Chapter 7
Going to the Chapel
The noonday desert heat was like a physical presence as Cinnamon stepped off
the plane. Rollin placed his hand on her back as they walked down the steps
together. He carried her overnight bag. The rest of their luggage was already
checked to
The air-conditioned terminal building was a welcome respite but it wouldn’t last long. They walked quickly through the terminal headed for the cabstand. The noise of slot machines followed them through the building.
“Hey Mon, you and de lady need a ride?” A familiar voice using a Jamaican accent called out from behind them.
Both stopped and turned, amazed.
“Barney?!” Cinnamon exclaimed.
“You didn’t think you could sneak off and have a wedding on your own did you?” Barney accepted her hug and ushered them toward a waiting Chrysler limo.
“How did you know?” Rollin said, laughing.
Willy got out of the back of the limo and opened the door for them. “We’ve already made reservations at the Little Chapel of Love. We should have time for the wedding and lunch before your flight.”
“And a toast to the bride and groom,” Jim said with a smile from inside the limo, holding the champagne bottle up.
Rollin helped Cinnamon into the limo. Cinnamon leaned over and kissed Jim on the cheek, then Willy as he slid into one of the jump seats. “It’s good to have family at the wedding,” she said. “This just feels right.”
Although the tiny adobe building with the faux steeple looked tacky on the outside, it was actually well appointed on the inside, with mahogany benches and red velvet curtains. The flowers inside were silk, but they were arranged in elegant bouquets of roses and carnations. When Rollin approached the receptionist and identified himself, she handed over a box with boutonnieres for each of the men and an exquisite bouquet of white roses for Cinnamon. They had a very short wait and were ushered into the tiny chapel. An elderly man shook hands all around and asked who was standing for whom. Barney took the place next to Cinnamon, joking that he’d always wanted to be a bridesmaid. Willy stood beside Rollin, and Jim took a subtly paternal position behind Cinnamon.
The ceremony was short and simple. Rollin paid little attention to the words, responding at the proper spots, but most of his thoughts were marveling that this beautiful woman was to become his wife. Her eyes met his throughout the ceremony and he knew that she was every bit as confident about this as he was. There may have been butterflies last night on both their parts, but not now. This was the perfect thing to do.
Willy had to nudge him to kiss the bride at the clergyman in front of them came to a conclusion. Cinnamon smiled impishly at him and waited for him to lean toward her. As his lips met hers she gently put her arms around his shoulders and all the rest of the world slipped away from them.
end part 7
<return to conspiracy> <part 8>