Rated: G
Disclaimer in on the Introduction page.
May 2nd, 1942
"Phillip," wailed Hilary Booth as Daphne Danvers, the beautiful heroine of one of radio station WENN's most popular shows, "Valiant Journey", "please don't go off to war and leave me like this! Leonard has already left on that super-secret spy mission!"
"I'll come back to you some time soon, darling," promised Philip Crandall, otherwise known as Mackie Bloom, the Man of 1,000 Voices. "I promise you that much. We'll be wed the minute I come back from fighting those darn Axis in the Phillipines."
"But, Phillip, Leonard asked me for my hand in marriage!" Hilary exclaimed in consternation.
"Don't tell him yes, Daphne. Don't say yes to any man until I get back on American soil," Mackie admonished.
"I promise, Phillip!" Hilary said, her voice full of emotion.
"Will Phillip come back to Pittsburgh alive? Will Daphne ever choose which man she really loves? We'll find out the answers to these questions tomorrow on 'Valiant Journey', brought to you by Mother Martin's Yankee Bean Soup, the soup that will give you lots of vim and vigor for yankee victory!" said Mackie in his announcer's voice as Hilary quickly ran out of the room. "'Colonel Moore at the General Store' is next on WENN, followed by a very special edition of 'Bridal Bouquet'. Our own Jeff Singer and Miss Hilary Booth are getting re-re-married! It will be an affair to remember, folks!"
Betty Roberts sighed heavily and switched off her radio. The broadcasts were going fine and the Wartime News and Entertainment Network was happily in full swing, but it was impossible to concentrate on her work these days. She'd received a telegram two days ago that said that Scott had been given a short furlough and would be coming home to Pittsburgh.
Betty straightened the hat that she was wearing as Hilary's maid of honor. Mackie was the best man and Mr. Eldridge was giving Hilary away, since Hilary's parents couldn't come from Maine. Jeff's mother Margurite had already arrived and was in the green room talking with her son and his ex-wife-soon-to-be-new-wife.
"Whatcha' doin' there, Miss Betty Roberts?" asked a playful voice. "Would ya like to eat a barnacle with me?"
Betty didn't need to know who it was. She just turned around and thrust her arms around the man in the Army uniform standing in the doorway. "Scott!" exclaimed Betty. "I'm so glad you're here! You wouldn't believe what's happened in the last few months! We started a canteen where soldiers and sailors can hang out, and it's going great! Maple is so good with those guys. They can't get enough of her. She got a whole bunch of them to help with Hilary and Jeff's wedding!"
Scott beamed ear-to-ear. "Hildy finally accepted Jeff's proposal, huh?"
Betty rolled her eyes. "It was either that or they both went off the deep edge, or I went off the deep edge watching them trying to ignore each other when all they want is to be Mr. and Mrs. Singer again."
Scott let Betty go and became serious. "Betty..."
"I know, Scott. Will I marry you? I...I don't know, Scott. I think I'm in love with you. I just know that my heart says you and my mind says Victor."
He gently took her hands and kissed them. "And what do you say?"
"I don't know what to say. It's so hard to let one of you go when I know that I feel something for you both."
Scott abruptly stood and went to the doorway. "Maybe it's about time you let go." He gulped hard. "If you don't want me I'll go back to California and stay there. Victor will make a fine husband for you." He walked out of the room. Betty went after him.
"You're giving up on me, just like that?" snapped Betty. This was the last thing she'd expected him to do. "You've never been a quitter before. Why start now?"
"Betty, I've done every single thing I know of to get you to simply notice me and how I feel about you," Scott returned. "I'm not going to chase you forever. If you want to marry Victor Comstock, I'm not going to stand in your way."
Hilary placed a hand on Betty's shoulder. "I hate to interrupt this lovely little romantic scene you two are having, but we're going to be having our final rehearsal in less than five minutes. It would be nice if my maid of honor could be there." She finally recognized Scott, who smiled again when he saw her.
"It took you long enough, but you finally admitted that you love Jeff and you want to marry him."
"And hopefully, it'll be permanent this time, not to mention legal." She shook Scott's hand. "It's nice to have you back, Scott, sort of. How long will you be staying?"
He shrugged. "I'm only in for a few days. My commanding officer wouldn't let me go for any longer than that. He says that I'm the best he has and it's hard just letting me go for a few days as it is."
She nodded at Betty. "Scott, I want to have a few words with Betty alone before the ceremony. I'm not supposed to see Jeff, anyway. He's in the green room with his mother and Penelope Comminger and several dozen Armed Forces members right now. You can help them keep Jeff away from me." She smiled wryly. "The last time we got married I saw him before the wedding and he went and married another woman a year later." She shooed Scott into the green room and turned to Betty.
"Betty," she said, "we need to talk." Betty opened her mouth, but Hilary quieted her. "I know this is none of my business, but Scott's right. You can't keep stringing him and Victor along forever. It's about time this triangle business was settled once and for all."
"But...I love them both equally!" Betty exclaimed.
"I know it's a hard decision," Hilary admitted. "I've had to make it a few times myself. It was a near impossible choice to make. I let World War I do it for me the first time." Hilary's voice dropped a level and grew very sorrowful. "There were two boys in Ligonia who were both terribly smitten with me, Walter Rousten and Joey Bates. They both went off to war, but only Walter came back. Joey died in France. I married Walter, but it only lasted for a year. He abandoned me in Portland for some hussy when neither of us could get work."
"So," said Betty slowly, "you're saying that I should decide on one before I lose them both."
Eugenia came rushing over. "Don't you just love weddings, folks?" she gushed. "I've never been so happy in my entire life! Everyone should get married, I think."
"Yes," Betty said quietly, "I think so, too."
Betty walked back into the writer's room as the bridal procession lined up. She wanted so badly to decide. She thought about what it would be like not having Scott there. She had missed him horrendously these last couple of months, but she'd missed Victor, too. She felt sad and lonely when they didn't write. She and Scott made a great team and wonderful partners. Most of all, Scott was there for her. He would never leave her or put his feelings in front of hers unless he absolutely had to. Victor understood abstract concepts, but he was too emotionally naive when it came to love and affection. She had outgrown their relationship. She knew who's proposal she wanted to accept.
Mr. Foley popped his head in the writer's room. "I know, Mr. Foley, we're on in five minutes." Betty grabbed her maid of honor bouquet as she rushed to the green room. "I just have to tell Scott something." Mr. Foley followed her, confused.
"Yes, Scott, I'll marry you!" she shouted over the din as she rushed into the green room and nearly ran over her fiancee.
Scott looked baffled, then utterly delighted. "You...you will? WAAAHOOO!!!!" Scott picked Betty up and swung her around the room as best he could. "I'll con, er, nicely ask that general friend of mine to transfer me here," he shouted. "We'll set up house and have a family. I never thought I'd hear myself say that I'd be happy being domestic, but I am." All of the Army officers and pilots who had overheard Betty's declaration immediately began clapping Scott on the back and asking when their wedding was going to be held.
Jeff and a small, brown-haired woman stood near the cake Gertie had baked for the wedding. Jeff went up to the happy couple and tapped Scott on the shoulder. "May I introduce my mother, the French stage actress Margurite Chouix Singer? She's my second favorite actress after my wife-to-be."
The small woman blushed and held out her hand to Scott. He disentangled himself from his beloved Betty and took it. "I am happy to be able to meet all of Jeffrey's friends at last," she said in perfect English with only a hint of an accent. "I am also happy to hear that you and Madamoiselle Roberts will become man and wife. My dear Jeffrey has told me so much about all of you. I'm very happy to be here at his wedding."
Betty heard the sound of Eugenia's organ playing "Here Comes the Bride" and Mr. Foley ringing bells. Maple moved away from the gaggle of Marines and Army officers who now made up her constant entourage. "I think it's time for the show, folks. And with Hilary and Jeff getting hitched again, I'm sure it's gonna be one heck of a show." Betty put her arms around Scott and followed him, Maple, Jeff, and Margurite out the door of the green room.
*****
"I now pronounce you man and wife," Warren Dunlap told Hilary and Jeff. They didn't even wait for Reverend Dunlap to tell the newly re-married Jeff to kiss the bride to begin one of the longest and most passionate kisses in the history of WENN.
As Hilary and Jeff continued kissing, Scott took Betty and the nearest microphone and shouted, "You've been listening to a very special edition of 'Bridal Bouquet', and the surprises aren't through yet, folks. I would like to announce the engagement of Miss Betty Roberts and Mr. Scott Sherwood to everyone listening out there in Pittsburgh." Betty glowed and leaned on Scott's arm. Her heart was happy, but her mind was wondering how she was going to explain her spontaneous choice to Victor.
The rest of the bridal party moved into the green room, leaving the bride and groom locked in each other's arms and lips.
This war won't last forever...
What will Victor say when he finds out that Betty is now engaged to Scott? Will Hilary and Jeff's marriage last this time?
On the Edge of the Precipice Series
Go to On the Edge of the Precipice#4 - Sentimental Journey!
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