Dawn and Diana – Our New Life – Part 3
By Kathi Jo Daniels
Chapter Five: Changing Our Relationship
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Mid-afternoon – 2 pm
“Diana, please have a seat. I need to discuss some things with you.” She sat on the sofa. I sat beside her, took her hands, rested them in my lap, and looked into her eyes. She looked anxious, uncertain of what was coming next. (She was probably thinking back to the last time I had asked her to sit and talk seriously - see Dawn and Diana Move to Denver – Part 3).
“You’ve never explicitly stated that you love me, but I know you do. You show me every hour of every day in everything you do and every word you speak. You’ve shown this since we reconnected in September. It’s been less than 2 ½ months since you came with me to Steamboat. Your acceptance of Dawn is astonishing.”
“I hope you know I adore you and feel blessed to have you in my life. I’d like to have you in my life forever.”
Diana leaned over, hugged, and kissed me passionately. The smile she gave when we came up for air was as warm and inviting as when we were in Steamboat together.
“I know I’ve never said anything, but I love you, Diana Chapin. Would you please marry me and be my wife?”
She burst into tears, hugging and kissing me, and blubbering. “Yes! Of course. I’ve wanted to marry you since you came to McPherson. What took you so long? When do we want to get married? Yes. I love you!”
“Your daughters are coming on Wednesday for Thanksgiving. How about Friday or Saturday? I’ll be Dan for the week. We can tell them about Dawn at some other time.”
“Do you think we can get everything put together by then? We have to send invitations. I’ll have to buy a dress. Who will we invite? Where will we get married?” she babbled.
“First. I’ll call the county tomorrow to find a Justice of the Peace available on one of those days. We can get married in the backyard. There won’t be time to send out invitations. I’ll call the normal crew: Roger, Lisa, Mark, Nancy, John, Megan, Laura, and Wanda. How about Kristi? With your two daughters, Deborah’s husband and baby will make 15. The baby won’t drink much.”
Hugs and kisses. “Yes, I want to be your wife. You mean everything to me. I’m happier with you than ever before in my life. Oh, my goodness, I’ll have to buy a dress.” More hugs and kisses. “I love you!”
“Let me get my phone. We’ll start calling everyone.”
I found my phone, put it on speaker, and called Roger. “Hello there! Did we forget something this morning?” he asked.
“Oh no. Something better. Is Lisa available?”
“Yes. Let me get her.” Roger put his phone on speaker and called Lisa.
“Hey! What’s going on this afternoon?” she asked.
“Well, about five minutes ago, Diana agreed to marry me.”
Lisa shrieked. “Fantastic! You’d better not be planning to elope. I’ll hurt you if you do!”
“No.” I laughed. “I wouldn’t be calling in advance if we were going to elope! We’re planning to have the ceremony here in the backyard. Either Friday or Saturday. Her daughters will be here for Thanksgiving, so they won’t have to make another trip.”
“That’s incredible. Let us know when and what time. We’ll be there!” Roger replied.
“Congratulations, Diana. We’ll see you soon,” added Lisa.
“Thanks, Lisa. I’m still in shock that he finally asked! See you Friday or Saturday.”
We hung up. “Okay. Now I’ll call Mark and Nancy.”
I put my phone on speaker again and called Mark. “Hey there! Didn’t we see you this morning?” He laughed.
“Yes, but we have some news. Is Nancy available?”
“Yes. Just a minute,” Mark put his phone on speaker and called Nancy.
“Hey! What kind of news do you two have this afternoon?” she asked.
“I know it’ll be a shock, but Diana agreed to marry me.”
Nancy squealed. “Wonderful! When? Where? No matter, we’ll be there!”
“We’re planning to have the ceremony here at the house. I’ll call tomorrow to find an available Justice of the Peace for either Friday or Saturday. I have to get this done before she changes her mind!”
Both Mark and Nancy laughed.
“You don’t need to worry. She’s too much in love with you to change her mind. We’re not surprised at all that she said yes,” added Nancy.
“You’re right about that!” exclaimed Diana.
“Her daughters will be here for Thanksgiving, so this will be convenient for them.”
“That’s wonderful. Let us know which day and what time,” answered Mark.
“Congratulations, Diana. Do you want to go dress shopping tomorrow?” added Nancy.
“Thanks, Nancy. I’m still amazed he finally asked! Shopping would be wonderful. What time and where?”
“I’ll pick you up at 10 in the morning.”
“Great. See you tomorrow.” We hung up.
“May I suggest a nice cocktail dress instead of a formal wedding gown? Something you can wear another time.”
“You don’t need to worry. I’m sure Nancy and I will be able to find something suitable.”
In other words, Dan, this is not your decision!
“Next. Wanda and Laura. Not sure if they’re working this afternoon.”
I called their office. The receptionist said they were both in the office and asked which one I needed. I flipped a coin and asked for Laura.
“This is Laura Sanders. How may I help you?”
I put my phone on speaker. “Laura, this is Dan and Diana. Do you know if Wanda is available?”
“I’m sure she is. Just a second.”
Laura returned and put her phone on speaker. “We’re here. What’s happening?”
“You might want to sit down. About ten minutes ago, Diana agreed to marry me.”
They both squealed in unison. “WEE! HAW! When? Where? We don’t care. We’ll be there!”
I had to laugh at their response. “We’re planning to have the ceremony here at the house. I’ll have to call tomorrow to find a Justice of the Peace for Friday or Saturday. Both of Diana’s daughters will be here for Thanksgiving, along with her son-in-law and new grandson.”
“Give me a moment. My brother-in-law is a judge. Let me call and see if he’s available. I’ll be right back,” answered Wanda.
“How many will be attending?” asked Laura.
“Counting you and Wanda, and a small baby, there will be 15. I’m guessing the baby won’t eat or drink much. He’s only 3 months old,” I answered.
“He probably won’t be eating any food. Still drinking Mom’s milk, if she’s nursing. Do you have a photographer lined up?”
“No. I hadn’t thought about that.”
“My nephew, Rex, does photography. He uses a digital camera. He can give you a memory card, and you can decide which photos you want printed. CVS and Walgreens have portals for you to upload images to be printed, and pick up the pictures later.”
“That would be wonderful. Thank you for thinking of that detail.”
Wanda returned. “Yes. Ken Willox is a Jefferson County District Judge. He’s available and suggested 2 pm on Friday. If that works, I’ll let him know.”
“That’s perfect. And please also ask what his fee is for house calls,” I answered.
“I will. We look forward to the ceremony on Friday. Thanks for inviting us.”
We hung up. I texted both Roger and Mark: “Friday, 2 pm.” They both acknowledged.
“We still need to notify John and Megan.” I put my phone on speaker and called John’s phone. He answered.
“John, this is Dan Burke. Is Megan available?”
“Yes. Just a second.” He put his phone on speaker and called Megan.
“What’s up, Dan?” she asked.
“Diana has agreed to marry me, and we’re hoping you will join us for the ceremony. It’ll be here on Friday at 2 pm, with a reception following.”
“That’s wonderful. What a surprise. Yes! We’ll be there. Thanks for inviting us. See you on Friday.”
“Great. Thanks.” We hung up.
“I’d better tell the girls their mom is getting married while they’re here. They’ll want to bring a nice dress for the ceremony.”
Diana called her two daughters to let them know the news. Rebecca was shocked. Deborah had been told about Dan when Diana visited her in September. Neither knew anything about Dawn. We’ll cross that bridge another time.
While Diana was talking with her daughters, I texted Wanda. “Did you get the judge’s fee? Please tell him his wife is invited to the ceremony and reception following.”
Wanda responded. “$500. I’ll pass on the invitation. See you Friday!”
After Diana finished her calls with her daughters, she found me in the office. “Come with me, Mister Dan.” She took me by the hand and led me into the bedroom where we made mad passionate love. After recovering, we cleaned up and dressed.
It was only 3:30 pm. (Don’t laugh. You’ll get old someday, too.)
“Do the girls, or James, have any dietary restrictions? Or any food they don’t care to eat?” I asked.
“No. They eat just about anything. Why?”
“I’m putting together menus for the four days they will be here. Wednesday dinner, Thursday brunch, and Thanksgiving dinner; Friday breakfast, lunch, and snacks for the reception; Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner; Sunday breakfast and lunch before the girls return home. I’m thinking we'll go out for dinner after the reception. Maybe The Keg? What do you think?”
“What? Wait a minute. You just asked me to marry you. I said yes. We just made love. And you’re putting together menus! I can’t even put together rational thoughts. What am I going to do with you?” She gave me a big hug and an adoring kiss.
“This is why we’re a perfect pair. You think emotionally. I think logically.”
“Show me your menus,” she laughed.
I had the menus, with ingredients broken out, in a spreadsheet on my laptop. “Dinner on Wednesday with Rebecca, Deborah, and James. Salad, meatloaf, green beans, and new potatoes with grilled onion butter. I don’t think JD, Jr. will eat what I cook, or not very much if he does.”
“No. Deborah will feed the baby. Dinner sounds fine. What’s next?”
“Thursday brunch, French Toast, bacon, and eggs. Thanksgiving dinner, salad, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green bean casserole.”
“Okay. Keep going.”
“Friday breakfast: eggs, toast, bacon, and hash browns. Lunch: Your specialty. Tuna fish sandwiches with chips. Reception after the ceremony: a tray of hors d'oeuvres from the deli. We go out for dinner after the reception. How about The Keg?”
“Yes. I’ll fix tuna fish sandwiches; you’re a big goofball! Breakfast sounds good. I like the tray idea. Yes, to The Keg for dinner. What’s next?”
“You’ll have to fix the tuna fish sometime on Thursday. You’ll be so wound up on Friday you won’t even be able to think.”
“Okay, Mister Smarty Pants. I’ll prepare tuna fish salad on Thursday morning.”
“Saturday, breakfast will be the same as Friday. Lunch can be more tuna fish. How about salad, garlic toast, and spaghetti for dinner?”
“You’re doing pretty well. Go on.”
“Sunday breakfast will be a repeat of Friday and Saturday. Maybe something different for lunch? Ham and cheese sandwiches?”
“You’re impossible. Put your shopping list together. You'd better make sure it aligns with the aisles in the store! I don’t want to go back and forth all day,” she laughed.
It took a few minutes to organize the shopping list by store aisles. Diana just shook her head.
We went to King Soopers. Starting at the bakery, we ordered a wedding cake. As we left the bakery, Diana stopped and asked, “Did you have bread on your list for Wednesday and Thanksgiving dinner? I don’t remember any dessert either.”
“Good catch. I had French Toast on the schedule for Friday morning, but we need more for dinner. That’s why I bring you shopping with me. When we get to the frozen foods, remind me to get some French Vanilla ice cream,” I laughed.
She hasn’t beaten me yet, but I feel it coming.
I picked up an apple pie, a cherry pie, and two large loaves of French bread.
Diana stopped in the floral area and selected a bride’s bouquet and other flowers. I stopped by the deli and ordered a hors d'oeuvres tray for the reception. These orders were scheduled for pickup on Friday morning.
After we completed our shopping list (without having to go back and forth through the store), we got in Kristi’s line. She’d never seen Dan and didn’t recognize me. When she saw Diana, it all clicked. “Wow, Dan. I had no idea who you were. Good thing Diana was here.”
“I didn’t think about that, but you’d never seen me as Dan, only Dawn. What do you have planned for Friday afternoon? Would you like to come to our wedding?”
“WHAT? You’re getting married? Yes, I’d love to be there. Where? What time?”
“Our house. 2 PM.”
“I wouldn’t miss that for anything. Thanks for inviting me!”
“Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving?”
“No.”
“Come over around 2 PM. Diana’s two daughters, son-in-law, and new grandson will come in for Thanksgiving, and now for our wedding. You’re welcome to join us.”
“Thanks. That’s very nice of you.”
“Please don’t say anything about Dawn. We agreed we could address that issue later.”
“I understand,” she answered.
We returned home, unloaded the groceries, and fixed a simple dinner. No movie tonight, we went straight to bed. This had been a very eventful day.
Chapter Six: Preparing for Thanksgiving
Monday, November 22, 2004
We began the day by carnally satisfying each other and showering together. Diana applied makeup and dressed to go shopping with Nancy. I put on ‘Dan clothes’ - a long-sleeve shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
I prepared breakfast. We read the paper and did the crossword and Sudoku puzzles together.
Nancy arrived at 10 AM. “What a difference. I never saw Dan before. You look much different!” She gave me a hug and a kiss.
“Thank you, Nancy. Great to see you as well. This is a different side of my personality.”
“I think it’s wonderful. Mark and I are thrilled you and Diana are getting married. We’ve been expecting this since you reconnected in September. Especially since Diana went to Steamboat with you. You’re a beautiful couple.” Nancy gave me a big hug and kiss.
“Diana, are you ready to go, girl?”
“Yes. In more ways than one!” She kissed me goodbye, and they left.
I visited the Jefferson County website to see about a marriage license. We’ll need our driver’s licenses, prior divorce documents, and birth certificates. Marriage licenses are issued at the Jefferson County offices, 100 Jefferson County Parkway in Golden. I made an appointment for Tuesday at 10 AM.
The weather forecast for Friday didn’t look good for an outdoor wedding. Surprise, surprise! What would you expect in late November in Denver? I surveyed the bar area in the basement. We could move the sofa and two overstuffed chairs back to the wall, reposition the bar stools, and bring bar stools from the kitchen. That would be enough seating for the guests. Diana and I would be standing.
I examined our supply of Dom Pérignon Champagne. Wanda had brought a six-pack as a housewarming gift to our first swinging party in October. We still had two bottles. There were sufficient champagne flutes. Between the bar and the kitchen, there were plenty of snack plates and cloth napkins.
I called The Keg Steakhouse and Bar and made a reservation for 5 PM, Friday afternoon, for the Burke wedding party of 15.
I sent an email to Roger & Lisa, Mark & Nancy, Wanda, Laura, John & Megan, and Kristi, inviting them to be our dinner guests at The Keg following the reception. I added a note to Wanda asking that she notify Judge Willox and his wife. I added a note to Laura asking for her nephew, Rex, to join us as well.
I hadn’t needed to wear my ‘weddings and funerals’ suit for quite some time, so I decided to see if it still fit. I could wear it, but no dessert for me!
Mid-afternoon, Nancy and Diana came in the front door. Diana continued into the bedroom with a black hanging bag. Nancy hugged and kissed me as a distraction, declaring that I couldn’t see the dress until Friday.
Diana returned to the kitchen. “We had a WONDERFUL time. We found the PERFECT dress. Then we went to lunch. I had THREE glasses of wine!” she declared, holding up three fingers.
“Thanks, Nancy. You take my fiancée shopping and bring her back drunk!” I laughed.
“You love her, and this isn’t a big deal. It’ll probably happen many more times!” she laughed. With hugs and kisses, Nancy departed.
I hugged Diana. “Looks like you’ll be napping this afternoon,” I chuckled.
“Okay. That sounds like a good idea. Wake me for dinner. Find a movie for later.”
She went into the bedroom and closed the door. I prepared dinner.
I woke Diana at 5 and told her dinner would be ready in 30 minutes. She rolled off the bed and into the shower, coming into the kitchen wearing a peasant blouse, a denim mid-calf skirt, and sandals. I served dinner with a bottle of Shiraz.
We changed into sleepwear, snuggled on the sofa, and began watching a movie. Diana was asleep before the first love scene! I picked her up and carried her to bed.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
We started our morning with shameless sex and showering together. Dressed, fixed breakfast, read the paper, and went to the county clerk for a marriage license.
Next, downtown Denver to the 16th Street Mall and Musselman Jewelers for an
engagement and wedding ring set. Former co-workers, from many years ago, had praised the quality and prices. There wasn’t time to make custom rings, so we selected stock rings. Later, we’d exchange these for a personalized set.
“Without seeing your dress, will a suit be okay, or should I rent a tuxedo?”
“I think a suit will be fine. Have you checked the fit recently?”
“Yes. I put it on yesterday. It still fits, but I don’t need any dessert!”
We made dinner and prepared for guests arriving tomorrow.
No movie again tonight, we went straight to bed.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004 – Meeting the daughters
We made the most of the morning before the family arrived.
I set the table for 5 with a place for a high chair and opened 2 bottles of Shiraz.
We inspected the guest bedrooms to make sure they were ready for visitors.
Rebecca arrived at 1 pm. There could be no question she’s Diana’s daughter. A striking resemblance, same height and body, similar hair, eyes, cheeks, and nose. She is wearing a denim skirt and a short-sleeved Denver Broncos sweatshirt with loafers.
“Hey, Sweetie. Come in and relax.” Diana greeted her daughter with a hug and a kiss. “This is Dan Burke. Dan, this is my baby, Rebecca Sowder.”
“Mother! I’m thirty-two. Not a baby anymore. Nice to meet you, Dan. I had no idea Mom was getting married until she called on Sunday.”
“Rebecca, it’s my pleasure to meet you. Yes, your mother does talk about you. Mostly in positive terms, believe it or not. Please come downstairs, have a seat, and relax. What would you like to drink?”
“Thank you, Dan. I’ll start the afternoon with a glass of white wine. I’m mildly surprised Mom used positive terms! I wasn’t exactly a model child growing up,” she laughed.
I poured two glasses of Chardonnay for Rebecca and Diana. I chose Merlot.
“Didn’t you come from Colorado Springs? How was your drive?”
“The usual heavy traffic between the Air Force Academy and Castle Rock. Once I got on C-470, it was much lighter. Using Google Maps on my phone, this place was easy to find. I love the big driveway and parking area.”
“Before we get deep into our drinks, let’s unload your car,” I suggested.
We went out to the driveway. Rebecca had parked in front of the third garage door. She had a suitcase, hanging clothes, and a laptop. We carried everything to a guest bedroom in the basement.
“Wow. This is nice. How many bedrooms are there?”
“There are 4 bedrooms, 4 full and 2 half baths.”
I handed Rebecca a business card. “If you want to connect your phone and laptop to the local network router, here is the SSID and password. We found that phone service is limited unless we use the network. Something to do with insulation in the attic.”
“Thanks.”
We returned to the bar and relaxed. The doorbell rang and Diana ran upstairs. She came back down the stairs carrying a baby.
“Dan Burke. Meet Deborah and James Bowman. This is JD Bowman, Junior.”
Again, Diana’s daughter is almost a mirror image. Deborah has shoulder-length brown hair, but the rest is very similar. She has on a blouse and skirt with loafers. James is about six feet tall curly brown hair, wearing a long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
“Very nice to meet you. Hope you had an easy drive from Aspen.”
“Nice to meet you as well. Coming eastbound was not a problem. Traffic going westbound was bumper to bumper,” James answered as he shook my hand.
“Please. Have a seat and relax for a minute. What can I get you to drink?”
“I’ll just have water. Still nursing,” answered Deborah. “Hi, Rebecca. How’ve you been doing? It’s been a while since we got together.” Deborah hugged her sister.
“I’m doing fine. Working like crazy, but the money’s good. I meant to go to Aspen to meet JD, Junior, but now I can meet him here.”
“I’d love a Bourbon on the rocks,” said James.
“Coming right up. Anything for Junior?”
“No. He’s still on a mommy milk diet,” laughed Deborah.
I gave Deborah a glass of ice water and James his Bourbon on the rocks.
“Cheers. It’s my pleasure to meet the whole family. Here’s to getting everyone together at one time. Oh, by the way, there’ll be a party on Friday afternoon!” I announced.
“Please tell us the plans,” said Rebecca.
“Originally, we had planned to have an outdoor ceremony. The forecast shows cold and windy weather on Friday afternoon. Instead, we’ll rearrange this bar area to allow for seating. After the ceremony, there’ll be a cake, hors d'oeuvres, and Champagne. We have reservations at The Keg Steakhouse and Bar for a party of 15 at 5 PM.”
“For tonight, I prepared salad, meatloaf, green beans, and new potatoes with grilled onion butter. And, thanks to your mother, French bread. It’s now 3:30. What time do you want to eat?”
“How about 5?” Diana suggested.
“That works. Let’s get our luggage out of the car and relax,” suggested James.
James and I went to his car and unloaded luggage, hanging clothes, and a baby carrier. They were shown a second guest bedroom in the basement.
“Diana? Would you like to give everyone a tour of the house? I’ll keep an eye on JD.”
Diana led Rebecca, Deborah, and James on a tour of the basement, then upstairs. They returned to the basement shortly and completed their tour.
“Would anyone like a fresh drink?”
James, Rebecca, and Diana asked for refills. Deborah was doing fine with her ice water. I fixed new drinks and refilled my glass of Merlot.
“What kind of work do you do in Aspen?” I asked.
“We’re both CPAs. We met in college, now named Metropolitan State University. After graduating, I got a bookkeeper position with the City of Aspen. Deborah got a job with a local CPA as a bookkeeper. We were studying for the CPA certification boards. After we both passed, the CPA where Deborah worked decided to retire, and we took over his accounts. These included most of the small retail boutiques in downtown Aspen. She works from home and takes care of the baby. I have an office upstairs from one of our accounts. What kind of work do you do?”
“I retired a little early. Years ago, Diana and I worked at a computer center in downtown Denver that supported a bank and credit card processor. She worked in operations. I was a systems programmer for the credit card side. Are you from the Denver area?”
“Yes. I went to high school in Aurora with Deborah. We didn’t socialize until we were in some of the same classes in college.”
I gave James a copy of the same business card I’d given Rebecca. “To connect your phone and laptop to our local network router, here’s the SSID and password. Phone service is limited unless you use the network.”
“Thanks. Most new construction includes a sheathing under the roof, which interferes with cell phone service.”
“I’m going upstairs to start cooking. Come up when you’re ready for salad. There are 2 bottles of Shiraz open to accompany dinner.”
James came upstairs with me, and we continued chatting while I finished preparing dinner. A few minutes later, the ladies came upstairs. Deborah put the baby in the carrier and placed it on a chair. We all ate. Diana helped clean up the kitchen.
All decided it had been a long day, and chose to retire early.
“What do you think of my family?”
“No question the girls are yours. They have your eyes, cheeks, and nose, which is very cute!” I gave a peck on her nose. “There’s a striking resemblance, same height and body. Did they say anything about me?”
“Not yet. I’m sure we’ll talk more tomorrow.”
We undressed and cuddled as we went to sleep.
Chapter Seven: Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Diana and I woke up early, showered, and dressed. Diana chose a pink surplice floral dress and loafers. I put on slacks, a long-sleeved shirt, and loafers.
I retrieved the daily paper, started the coffee pot, and began fixing brunch. I sliced the leftover bread from last night to make French Toast, bacon, and eggs.
James came to the kitchen, greeted me, poured two cups of coffee, and returned to the basement to help Deborah with the baby.
Rebecca came up wearing a short-sleeve sweatshirt, denim shorts, and sandals. Much like her mother, her hair was a mess, but she still looked cute. She sat at the kitchen bar, and I gave her a cup of coffee. “Good morning, Miss Rebecca. Did you get a good night’s sleep? Do you take anything in your coffee?”
“Hi. Dan. Yes, I slept just fine. Thanks for the coffee. I drink it straight.”
“Tell me about you. What kind of work do you do? Why did you move to Colorado Springs?” I asked.
“I now manage a dental office. It was an opportunity for a promotion, so I moved.” Rebecca answered.
“Any serious relationships?”
“No. That was another reason to move. I’d just dumped a guy I’d been dating for a couple of years. He wanted to get married, and for me to be a stay-at-home wife and become a mother. I felt I’d worked too hard to give up my career and be a housewife.”
“Good for you! I appreciate that you had too much invested in your career to walk away. Especially if he wanted you to be subservient to him, that doesn’t cut it.”
“What about you? Who is this Dan Burke guy my mother is going to marry?” Rebecca asked.
“I was born and raised in Texas. I have 1 brother. He still lives in the Houston area. My parents have both passed. My career was in large-scale IBM mainframe computers. I worked with your mother at the bank and credit card systems when you were in high school. I changed jobs, got a divorce, remarried, retired early, and moved to Florida. My second wife filed for divorce about two years ago. She had developed vastly different political views. No children.”
Diana came and sat at the kitchen bar. I poured her a cup of coffee and continued cooking. James and Deborah came with the baby in a carrier. Everyone moved to the breakfast table, and I served brunch.
“Eat up. This is all you get until we serve Thanksgiving dinner. That will be a salad, turkey breast, ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green bean casserole—your choice of white or red wine. Please thank your mother for remembering dessert. We have an apple pie or a cherry pie with French Vanilla ice cream.”
“That sounds wonderful. Is there anything I can do to help?” asked Rebecca.
“Thanks. If you put the green bean casserole together, that would be a big help. The only thing left would be to peel and boil the potatoes and mash them. The turkey is just a breast, so it doesn’t have to cook for long. Same with the ham and gravy.”
We finished brunch. Diana helped clean the kitchen. Rebecca assembled the green bean casserole. I scrubbed and peeled the potatoes, then put them in a pot of water to boil. James hung out chatting with me. I told him the same information I’d given to Rebecca about my past. Diana made a batch of tuna fish salad.
Diana and the girls went downstairs with the baby.
I suggested turning on the TV to the first NFL game of the day, the Detroit Lions hosting the Indianapolis Colts. One nice benefit of living in the Mountain Time Zone, the morning football game starts at 11 AM. The afternoon game will start at 2 PM. The Sunday night games start at 6 PM, and Monday night games start at 7 PM. In the afternoon game, the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Chicago Bears. I set a timer for the potatoes. James and I retired to the living room to watch the game. Rebecca joined us to watch the game.
When the Detroit game ended – Indianapolis won 41-9 – I returned to the kitchen and started the oven for the green bean casserole.
The doorbell rang. I greeted Kristi with a hug and a kiss. She was wearing a blue button-front floral print A-line dress with loafers. I introduced her to James and Rebecca. “Would you like to meet my sister and nephew? They’re in the basement with Mom.” Rebecca led Kristi to the basement.
I finished warming up and cooking dinner. When everything was ready, I called down to the basement for everyone to come up to eat. “We have an apple or cherry pie with ice cream for dessert.” We ate dinner and dessert.
Kristi, Rebecca, and Diana did the cleanup and put the leftovers away. James and I grabbed a beer and retired to the living room TV for the second football game. The girls went to the basement and opened a bottle of dessert wine.
Rebecca and Kristi spent the afternoon getting to know each other.
During halftime, I took my suit, belt, dress shirt, tie, underwear, socks, and dress shoes to the third bedroom in the basement. That would be my dressing room for tomorrow.
Diana and Deborah brought the baby up and joined us for a while. The second game was over at 4:30. The Cowboys beat the Bears 21-7. Everyone gathered in the basement for a movie. We found The Bourne Supremacy. After the movie, James took Deborah and JD to the basement bedroom. Rebecca and Kristi retired to Rebecca’s room. I turned the TV off. Diana and I went to our bedroom.
“I think the dinner went pretty well.”
“Agreed. I didn’t hear any complaints. Kristi, Rebecca, and I finished a bottle of dessert wine,” replied Diana.
“Did Deborah and Rebecca approve of our getting married?”
“You were approved. It appears Kristi will be spending the night with Rebecca.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“They’re both adults.”
We cuddled and went to sleep.
Chapter Eight: Time For Our Wedding
Friday, November 26, 2004
I slipped out of bed without disturbing Diana, showered, put on a shirt, jeans, and sneakers, and went to the kitchen. I started a pot of coffee and retrieved the newspaper.
I began preparing breakfast. It turned into a self-serve buffet. I asked James to go with me to the grocery store. Kristi announced she had to go home to get changed.
James and I loaded the cake, flowers, and the tray of hors d'oeuvres into his minivan and returned home. Both of us carefully carried the cake down to the basement. Rebecca helped arrange the flowers and took the bridal bouquet to Diana. The tray of hors d'oeuvres was placed on the table next to the cake. Rebecca set out snack plates, forks, and napkins.
James and Rebecca helped rearrange the basement furniture to accommodate seating for twelve. We also brought down bar stools from the kitchen. I set out Champagne flutes and put two bottles of Dom Perignon Champagne in an ice bucket. While all of this was going on, JD, Junior, had been quietly napping in his carrier.
Diana came out of the bedroom wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. We took a break and ate tuna fish sandwiches with iced tea and chips. Deborah went with Diana as she returned to the bedroom to get dressed. Once everything was ready, I went into the third bedroom and changed.
Our guests started to arrive. Roger and Lisa arrived at the same time as Laura and Wanda. Roger shook my hand and congratulated me on chasing Diana until she caught me. Lisa, Wanda, and Laura each gave me hugs and kisses. Laura introduced Rex, a mid-twenties guy with curly hair and a big camera.
“Thanks for coming. Will you take a check for your services?”
“I owe my aunt for caring for me, Mr. Burke, so there’s no charge. When everything is over, I’ll give you the memory card with all the pictures.”
“If you insist. You’re certainly invited to join us for dinner after the reception.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Laura? What did you do to this nice young man?” I chuckled.
“His mother is my sister. She’s a mess. I do what I can to help him out.”
“Many thanks. I didn’t think of having a photographer.”
Laura gave me a hug and a kiss and went downstairs.
Mark and Nancy came in with Megan and John. Nancy and Megan gave me hugs and kisses. Mark and John each shook my hand and told me what a lucky guy I was to be marrying Diana. They continued to the basement.
Wanda came over, put her arm around my waist, and whispered in my ear: “This is the first time I get to meet Dan. Every time we’d been together, you’d always been Dawn.”
“If you don’t mind, please don’t say anything about Dawn. Diana and I decided there was too much going on to address that issue right now.” I whispered back to her.
“Of course not.” She kissed my cheek.
Judge Willox and his wife arrived at the same time Kristi returned. Wanda introduced me to her brother-in-law, Judge Willox, and his wife, Patti. She explained that Patti was her younger sister. I handed him an envelope with five one-hundred-dollar bills. “I hope you and your wife will join us for dinner afterward.”
“Thank you, that’s very considerate of you,” he answered.
“Very nice to meet you, Patti. There’s no question you and Wanda are sisters. The resemblance is obvious.”
“Thank you, Dan.”
Patti greeted Rex. “How are you doing this afternoon, Rex?”
“Just fine, Mrs. Willox. Nice to see you.”
Wanda explained, “Rex is dating their daughter, Julie.”
“I need a scorecard to keep up.”
“It gets better. When you went to the courthouse to get your marriage license, do you remember the name of the clerk? Was it by chance, Sylvia? If so, she’s Rex’s mother, Laura’s sister. And Julie works at King Soopers with Kristi.”
“The song, ‘It’s A Small World’ keeps echoing in my head!”
The gang’s all here! I ushered everyone down to the basement. Deborah had been in the master bedroom helping Diana get ready. Rebecca went up to tell them everyone had arrived. All the guests found seats. I stood around looking stupid.
With a small, in-home ceremony, there was no ‘Here Comes the Bride’ music. Deborah came down and joined James and JD. Diana came down, carrying her Bride’s bouquet, wearing a gray, patterned knit, long-sleeved sweater dress that hugged her figure beautifully.
Her smile lit up the basement. She joined me in front of the bar.
Judge Willox took over and performed the marriage ceremony and vows. When asked, I said ‘I do’ and put a wedding ring on Diana’s finger. Diana responded, ‘I do’ and put a ring on my finger. The judge said I could kiss the bride. Diana was smiling from ear to ear. We kissed. The guests cheered. We went over to the table and cut the wedding cake, feeding each other a small piece. No, we didn’t smear it on each other! We hugged and kissed again.
Mark opened the Champagne and filled the flutes. Roger cut and distributed slices of cake. Once everyone, except Deborah, had a flute of Champagne, Mark offered a toast to the newlyweds. The guests gave us hugs and kisses. We all stood around and snacked on the tray of hors d'oeuvres. I reminded everyone that all were invited to be our guests at The Keg Steakhouse and Bar at 5 PM. There’s a reservation for the Burke wedding party.
“It’s time we head over to the restaurant for dinner. Does anyone need directions?”
Everyone filed out and drove to The Keg. Rebecca and Kristi rode with James and Deborah. Kristi knew where we were going and could give them directions. When the driveway cleared, Diana and I backed out of the garage and followed. The wedding party was seated in a side room off the main dining area.
I stopped our wait staff and informed her that no matter who said what, I was to receive the bill for the entire dinner, drinks included. She chuckled and told me that the two gentlemen at the far end of the table had told her they would be paying. I told her that their credit cards were stolen. She laughed and promised to bring me the bill.
While we were eating, Rex was continually taking pictures. I stopped him and made sure he got something to eat. He thanked me and said he would be taking it to go.
When the dinner was over, our wait staff brought me the bill, as requested. I presented my credit card. She was carrying a scanner, and I added a generous gratuity. Roger and Mark complained they were going to split the bill. I told them that as the groom, I outranked them.
At the end of the evening, as all the guests began to leave, I met with Rex. He popped a memory card out of his camera and handed it to me. I had folded a one-hundred-dollar bill in my hand and shook his hand, transferring the bill to him.
“No, Mr. Burke. I did this for free. My aunt takes care of me; it was a favor for her.”
“Rex. Take the money. I want you to do me a favor. I gather you have access to your aunt’s home. A key or garage door code?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Your favorite aunt will be hosting a wine-tasting party on Monday evening. I ask that you please go to King Soopers and pick out a Thank You card, then to the floral department, and get a nice bouquet. You might ask Julie to help with this. Write on the card how much you appreciate everything your aunt does for you, and sign the card. Take the card and flowers to Laura’s house and leave them somewhere conspicuous. With the leftover money, take Julie to a movie and dinner. Can you do that?”
“Yes, Sir. Thank you, Mr. Burke.”
I had a hard time with Sir and Mr. Burke, but realized I’m more than twice his age, and at least someone had taught him some manners.
“Don’t forget to take your to-go dinner with you!”
“Yes, Sir.”
We returned home. It was only 8 PM. Deborah was taking care of the baby. Rebecca, Kristi, James, Diana, and I sat at the bar and enjoyed the remaining Champagne, cake, and leftover hors d'oeuvres.
Diana and I retired to the bedroom, undressed, and consummated our marriage. I rolled her onto her back, spread her legs, and began eating her pussy until she was satiated. She rolled me onto my back, climbed on top, impaling herself on my rock-hard penis, and started riding me until I exploded. We rolled onto our sides and cuddled, kissing passionately.
“How was that, Mister Dan? Were you satisfied?”
“Yes, Mistress Diana Burke! I’m so happy we’re together!”
“I’m very happy. I have to get my driver’s license updated!”
“You can do that on Monday when we pick up a bottle of wine for the tasting.”
We cuddled and drifted to sleep.
Chapter Nine: Everyone Meets Dawn
Saturday, November 27, 2004
I woke at sunrise. Diana was sound asleep. I showered, shaved, and put on a flannel shirt, jeans, and sneakers. After starting a pot of coffee, I retrieved the paper and began preparing breakfast.
Kristi came into the kitchen. “Dan. I’m so sorry. I told Rebecca about Dawn. I didn’t mean to, it just came out. Please don’t hate me.” She was in tears.
“Come here.” I hugged her and kissed her forehead. “It had to come out sooner or later. It’s not the end of the world. I’m not even mad at you, much less hate you.”
I took a napkin and dried her eyes.
“Are you sure? I knew this could be a big deal after you just met the family and got married.”
“Just relax. We’re all adults. Have a cup of coffee.”
Diana came into the kitchen wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. “Rebecca knows about Dawn. Kristi let it slip.”
“Oh, well. We knew it would come out at some point.”
I fixed breakfast. When everyone came up to the table, I addressed the issue.
“Rebecca. Kristi told me she disclosed Dawn, my femme persona, to you. Everyone. Yes. I do cross-dress. It’s been a part of me for a long time. There’s not much more I can say. We weren’t trying to hide anything. With so much happening this weekend, Diana and I had planned to tell you at a later date.”
“Dan, don’t be concerned. James has been known to wear a nightie and even a dress on occasion. There’s no harm to anyone. We aren’t judgmental,” replied Deborah.
I looked at James. He looked chagrined. I looked at Diana, then Rebecca. They were both smiling.
“See, Kristi. It’s not the end of the world.”
She smiled back with happy tears in her eyes.
“Don’t know about the rest of you, but I’d like to meet Dawn,” said Rebecca.
“Yes. I would also,” replied Deborah.
I looked at Diana. She smiled and nodded toward the bedroom. “Go.”
I went back to the bedroom, stripped, and put on breast forms, panties, and a bra. Applied makeup, put on a wig, and small hoop earrings. Looking in my closet, I chose a tartan plaid tie-waist dress and 2” sling-back heels. I double-checked myself and took a deep breath. I still had butterflies as I returned to the kitchen.
"Oh, my goodness! You’re fabulous!" Exclaimed Rebecca.
“Absolutely! I’m impressed. You’re believable. No one would ever think you were a guy in a dress!” Deborah stated.
“This is the Dawn I met. Dan was a surprise,” explained Kristi.
“Yes. Dawn is a significant member of our relationship. I’m happy that you’re all accepting. Everyone can relax now.” Diana stated, and thus ended the drama.
I finally got to eat breakfast. Kristi and Rebecca helped me clean the kitchen.
Kristi announced that she needed to go home, change, and go to work. “I have to close tonight, so I won’t get off until 9 PM.”
“We can still go out after you get off work. Get changed and come pick me up. You know where to go,” suggested Rebecca.
I used the tuna fish Diana had prepared on Thursday morning to make sandwiches. Those were served with chips and lemonade at lunch.
There were no NFL games today. We all decided to watch a movie in the basement.
Rebecca announced that she was going shopping. She was gone for about 2 hours, returning with a gift-wrapped package.
"Dawn. I’m happy that you’re such an accomplished cook. This is a ‘Thank You.’” Rebecca handed me the package.
I unwrapped and found a flowered pink apron with “DAWN” embroidered across the top and “Kiss The Cook” below.
I put the apron on and gave Rebecca a hug and a kiss. “Thank you, Rebecca. This is very sweet. I like it.”
Dinner was salad, spaghetti with Italian sausage sauce, and garlic toast. Served with a Chianti Classico.
Kristi returned after work, dressed to go partying with Rebecca. James and Deborah retired for the evening. Diana and I did the same.
Chapter Ten: The Guests Depart
Sunday, November 28, 2004
As normal, I woke at sunrise. I began caressing Diana. She removed her panties and lay on her back, allowing me to bring her to multiple orgasms. She rolled away, pushing me to one side, gasping for breath: "Oh, how I love waking up with you. I’m thrilled we’re together."
She pushed me onto my back, climbed up, and mounted me. She rode until I finally climaxed.
“How was that? Miss Dawn!”
I hugged her, and we kissed intensely. I began to nuzzle sensitive parts of her body, including, but not limited to, her beautiful breasts. After a few minutes, I returned to titillating her and bringing her to another round of massive orgasms. She finally collapsed and pulled me up into an intense hug.
"That’s enough! Please, just hold me. I’m completely exhausted.”
We hugged tightly as she quivered in my arms.
“I’m thrilled that we’re now married. If these past few weeks are any indication, we’re going to have a wonderful time together!”
We showered together. I applied makeup and dressed as Dawn with breast forms, panties, a bra, a wig, and small hoop earrings. I selected a V-neck geometric red short-sleeve dress and 2” black strappy sandals.
Out to the kitchen, started a pot of coffee, retrieved the newspaper from the end of the driveway, returned, put on my new apron, and began preparing breakfast.
James came upstairs, said Hi, retrieved a cup of coffee, and went back to the basement.
Rebecca and Kristi came up for coffee and waited for breakfast. “Dawn, that is a beautiful dress. You look fantastic.” Rebecca stated.
“Thank you very much. I appreciate your compliment. Kristi, what do you think of my new apron, Rebecca got for me?”
“That is a perfect apron, Miss Dawn.”
Diana came out wearing a powder-blue A-line dress and loafers.
James and Deborah came up with the baby. Once everyone was seated, I served breakfast.
“We’re really happy to meet Dawn. When you come to Aspen, please make sure you bring her,” encouraged Deborah.
“I’m very glad that you approve of Dawn. I spent two days with her in Steamboat. She spent two weeks in McPherson with me and has been here since we moved in on October 22, over a month ago. Dan is wonderful, but Dawn is a sweetie. I love them both,” declared Diana.
“I agree with Mom. Dan is great. Dawn is charming. I like both as well,” replied Rebecca.
“I thank you all for your acceptance and support,” I answered.
We finished breakfast. Kristi and Diana cleaned the kitchen. After they finished, I started messing things up to prepare ham and cheese sandwiches, with chips and lemonade, for lunch.
I helped James carry out hanging clothes, luggage, and a baby carrier. Kristi helped Rebecca carry out her luggage, hanging clothes, and laptop.
We all sat and ate lunch.
With hugs and kisses around, James and Deborah took the baby and departed. Diana and I hugged and kissed Rebecca and Kristi, and they went their separate ways. I’m sure they will meet again. We returned to the kitchen and cleaned everything.
We stripped the guest beds and started the laundry. Diana found a movie and we spent the afternoon on the couch. I heated Thanksgiving leftovers for dinner.
We crashed for the evening, hugging, kissing, and cuddling as we drifted to sleep.
********** To Be Continued **********
