Date: Fri, 11 Jun 93 19:00:38 EDT
From: Jason_Dzembo@MTS.RPI.EDU
To: alt-ql-creative@cisco.com
Message-Id: <3648154@MTS.RPI.EDU>
Subject: Love, Honor & Obey (Part 4 of 4)

       Sam turned to Lisa and her father and gently took her
father's hand away.  He turned Lisa to face him and, holding her
shoulders, he swallowed and said, softly, "Go.  Talk to him.  I'll
be okay."  Lisa paused for a brief moment and ran from the room.
Rex stared at Sam, thoughtfully speechless.
       Sam decided to take advantage of the man's silence and said,
tentatively, "You know, this doesn't necessarily mean the wedding's
been canceled.  Once she talks to him and explains what was going
on here, they could still go through with it."  Rex gave Sam a cold
look.  "And, if that's the case, Lisa is going to want you there. 
You don't have to agree with her decision to marry him, but she's
your daughter, and you should give her your support regardless.  I
mean, if anyone should have a reason to not be there, it's me,
right?  But she and I are still good friends, and, if I were
invited, I would go, despite what's happened.  I wouldn't begrudge
her her happiness.  And neither should you."
       "What difference would it make?" Rex demanded after a
moment.  "She'd marry him whether I go along with it or not."
       "Then what have you got to lose by going along with it?  It
would save everyone a lot of heartache, and it would really make a
big difference to her." Sam said.  He locked eyes with the man. 
"Believe me."
       Rex mumbled, "I'll think about it.  But," he added,
brightening a little, "this is all assuming they still decide to go
through with it."  He headed back towards the stairs.
       As soon as the man was out of earshot, Sam spun to face Al,
hopefully.  Al chewed on his cigar for a moment, studying the
handlink and then raised his eyes to meet Sam's with a smile. 
"That was smooth.  If I didn't know better, I'd have thought you
were actually feeling the same things Wes is feeling for this
woman."  Sam didn't respond, conscious of the tingle Lisa's kiss
had left on his lips and throughout his body.  Al stared at Sam,
but refrained from further comment.  "Anyway, your selfless act of
sending her after Jon seems to have done the trick.  She manages to
persuade him to reconsider and they still get married on the eighth
as planned.  Chelsea is still born and still saves the baby."
       "What about her family?" Sam asked, "Are they going to the
wedding?"
       "You heard what he said." Lisa said before Al could check
the handlink.  Sam turned to see her standing in the doorway.  She
walked into the room, saying, "I managed to catch Jonathan before
he could drive away.  I explained to him what was going on.  He's
forgiven me and the wedding is still on."  Her tone of voice
indicated there was more, but she was hesitant to mention it.
       "But," Sam said, making things easier for her, "I'm still
not invited."
       "Uh oh." Al said, "Sam, you've got to get Wes to that
wedding, so that he can realize how happy Lisa's going to be, so
that he can move on with his life."
       "It's time to move on with our lives, Wes." Lisa said,
"Please try to understand.  I do care for you, a lot, so much that
it's painful to be with you.  I think it's best if we go our
separate ways.  Jon gets jealous when you and I are together,
especially now that he thinks we're still in love.  Between that
and how much it hurts him that my family doesn't like him...well,
it doesn't make things any easier."
       "You've got to jettison some emotional baggage if the two of
you are going to make it." Sam said with a tone of understanding.
       Lisa smiled and said, "You could put it that way."  She
looked into Sam's eyes and asked, "I'm worried about you, though,
Wes.  I know how much you still care about me and I don't want
you to spend the rest of your life holding on to some pipe dream
that I'm coming back to you.  You've got to move on with your life.
You've got so much going for you, your charm, your sense of humor. 
You're a sweet, wonderful man and there are plenty of women out
there who'd die to have a man like you.  You'll find her someday. 
But you've got to put our past behind you.  It's not easy, I know. 
But I have to do it if I'm going to make my marriage work out, and
you need to do it if you're going to get on with your life."
       "You're right." Sam agreed with resignation.
       "Sam, what are you doing?" Al demanded, "You're supposed to
be persuading her to let Wes go to the wedding."
       "I've got to get going.  Jon is downstairs and I'm afraid to
leave him there too long with my father.  Who knows what kind of
trouble the two of them are going to get into."  She gave Sam a
brief hug, reluctant to hold him longer lest she let her emotions
take over again, and the two of them went downstairs.
       They met Jon at the bottom of the stairs.  "Oh!  I was just
coming to get you." he said.  There was a peculiar look on his
face, something very close to happiness.
       "Lisa's explained everything to me, Jon." Sam cut in.  He
wanted to say his piece and get out of their way so he could lick
his emotional wounds and try to come up with a new plan of action
with Al.  He knew what he was ruining Wesley's future by agreeing
to stay away from Lisa, but, at the same time, he knew that Wesley
would make any sacrifice he could to ensure Lisa's happiness.  He
hoped that he'd leap out soon so Wesley would realize what had
happened, and that he would be able to move on, content with the
knowledge that all had worked out for the best.  It was an outside
chance, at best, but it was all Sam had.  "We've agreed not to see
each other anymore.  I don't want to come between the two of you. 
I wish you the best of luck." 
       He started for the front door, but Jon grabbed his arm. 
"Wait a second, Gardener.  I want you to hear this, too."  He
gestured for Sam and Lisa to follow him, and walked into the living
room, where Lisa's family was sitting.  In the center of the living
room, Jon took Lisa's hands and said, "Your family has agreed to
come to the wedding."
       "What?" Lisa asked, surprised.  She stared at her father and
asked, "What made you change your mind?"  She ran to him and
embraced him.
       His arm around his daughter, Rex nodded towards Sam and
said, "Wesley straightened me out, made me realize how selfish I
was being.  It was more his actions than his words, though.  He
had the opportunity to win you back after Jonathan caught the two
of you upstairs.  But, instead, he did what he could to help the
two of you patch things up.  He knew that's what you wanted.  If
he's willing to accept your marriage, willing to give up his
relationship with you to make your marriage work, can I do anything
less?"  He kissed his daughter on the head and said, "I love you,
sweetheart."
       "I love you, too, Dad." Lisa said, tears of gladness
brimming in her eyes.
       "Sam, this is great." Al said, checking the handlink,
"Lisa's father gives her away at the wedding and she and Jon keep
in close contact with her family.  In time, Rex and Jon even become
friends."
       "What about Wes?" Sam asked softly.
       Jonathan turned to Sam, hearing the question.  "I have to
admit, Gardener, I'm impressed.  I can see what Lisa liked about
you.  There aren't many people who'd do what you've done."  He
exchanged glances with Lisa and said, "I made Lisa promise not to
invite you to our wedding, so I guess I'll have to do it.  After
everything you've done to help us out, I don't see how I can be
jealous of you.  You'll be a welcome guest, if you're interested. 
What do you say?"
       Sam looked at Lisa, who nodded happily.  Turning back to
Jon, Sam said, "I'll be there."
       "Sam, you've done it!" Al exclaimed, "Wes goes to the
ceremony and realizes how happy Lisa is and gets on with his life. 
And, hey, get this.  In two years, he marries a friend of Lisa's
from college, who he meets at Lisa's wedding, and the four of them
end up life-long friends!"
       Jonathan extended his hand and Sam leaned forward, meeting
him halfway.  As they shook hands, Sam felt the familiar electrical
tingle envelop him and he leaped....
 
 
       He was in midair again, and swinging.  It wasn't a circus
tent this time, though, for which Sam was grateful.  As his eyes
focused, he realized he was clinging to a heavy rope, and swinging
back and forth over a body of water.
       "What are you waiting for, Rick?" someone called from behind
him.  He tried to twist to face the voice but couldn't get the
leverage.  "Are you going to let go, or are you just going to hang
around all day?"
       Sam chose the easier of the two options.  On the next
upswing of the rope, he let go and plummeted.  He flailed his arms
for a short time and started to scream, but was cut off as he
slapped against the water in a graceless bellyflop, and began to
sink, getting a mouth full of cool water.  He thrashed his way to
the surface and shook the wet hair from his eyes and sputtered,
"Oh, boy.""