes, sir, she hasn't seen her dad in over fourteen years and he's dying as you know. All we ask is for use of the chapel to get married. I know prisoners have been married here before."

"Okay, Ray, I'll set it up at this end. This can't be a big affair. You can only invite three outsiders into the prison besides you and your fiancée. I will let Killer invite a few of his fellow prisoners. You will have to use the prison minister."

I thanked the warden and headed back up to see Killer.

"Dave," Killer laughed when I called him by his name. "The warden agreed to go along with my idea. I'm heading back to tell Angie now. Thank you, Dave, I know this means a lot to our girl."

Dave smiled at me. "Ray, copy down this number I'm going to give you. It was something I put back for Angie. When you go to the bank, tell Angie to take her birth certificate. The account is in her maiden name."

I took down the information and told Dave I was sorry to hear about his illness. "Just take care of my little girl, that's all I ask," replied Dave.

I went back to Angie's office. She saw the smile on my face and asked me what was up.

"Do you mind getting married in prison?" I asked.

"What? What are you talking about, Ray?"

I explained to her about my talk to the warden and that her dad would be allowed to walk her down the aisle. She started crying big happy tears.

"God, I love you, Ray."

I told her about the bank deposit box and we went over to see what was in it.

"I'm Anjolina Juanita Miller and I would like to see my safe deposit box." Angie gave him her number and he looked at her birth certificate. He led us back to the safe deposit boxes and opened it for us and left the room.

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The first thing that we noticed was a note from her father.

"Dear Angie: If you're opening this box, you are either getting married or I have passed on. I hope it's the first thing. The little box contains your mother's wedding ring. I know everyone wondered where it went but I put it in here for safe keeping. I want you to have it and wear it proudly. Your mother had her faults but loved you and I know she would have wanted you to have her wedding ring. Also there are bonds totaling over fifteen thousand dollars to help pay for your wedding. I set this up before I was sent away.

"When you see your brother and sister tell them there is a box for each of them too, if they haven't already got theirs. Yours is the only one containing a ring. Congratulations and always be honest to your husband.

With Love

Dad"

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Angie and I talked about our wedding. We decided to invite her brother Brad and sister Lisa if they would come. Also, my sister Amy.

We would invite family and friends to our reception which would take place shortly after the wedding. Angie and Amy spent the next month getting everything set up for the reception. We had to pay extra for everything since it was such short notice, but I wanted Angie to have as much of her dream as possible. Amy said she would use her digital camera and take pictures.

Angie and I went to see her brother and sister. She introduced me to them. They told me that they didn't hate their dad. They hated what he did. Angie explained the wedding to them and why she was holding it at the prison. Both Brad and Lisa had tears in their eyes when they found out their dad was dying. After they agreed to go to the wedding Angie gave them the numbers to their safe deposit boxes. They were surprised that their father had set something aside for them.

On the day of the wedding Angie and I rode to the prison together. Amy and her husband came but her husband waited in the car for her. As we entered I had a suit for Killer to wear. One of the guards took it to him. I had on my tux which I rented for the occasion. Amy went in a room with Angie to help her with her wedding dress. Angie didn't want me to see her until she entered the chapel.

I entered the chapel to wait for Angie. In came Brad and Lisa. Brad was going to be my best man and Lisa was Angie's maid of honor. There was a small piano in the chapel and an inmate was playing some songs on it. A guard brought five other inmates who were friends of Killer's (Dave) in and seated them. The warden came in with a minister and smiled. He walked up to me and said that they had some cake and punch for everyone after the ceremony. For a warden, he wasn't such a bad guy.

The pianist started playing 'Here comes the Bride' and everyone stood. In through the door came Angie on the arm of her father. Both had tears coming down their cheeks. Angie had gotten her wish, being escorted by her father down the aisle on her wedding day. When they arrived in front of the chapel, everyone sat down except our small wedding party. Another guard came in and closed the door.

The minister intoned, "Who gives this woman to this man?"

"I do, Sir," replied Dave proudly and he sat down.

"Anjolina Juanita Miller Brady, do you take Raymond Michael Harper to be your husband?"

The minister continued his statement and then asked me the same question. We made sure that he said, "To love and honor from this day forward." It's how we both felt. No one would ever come between us. We both had rocky lives up to this point. We knew we would do our best to make our marriage work.

After we said our vows I kissed the bride. She then turned around and kissed and hugged her father. We all headed to an adjoining room to talk for a few minutes and have some cake and punch supplied by the warden.

Brad and Lisa both walked up to their dad and gave him a hug. It's the first time they spoke or talked to him in almost fifteen years. There was a lot of crying going on. Tears of joy and tears of remorse. They knew their father was dying and they wanted him to know they still loved him.

Amy had taken pictures of Angie and me throughout the short service. She also took as many pictures as she could of Dave, with his three kids. She recorded the crying, hugging and even the little bit of laughter they all shared in that short span of time. She left and she and her husband took the pictures to a twenty-four hour photo center and had all the pictures developed and some enlarged.

We said our goodbyes to Dave, and the warden. We thanked him for making Angie's dream come true. As we left we noticed that Brad and Lisa were still talking to their dad. It was a wonderful sight to see. We headed back to town and to our reception.

Everyone we invited attended. The first two people we saw were Kyle and Kayla jumping up and down as we got out of the car. They ran up to us and hugged us. We entered the hall and were greeted with shouts of joy. My parents were there with tears in their eyes along with most everyone who greeted us. A lot of Angie's friends were there to greet us. Most of them I had never met. I did notice Mary as she came over and gave us a hug.

About a half hour later Amy showed up with the photos. She had a couple of our photos enlarged. She sat them all on the table for everyone to see. Brad and Lisa had stopped at home to pick up their families. Brad was with his wife and two kids. Lisa was with her husband and three kids. The two families walked up to a photo of Dave and told the kids that it was their grandfather.

Amy told them that she had made four sets of photos and after the reception that each family could take a set home. There was one each for Brad and Lisa, one for Angie and me, and of course one for Amy.

I wanted to tell you how incredible Angie looked in her wedding dress. If she had wings she would have looked like an angel that God sent down. To me, she was the most beautiful women I have ever seen and she was my wife. I guess most men feel that way about their wife.

We danced and ate and danced some more. With the clanging of the glasses our lips were together most of the night. The people I worked with told me I was a very luck man. Believe me; I didn't have to be told. I knew that I got the brass ring and intended on holding on to it forever.

For those who are wondering, Deb and Pat did not come to our wedding. This was Angie's day and I didn't want anything to spoil it. Seeing her with her father walking down the aisle, watching her brother and sister making amends with their father. A family coming back together. No way would I ever forget this day.

Epilog:

It's been six months since our wedding day.

Debbie and Pat got married last month. I was glad to see that she was really trying to establish a life for herself. My kids tell me that Pat treats them good. I asked about Aunt Sue and Uncle Bob and my kids said they moved away to another state.

I got a transfer to day shift so I could see my kids more often and be home with Angie every evening. She was pregnant with our child.

It was three months to the day after our wedding that Dave (Killer) passed away. His kids went to visit him each month till his passing. It was sad but we did get a chance to tell him about Angie's pregnancy. We told him it was going to be a boy and we were naming him David Raymond. It brought a smile to Dave's face.

I look back over all that has happened. A cheating wife, going to prison, meeting the woman of my dreams, and then marrying her. Now I was starting over and going to be a father again. There is not a day that goes by when I don't thank God for what I have. I thank him for giving me and Angie another chance at happiness.

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Thanks for reading my story.

Comments are always welcome

DG Hear