Billy and I hit the road early. We wanted to get to the jewelery store as soon as it opened. If we needed to get the ring sized, we could get it done immediately. They had some really nice plain bands, which we chose. We did not want anything fancy. After all, it was in our hearts that counted most.
Billy also insisted in buying me an engagement ring. I insisted that, since we were getting married, the next day, it was necessary. However, I had no idea what was in his mind, so I let him have his way.
When we arrived back at the Duke household, he took me into the living room. He made me sit down on the couch. He stood in fromt of me. He got down on one knee and opened the jewelry box containing the ring. He cleared his throat, took my left hand, looked into my eyes and asked, "Sherri Lee Nelson, will you marry me?"
I looked at him, through the tears in my eyes, I giggled as I said, as I put my hands under my chin as if to indicate I was thinking, and I looked away, "Hmmmmmm, I will have to think about this one. Give me a year or two."
He got up to his feet. He looked at me with a look of rejection. He turned his back, crossed the room and went into the kitchen where his mother and sister were.
I got up from the couch and went into the kitchen where he was. I put my arms around his waist and whispered in his ear, "Hey, I was only kidding. Of course, I will marry you. Do you honestly think that I would go to all this trouble, and do all these things if I did not want to marry you. I love you, Billy, and I can hardly wait until tommorow."
He turned around and kissed me passionately. When we came up for air, I gave him my left hand and he slipped the ring ont the correct finger.
He swallowed hard and "me too" was all he could say because I know he was choked up with emotion too.
That trip took a good part of the morning. When we had had lunch and cleared away the dishes, it was time for Estelle, Billy's mother and I to go into town to get dresses. "Girls' afternoon out," Billy called it teasingly.
I had never has so much fun as I had shopping that afternoon. We went to the most popular women's store in town. We tried on all sorts of dresses. It was almost as if the three of us were playing dress-up like little girls like to do.
We finally settled on a really nice multi-coloured flowered dress for me - purple, red and blue. Estelle, my maid of houour, chose a short-sleeved purple dress - the same shade of purple as in my dress. As for Billy's mother (her name is Elizabeth, but everyone calls her Liz) she found a really nice short-sleeved light blue dress. So armed with Billy's Mastercard, we paid for the damage and headed home.
On our way home, we just picked up some flowers for the house. The local florist had some really nice gladioulies in a really nice floral arrangement. Since there was not enough time to get any fancy bouquets, we just decided to get some long-stemmed roses which I would just carry. Again, courtesy of Billy's Mastercard, we were able to add to the total.
Billy was waiting for us when we finally arrived back home. His mother made sure that he did not see my dress. She told us, "Tradition says that it is bad luck for the groom to see the bride's dress before the wedding."
He told me, "While you ladies were gone, I made some phone calls and how would you like to go to Kingston for a honeymoon?"
I rushed over and give him a big kiss and a hug and said, "Hey, that sounds like fun. Did you make any reservations?"
"I sure did, how about the Holiday Inn, it is right along the waterfront. That is if we ever leave our hotel room."
I punched him in the stomach in a playful way and said, "Billy, that is terrible."
"There is a lot of things that we could do there - museums, historical buildings, tours. The hotel told me that they even have a tour from the hotel that takes us all around Kingston."
"Hmmmmm, sounds really great. I can hardly wait."
"I also got a hold of Paul and Cindy and they will be coming tomorrow afternoon. Cindy had gone to the loft on Sunday and gotten my stuff for me.
When Estelle, Liz and I had gone downtown in the afternoon, we had also picked up the wedding lisence at City Hall.
By the time the sun went down, everything was in order. We had gone to a card and party shop during the afternoon to pick up some simple decorations.
The last minute details left to be done in the morning were picking up the caske and party platters for the small reception afterwards.
