A Walk Down the Aisle - Part 4 - A Craven Danger Mystery

In 1942, when Betty Fletcher was in high school, she fell hard for a boy named Jeffrey Drucker.

“It’s been a long time, Betty,” said Jeffrey. “You look great.”

“Ya lookin’ pretty good yourself,” said Betty. “I almost didn’t recognize you with that mustache.”

“What?” said Craven.

That last year in high school all Betty could think about was attending the upcoming high school prom on the arm of Jeffrrey Drucker. Football hero and handsomest boy on campus. But after that last dance and sweet goodnight kiss, she would never see him again.

“You left so sudden like,” said Betty.

“I was in a hurry,” said Jeffrey.

“What?” said Craven.

On that morning after the prom Jeffrey Drucker marched himself down to the recruiting station and, like his brothers before him, joined the army.

“Just sign here,” said the recruiting sergeant, “and you’ll be over there shooting Nazi’s before the ink dries.”

In 1945 when the war ended, Jeffrey returned to the US with his duffle bag and purple heart in tow and made his way home to New York.

“So how was the war?” said Betty.

“We won,” said Jeffrey.”

“What the heck is goin’ on around here!” said Craven.

“Just hang on ta your shorts, Mr. Danger,” said Betty. “Jeffrey’s an old friend from high school is all.”

“Ya know, Betty,” said Craven. “If we’re gettin’ married in an hour, your gonna have ta stop callin’ me Mr. Danger.”

“It’s gonna be a little hard callin’ my boss anything else,” said Betty. “How about I just call you Craven at home and Mr. Danger at the office?”

“Oh,” said Craven. “You ain’t gonna be workin’ for me no more, Betty. Ya gonna be home with the kids.”

“What?” said Betty.

“Yeah,” said Craven. “Ya know the twelve kids we’re gonna have with the names of the months. January, February, March, April and May, etc., etc., etc.”

“What?” said Betty.

“I ain’t gonna have no wife a mine workin’,” said Craven. “You’ll be home with the kids, decidin’ what kinda a supper ya gonna lay out on the table. It’ll be like a vacation, almost.”

“I know what’s gonna get laid out on the table,” said Betty. “And it ain’t gonna be the supper.”

”Hey,” said Craven. ”This was all your idea, Betty. I was mindin‘ my own business when you come bargin‘ in here layin’ down the law about us gettin‘ married. I said yes. So I‘m gonna be the husband and your gonna be the wife and do like I tell ya.”

“So,” said Jeffrey, “you two kids are gettin’ married, huh. Congratulations. Perhaps I should leave.”

“You stay where you are,” said Betty. “I got some rethinkin’ ta do.”

“What?” said Craven.

“Ya heard me,” said Betty. “Come on, Jeffrey. We got some catchin’ up ta do. I got a taxi waitin’.”

“Hey!” said Craven. “What about my coat?”

But Betty and Jeffrey were all ready out the door.

“Just drive, Sidney,” said Betty. “And don’t ask no questions.”

“Sure, Betty,” said Sidney. “Sure.”