by John Dufresne
The wedding itself is so exciting, so dazzling, that it almost makes Tandra, our bride, forget that she has made a grievous mistake. When they arrive in Gatlinburg the next day, Tandra and Clell, Mr. And Mrs. Hollis, check into the Travelodge and then go out to see the sights. They take the tram to Õbergatlinburg. Clell pulls a muscle in his back trying to hit curveballs in the batting cage. He wonders did he somehow do that on purpose. They take the trolley to Dollywood, see a show called Hillbilly Hoedown. They nurse drinks and talk as long as they can in the Jacuzzi. Eventually they make love in the Honeymoon Suite (which the man at the desk pronounces suit–Honeymoon Suit, he says, otherwise it would be Honeymoon Sweet. And he spells it out.) As Clell grinds into her, Tandra imagines her future. She thinks of this new life as a career–wife, mother, social adjunct, companion. Beats working in an office. She’ll get busy with PTA soon enough, and dinner parties, charity events. She’ll take up tennis. When Clell is finished with his business, he rolls to his side of the bed. He puts Betty Shackleford, maid of honor, out of his mind. He puts the heating pad on his lower back. He wonders where his love for Tandra has gone, and is it gone for good? Somehow the realization that he has deceived his wife makes Clell feel closer to her. Protective. He is willing, he knows, to sacrifice his own happiness for hers. In deceit begins responsibility. Clell is surprised that he feels this benevolent way.