May, 1972 – Georgetown University

Magnolia PETALS rained down on Amanda West as she walked to meet her fiancé at Dooley’s for dinner. Amanda smiled to herself and caught a petal in her hand. As she rubbed it in her fingers, she thought about her upcoming wedding. She was going to be Mrs. Joseph King…. Amanda King…. Mrs. King. Her mother had decided to give her a wedding she would remember forever. She felt a pang of regret that her father would not be around to walk her down the aisle. She looked at the pinky ring she wore on her left hand right next to engagement ring; the flat gold top sparkled in the sunlight. It had her initial on it. Her father gave it to her when she was thirteen so she would never forget who she was. It started on her middle finger then migrated to her ring finger until it only fit on her pinky. She wondered if she should keep it on after she was married; but, it always felt like a connection to her father, one that she would never have again. She shook off the shadows of her past and began to look to her future.

 Joe would be starting law school at the beginning of the new term in January after their wedding and he completed his undergraduate work. She finished her degree in English and wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. She could get a job with the Federal Government, maybe as a secretary or something. When the FBI came to a recruitment fair on the campus of UVA, they had been monumentally uninterested in her. Something about English majors not having a lot to offer in national security or something like that. Maybe she could teach somewhere. She just knew she wanted to contribute to their marriage. Joe had warned her that he would be busy with law school and that he might not have a lot of time with her. She needed something to take up her time.

She arrived at Dooley’s and found Joe sitting with their friends in a booth. Josh moved out of the way to let her sit next to Joe. A smile crossed her face when he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in closer. “Hey there,” he whispered in her ear, immediately followed by a kiss on the cheek. “What have you been doing?”

“I just came from the final fitting for the dress. Mother is determined to make our wedding glorious.” Amanda replied, taking a sip of Joe’s beer.

“Well, all I really need is you.” Joe kissed her again.  “Everything else is superfluous.”

Amanda smiled. “Nice word.”

“Like it? We were just practicing lawyer talk.” The other future law students laughed in agreement. Joe leaned into her “Do you have to go home tonight?”

          She stiffened in his arms and looked around as she lowered her voice. “Joe, we’ve talked about this. I’m just not ready to…. you know… before we’re married. Besides, Mother is expecting me home. She wants to go over the seating chart for the reception.”

          “Amanda, we are getting married in ten days.”

          She rubbed her nose against his. “Then you’re just going to have to wait ten days.”

          Joe vented a frustrated sigh. “It can’t hurt to ask. You know, I think your mother is trying to keep us apart.”

          “Don’t be silly, Sweetheart. She adores you.” Amanda stroked Joe’s hand. “I’ve been thinking about what I am going to do after the wedding.”

          “Huh?” Joe asked, his attention now on the conversation about classes.

          “Joe.” She claimed his attention by nibbling on his ear. “After the wedding, I want to get a job to help out.”

          “That’s great, Amanda, whatever you want.” Joe returned his attention to the conversation around them.

          She sighed. ‘He’s preoccupied. It will get better once the pressure of the wedding is over.’