.
Sunny guided her car off Interstate 17 and onto Highway 179 that would bring her and Jason to the Village of Oak Creek, and then home.
The past ten days had been a whirlwind of activity. The day after Jason's awakening, Suzette had visited and suggested something outrageous. "Since you two are now inseparable and drooling over each other, why don't you get married in the hospital? Then, if you want something more elaborate with friends, you can have a ceremony later. At least here, you'll have privacy from the paparazzi and the staff would make great wedding guests. It would be an unforgettable event." She added drily, "And I'll just bet the administrator, Mrs. Wakefield, will even like the idea. I think she's a closet romantic."
Sunny interjected, "Suzette, Jason just woke up from a coma, I'm sure the last thing on his mind–"
Jason interrupted, "I agree with Suzette. We should get married here."
Sunny gaped at him.
He said, "That is unless you're having second thoughts. I know my proposal yesterday wasn't the most romantic."
Sunny leaned over to kiss Jason's cheek and whispered, "Are you sure about this? The paparazzi will eventually get wind of our marriage and make a big to-do out of it."
He turned his head until their lips barely touched. "After what I've been through, the paparazzi are the least of my cares. If you can deal with them, so can I. Can we plan a hospital wedding?"
She kissed him softly and whispered, "The sooner the better." She glanced up at Suzette and recognized her expression. Softly, she said, "Okay, I'll tell him."
Jason moved his gaze between the women. "Tell me what?"
Suzette said, "I'll be back later."
After Suzette left, Sunny settled into the chair beside Jason's bed and said, "Remember the elixir we found?"
A half hour after turning onto Highway 179, Sunny asked Jason if he felt up to stopping by Bell Rock Motel to say hello to Angelica and surprise her with news of their marriage. He said, "I'd love to see her."
Before entering the town proper Sunny turned onto the road leading to the motel. The lovely building looked as inviting as ever and she imagined the spark of happiness that would light Angelica's eyes when she learned about their unconventional wedding. She parked near the office. "I'll bring her to the car, Jason, so you don't have to use your crutches."
Sunny rushed into the office and was surprised to find a middle-aged man behind the counter. She said, "Hello, my name is Sunny Grant and I'm a friend of Angelica's. Would it be possible for you to page her? I have something very important I need to share with her."
The man smiled pleasantly. "Do you know what room she's in?"
Sunny frowned. "She's not a guest. She and her daughter and granddaughter work here."
Now the man frowned. "Ms. Grant, I've owned this motel for five years and I can assure you I've never hired anyone with the name of Angelica."
Sunny stuttered, "But-but, I just saw her a few days ago. And when I checked in several months ago, she put me in the pink room."
The owner of the motel looked concerned. "Ma'am I don't know what to say. I don't know anyone by the name of Angelica."
"Could you call my name up in your computer and see who checked me in during the month of May? I registered under the name of Sunny Jones."
The gentleman shrugged and turned his attention to his computer screen. He typed a few keystrokes and then frowned. "Your name is in here, but there's no entry for the person who checked you in. That doesn't happen often, but it does happen." He typed on his keyboard again and said, "I was on duty so I must have been the one. I don't usually forget to type in my initials."
Sunny shook her head in disbelief. Rather than argue, however, she said, "Thanks for your help," and returned to her car.
Slipping behind the wheel she turned to Jason. "It's the strangest thing. I just met the owner and he said no one named Angelica has ever worked here."
Jason squeezed his eyes shut and Sunny said with concern, "What's wrong? Are you feeling ill?"
He opened his eyes and exhaled. "Sunny, something amazing has happened." Sunny waited for him to finish.
Finally, he said, "The only thing I didn't tell you about my vision was that the elderly woman in the rocking chair looked familiar. I didn't say anything earlier because it was too fantastic, but the woman was Angelica."