took Sharon’s hand and tucked it into the bend of his arm with a slow, seductive smile. Her five feet six looked tiny beside his six feet two muscular build.
“I’m glad you could come,” she stammered. “Oh, you remember Lynn.”
“I sure do.,” He turned a smile on Lynn as he took her hand and drew it slowly to his lips.
Lynn firmly pulled her hand back before he could kiss it. “I know your parents are happy to have you home,” she said politely with no expression.
Jeremy’s eyes narrowed. He gave a small nod to Lynn before turning to smile at Sharon. He kept looking quizzically and slightly angry at Lynn.
Malcolm took his son’s arm. “Sorry, girls. I know you’d love to get reacquainted and play catch-up, but I’d like to introduce Jeremy to some business friends.” Jeremy looked back at Sharon with a practiced, pained look as his father took him off, his mother still floating after them with her head high. “Jeremy will catch you again later.”
Lynn snapped her fingers in front of Sharon’s eyes. “Wake up and dust the cobwebs off your brain. Use the common sense God gave you, and don’t let that loser reel you in. Never forget that he’s momma’s little darling and she’s spoiled him rotten. Surely you remember all the foolish girls who did his assignments so that he could be a football hero and stay in the ROTC.” Lynn viewed Sharon with a worried, but loving, expression.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Sharon snapped. “Of course I remember. I was one of those foolish girls for a short time. I helped him with literature classes. But -- I’m sure the military has helped him to mature.”
“Don’t count on it. You know what they say about leopards,” Lynn winked.
Leopards? Sharon looked puzzled at Lynn as they walked over to join some of their friends. One of her dad’s friends asked her to dance. Sharon looked over the man’s shoulder to see Jeremy staring at her. He grinned and winked. Nervously she looked away pretending not to see him.
Jeremy’s mother had taught him to cultivate rich girls in high social positions, and Sharon qualified. As weeks flew by, Sharon fell under Jeremy’s charm. They kept in touch through phone calls and letters. In one of Jeremy’s letters, he had invited Sharon and her parents to be his guest at dinner in a famous French restaurant in Fort Lauderdale the following Friday.
“Mrs. Donnelly, how beautiful you look tonight. Everyone will think you’re Sharon’s sister. Let me help you.” Jeremy rushed to hold her chair and then hurried to hold Sharon’s, but Sean had already seated his daughter.
“Mr. Donnelly, my dad is so fortunate to have you for a partner.”
“Jeremy, I’m the fortunate one. Let’s hope you make half the man your dad is. I’m sure it’s hard to follow his example. You should count your blessings that you have such an excellent role model in your father. I’m sure you’re thankful you have the advantage of such an outstanding parent.”
Jeremy was thankful that the waiter came to take their order. He wasn’t sure what his reply should be. He had known the Donnellys all of his life and knew how close his father and Sean Donnelly were, but he really had no feelings for his father.
Malcolm Taylor and Sean Donnelly had been friends during college and through law school and had been partners for many years. They were as close as most brothers were. However, Agnes Taylor and Megan Donnelly were only polite to each other. Agnes did no work of any kind, leaving her house to servants, and attended all social functions possible. Megan volunteered for several charity groups and loved to take care of her own house and family. She only had help with window washing and heavy cleaning.
Ignoring Lynn’s, and other friends’ warnings, Sharon dated Jeremy and kept in touch.
Seven months after her party, she fell completely under Jeremy’s spell, and one of the most publicized weddings of Fort Lauderdale took place in the Baptist Church. It was an event fit for royalty.
Following their wedding, three hundred guests were served at a sit-down dinner and a well-known group of musicians entertained at a reception held at the Silver Pines Country Club. Jeremy and Sharon, on the floor for the first dance, glided through the bubbles floating through the air from a machine. Her head just reached his shoulder. An arch of white roses on a long veil was placed across her head. The white lace and satin gown made her look as if she had stepped out of a picture of the middle 1800s.
“This must be costing Sean a fortune,” a golfing buddy remarked to Agnes Taylor, sitting beside her at the dinner.
“Don’t worry about the cost,” Agnes Taylor replied, happy to supply gossip. “Sean’s family owned a successful shipping business and importing and exporting for several generations. When Sean’s father died, the entire fortune went to Sean and his sister. He has invested wisely. He and Malcolm, my husband, have a lucrative law practice. I think Sean must have descended from King Midas,” she laughed strangely. “Sean Donnelly makes no financial mistakes. Of course his sister’s share of the inheritance went to Lynn under Sean’s guardianship. He comes out on top regardless of what he does.”
The man quickly excused himself and left as if he were uneasy in Agnes’ presence.
“Look at the newly weds,” Ellen Turner sitting across the table sighed. “Aren’t they a beautiful couple.”
“Oh, to be young and foolish again,” her husband quipped.
“They are sweet,” Bonnie Stallard spoke. “I bet they will have a long, happy marriage and beautiful children. They are so right together.”
Two days later the wedding seemed like a beautiful dream as Sharon gazed out of the hotel window enjoying the view of the ocean and the beach.
“Darling, I’m sorry we’ll only have a week here in Bermuda. I want to share so much with you.” Jeremy slouched in a big chair and watched Sharon.
“Oh, Jeremy.” Sharon twirled around as if she were dancing and sat on his lap. “That’s not important. Just being with you is wonderful and our honeymoon will last a lifetime, wherever we are.”
A knock sounded on the door as a maid opened it and walked in. Smiling she asked, “Do you need anything; towels, soap, shampoo, anything?”
“Hey!” Jeremy roared jumping up and dumping Sharon on the floor. He stormed at the maid. “Did we ring for you? Did I invite you into this room?”
Frightened, the woman shook her head and shuffled backwards.
“Then get out of here and don’t come in this room unless you’re invited.” The maid ran out leaving the door open.
Walking to close the door, Sharon said, “That wasn’t nice. She’s just doing her job.”
“Shut up!” Jeremy shouted pointing his finger in her face. “You let me handle the hired help. Do you understand?”
Although Sharon was shocked at his behavior, she choked back a response. It hurt her for him to speak in that tone of voice, but she was too much in love to allow it to become an argument. She was so naïve that she didn’t recognize Jeremy was doing as his mother had taught him. She had yet to learn he had no respect or compassion for others.
After their week in Bermuda, they reported to the Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. This would be a complete change in life style for Sharon because, instead of a single family residence, they were assigned one side of a lovely brick duplex. There were a few apartments and single dwellings for higher officers, but all of the housing was much closer together than she was accustomed to living.
Their furniture would be issued from a billeting and they would be responsible for even a scratch on a piece. They would pay their own phone and cable TV bills, but all other utilities were provided.
“Can I work in that miniscule yard and plant my own flowers?” Sharon inquired eagerly. “I want to make this look truly like our home.”
“No,”