THE BRIDGE TO CARACAS (Volume 1 of The King Trilogy)

CHAPTER 21

Saturday, August 26, 1970.

It was sunny and hot, with only gentle lake breezes providing a measure of relief to the guests who had assembled on board. The Iroquois had left the Gravenhurst dock at 2 p.m. sharp for the wedding of Karen Taylor to Jim Servito. A beautiful but ancient steamboat, The Iroquois glided through the narrows at the north end of Muskoka Bay before heading northward, into the open waters of Lake Muskoka. Its destination was Azimuth Island, a ten acre prominence owned by Karen's parents at the northeast end of the lake.

Since the late eighteen hundreds, Muskoka had been a destination for the super wealthy who sought an elegant lifestyle that could be matched by none but a few resort communities in the world. In addition to providing shelter and relief, the beautiful islands around Beaumaris provided dramatic sites for enormous cottages, many of which had been constructed by wealthy Americans from Pittsburgh in the early twentieth century. The lake and its numerous rock, pine, and hemlock-covered islands were carved twenty-five thousand years earlier by a layer of ice over two miles thick. The pinkish rocks and crystal clear soft water had attracted health conscious visitors to the area for decades.

While most of the guests were out on the decks enjoying the sights, the soft music of the orchestra, and the free liquor, Karen stared without focus at a full length mirror in the stateroom. Memories of the cruel and unusual twists of fate that had prevented her reunion with Mike continued to haunt her. She frowned while examining her lace and silk wedding dress. She had often dreamed about this day in the eight years since she met Mike King, and she looked back on her former dreams with a twinge of sadness.

Patti Arthur, Karen's life-long friend and maid of honor, sat on the couch smoking a cigarette between sips from a tall glass of red wine. She stared at Karen's reflection in the mirror.

"What's bugging you, babe?" she asked.

"Nothing," Karen lied, returning Patti's stare.

"I've seen that look before," Patti retorted, shaking her head. She pulled up her pink skirt to her hips, kicked off her shoes, and leaned against a stack of fluffy pillows. She took a long drag on her cigarette, and then smiled at Karen. "Is Jim Servito as good as he looks?" she asked.

"Better."

"You're going to have to work at it, you know...marriage is a bitch," Patti warned. She took a long sip of wine. She had married and divorced twice in the time since she and Karen had returned from Syria.

"As hard as you did?" Karen griped.

Patti sputtered over another large gulp. "Don't be nasty. Jack and I just got tired of working at it. Our split was more a default than a divorce."

"This one's until death do us part," Karen vowed.

Patti laughed. "Does that ever sound familiar...."

The ship's bell rang and the boat decelerated. Karen hurried to the window and saw the guests assembling on the aft deck. The young Presbyterian minister stood with his back to the stern railing. Facing him were Jim Servito and his best man, Jerry Allison, waiting in dark blue suits for the arrival of the bride. To commemorate the occasion, Servito had allowed his black hair to grow long and had tied it in a ponytail at the back of his head. A diamond earring adorned his right earlobe.

Karen turned to Patti, her face ashen. "It's like an incredible dream. I still can't believe it's happening."

"Are you really sure you love this guy, babe?"

Before Karen could reply, there was a gentle knock at the door to the stateroom. When Patti peeled it open, Karen's father stood on the threshold, smiling at his daughter. George Taylor was elegant and handsome in a gray morning suit. The scant strands of his brown hair were oiled and combed straight back. "You sure you want to go through with this, honey?" he asked. On more than one occasion he had expressed concern about the seemingly impulsive wedding. He had been impressed with Servito's financial achievements, but was worried about his qualifications to be the husband of his one and only daughter.