Chapter 24

"Allison and Jack sure didn’t hang around very long after the ceremony. Are you going to be catching up with them later?" Lucy asked her daughter as she followed Kelsey into her bedroom.

"No," Kelsey answered, tossing her ceremonial cap and gown into the corner chair. "I don’t think I’ll be seeing very much of Ally tonight at all. She has other plans with Jack."

"You and Alec aren’t going to join them?"

"Nah, I think I’ll let them spend this time alone."

"But it’s your graduation day, and they already spend an awful lot of time alone together," Lucy remarked. "They didn’t even join us all for lunch."

"They’re in love," Kelsey returned as she plopped onto her bed.

"So I gather from Matt and Ellen," Lucy said as she joined her daughter on the bed. "What’s wrong? You’ve been awfully quiet."

"Nothing," Kelsey sighed.

"You sure?" she remarked, noting the melancholy edge in the younger woman’s voice and demeanor.

Kelsey nodded.

"Okay, I think I’ll go see how Kevin’s call to Mac and Dara is going. After last night’s news, I’m not surprised they didn’t make the ceremony," Lucy said as she prepared to leave.

"Mom, wait," Kelsey said, stopping her mother before she reached the slightly ajar door. "Can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

"Of course," Lucy replied, sitting back on the bed.

Kelsey knew that Ally and Jack were in love, but she still wasn’t sure if getting married now was the right thing for them to do. She promised not to break Ally’s confidence and she wouldn’t do that, but she needed reassurances for her own peace of mind. "Say you saw this dress..."

"Ooh, fashion, my favorite subject," Lucy chirped.

"Mom," Kelsey grumbled.

"I’m sorry, ask your question."

"Okay, you see this dress and from the moment you saw it you knew you had to have it. This dress was absolutely made for you, no question. There’s one problem, though; at the moment, for several reasons, you’re probably not completely ready to buy it. The dress is an original and perfect for you in every way, but with buying this dress comes a lot of other responsibilities."

"Okay, what’s the question?" Lucy asked, not sure where Kelsey was going.

"Should you buy the dress now? All you can see is how happy having that dress will make you, even if others think the purchase is a bit extreme. You could buy it and be very happy with it, but after a while you could also realize you should have waited and may even begin to regret buying it."

"Then, don’t buy the dress."

"But you really want the dress. I mean you really want it," Kelsey passionately expressed.

"Then, buy the dress, and take it back if you change your mind," Lucy explained.

Sighing loudly, "Aw, Mom," Kelsey groaned, "it’s not that simple."

"You got that right," Kevin said as he entered the room. "Forgive me for eavesdropping, but the door was open and I couldn’t help it. Lucy, were you not paying attention to what Kelsey said?"

"Yes, I was paying attention. She wants to buy a dress, but she doesn’t think she really wants to buy it, or something like that," she frowned in confusion.

"Wrong," Kevin replied as he turned to his daughter. "When is Ally planning to get married?"

"What?!" Lucy shrieked as Kelsey’s jaw dropped in total surprise.

"Lose the stunned expression, Kelsey. I was coming in to tell your mother about my conversation with Mac when I heard you two talking about Ally and Jack. I was about to make my presence known when you mentioned this hypothetical dress purchase. You go from talking about Ally and Jack to talking about buying some dress. That’s a huge leap in topics of conversation. I’m a psychiatrist, trained to read between the lines, and trust me, I read all of them."

"Tell me he’s misreading," Lucy implored Kelsey.

"They don’t call him Dr. Collins for nothing," the young woman said just above a whisper.

"Are you serious?" Lucy thundered.

"That was my reaction when Ally told me."

"Allison is getting married?"

"Yes." Kelsey glanced over at the alarm clock on her nightstand. "In fact, by now, she probably already is. Look, she swore me to secrecy and technically I didn’t tell you, Dad just figured it out. Let’s just leave it alone."

"Do Matt and Ellen know about this?" Lucy asked, realizing the monumental absurdity of that question as soon as it passed her lips. "Of course they don’t. Doc, we have to tell them."

"No! You can’t," Kelsey insisted.

"What?"

"It’s bad enough Dr. Shrink figured it out," she said motioning to Kevin, "but I can’t let you tell her parents. I promised her."

"You can’t let us?" Kevin repeated. "We’re not asking your permission, Kelsey."

"Daddy, I promised," she desperately pleaded.

"You’re not telling them, we are. This is serious business, Kelsey. If the situation were reversed, I would want Ally to tell her parents and I would expect Matt and Ellen to tell us. That’s what good friends do." Now, do you know where they went?"

"I’m not at liberty to say," the young woman stated firmly.

"What’s that?" Lucy asked.

"I think I’ve said enough."

"Prepare to say more, you’re coming with us," Kevin explained, taking his daughter by the hand.

Kelsey’s was aghast. "Where?!"

"To Matt and Ellen’s. Hopefully, Matt is back from that call he had to make at the hospital during lunch. With any luck, when you see the expressions on their faces, you’ll be more apt to share what you know. Come on."

~*~

"Angina is a scary thing, but you’re going to be fine," Matt assured the fifty-three-year-old Bob Anderson.

"So, it’s definitely not a heart attack?" Bob said.

"No, it’s very painful, and it feels like a heart attack, but it’s a temporary lack of blood to a portion of your heart muscle. This is usually brought on by exertion."

"I did get a little carried away playing football," he admitted.

"That would explain it. With your family’s history of heart problems, I’m going to keep you here overnight for observation."

Matt saw fear register on Mr. Anderson’s face and he quickly attempted to reassure him.

"Don’t be alarmed," he said, "it’s just as a precaution, until I’ve reviewed the last of your test results. Your preliminary tests were all normal, so I’m sure the remaining test will show the same thing. As I stated earlier, angina can be controlled with medication and a few lifestyle changes. Call the nurses if you need anything and if you feel anymore chest pains let them know and they’ll have me paged.

"I will, thanks a lot, Doc."

Matt gave him a little pat on the shoulder. "That’s what I’m here for. I’ll see you tomorrow."

After talking with Mr. Anderson’s wife and allaying her fears, Matt swung by his office to review a few charts.

Chris was walking past Matt’s open office when he noticed him inside. Figuring he could have a little fun with him on this most joyous day, Chris stuck his head in the door.

"I’m surprised to see you here today, Harmon," Chris said in a slaphappy way.

Matt wouldn’t let Chris get to him. He was having a good day, and he was determined to keep it that way.
Taking a deep breath, he stacked the completed files and explained. "If you must know, the son of a former patient was brought in with chest pains. I came in to take a look at him."

Chris invited himself into the office. "Just wondering," he said, leaning against the wall. "I understand congratulations are in order."

"What?" Matt frowned, as he tried to understand why Chris was in his office and not outside the door.

"On your daughter’s graduation. Allison did graduate this morning, right?"

"Yes, but I’m sure Jack told you that," he replied, irritation now evident in his voice.

"He did, in fact they’re together right now."

"I’m aware of that," Matt replied. "Is there something you want, Chris? Why are you talking to me?"

"Well, you daughter and my…well, Jack and Ally are…"

"They’re dating, it doesn’t mean we are. I’m not your friend, Chris, and I doubt I ever will be. So there’s no need for this small talk. Now, if that’s all, I was just about to leave."

"Just trying to be pleasant, Harmon. Don’t let me keep you. I’m sure your daughter would want you around on a day like this."

Matt was feeling very suspicious. "What are you up to?" he warily asked Chris, wheeling from behind his desk and making his way to the door.

"Nothing, I just wanted to let you know that I know what an important day this is and since Jack was so excited, I felt I should make mention of it. With that, I’ll be out of your way. You give Ellen and Allison my best," he said with a pat to Matt’s shoulder, before slithering out of Matt’s office, feeling very smug.

Matt was still trying to make sense of Chris’ visit as he waited for the elevator, when he overheard two nurses talking.

"And you’re sure about this?" the first nurse said.

The second nurse nodded. "Yes, apparently he told Dr. Ramsey he was breaking up with the Drs. Harmon’s daughter today."

Matt’s ears perked up as he continued to listen.

"And he was getting paid a load of money from his uncle when he did it?" Nurse 1 questioned.

"Yep, apparently that was his incentive. You know, I’ve seen Jack Ramsey with Allison Harmon, and they seemed really happy to me," Nurse 2 commented.

"I guess money can make you happier than love."

"At least it seems that way for the Ramseys. I just feel sorry for that poor girl. She’s graduating high school and losing her boyfriend on the same day. What’s the worst part, Jack planned it that way."

The nurses left the area without seeing Matt.

Matt pounded his balled fist against his thigh. That explained Chris’ puzzling behavior. That nephew of his was breaking his daughter’s heart today; he knew it and just had to gloat. Seething, Matt entered the elevator that had finally arrived. Jack might break Ally’s heart, but when he saw him, he would break his neck.

~*~

Matt was still steaming when he got home. He was so blinded by his rage he didn’t notice Kevin’s car. Bursting through the front door, "Ellen, I’m going to kill that kid!" he angrily vowed.

"Oh god. How did he find out?" Ellen wondered, after hearing Matt’s boisterous entrance.

Kevin, Lucy and Kelsey shrugged.

"I was the only one who knew and I didn’t volunteer the information to anyone," Kelsey readily shared.

MJ met up with Matt as he entered the living room. "Dad, calm down, it might not be too late."

"It might not be too late!" Matt growled. "At this point, I couldn’t care less! I’m going to kill that kid."

"Matt, how did you find out?" Ellen asked.

"I heard some nurses talking at the hospital."

Kelsey was stunned. "How did they hear?"

"Apparently, it’s all over the place. Chris was practically crowing about it in my office, he…" Matt stopped mid-sentence and shook his head. "Wait a minute. Is that why you’re all here? Kelsey, did you know about this?"

"Yes," she admitted with a slight nod of her head.

"And you didn’t tell Allison? You just let her go off with that boy?"

"Huh?" Kelsey and the others said.

It became clear to Ellen that something wasn’t quite right. "Matt, honey, what did you hear at the hospital?"

"What I knew all along. That this Ramsey kid was going to hurt Ally. He said all the right things. He even managed to convince me he was sincere about his feelings for her, and I accepted that, but I was still leery of him. Now I know I had every reason to be."

"Matt, I don’t know exactly what you heard, but you’re wrong. Jack’s not going to do anything to Ally that she not aware of and in total agreement with. And I find it very hard to believe that Chris would be excited about this."

"Ellen, aren’t you listening to me? This kid is breaking up with our daughter today. On the day she graduates from high school he is going to…"

"Marry her," Ellen interjected.

The room grew deathly quiet for several seconds.

Finally, Matt spoke, ever so softly. "What did you say?"

"I don’t know what’s going on at the hospital, but Jack’s plan is not to break up with Ally, today, it’s to marry her," Ellen explained. "Kelsey just told MJ and me."

"NO!!" Matt shouted. "Allison is not marrying that boy! She can’t be. The hospital grapevine may not be the 6 o’clock news, but there’s truth in it. What is this about Chris paying Jack big money for breaking up with Ally? There’s something to that. There was no mention of them getting married. I definitely would have remembered that."

"There may not have been any mention of it at the hospital, but it doesn’t change the fact that it could very well be happening as we speak. You have to stop thinking of Jack as ‘That Ramsey Kid’ and recognize him as the young man our daughter is in love with. This whole thing about Jack being paid money to break up with her makes absolutely no sense to me, but their getting married does. Maybe it’s not too late. We were just about to find out exactly what Kelsey knows." Ellen turned to her daughter’s best friend. "Kelsey, I understand you promised Ally, but if you know where they went, you have to tell us."

"Aunt Ellen, please. As it is, Ally is going to hate me."

"Then you have nothing to lose?" Kevin informed her.

"Spill, Kelsey," Lucy directed.

Kelsey released a drawn out breath. "I wanted her to tell you, and she wanted to, too. She told me this morning that she tried last night, but Uncle Matt said something that made her change her mind."

"Me?!" Matt barked.

"Matt, not now," Ellen advised. "Please continue, Kelsey."

"She realized that although Uncle Matt had come a long way in accepting Jack as a part of her life, he still wasn’t crazy about him or them being together. She wanted to be happy on her wedding day, so she didn’t say anything."

MJ wanted to kick himself. This is what Ally was trying to tell him this morning, and he wouldn’t let her do it. "Kel, where did they go?"

"To a Justice of the Peace, over in Riverside. They’ve been gone for hours, it’s probably too late to stop them."

"It’s not too late!" Matt thundered. "It can’t be too late! Let’s go."

~*~

Ally glanced over at the wall clock and sighed. "How far away is that Opti-Shop, again?"

Mrs. Pearson, the JOP’s wife gave Ally a reassuring pat on the leg. "Don’t worry, dear, they’ll be back soon. Would you like another cookie?" she offered, extending the plate of oatmeal and raisin cookies.

"No, thank you," Ally politely declined as she gave the spry seventy-five-year-old, blue-eyed, blue-blonde lady a smile. "You’re very kind, Mrs. Pearson, I’m just anxious. I’ve been here 2 ½ hours, I just assumed Jack and I would be married by now."

"I know, dear, and I’m sorry," Mrs. Pearson said, placing the plate of cookies on the coffee table. "My Jimmy is a good man, but without his glasses, he’s about as blind as a bat. I still don’t know where he could have put those things. Since I don’t drive anymore, it’s a good thing you and your young man showed up when you did. I’m sure it won’t be much longer."

Ally nodded as she sat back on the couch.

"While we wait, you can tell me more about you and your Jack. It’s so apparent when you talk about him how much you love him. Please, indulge an old lady."

Ally smiled brightly. "Okay, I can do that."

~*~

"I can’t thank you enough for driving me, son," Mr. Pearson said to Jack.

"You’re welcome, sir," Jack affably returned.

"I should have invested in a chain for my spectacles a long time ago," he said, placing the glasses with the dangling gold links on his copper colored face. "Essie’s been at me about buying a second pair. I can only wear one at a time, it just doesn’t make sense to have two pair of glasses."

"I guess Mrs. Pearson is thinking ahead. I’m just glad I could help. You couldn’t very well marry Allison and me if you can’t see. We’re almost back now, right?"

"We should be there in about twenty minutes."

Jack nodded. "Good. That’s good."

Judge Pearson chuckled. "I see you’re a young man who knows what he wants. You’ve barely stopped talking about your young lady since we left the house."

Jack’s face seemed to glow. "I’m a man in love. Allison is just…she’s my every dream come true. She’s so smart and beautiful. She’s kind…"

"Not the adjectives again," Judge Pearson groaned in levity. "Look, I know people. Drive a little faster, I can fix the ticket if we get stopped."

Jack stepped on the accelerator. "Yes sir," he grinned.

~*~

Jack raced into the house and into Ally’s arms upon arriving at the Pearsons. "I’m sorry I was gone so long, sweetheart," he murmured in her ear as he breathed in her heavenly scent. "There was only one guy in the store and he worked like he was being paid by the minute. You wouldn’t believe how much I missed you."

"I think I would," she said, tightening the embrace.

"Do you have any question?" Judge Pearson said to his wife as they watched the two young people.

"No, none at all, not anymore. They are young, but they’re certain and so obviously in love. She couldn’t stop talking about him. I didn’t want to stop listening."

"Huh," he grunted. "I did."

Essie gave Jimmy’s hand a scolding little tap. "You stop that, old man. I’m sure hearing him talk about her did your heart as much good as it did mine to listen to her."

"It did," he smiled. "He’s very sure, and very much in love. They passed the test. With their family problems, most people their age would have taken this delay as an omen and go running for the hills, but not them. They’ll have their problems, as all couples do, but I believe they’ll make it." Taking his wife’s hand in his. "They remind me of us at that age."

She squeezed her husband’s wrinkled hand as it held to hers. "I think so, too. I guess they’ve waited long enough, go marry them."

He placed a kiss on her cheek. "Yes, ma’am."

Ten minutes later, after everyone was refreshed, the ceremony was set to commence.

Essie presented Ally with an arrangement of flowers from her garden. "This is for you, dear, every bride deserves a bouquet."

"Thank you, Mrs. Pearson. You’ve been very kind," Ally said, giving the woman a hug.

"You’re very welcome. You just be happy."

"I will be."

With Jack and Ally standing before him, Jim began the ceremony. "We are gathered here today to join Jack Ramsey and Allison Harmon in holy matrimony."

The happy smiles Jack and Ally were wearing disappeared at the sound of the door flinging open.

"The hell we are!" Matt declared, as he and Ellen entered the proceedings with MJ and the Collins family bringing up the rear.