Part 7

Part 7 of A Taste of Loneliness, by Kathryn

"Don't get many visitors this early in the morning," the gas station man said.
"We're passing through," Dot said, sitting down at the table. "On our way to New York."
"I see," he said. "How you plan on gettin' there? I saw that you were dropped off."
"We'll call a cab," Tip replied, cutting his sausage.
After a hearty breakfast, the cab arrived and the threesome headed to New York. Dot grew more and more excited about the upcoming wedding as she saw the tall buildings in the horizon. Not much later, the cab pulled up in front of Herbert's small house, which he occupied with his mother, father, and a housekeeper named Bertha.
"Herbert! Dot!" Herbert's mother rushed out of the house. "We expected you sooner! What happened?" She ushered the couple in the house, leaving Tip behind with all the luggage. He sighed and payed the cab driver.

Mother Clermond had Dot and Herbert comfortably seated in the living room when Tip came struggling through the door. Piled in his arms were all the suitcases. He set them down carefully as Dot laughed.
"You're parents arrived safely last night and are staying at a nearby hotel," Mrs. Clermond said. "Dot, you, me, your mother, and Bertha will be getting all the wedding preparations ready. The wedding is tonight! Good heavens we have so much to do!" she went on and on, shooing Mr. Clermond, Tip, and Herbert out the door.
"You three aren't allowed to see the bride in her dress until the wedding!" she insisted. "Now be at the church strictly at 5, so you can get dressed and the wedding can start at 6, right on time." Dot smiled at her mother-in-law to be.
"Thank you for taking things in your own hands, Mother," she said. "I'm afraid we've had an awful time getting here, and I'm just a bit flustered!"