Scarecrow heard a soft rap at his hatch. He opened to find Cooper standing outside.
“Sandy? What are you doing here?”
“I need to speak to you.” Her expression was somber.
“Isn’t it bad luck for the groom to see his bride the night before their wedding?”
“Then that should tell you how important this is. May I come in?”
“Of course. Please.” Scarecrow motioned for Sandy to enter. He pulled a chair over to face his rack as she sat on the edge of the bed. He sat down across from her and leaned forward, giving her his undivided attention.
“Now what’s so urgent, Sweeting. Is everything all right?” A chilling thought occurred to him. “You’re not getting cold feet are you?”
“No. Nothing like that.” Her attempted assurance was flat. Cooper sat in silence with her hands clasped in her lap, staring down as she ordered her thoughts. After a few moments that seemed like an hour, she looked up at him. “You had something important to tell me about Samantha, and it got me thinking. So I have something I want to tell you. And I need to share it before tomorrow.”
Sandy sighed as she began.
“When it comes to my relationship with Jimmy, I’ve always been up front with you. I’ve never held anything back, never kept any secrets about my feelings for him, or his for me.”
“I believe you.”
“Thank you.”
“What is it, Sweeting?” Scarecrow asked, his voice soft.
Sandy hesitated for a moment before plunging in. She expelled a long, slow sigh, then began.
“You once said that you were concerned you might have to compete for my affection with Jimmy’s ghost. I assured you that wasn’t the case. I spoke truthfully when I told you when we’re together, I’m with you 100 percent. I also said that because of you, I was finally able to let Jimmy go. At the time I said that, I honestly believed it, but then I started having mixed feelings. I couldn’t get your statement out of my mind, and it’s been bothering me–gnawing at me–ever since. I’ve done a lot of soul-searching over the past few months, especially since you proposed.”
“I’m not sure I like where this is going …” Scarecrow’s statement was staccato-like. Sandy looked at him with a weak smile as he continued, “Do I really want to hear this?”
“You need to hear this.”
“You haven’t used an endearment since you came in here,” Scarecrow said. “I’m getting a little nervous.”
“I’m sorry about that, but you do need to hear this. You deserve … to hear this. So here goes.” Sandy cleared her throat with a nervous air and sat up straight, looking Scarecrow in the eye. “A long time ago, I told you Jimmy was my soulmate. When I told you that, I was firmly convinced I would never, could never, ever, find someone to replace him, or even equal him. Someone who could take his place in my heart.”
“Just tell me, Sandy, before my heart explodes.”
“Okay. I’ve thought a lot about this, and shed some tears over it. But if Jimmy was here right now, alive, standing beside you, and I had to choose between the two of you …” She paused. It was obvious Cooper was having difficulty with her emotions while Scarecrow held his breath, praying with earnestness she was not about to say what he thought she might.
“… There would be no comparison.” Sandy stood up and reached for Scarecrow’s hands. With a degree of reluctance, he held them out as she took them in hers. With slow deliberation, he rose, never breaking eye contact with her, fearing this was it. This magnificent creature he’d fallen head over heels in love with was going to let him down gently … and then walk out of his life forever.
“Even though you and I haven’t been together as long as Jimmy and I were … I love you, Darling, more than anyone I’ve ever known.
“… Including Jimmy.”
Scarecrow let out an audible blast of air from his lungs and jerked like he’d been punched in the stomach. His knees felt weak as Sandy threw her arms around him and crushed him in her embrace. He returned her hug, a great weight of anxiety lifting off him like a slab of concrete. He didn’t realize he’d barely taken a breath since she sat down, and now he fought for air.
“You said a while ago someone told you there were sparks between Jimmy and me when we first met,” Sandy reassured her fiancé as she stroked the back of his head with one hand, still holding him in a tight grip with the other. “That’s true, but they were nothing compared to the fireworks I feel every time I’m in your presence.” Cooper pulled back and stared into Scarecrow’s eyes as she uttered the last statement. “I’m sorry to put you through this, Darling, but I’ve struggled with this for some time. As my feelings for you began to grow, I felt like I was being unfaithful to Jimmy, betraying him. Betraying his memory. I was so conflicted for such a long time. I lay awake all night and cried into my pillow after you proposed, because I felt I’d trampled on Jimmy’s memory by agreeing to marry you. I didn’t dare tell you because I didn’t want to hurt you. But I had to settle in my mind once and for all who was more important to me–you or Jimmy. And through my whole ordeal, you kept coming to the fore.”
Sandy continued to look Scarecrow in the eyes. She reached up and caressed the side of his face.
“I don’t love Jimmy any less, but I finally realized I love you more. Much more. And I thought you deserved to know, especially on the night before our wedding. I didn’t want there to be any doubt in your mind about how I feel.”
Scarecrow tried to speak. His mouth was moving, but no words were coming out.
“It’s okay, Lover.” Cooper reached up with a gentle motion and pressed her fingers to his lips. “You don’t need to say anything.” She offered her fiancé an affectionate smile. “I already know how you feel about me. You make it very clear every time you look at me. I just wanted to make sure you knew how I feel about you.”
They embraced again, and stood for some time in the center of Scarecrow’s stateroom, holding each other in silent assurance.