Behind the altar

The wedding was called off. Cancelled. Jennifer Adam sat starring at herself in the church dressing room mirror and wondered why she couldn't seem to cry. She knew the pain was there, the pain of rejection. What has she done to deserve all these punishment she was getting from her groom. He was suppose to be here with her saying all the vows they have both said to each other in private to public, he was suppose to be here with her smiling telling her he was the luckiest man to have her in his life and she on her own way smiling and crying watching his handsome face. But it's all ended so quickly without him even showing up not even his relations came, why didn't he tell her he wasn't going to show up for the wedding, why didn't he tell her he has something bothering him or something else came up all questions came flooding back to her memory. She felt a deep and terrible numbness, but she didn't feel it. she could only sit dry-eyed,staring at her reflection. The picture perfect image of a bride. Her veil floated in gossamer wisps about her face. The bodice of her ivory satin dress, embroidered with seed pearls, hung fetchingly off shoulder. Her long brown hair was gathered into a soft chignon. Everyone who had seen her that morning in the dressing room----her mother, her sister Sarah, and her stepmother Sonia had declared her a beautiful bride. And she would have been. Had the groom bothered to show up. He didn't even have the courage to break the news to her in person. After four months of planning and dreaming, she'd received his note just twenty minutes before the ceremony. Via the best man, no less. Jennifer, i need time to think about this, i will be living town for a few days, i will call you....Desmond. she forced herself to read the note again. I need time.....I need time.... How much time does a man needs? she wondered. A year, she had moved on with him Doctor Desmond. It's was the only way to know''if we are compatible he had told her. Marriage was such a major commitment, and he didn't want to make a mistake. At 44, Desmond had known his share of disastrous relationship. He was determined not to make more mistake this time around. He wanted to be sure that Jennifer was the one he had been waiting for all his life. she had been certain Desmond was the man she had also been waiting for all her life. And was so certain that on the very day he had suggested they lived together, she had gone straight home to pack her bag..... ''''Jennifer? Jennifer, open the door!'' it was her sister Sarah, rattling the door knob.,''please let me in.'' Jennifer dropped her head in her hands..'''I don't want to see anybody right now.'' ''You need to be with someone.'' ''I just want to be alone.'' '''Look, the guest have all gone home The church is empty. It's just me out here.'' I don't want to talk to anyone just go home, will you? please, just go. There was a long silence outside the door. Then Sarah said, '''If i live now how are you going to get home? you will need a taxi.'' '''Then i will call a cab. Or the Reverend father can drive me . I need some time to think. please just go. '''You are sure you don't want to talk about it?'' ''I'm sure, i will call you later, Okay?'' ''''If that's what you really want.'''Sarah paused, then added,with a note of venom that penetrated even the oak door, '''Desmond is a jerk, you know. I might as well tell you, i have always thought he was.'' Jennifer didn't answer. She sat at the dressing table, her head in her hand, wanting to cry but unable to squeeze out a single tears. she heard Sarah foot step fade away, then heard only the silence of the church. still no tears will come. She couldn't think about Desmond right away. Instead her mind seem to focus stubbornly on the practical aspect of a cancelled wedding. The catered reception and all that uneaten food. The gift she had to return. The non refundable airline ticket to St.John Island. Maybe she should go on that honeymoon anyway and forget about Desmond. She'd go by herself, just her and her bikini. Out of this whole heart breaking affair, at least she'd come out with a tan. Slowly she raised her head and once again looked at her reflection in the mirror. Not such a beautiful bride after all, she thought.Her lipstick was smeared and her chignon was coming apart, she was turning into a wreck. with a sudden rage she reached up and yanked off the veil. Hairpin flew in every direction, releasing a rebellious tumble of black hair. To hell with the veil; she tossed it into a trash can that was close to her. She snatched up her banquet of white flowers and pink sweet heart rose and slam dunked it into the trash can as well. That felt good. Her anger was like some new and potent fuel flooding her veins. It propelled her to her feet. She walked out of the church dressing room, the tray of her gown dragging behind her, and entered the nave. The pews were deserted. Garlands of white carnation draped the aisles,and the altar was adorned with airy sprays of pink roses and baby's breath. The stage had been beautifully set for a wedding that will never take place. But the lovely result of the florist hard work was scarcely noticed by Jennifer as she strode past the altar and started up the aisle. Her attention was focused straight ahead on the front door. On escape. Even the concerned voice of the Reverend calling her didn't slow her down. She walked passed all the floral reminders of the day's fiasco and pushed through the double doors. There on the church step, she halted.The August sunshine glared in her eyes, and she was suddenly painfully aware of how conspicuous she must be,a lone woman in a wedding gown, trying to wave down a taxi. Only then, as she stood strapped in the brightness of the Afternoon,did she feel the first sting of tears. Oh,no. Lord,no. She was going to break down in tears right there in the step. In full view of every damn car driving past on Forest avenue. ''Jennifer? jenny, dear.' She turned. Reverend Tom was standing on the step above her, a look of worry on his kind face. Is there anything i can do? anything at all?'' he asked. ''If you'd liked, we could go inside and talk,'' Miserably she shook her head. ''I want to get away from here, please, i just want to go away? '''Of course. of course,''Gently, he took her arm. I will drive you home.'' Reverend Tom led her down the steps and around the side of the building, to the staff parking lot. She gathered up her train, which by now was soiled from all the dragging, and climbed into his car. There she sat with all the satin pilled up on her lap. Reverend Tom slide in behind the wheels. The heat was stifling inside the car, but he didn't start the car. Instead they sat for a moment in awkward silence. ''I know it's hard to understand what purpose the lord may have for all these,  but just trust me the lord has a good reason for all these happening, Jennifer didn't know what to say she only just stared across the glass of the car deep on her own thought, what the Reverend was saying didn't even register on her head, she was still thinking about everything, what really happened, he was supposed to meet her here, still repeating everything she had in her head again as if rehearsing for a quiz competition. Desmond was the one who turned his back on her not God,she snatched up a clean cover of her train to wipe her tears. Ambivalence is common for bridegroom. I'm sure Dr Desmond felt this was a big step for him? I suppose marriage is just a stroll in the park for me.'' '''Oh, please.''she gave a muffled sob. ''Just take me home.'' Shaking his head, he put the key in the ignition. '''I only wanted to explain to you dear,in my own clumsy way, that this isn't the end of the world, it is the nature of the world, fate is always trowing surprises at us, Jennifer. Crisis we never expect. Things that seems to pop right out of the blue. ""A deafening boom suddenly shook the church building. The explosion shattered the stained glass window, and a hail of multi colored glass shard flew across the parking lot. Torn hymn books and fragment of church pew tumbled onto the blacktop. As the white smoke slowly cleared, Jenny saw a dusting of flower petals drift gently down from the sky and settled on the windshield right in front of Reverend tom's shocked eyes. '''Right out of the blue'' She murmured, You couldn't have said it better. ''You two, Without A Doubt, are the biggest screw up of the year. Scotland police detective Donald brooks, sitting directly across the table from the obviously upset Peter Clement, didn't bath an eyelash. There were four of them sitting in the police conference room, and Donald wasn't already to give this prima the satisfaction of making him flinch in public. Nor was Donald going to refute the charges, because they have screwed up. He and Charles has screwed up big time, and now a cop was dead, An i***t cop, but cop all the same. One of their own. ''''In our defense spoke up Brook's partner, we never gave Anderson permission to approach the site. We had no idea he had crossed the police line----'' '''You were in charge of the bomb scene''said Peter clement, that made you responsible for anything that happened. Now, wait a minute officer Charles has to bear some of the blame also? Anderson was just a rookie'' said Stallion He should have been following procedures, if he'd==='' Shut up, Stallion' said Brooks. Stallion looked at his partner,''Brook i was only trying to defend our position,'' ''''It won't do us a damn bit of good, since we are already the designated fall guys''Brook leaned back in his chair as he eyed Peter Clement across the conference room table. ''What do you want MR P.C.? A public flogging? our resignation?''' ''No one is asking for your resignation..'' cut in chief Sam Coopersmith.''And this discussion is getting us nowhere.  ..Some disciplinary action is called for,'' said Peter'' We have a dead police officer.'' ''Don't you think i know that already? snapped Coopersmith.''' I am the one who has answers to the widow. Not to mention all those bloodsucking reporters. Don't give me this us and we crap, Mr P.A. it was one of ours who fell. A cop, not a lawyer.'' Donald looked in surprise at his chief. This was a new experience, for the chief being on his side. The chief Sam he knew was a man of few words,few of them complementary. It was because Peter was rubbing them all on the wrong way. When under fire cops always stuck together. '''Lets get back to the business at hand, okay?'' said coopersmith. ''we have a bomber in town. And our first fatality. What do we know so far?''He looked at Donald, who was the head of the newly reformed Bomb task force. '''Donald?'' '''Not a hell of a lot,''Donald admitted. He opened a file folder and took out a sheaf of papers. He distributed copies to the other four men around the table. The first blast occurred around 3:30 a.m. the second blast around 3:50 a.m. It was the second one that pretty much levelled the warehouse. It was caused minor damaged to three buildings, the night watch men was the one who found the first device. He noticed signs of breaking and entering, so he searched the building. The bomb was left on the desk in one of the offices. He put in the call at 3:30 a.m. Charles got there around 3:40, i was there at 4:00 a.m. we had the blast area cordoned off and the top vent container truck had just arrived when the first one went off. Then, twelve minutes later before we could search the building the second device exploded. killing officer Anderson.''Donald glanced at Peter, but this time the chief chose to keep his mouth shut. There was a brief silence in the room. Then coopersmith said, Not all the same depot number as the same last year?'' ''It's very likely,''said Donald.''Since that missing lot number the only reported large dynamite theft we have had up here for years.'' But the spectre bombing were solved a year ago,''said Peter. And we know that Jacob Spectre is dead. So who's making those bombs? ''We maybe dealing with his apprentice. someone who may not only pick up his masters technique but also has access to the master's dynamites supply, which i pointed out, we never located. ''You haven't confirm the dynamites from the same stolen lot number,''said Peter. Maybe this has no connection at all with the spectre bombing. I am afraid we have other evidence, Donald said, ''And you are not going to like it.''He glanced at Charles Williams. Go ahead Williams.'' Williams never comfortable with public speaking, kept his gaze focused on the lab report in front of him. Based on the material we gathered at the site,''he said,''we can make a preliminary guess as to the make up of the device. We believed that the electrical action fuse was set off by an electric delayed circuit. This in turn ignited the dynamite via prima detonating cord. The stick were bundled together with two inch wide green electric tape.''Williams cleared his throat and finally looked up. It is the identical delay circuit that the late specter used in his bombing last year.'' Peter looked at Donald. The same circuitry, the same dynamites lot? what the hell is going on? ''Obviously,''said Williams, spectre passed on a few of his skills before he died. Now we have got a second generation bomber on our hands.'' ''What we still have to piece together,''said Donald, is the psychological profile of this bomber. specter bombing was a coldbloodedly financial. He was hired to do the job and he did them, Efficient.Effective. This new bomber has to set a pattern.'' What you are saying,''said Peter, is that you expect him to hit again.''Donald nodded wearily. ''Unfortunately, that's exactly what i am saying.'' There was a knock on the door. A patrol woman stuck her head inside the conference room. ''Excuse me, but there is a call for Brooks and William.'' I will take it, said Williams. He rose heavily from his seat and went to the conference phone room. Peter was still focused on Brooks. ''So this is all portland finest can come up with? we wait for another bombing so that we can establish a pattern. And then maybe,just maybe, we will have the idea of what the hell we are doing.? '''A bombing, Mr Peter,''said Brook calmly,''is an act of cowardice. its violence in an act of perpetrator. I repeat the word===absence. we have no ID,no fingerprint, no witnesses to the planting, no----'' ''Chief, cut in Williams. They have reported just another one.'' What?''said coopersmith. Donald has already shot to his feet and was moving for the door. what was it this time? called Peter.'''Another warehouse?'' '''No,''said Williams. A church.'' The cops already had the areas cordoned off by the time Donald and Williams arrived at the church. A  crowd was gathered up and down the street. three patrol cars, three fire trucks and an ambulance were parked haphazardly along the forest Avenue. The bomb disposal truck and it's boiler shaped carrier in the flatbed stood idly near the church front .....or what was left of the front entrance. The door had been blown clear off its hinges and had come to rest at the bottom of the front steps. Broken glass were everywhere. The wind scattered torn pages of hymn books like dead leaves along the side walk.Williams swore this was a big one.'' As they approached the police line, the officer in charge turned to them with a look of relieve. Donald! glad you could make it to the party.'' ''Any casualty? asked Donald. ''None, as far as we know, the church was empty as at that time. pure luck, there was a wedding scheduled for two, but it was cancelled at the last minutes, ''Whose wedding?'' ''some doctors, the bride sitting over there in the patrol car. she and the minister witnessed the blast from the parking lot.'' I will talk to her later,''said Donald. Don't let her leave. or the minister,either. I am going to check the building for a second device.'' ''Better you than me.'' Donald donned body armor, made of overlapping steel plates encased in nylon. He also carried a protective mask, to be worn in case a second bomb was identified. A bomb tech, similarly garbed, stood by the front door awaiting orders to enter the building. Williams will wait outside near the truck; his role this time around was to fetch tools and get the bomb carrier ready. ===okay,''Donald said to the technician. Let's go.'' They stepped through the gaping front entrance.the first thing Donald noticed was the smell===strong and faintly sweet, dynamites, he thought he recognized the the odor of it's aftermath. The force of the blast has caused the pew at the rear to topple backward. At the front, near the altar the pew has been reduced to splinsters. All the stained glass panels were broken,and where the windows faced south, hazy sunlight shone in through the empty frames.