Plantation Christmas Weddings

by Barnes, Sylvia

  Grace nodded. “But what about the groom? He’s shoved to the back and only comes out on the day of the wedding to play his part. That seems so sad to me. I want Brian to be part of things. I’ve seen my friends turn into…”

  “Bridezillas?”

  “Yes, and I hate that term. Brian and I agreed from the start that we’d decide as much of the wedding together as possible. He’s my best friend. His opinion matters. I want to share everything with him.” Grace reached out and held up the traditional hoopskirt. “Let’s start with this one.”

  Wreath helped her into the wired contraption, which she wore over her jeans. Grace laughed at the odd picture she made. Wreath led her out into the open area that had once been the fellowship hall. “First take time to walk around and get the feel of the volume of the hoop.”

  “Oh my.” Grace walked the length of the room, setting the hooped cage swaying.

  Wreath laughed. “It helps to walk slowly. But it’ll be heavier once you have the dress over the hoop. Now come and sit on the chair. You’ll have to lift the back of the skirt, but not too far, and then sit, letting the hoop collapse behind you.”

  It took Grace a few tries to get the hang of it. “I do like the idea of a real old-fashioned hoopskirt, but I think the newer hoop would be the best option.”

  “What is that thing you’ve got on?”

  The women looked up to see Brian entering the hall, a bemused expression on his face.

  Grace went to meet him, the hoop swaying back and forth as she moved. “Now that you’re here, we can practice together.” She took her groom’s hand and pulled him toward Wreath, battling the hoop the entire way.

  “I’m glad you’re here Brian. You’ll need a few lessons, too.”

  “What kind of lessons?”

  “How to walk beside your bride, for one thing.” Wreath positioned them side-by-side with Brian slightly in front of Grace. “If you walk a little ahead of her, you won’t get tangled in the skirt.” She watched as they mastered the walk. “Good. But it’s a bit trickier when you dance.”

  “Am I interrupting?”

  Wreath looked over at Micah as he entered the hall, unable to keep the smile from her face and the flutter from her heart. “Not at all. You’re just in time to watch the bride and groom attempt their first dance in a hoopskirt.” Micah came to her side, greeting Brian and Grace, then standing aside to watch.

  “Okay, Brian, take Grace in your arms.” The moment Brian pulled her close, the skirt swooshed up and out behind Grace, bringing chuckles from everyone.

  “Oh man. What did I do?”

  Wreath shook her head. “Exactly what you would normally do. But with your bride in one of these hoops, you have to keep your bride at arm’s length so the skirt won’t rise up in the back.”

  Brian frowned. “I don’t think I like that. I want to hold you close. Not two feet away.”

  Grace slipped her arm around Brian. “I agree. Wreath, let’s go with the new hoop. I don’t want tradition getting in the way of my first dance with Brian. Come on, sweetie, help me out of this contraption.”

  Micah smiled and came to Wreath’s side. “Nice couple. I can see why you’ve enjoyed working with them.”

  “I have. You’re early.”

  “I can leave and come back.”

  “Don’t be silly.”

  “You know, I never got to dance with you in your hoopskirt.” He pulled her into his arms. “One of my greatest regrets.”

  Wreath melted against him, enjoying the strength of his embrace and the sense of safety she felt in his arms. But she pulled away as Grace and Brian returned. Her feelings for Micah were so confused. She needed more time to sort them out.

  After saying good-bye to the bride and groom, Wreath turned to Micah. He had moved to one of the large mullioned windows. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Yes it is.”

  “Would you like the grand tour?” Micah followed her through the old building asking questions, admiring the architecture, and complimenting her on her success. Wreath ended the tour in the back hall. “That’s everything.”

  Micah pointed over her shoulder. “Do you sell wedding gowns here, too?”

  She’d forgotten the rack of bride’s gowns that needed to be stored. “Oh no. Those are gowns for my Bride’s Closet. I have a small ministry that offers gowns to brides who can’t afford to buy their own.”

  “So you give them away?”

  “Sometimes, but mostly I offer them at a very low price, either to sell or to rent. Our church has a Career Closet, where we collect business attire to help women reentering the work force. Finding employment is hard enough, but the added expense of buying an appropriate wardrobe can be an obstacle. The Bride’s Closet grew out of that.”

  “Where do you get all these gowns?”

  “Donations mainly. Sometimes I find them at thrift shops or online.” Micah looked at her intently, making her uneasy. “I just think every bride should have the opportunity to wear a lovely gown.”

  Micah smiled, taking a step closer. “You never cease to amaze me.”

  He cradled her face in his hands, tilting his head to one side and kissing her. It was a light, tentative kiss, but it sent a tremor of awareness deep into her core. Before she could fully grasp what had happened, he pulled back, his blue eyes dark and narrowed. He extended his hand.

  “Come on. I have a surprise for you. Get your coat.”

  Quickly Wreath closed up the shop and took Micah’s hand as they went down the steps and into the parking lot. She stopped in her tracks at the sight of a white horse-drawn carriage waiting patiently near the curb.

  “What’s this?”

  “Your personal tour of the Christmas lights.”

  “Oh, Micah. Do you know I’ve never taken a carriage ride in all the time I’ve lived in Natchez?”

  “Then I’m honored to be the first to grant you that pleasure.” He helped her into the coach, settling her in under a soft blanket to ward off the evening chill. “I’ve brought you hot chocolate, too.” He held up a thermos and two cups. “We can ride all night if you’d like.”

  Wreath snuggled in, letting the warmth of the blanket and the warmth of the man beside her fill her with a contentment she’d never known. “This is a wonderful idea. Thank you, Micah.”

  They rode slowly throughout the city, from Dunleith on the south side of town to Linden Avenue, with its row of Victorian homes. They passed by the Wedding Wreath shop on their way to the north side of town, and Wreath shared Grace’s opinion about brides.

  Micah nodded. “I have to admit, the whole bride-as-queen thing always bothered me. As if she were the only one that mattered.”

  “I suppose it seems that way. It’s just that the decisions being made are all things the bride is more comfortable with. Flowers, colors, decorations.”

  “What about afterward?”

  “You mean the honeymoon?”

  “I mean the day after the honeymoon when all the attention is over, the fantasy is gone, and they have to wake up each morning to the real world.”

  “Every couple has an adjustment period.”

  “But shouldn’t a couple spend at least as much time on planning their marriage, something that will last for a lifetime, as they do on a ceremony that will last a few hours?”

  “They do. It’s called the courtship.”

  Micah shook his head. “No, that’s the time when they’re both on their best behavior. Not a true picture at all.”

  Wreath remembered when she was dating Jack. He’d been so fun, exciting. He’d kept her heart racing and her emotions in turmoil with his volatile personality. He hadn’t given her a true picture of himself. She tried to wipe Jack’s sudden image from her mind. The dark brown eyes, the cocky smile, the way he always stood with one hip listing to the side as if he owned the world. She didn’t think of him often, but there were times when she wondered about him. Still wanted some kind of answer, some explanation for walking away. />
  Wreath hated for the evening to end, but work loomed for both of them the next morning. After dismissing the carriage driver, Micah walked her to her car. “Thank you again. It was a wonderful evening. You’re a good friend.” She smiled up into his eyes, her heart catching between beats. The look in his eyes was the same one she’d seen before he’d kissed her earlier.

  “Good night. Be careful driving home. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He dipped his head, kissed her lips again in a soft, brief touch, then turned and walked to his car.

  She watched him leave, wishing he’d kissed her for real. Silly idea.

  Chapter 6

  Grace Donovan’s car was sitting in the parking lot when Wreath arrived at the shop the next morning. Mentally she ran down her schedule, searching for an appointment she might have missed, only to come up empty. That usually indicated one thing. A problem had cropped up that had to be dealt with immediately.

  She jogged up the steps, hurried inside, and stopped at Bonnie’s desk. “What happened? Where’s Grace?” The bright smile on her friend’s face wasn’t what she’d expected to see.

  “Grace has a surprise for you. She said it had to be done in person. She’s waiting in your office.”

  Puzzled, Wreath hurried through the hall and into her office. “Grace. Bonnie said you wanted to see me?”

  “Hello. Yes. I have something to show you.” She took the lid off a florist’s box. “I didn’t tell you about this because I wanted it to be a surprise. I picked up the sample bridesmaid’s bouquet this morning.” Grace lifted out the twelve-inch floral arrangement and held it up.

  “Oh Grace.” The bouquet, a white wreath wrapped in delicate white tulle, with miniature white roses and sprigs of berries and greenery, made her gasp, and she touched her fingers to her lips. It was nearly identical to the bouquet her bridesmaids had carried, right down to the satin bow and the crystal beads. Her heart squeezed in an odd combination of sadness and appreciation. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Won’t these look stunning against their red dresses?”

  “Gorgeous.”

  Grace stood and handed the bouquet to Wreath. “This one is for you. A thank-you for all your hard work and your friendship. Maybe you can hang it here at the shop or in your home.” Grace gave her a big hug then picked up her purse and the thick notepad she always had with her.

  “I’m touched, Grace. Thank you.” Wreath smiled and gestured at the pad. “Still making changes? You don’t have much time left, you know.”

  “This? Oh no. That’s my love list.”

  “What?”

  “My list of all the things I know and love about Brian and all the things we have in common. I add to it whenever I think of something new.”

  Wreath gently placed the floral wreath back in the box. “If you know them, why are you writing them down?”

  “I intend to refer to this list frequently to help me remember what’s really important in our marriage and why I fell in love with him.”

  Grace’s open devotion and commitment to her groom were inspiring. “Brian is a lucky guy.”

  “No. We’re both blessed. That’s why the Lord will be the most important guest at our wedding.”

  Chapter 7

  Wreath, with Micah beside her, strolled the pebbled walking path on the grounds of Monmouth, now transformed into a sparkling garden of Christmas lights, and drank in the sight. The pergola, the arched bridge over the pond, every edifice gleamed with light, all symbolizing the night the Light of the World came to earth. Emmanuel. God with us.

  Wreath had never thought about inviting God to her wedding. Grace’s simple statement had lingered in her thoughts, like a pushpin holding an important reminder. If she had included the Lord in her wedding plans, would they have turned out differently? No. She and Jack were all wrong for each other. She knew now that she could never spend her life with a man who didn’t love the Lord.

  “You’re awfully quiet tonight. Is everything all right?”

  Wreath yanked her thoughts back to the man at her side. The weather had stayed warm for the last few days, and Micah had invited her to stroll through the grounds of Monmouth to view the light displays. “Yes. I was just thinking about something Grace shared with me today. She keeps a list of all the things she knows and loves about Brian. She’s going to refer to it often to remind herself what’s important in their relationship.”

  “She has a lot of wisdom for someone so young. She’s right.”

  They stopped in the middle of the arched bridge. The lights sparkled, crystalline, on the water’s surface in holiday hues. “What do you mean?”

  “When you love someone, you want to know all about them. The smallest details become valuable—their favorite foods, favorite color, their dreams for the future. Love is about knowing and understanding. About caring what the other person wants. If a woman knew the important things about me, I’d know she really loved me.”

  Wreath thought back to those whirlwind months with Jack, trying to find one thing they had in common beyond physical attraction. Her heart clenched when she came up empty-handed. She didn’t know Jack’s favorite food, his favorite kind of music, or if he wanted children. She closed her eyes. Shame and regret raced along her nerves. She’d spent all her time creating the perfect fantasy wedding and not one second on her life with Jack.

  Wreath looked at Micah. What about Micah? He stood now, hands grasping the railing, staring out at the fountain in the center of the pond. What did she remember about him? A kaleidoscope of memories emerged—in Memphis, a trip to the Peabody Hotel to watch the duck parade, an afternoon on Mud Island, and touring an old Victorian home. Weekend picnics, museum visits. She looked at him now, his brow creased in a frown, his jaw clenched, a muscle flexing rapidly. His normally warm blue eyes were a dark navy blue.

  “What are you thinking about, Wreath?”

  “Nothing.” She inhaled a slow breath. “I’m just remembering.”

  Micah’s lips pressed together into a thin line. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

  “I was thinking about the day we watched the ducks march into the lobby of the Peabody.”

  Micah jerked his head up, a look of surprise clouding his eyes. “You remember that?”

  She nodded. “I remember a lot of the things we did together. But you know what? I can’t remember much of what Jack and I did. I can remember all the planning for the wedding, all the details, and I can remember the moment I realized he wasn’t coming to the wedding. I remember wondering what was wrong with me that he’d leave me at the altar.”

  Micah took her hand in his. “There’s nothing wrong with you, Wreath. Jack was the problem, not you.”

  “I’m beginning to see I never really dealt with that day. I’ve stuffed it into a box and never looked at it again. It hurt too much.”

  “But you’re looking at it now. Maybe you can finally put it all behind you and look forward. What are your dreams for the future?”

  She’d never thought about it. She lived her life from one event to the next. “I don’t know.”

  “Are you content with your career? Is that all you want?”

  “No.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I think I’d like a family someday. Something more than a business to fill my life. What about you? Do you plan on staying in the hotel business?”

  Micah smiled and shook his head. “No. I’d like to have my own small hotel someday, a place that would provide a good living but also be a home to raise a family.” He leaned against the rail. “I’ve even toyed with getting into real estate.”

  Wreath smiled into his eyes, light blue now, reflecting the lights from the bridge. A subtle shift in mood made her aware of the growing attraction between them. He took a step closer, his hand gently brushing a strand of hair off her cheek then coming to rest on the side of her face. His eyes darkened and he tilted his head. He was going to kiss her, there was no doubt, but the thought sent a jolt of fear along her nerves. She
backed away, heart pounding. “I’d better be going. I have a busy day tomorrow.”

  Silently, they strolled back up the sloping steps to the courtyard. Micah walked her to her car. She didn’t dare look at him for fear of seeing his expression. He was probably angry, and she couldn’t blame him. Wreath replayed their conversation all the way to her townhouse. She and Micah wanted the same things. Why did that scare her so much? And why had she backed away from his kiss when she’d wanted it so badly?

  The name on the file held Wreath’s full attention. While searching her electronic documents for the folder on a former client, she’d stumbled upon the one that held all the precious details of her antebellum wedding. She’d considered deleting them several times over the years but had been unable to cut that last tie with her dream. Somewhere there was also a folder of pictures she’d never deleted. She’d put that at the top of her list to do right after the holidays. She clicked on her e-mails and responded to the first three. The next one stopped her heart. It was from Micah.

  She didn’t want to open it. The moment on the bridge last night when he’d almost kissed her had kept her up all night wondering why she’d pulled away when all she wanted was to step into his embrace and feel his arms around her. Until that moment, she’d not realized how deep her fear of romantic involvement actually was. Micah was a wonderful man, a sweet man, a man of character. Honorable and dependable. All the things she claimed to want. He’d made no secret that he wanted to spend time with her, that he was attracted to her, so why couldn’t she let go of the fear?

  With a deep breath, she placed her cursor on his e-mail, jumping when her cell tone shattered the silence in her office. Grace’s name appeared on the screen. “Good morning. You’re up early. I don’t usually hear from you until after 10 a.m.”

  “Oh, Wreath, it’s ruined. What am I going to do?”

  Grace’s deep sobs sent a surge of alarm down Wreath’s spine. Her first thought was always the same when a bride called in a fit of hysterics. The groom had backed out at the last minute. She knew it was her own deep fears at work, and the truth was that not one of her brides had suffered that fate, but the thought rose up nonetheless. “Calm down, Grace, and tell me what happened. Whatever it is, we can fix it, I promise.”