The Barren Tree
Epilogue
by Myeerah, published on June 4, 2001
Rittersberg, March 18, 1997
Gabriel woke with a slight headache on the day of his wedding.
Good thing I didn't drink as much as Mosely did.
His bachelor party had been a small affair, but the beer had flowed, ribald jokes and quips were exchanged, and Mosely had spent a lot of time talking about Gerde.
At least he's over Grace, now.
Grace. That made him smile. As she relaxed and became more certain of his affections, she revealed a more inventive and uninhibited facet than she had ever displayed before.
A familiar tightness at the thought turned the smile into a broad grin. He looked down.
"Welcome back," he said. "I've missed ya."
A further thought occurred to him. "What a wedding present for Gracie."
Ridiculous smile plastered to his face, he got up to face life as a married man.
The ceremony proceeded smoothly; the whole of Rittersberg turned out for it. Gran had cried, of course, but Celeste was there for her.
That night, when the locals had gone home, the guests had retired to their rooms, and Celeste has gone to spend a quiet evening in the gasthof, Gabriel pulled his bride into his arms. "Alone at last," he whispered, nibbling on her earlobe.
"Finally," Grace agreed, already unbuttoning his shirt.
He turned her around and went to work on the row of tiny hooks holding her dress on. "I've got a surprise for you."
"What's that?"
In response he pressed his hips against her. Her eyes widened.
"Well, well, well," she breathed. "In that case, I've got a surprise for you, too."
The last of the hooks undone, Gabriel slid the dress from her shoulders. It slithered to the floor.
"And what might that be?" His eyes devoured her as she moved closer to the bed.
"Do you remember when you were in the hospital," she said, retrieving something from beneath the mattress, "and I told you that I liked you helpless?"
"Yeah?"
She dangled the object in front of his face. "I meant it."
Gerde stopped as she came up the stairs with a glass of champagne and saw Mosely with his ear pressed to the newlyweds' door.
"Franklin!" she chided. "Eavesdropping is rude!" She joined him. "Anything good?"
"I've got good news and bad news," he said. "The good news is, I found my cuffs."
"Wonderful. What's the bad news?"
A deep moan followed by a throaty laugh floated out from behind the closed door.
"The bad news is," Mosely continued, "they're gonna need this." He produced a small key, flipped it into the air, caught it, and placed it securely in his pocket. “I think there's some cake left over." He extended his arm. "Care to join me?"
Shaking with silent laughter, Gerde linked her arm with his.
Whistling tunelessly, Mosely turned and strolled off in search of cake, Gerde laughing hysterically at his side.
Last update: October 24, 2007
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