Part 8: Tying the Knot, and Epilogue. I think Autumn was always my favorite time in the South. The excitement of graduation and starting to work full-time was past. We’d survived another sticky hot summer, and now the cooler weather would likely stretch out through Thanksgiving and even, sometimes, Christmas, before turning ugly and gray in January or February. My mom and Jack’s mom were already buzzing about like flies w...

Chapter 7: Keeping the Burn Alive. Before we left Marguerite’s, we had to change back into something a little more substantial than the silk dressing gown I had on or Jack’s silk pajama bottoms. Jack had me put the beige corset on, along with the seamed taupe stockings and the amazing black patent six-plus-inch platform heels Marguerite had dressed me in on Saturday afternoon. Over this I had on my white cotton blouse and...

Part 6: Oh, What a Night. The drive to Marguerite’s was short. She lived in a brownstone in an upscale neighborhood less than a mile from the shopping district where her store was located. She had given us the address, and told us to give our keys to the doorman who would park our car. We did so, climbed into an old-fashioned elevator, and soon were outside her door. A tuxedo-clad male servant opened the door to our ring,...