Chapter Eleven
The Wedding Day
“Shoo, shoo,” Missy says, to a half-dressed, sheepish Damon. He holds a tee shirt to his exposed chest as he steps into his boots.
“I’m going, I’m going,” he says groggily. “Aren’t you girls a little early?”
She arches her brow as she hoists the biggest make-up bag I’ve ever seen onto the bench. “No! We aren’t early! And you, huh? Sleeping in on your wedding day?”
Damon smirks at me and I blush. We weren’t in any hurry to sleep last night, and, well…time just got away from us as one thing led to another. Now I’m in a pre-wedding daze from love, and lack of sleep.
He throws his shirt on and then embraces me. “See you soon, Mrs. Guthrie.”
Mrs. Guthrie. It has a nice ring to it.
“That you will, Mr. Guthrie.”
He whispers into my ear, sweet nothings that make me tingle with desire. Missy clears her throat.
“OK. OK.” Damon smirks and holds his hands up in surrender. “I’m going to say goodbye to Charlie Bear, and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“Speaking of hair,” Missy says, grinning, “I have one bride, two bridesmaids, one mother of the bride, and a cute as a button flower girl to do. So skedaddle.”
Damon laughs as he goes down the hallway to find Charlie.
Missy rummages around her bag, pulling out lotions and potions and lining them up on the bench, when Sarah walks through the door.
“Happy wedding day!” she calls out in a sing-song voice before giving me a hug. “Where’s your mamma?”
I shrug. “Probably going over her to-do lists, and ticking everything off for the twenty-seventh time.”
Sarah delves into her satchel, and pulls out a bottle of champagne. “For the nerves.”
“You read my mind.” I take it from her and put it in the fridge. “I’ll need that when Missy starts with the mascara torture.”
“Now don’t you even think of it, Lil,” Missy says. “If you wriggle and jiggle like you did last time I know I’ll poke you in the eye! There’s no way in heck you’re walking down that aisle with bloodshot eyes from a mascara-wand poke, not on my watch.” She’s all uppity with nerves.
“Still like a statue, Missy,” I say, keeping my face solemn. Sarah laughs behind her hand, and Missy swats her with a bag of cotton balls.
“Morning, girls!” Mamma power walks her way inside. “Sorry I’m late, golly, your father had some sort of hair crisis, and then there was the small matter about the iron, and then the accident with your cousin’s pants. I thought I’d never get here!”
“Mamma, I don’t even want to know what you’re referring to with the pants.” She dashes forward, her hair in curlers, and her face ruddy from the cold.
“Did you walk here?” I ask, amazed. Snow falls heavily outside, and the sky is grey with cold.
“Of course! Just because it’s your wedding day doesn’t mean I can let myself go!”
I shake my head. Some things will never change. “No, of course not. Walking in a blizzard is good for the body, surely?”
She tuts at me as if I have no clue. “Missy, Sarah, what’s the order of events here?” She takes out a pad, and starts slashing lines through her list. “Do I need to add anything here so I can check it off?” Mamma is one of those people that needs to be part of the process, every single step of the way, and she’s usually organized, except in the kitchen where chaos reigns supreme.
Missy grins. “I just happened to make you a list, Sue. I know you’re fond of them.” She winks at me and I smile.
Mamma beams. “Well, OK. Let’s see it.” Missy hands Mamma a list written on the back of a dried-up make-up wipe.
“This isn’t a list, Missy! It’s a piece of rubbish!”
Missy guffaws. “It’s all I had!”
Mamma frowns as she reads it. “‘Number one. Pour Lil champagne. Number two. Make her drink it.’ What? What kind of list is this?”
I laugh at Mamma taking it seriously. Missy is most certainly not a list person.
“Well, they are important steps…” Missy says, grinning.
Sarah wanders back from the bedroom with Charlie. Her little shoulders shake as she cries. “Honey,” I say. “What’s wrong?”
She swallows a sob as she takes a deep shuddery breath. “It’s my lucky bracelet. I can’t find it and I won’t be able to play the…” She stops suddenly, and glances at Mamma.
Mamma crouches to Charlie’s height and says, “How about we go turn that bedroom of yours upside down until we find it? I bet it’s fallen off while you were sleeping.”
Charlie gives her a half-smile. “OK, ’cause without it I won’t be able—” she lowers her voice “—to do you know what.”
Mamma clasps Charlie’s hand and leads her down the hallway saying, “We’ll find it, honey bunch, don’t you worry about a thing.”
“Sugar, you want to get started?” Missy asks.
I sit on a stool at the kitchen bench. “As soon as Olivia arrives,” I reply. “This time I have a little surprise for you girls.”
Missy’s face lights up. “Oh, do tell.”
A knock at the door interrupts us.
“Must be Olivia,” Missy says, “Anyone else would just waltz in.”
And they would; most of us folk in Ashford don’t lock our doors. There’s no need to really. I walk over and open the door to Olivia.
“Good morning.” She smiles warmly and gives me a peck on the cheek. “I bought you this.” She hands me a small box. “Go on, open it.”
Smiling my thanks, I flip open the lid. Inside sits an antique pair of earrings with a small blue stone.
“I figured, that’s your old, borrowed, and blue all wrapped up into one. Though,” she adds hurriedly, “if your mamma or anyone else has already given you something for luck then you don’t need to wear them.”
“Oh, wow! They’re gorgeous, Olivia.” I take one carefully from the box. “I’d be honored to borrow them for the day.”
She steps over the threshold. “Not borrow, keep. You’re the perfect girl for Damon and I want you to have them. You’re family now. And maybe one day, you can hand them down to Charlie if she decides to get married. They were passed down by my mother, and, well…it’s only right.”
“That means a lot, Olivia.” I put the antique earring safely back in the box, touched she’s given me something so meaningful.
She unwraps her scarf and says, “Right, where is everyone?”
I lead her inside to the kitchen where Missy is humming Jingle Bells to herself while she’s making up Sarah’s face. The two girls wave to Olivia.
“Morning, Olivia,” Missy hollers. “Come now, Lil. Watch how Sarah just sits here while I do her make-up. She doesn’t fidget, or screw up her face. See?”
Sarah pokes her tongue out at me while Missy’s back’s turned.
“She just moved!” I screech.
Missy swings back to Sarah, whose face is neutral and clucks her tongue. “Now she’s seeing things? Maybe we should give her a glass of that champagne…”
Olivia puts her handbag on the bench and says, “Allow me.” She ambles to the fridge as though she’s been here before.
“Glasses are the cabinet to your right.” I point.
Mamma walks back with a cheerful-looking Charlie.
“Found it?”
“It was under my pillow, just like Sue said it would be.” She blows her bangs from her eyes. “And now I can…” She claps her hands over her mouth, and I hide a smile. Whatever her secret is there’s a good chance she’s going to blurt it out before the wedding.
“Olivia,” Mamma says. “Welcome to the madhouse.”
Olivia rises to hug her. “Thanks for inviting me.”
Mamma waves her away. “You’re part of the family now. So, ladies…who’s up for a little pre-wedding sing-a-long? I thought we could listen to some calming pan pipes and sing—”
I roll my eyes. “Mamm
a, no pan pipes. If I hear the instrumental version of Hello one more time…”
Sarah guffaws. “How about we listen to Christmas carols, instead? I think you’ve all forgotten that it’s actually Christmas Eve.”
Missy says, “That’s right, it is, and, Charlie, that means you better put your stocking out, right?”
She squeals. “Right! Oh, wait…I didn’t bring it!”
“Charlie,” I say, “if you traipse down to the spare bedroom I think you’ll find a little something in there with your name on it. You can go hang it by the…” she’s already off and running before I can say “…Christmas tree.”
“Done,” Missy says, surveying Sarah’s face up close. “Lord, Sarah, you’ve got the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. What do you think, girls?” We wander over and lean up close to Sarah’s face, murmuring our agreement. Sarah seems to have this idea that she’s ordinary, when it couldn’t be further from the truth. Her big doe eyes are accentuated by the artful way Missy’s applied the eye shadow. She’s beautiful in the most unique way with her rosebud mouth, and air of grace.
“Sarah, Ridge is going to go out of his mind when he sees you,” Mamma says. “You’re always gorgeous, but today, you’re stunning.”
“She’s right,” I agree. Her bobbed hair is swept into an up do, with her blunt bangs hanging just above her eye line, framing her dark eyes. “Gorgeous.”
Sarah blushes and mumbles thanks. Missy hands her a mirror and she stares, jaw agape, at herself.
“I love that reaction.” Missy giggles.
Once Sarah eases out of the chair I turn to the semi-circled women and say, “Before we go any further, I wanted to say a few things…”
Missy’s mouth becomes a tight line. I hand her a tissue box.
“It’s that obvious?” she says. “Thank the Lord for waterproof mascara.”
I clear my throat as a wave of emotion sweeps over me too. How can a few simple sentiments be enough for the friendships we have? Knowing that I’ll always have these girls around no matter what life throws my way, I press on and hope I can manage to say what my heart feels.
“You girls mean more to me than I can sum up in a few words. You’ve been there for me through the good and bad and everything in between. I know all I’d have to do is shout and you’d drop everything for me if I needed you. And I hope you know, I’d do the very same for you. This is a little bittersweet without CeeCee here…” I take a moment as my voice cracks “…but I know we’ll be still sitting on Missy’s porch when we’re old and grey, God willing, and cackling into the balmy night air…”
Missy sobs, and manages, “We won’t ever go grey, not if I can help it!”
I throw my head back and laugh. “OK, when we’re old and part of the blue-rinse brigade, I know I’m going to look back on my life and count my blessings for having friends like you.”
Sarah swipes the tissues from Missy. “Oh, God, is my mascara waterproof? Jesus, Lil, that is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Mamma rubs Sarah’s back.
“Give me one of those.” I indicate the tissues. Golly, at this rate we’re going to resemble puffer fishes by the time we get to the ceremony.
I rifle through the brown paper bag on the bench and take out their gifts.
“Charlie Bear, you’re first.” I hand her the note and the small velour box. She mouths the words out loud.
“I’m a flower girl!”
“Yes!” I bend to hug her small frame. “Your daddy thought it would be a nice surprise for you today. If you think you’ll be OK you’ll be the first girl walking down the aisle.”
Her eyes widen, and she shrieks. “Yes, I would love that!”
“And,” I say, “you’ll have a posy of flowers just like the bridesmaids.”
“This is going to be the best day ever!” Her face is animated with all the joy a seven-year-old can handle.
Next I take out Olivia’s gift. I hand it to her and give her a quick hug. “Olivia, we haven’t known each other long, but I look forward to being your daughter-in-law. Damon is my Mr. Right. I knew it from the moment I met him.” I laugh, remembering that moment, picturing myself hands on hips, screeching at him for stealing my customers. “OK, maybe not the very first few minutes, but not long after. So I wanted to thank you for raising a boy who grew into a loving, considerate man, who means everything to me.”
She opens the box and takes out the locket inscribed: Thank you for raising my Mr. Right.
“Oh, Lil. It’s truly beautiful.” She runs a finger along the inscription, and smiles. “Thank you.”
“Sarah, and Missy.” I hand them their boxes and they open them carefully. They gasp when they see the pearl pendant. They read the cards silently, Missy still in floods of tears.
“Well, read it out,” Mamma says. “I want to know what it says!”
Sarah pulls the bottom of her sweater down and composes herself before reading, “‘Today I say I do, two tiny words that promise a lifetime of love and laughter, tears and joy. Thank you for walking this path with me. I’ll say I do to the man I love, with you by my side; our friendship, I’ll hold in my hand and in my heart now and always.’”
The room is silent as everyone smiles and collectively aww.
“And, Mamma.” I hand her a jewelry box with her own special message.
“I’ll open it later, Lil. I know I’m gonna blubber like a fool otherwise. You clearly got that gene from me…”
I grin. Weddings certainly turn into the sweetest kind of love-fests when you have friends and family like these.
There’s a knock at the door, stunning us silent as the girls sit with half-empty flutes of champagne in hand. The excitement is palpable as we stand up.
“Fix her train…”
“Careful with your champagne, don’t you spill it on her…”
“Let me check your make-up…”
“Where’s my other shoe…?”
“It’s really happening!”
We stop as our gazes meet, and double over laughing. The knock at the door becomes more insistent and that only sets us off again.
Sarah walks to the door, the first of us to regain her composure. “We’ll be a few minutes, if that’s OK?”
The driver muffles a reply.
She walks back and claps her hands together. “Right. Charlie, your shoe is by the front door. I’ll fix the train. Missy, you check her hair and make-up. Olivia, if you can wrestle the champagne from Lil, and Sue, we might just be ready to go.”
Olivia takes my flute and says, “You’ve hardly touched it.”
My hands shake. “I’m too jittery for champagne. I’ll need all my faculties so I don’t tumble down the aisle.”
Missy stands back from scrutinizing me. “Mmm hmm, that’s true. She’s not used to high heels. We’ve had to hold practice sessions so she can walk without looking like a newly born giraffe.”
“Missy! You said I looked graceful!”
She colors. “Well, I didn’t want to put you off…”
I guffaw. “I knew it!”
“What’s all this racket?” my dad booms, peeping around from the front door. “Lil, take a look at you…” Tears spring to his eyes, which he hastily swipes away. “Give your old man a hug.”
We embrace, and the comfort of his bulk calms my nerves a little. “Don’t cry, Dad, sheesh, you’ll make me start again, and it’s like a chain reaction here.”
Missy harrumphs. “There’s not enough make-up in the world for this lot.”
“Oh, yeah, Missy?” Sarah says, raising her eyebrows. “As far as I see it, you’re the one leading the charge with the sob-fests today.”
“Well, I got a good reason…” She smirks and rubs her belly.
“Sure you do.”
Mamma bustles around, clasping her hands and muttering.
“Mamma, take a deep breath.”
She stops, and puts her hands on her hips. “I know, I know. I’m just making sure we haven�
�t forgotten anything. Where’s my list? Where’s the bouquets?”
“I’ll get them,” Sarah says.
“What about the rings?” Mamma asks.
“Damon’s got them,” I reply.
“Anything else?” Her voice is manic with worry.
“My veil, I just need Missy to clip it on.”
“Sugar, I almost forgot,” Missy says, clamping a bunch of bobby pins between her teeth as she takes the veil from its hanger.
Missy attaches the veil to a clip in my hair.
Charlie holds my hand and says, “You look like a princess come to life, Lil.”
I squeeze her hand. “You do too, Charlie.” And she does. In her silky gown, and faux fur stole, with her tiny tiara, and beautiful blond curls set loose around her shoulders, she’s every inch the princess.
She beams up at me. “If my feet hurt can I change back to my boots?”
I laugh. “You sure can. It’ll be our little secret. Besides no one will see your boots under your dress.”
“You’re gonna make the man sweat if you don’t get going soon, Lil,” Dad says, checking his watch.
“OK.” I exhale quickly. “I’m as ready as I’m going to be.”
The phone shrills in the background as the girls sort my train. “Now who would that be?” Missy asks.
“Leave it,” I say. “Everyone knows it’s wedding time now. It’s probably a wrong number.”
“OK,” Missy says, fidgeting with my dress.
I step carefully in my heels so I don’t catch the hem of my dress. Dad holds my arm when we get outside; the snow on the front porch makes me slip and slide.
“Oh, golly, she’s doing her newly calved giraffe impersonation again,” Missy screeches.
“If I had a free hand I’d swat you right now.” I fall into the limousine as gracefully as I can in the circumstances.
The driver parks the limousine as close to the church door as possible. Snow drifts down pooling in clumps by the old brick building. It’s like something out of a fairy tale, a little brick chapel, flanked by trees, an organ sounding from inside.
The reverend rushes outside and opens the car door. “Everyone ready?”
Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Café (The Gingerbread Cafe - Book 3) (A Gingerbread Cafe story) Page 15
