October Snow

by Jenna Brooks

  Jo felt her tension melting away. She rolled her neck, moaning, “I just want it resolved before Sammy finds out.”

  “Uh oh. Before I find out what?”

  They all turned to see Sam standing in the doorway. Tyler gazed at her adoringly; Dave stepped back, wanting to burn the moment into his memory.

  “Hey,” was all he said.

  She crooked her finger, beckoning him to come to her.

  Max put her arm around Jo, and they motioned for Tyler to come with them as they went out onto the deck.

  “I’ll betcha Dad’s kissing Mom,” he giggled as they sat at the table.

  “I’m sure he is,” Max said.

  “They kiss a lot.”

  “That’s what happens when someone loves you. You get kissed.” She grinned at Jo, and they leaned over, each planting a kiss on Tyler’s cheek.

  They had a light lunch together, as the skies cleared and the vendors finished arranging the back yard for the wedding. Judge Harold Cooper got there just after Dave’s parents and sister arrived.

  Emma was still a bit reserved with Sam, although she had promised to try for a fresh start with her. She had hurt right along with her older brother when Sam left him for Jack.

  But Sean and Emily Delaney, their parents, had always been fond of Sam, and were simply thrilled for their son and grandson. Tyler dragged his mother over to them; and, after hugs and kisses, Sam turned to Emma, her arms open.

  Emma hesitated for a second; then, looking at her brother, she smiled and embraced her.

  “I’m sorry,” Sam whispered in her ear. “Please, forgive me. In your own time–but know that I know what I put you through, and that I’m so sorry.”

  “It’ll take some time.” Emma hugged her tight then, nodding at her brother.

  Judge Cooper shook his hand, clapping him on the shoulder. “Congratulations, Dave.”

  “Thank you for coming, especially on such short notice, Your Honor.”

  “No protocol today, son. Today, it’s ‘Harold’. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Sam was beside him then, and he introduced her.

  “You, my dear,” he held her hand in both of his, “are one of the most beautiful brides I’ve ever seen.”

  “Thank you,” she smiled, but she was distracted–she wanted to get the show on the road.

  Max whispered in her ear, “Can we do this already?”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  Jo frowned as she studied the far side of the house, where she could see a patch of the road through the trees. “Um, guys–look…”

  Several cars were coming down the dirt road to the house; at the same time, the vacationers from the houses around them were strolling onto the lawn. “Hi!” an elderly man called out. A white-haired woman, who appeared to be his wife, waved gaily. “Is this the wedding we heard about? We’re your neighbors…”

  Fifteen minutes later, almost a hundred people had crowded onto the lawn to watch Dave and Sam get married.

  Jo was glaring again at Max, who looked helplessly at Sam, and then mouthed “I’m so sorry” to Dave.

  It was becoming clear to him that there was no room for the bridal party on the lawn. The photographer was struggling to get a few good shots of them, and the deejay was setting up his equipment on the far side of the property line, almost to the camp next door.

  He whispered in the judge’s ear.

  “Good idea,” he answered. He held up his hands, asking everyone to listen. “We’re going to move the bride and groom up onto the deck, so everyone can see.” For some reason, everyone applauded; some were cheering.

  Jo rolled her eyes at Maxine as they moved toward the deck. “Where’s Daisy?” she asked.

  “What?” She cupped a hand to her ear. “Can’t hear you.”

  “Daisy. Where is she?” Jo yelled over the crowd.

  “Don’t know.”

  They stepped onto the deck, looking out over the guests. “Terrific. She probably took off.” Jo craned her neck, anxious.

  Max leaned over the deck railing, sticking her index and pinkie fingers into the corners of her mouth and blowing an ear-piercing, hillbilly-style whistle.

  Jo jumped, covering her ears. “What the hell, Max?”

  Max cupped her hands around her mouth. “Daisy! Yo, dawg!” Daisy emerged from the crowd amid pats on the head and comments about her flowered collar, and trotted up the steps. She laid at Jo’s feet, whining.

  The three women looked from the whimpering dog to the crowd, then to each other - and all at once, they dissolved into laughter.

  They managed to regain some composure as they arranged themselves on the deck; then, Will came bounding around the corner of the house. He paused, confused for a moment as he saw the crowd. He ran up the steps to the deck, grinning at Dave as he stuck his boutonnière in his lapel. He gave him a quick handshake. “Sorry, man.”

  “I’m just glad you’re here.”

  Will looked down at the crowd, then back at Dave. “You’ll explain later.”

  He sighed, resigned. “Yeah.”

  Tyler looked behind his dad at Will, giving him a small wave.

  “Hey, Ty-guy. You took care of things here?”

  “Yeah, Mr. Remmond. We’re good.”

  “Excellent.” Will nodded. “My man.”

  They all turned to the judge, and the crowd grew quiet. Jo reached for Max’s hand, squeezing it twice, and they smiled at each other.

  The ceremony lasted only a few minutes. Sam had asked for just the basics, but the judge took his time with the actual vows.

  “Samantha Eileen Bentley.”

  He paused, and she glanced at him, nodding once.

  “Do you take this man as your wedded husband?”

  Her breath caught in her throat.

  “To have and to hold from this day forward? For better, for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others–until death do you part?”

  She was looking into Dave’s eyes, dizzy from the fact that the dream of her lifetime was, at that moment, realized.

  “I do.” Without looking away, she took his left hand and put his ring onto his finger.

  He smiled, his eyes still on hers as Judge Cooper repeated the vows for him.

  “David Sean Delaney.” He paused again, enjoying the obvious love he saw before him. “I already know the answer to this, but…”

  A burst of muted, relieved laughter broke out.

  “Do you take this woman as your wedded wife?”

  Dave nodded, and murmured the rest of the vows with the judge.

  “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, until death do you part?”

  Touching her cheek, he murmured, “I do.”

  Tyler put the ring in his hand, and he slid it onto her finger, caressing it for a moment before his eyes returned to her.

  Jo could hear Max sniffling beside her, and put her hand on her back. She looked out at the people in the yard, surprised that most of them were either crying or appeared like they wanted to.

  “Well then…” The judge folded his hands in front of him. “Ready?”

  They nodded.

  “With the power vested in me by the State of New Hampshire,” a smile spread across his face, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  Sam moaned softly.

  “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.” He put his hands in his pockets, beaming. “Kiss your bride, David.”

  He pulled her close. Neither of them said a word.

  They looked at each other for another long moment, and then slowly drew together, in their first embrace as husband and wife.

  The crowd cheered as Judge Cooper made the announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, David and Samantha Delaney.”

  In unison, they looked down at their son.

  “Thanks, Ty.” Dave picked him up, his other arm around the woman who was f
inally his wife, and they turned to Jo and Max.

  “Never been in the middle of someone else’s dream before,” Max whispered.

  Sam held out her hand to them.

  “Come here, you two,” Dave said, and Will joined them in a group hug.

  Dave’s family met them at the bottom of the steps as they came down from the deck. His parents were smiling, crying, and embracing everyone–including the sudden, unexpected guests; Emma was beside the photographer, snapping pictures. The wedding party seemed to naturally form into a line, and it took almost an hour to receive the congratulations from all of the well-wishers there.

  The reception began then, with the people who had shown up lining the tables with homemade casseroles, desserts, fruit dishes. Some had brought extra plates and silverware, and pitchers of lemonade and coolers of beer and sodas. Someone else had brought a huge, elaborate cake. Jo placed it on the center table, next to the small wedding cake.

  A middle-aged woman, wearing what had to be her Sunday best, tapped Jo on the shoulder. “Marjorie Cannell made that. She makes those pastries that Lettie sells at the store.”

  Jo turned to Max. “This could actually work out okay.”

  She sniffed, feigning offense. “Apology accepted, Josilyn.”

  Jo kissed her cheek. “Stuff that someplace, Bim.”

  One of the camp owners, moving in for the summer that weekend, set up a makeshift bar which he had stocked with at least two dozen bottles of chilled wine and champagne. “My wedding gift to you,” he said, as Dave and Sam thanked him. “What a wonderful thing, opening your own wedding up like this, bringing the whole town together to kick off the summer.”

  They walked to the water’s edge, hand in hand, laughing about what Sam was calling their “flash-mob wedding.” Dave stood behind her, wrapping her in his arms.

  “Hey, kids!” The photographer snapped a picture just as they looked up at him. The lake was sparkling blue in the background, and several seagulls were gliding over the surface. He had managed the angle with no one else in the photo.

  He beamed. “I just got your wedding portrait,” he said.

  The deejay started the music as everyone loaded their plates. Max sat beside Jo on the steps to the deck, handing her a paper cup filled to the top with champagne. “You’re not eating?”

  “Thanks.” She took a long drink. “Maybe later.” The Delaneys were seated a few feet away, talking excitedly about the brief honeymoon in Maine. Jo could catch snippets of conversation, with Sean and Emily teasing Dave about taking off for the Great Woods just as they arrived for a visit. Emily was holding Sam’s hand, absently patting it, including her in every part of the discussion.

  “Sam’s going to have some great life. Did you notice that no one’s asked where Liz is?”

  Max seemed distracted. “I know.”

  “God bless the girl. I’m so relieved.”

  Will came up behind Dave, bending to talk into his ear. Jo chuckled as Max watched him.

  Caught, Max snapped, “What?”

  “Please to avoid drooling on a two-hundred dollar dress, Bim.”

  “Oh, c’mon.”

  “Sorry. I should have known you wouldn’t find tall, rich, and gorgeous at all interesting.”

  Max started to get up, then sat again. “I think I’ll ask him to dance, once we finally get Sammy and Dave out there for their first dance. I don’t think they realize that everyone’s waiting for them.”

  “You could do the hillbilly whistle again.”

  “Huh?”

  “Get their attention.”

  “Gosh, you’re funny. I think I’ll just have the deejay announce them.” She glanced again at Will as she stood. Jo noticed, with some interest, that Will turned to watch Max as she made her way through the crowd.

  A minute later, the music stopped. “Okay, ladies and gentlemen, will David and Samantha Delaney please take the dance floor?”

  The crowd applauded as Dave stood, holding his hand out to Sam. They walked sedately to the clear area in the middle of the tables as a vintage love song began.

  “They are, really, just beautiful,” Max sighed as she sat beside Jo again.

  They danced easily together, Dave bending close to sing in Sam’s ear. Tyler sat on his grandfather’s lap, his eyes bright with his happiness; Jo could hear him telling his Aunt Emma that Dad would kiss Mom again soon, because he was always kissing her.

  “What song is this?”

  “Not sure. But I love it,” Jo murmured. She glanced at Max. “Crying again?”

  “Can’t help it.”

  “Aw, Bim…” She bumped her with her shoulder as the guests applauded again: Sam and Dave were finishing their first dance with a long kiss.

  “See?” Tyler clapped.

  Guests streamed into the center area to dance. As Sam gratefully accepted a lemonade from one of the neighbors, Dave motioned to Tyler to come to him, bending to whisper something in his ear.

  Tyler grinned and nodded, then tugged on his mother’s skirt. She bent slightly as she listened, then smiled up at Dave, taking the arm Tyler offered her as he led her to the dance floor.

  “Make a joke, please,” Max whispered. “I can’t take this. The kid is just too cute.”

  “Here.” Jo handed her the half-full cup of champagne, and she chugged it.

  “Thanks.”

  “Maxine, right? And Josie?” Will was beside them, leaning on the railing.

  Max sat up very straight; Jo was amused, copying her sudden, self-conscious movement–which Max didn’t see, because she was staring at Will. “Yes. I’m Maxine.” She held out her hand. “Hi.”

  “Hi. Will Remmond.”

  “And the other beautiful woman there is Josie Kane,” Dave appeared behind Will. He pulled her to her feet. “She’s about to dance with me.”

  He twirled her into the center of the crowd, surprised by her delighted laughter. He had never before heard her laugh in quite that way.

  He looked down at her as they danced close together.

  “What’s on your mind?” she asked.

  He laughed. “I never did have a poker face.”

  “No, and that’s a good thing.”

  “Not always.” He maneuvered toward the edge of the crowd. “Sam asked you two about starting over in Boston.”

  Jo nodded.

  “I hope you do.”

  Jo looked away then, shrugging.

  “I won’t press, but I want you to know–anything you need…I’m a phone call away.”

  “Okay. Thanks.”

  “Jo…” He stopped. “I won’t press,” he said again. Sometimes, he thought that Jo was a pure enigma: she was strong, and smart, and ferocious in the ways in which she protected those whom she cared about; yet, she seemed completely alone, marooned someplace, like love couldn’t reach her.

  Watching Will and Max dancing a few feet away, she smiled wistfully. “Hey, look at that.”

  Dave grinned. “He asked me if she was married or anything.”

  “Excellent. She’s been watching him all day. How old is he?”

  “A few years ahead of me. Forty-three.”

  “Weren’t you guys college roommates?”

  “Yeah. We roomed together because we didn’t want to hang out with the youngsters, not at our ages.” He leaned back to look at her. “Too young for your friend, huh?”

  “No, not at all. Max rolls a lot younger than her age.”

  The song ended, and Jo started to leave the floor. Dave grabbed her hand. “Not yet.”

  “Oh, dear. You want to talk to me.”

  “If you don’t mind.”

  “Go for it. Something happened that we need to figure out?”

  He sighed, breathing out with a whoosh. “Jo, tell me–do people talk to you only when they need something?”

  The question caught her off-guard, and she stammered, “I don’t…I just assumed…”

  Dave felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Judge Cooper
waiting to cut in. “Dave, your wife is dancing with all the other men here. Better go get her.”

  Jo turned to him, relieved. “Your wife,” she smiled up at Dave. “Wow, huh?”

  He kissed her cheek. “Thanks for the dance, love.” He paused. “We’ll talk later.”

  “Yup. Go find Mrs. Delaney.”

  At dusk, a townie–whose wedding gift to them was his stash of fireworks–set off a ten-minute display over the lake.

  “Fireworks?” Will clapped Dave on the shoulder. “Delaney, you know how to throw a party.”

  He looked at Tyler, sitting with Daisy at the edge of the lake, oohing and clapping. “I lost control of this thing before anyone even showed up.” He put his arm around Sam, and they explained the unexpected guests to Will–who went from disbelief, to humor, to raucous laughter.

  “We need to buy a place up here, man.”

  “Sammy and I are talking about it. Want to go in on it with us?”

  He thought about it for a moment. Jo and Max had wandered over, and he glanced at Max. “What do you think? Should I buy a place on the lake?” he asked her.

  “Please. I’ll be up to visit every weekend.”

  He nudged Dave. “Then I’m in.”

  The fireworks ended in a two-minute show of exploding, brilliant lights over the water, and Max ran around to all of the guests, giving them each a handful of brown rice.

  Jo tapped her on the shoulder. “Max, you got rice?”

  “You said the white rice was unhealthy for the birds, so I got brown. Figured it would be healthier.”

  She stared at her in disbelief. “Really?”

  “No good?”

  She sighed. “It’s fine, Bim.”

  “Okay.” She turned to the newlyweds. “Hey, you two, your bags are in the car. Get going.”

  Dave put his arm around Sam. “Ready?”

  She was troubled. “You’re sure Ty’s okay about staying with your folks?”

  “His world makes perfect sense now, babe. He’s fine.”

  Jo ushered them toward the deck, waving Tyler over so he could say goodbye before she threw the bouquet.

  “I’ll be okay, Mom,” he yawned.

  “We’ll call every day,” she hugged him, “and we’ll be back on Wednesday morning.”

  Dave picked him up, planting a kiss on his cheek. “Do what Gram says, okay?”