The Mission: Ginny Makes a Promise (part 12)
It took all her courage to telephone Eli, so when his answering machine picked up and demanded that she leave her name and phone number, she did precisely that and nothing else. She was still holding the phone a few moments later when it buzzed in her hand.
“Hello, this is Ginny.”
“Ginny! I was scrambling to reach the phone and then you were gone. I miss you so much. It must be very important, for you to call me,” said Eli.
“Eli. It’s wonderful to hear your voice. Yes, it is important. In two weeks I have an appointment to see a book publisher … in New York. I have a vacation day coming, so I’ll take Friday off, and fly up the Thursday night before. I thought maybe you could meet me for the weekend.”
*****
By Friday noon, Ginny had a book deal. By Friday night, she’d agreed to marry Eli. She’d barely finished her first cup of coffee on Saturday morning when Eli showed up, insisting that they go shopping for an engagement ring.
“We have plenty of time, Eli. I don’t need an engagement ring. I promise–I’ll marry you,” said Ginny. But Eli took her to Tiffany’s anyway. He wanted to buy her a lot of diamonds; she thought one would do. In the end, Ginny walked out wearing a heart-stopping, but classic diamond solitare. “You could have bought me another airplane for what this ring cost,” said Ginny, “but it’s beautiful. I love you. Thank you.”
“So when do you want to get married?” asked Eli.
“I’ll marry you today, if you’d like,” said Ginny.
Eli pulled Ginny to his chest and held her tight. “Oh Ginny, my little lamb.” Eli laughed. “Maybe we should wait until your parents and my parents can be there. I’d hate to start out married life with my mother-in-law mad at me!”
Right away they figured out that during the Christmas holiday was the best time to get married. “At the Hotel Galvez,” Ginny said. “That’s where my parents married, over forty years ago.”
“January 1st,” said Eli.
“Everyone will have a headache,” she laughed.
“No. We’ll begin the ceremony just after midnight. Let’s begin our new life and the new year together, with our family and friends. It will be the best New Year’s Eve party ever.”
Leave a Comment