by Nicole Smith
Sam made room for Rose on his side of the table. "What are you two doing here?"
"We were hungry. I wanted a salad and Rose is starving," said Beth.
"I bet I know what you want," Sam said with a grin. "A cheeseburger with all the trimmings. It's her secret weakness."
"Not so much of a secret if you go blabbing it everywhere, big brother," Rose said with some asperity. "But yeah that does sound good, and I haven't had any red meat in weeks."
They waved Mary Jo over and placed orders. Beth explained how she'd talked Rose into taking some time off to visit Sully Point and stay in the apartment over the Bakery.
William knew his soon-to-be wife, and could tell she was leaving out some information, but he didn't bring it up.
Rose frowned. "You didn't say it was over a Bakery, Beth."
"Yeah it is."
"That's never going to work! How can I eat healthy living over a Bakery?"
"Hang on," Cody said. "I have an idea. Two of them actually. You could stay instead at the loft apartment. It's where Anna used to work on her art, then Eric used it and we've done other things with it, but it's empty now. Or, if you're up for something different..."
"Yes?" Rose asked.
"You could live on my boat. Julia and I kept the houseboat thinking we'd spend time there, but it's not being used at all. You could help us out by living there. I used to live there before Julia and I married. It's very nice."
"Live on a boat?" Rose sipped her herbal tea, clearly thinking. Finally, she said, "I'll do it! I need some fun in my life. It sounds great. The boat it is."
The men stayed talking with Beth and Rose while they ate lunch. They'd just finished eating when Sophia walked into the Diner.
"Uh oh," William said. "Sophia looks upset."
Before anyone could get up, she had marched over to them. "You people! What are you doing here? Oh, hello, Rose. I'll hug you in a minute. Now, I want each of you to check on wedding stuff for me." Pointing to each of them in turn, she began saying, "Flowers...Cake...Chairs on stage...Caterers at Holly's...you girls, dresses to makes sure Rose fits into hers. Got it? Now get moving. We do this thing in just a few hours."
She left them sitting there, and at the door she turned and looked back, frowning. They immediately got up and paid their bills, hurrying out behind her.
* * * *
Beth had decided the best place for all of them to get dressed was at the Playhouse, using the dressing rooms behind the stage. As she finished her makeup, her mother came in to help with her hair. They were putting it up, so that the veil could hook into the top of it, with a sparkling curved barrette and comb holding it in place. When Beth was in the dress and veil, she looked in the long mirror.
Sophia had designed a deceptively simple-looking mermaid gown out of cream silk. It had bared shoulders and a sweetheart neckline all done in beaded embroidery. The dropped waist fell into folds of lace that swirled with every step.
"Mom...it's fantastic."
Sophia smiled into the mirror at her. "You look lovely, darling. Like a star."
Beth blinked rapidly. "Oh, don't make me cry! Thanks so much for everything you've done. Not just the wedding, but for letting me be me, letting me follow my dreams."
Sophia carefully hugged her and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. She handed the flowers to her daughter. Beth carried a bouquet of cream roses, along with Asiatic white lilies that were green at the center. Green ivy surrounded them and trailed down from the flowers.
They exited the dressing room. Beth could hear the music they'd arranged to have the sound man play through the speakers. Light classical airy music.
Maggie and Rose met them wearing emerald green silk dresses. Maggie's had a soft, gently rounded neckline with cap sleeves, and an empire waist. Rose wore a V-necked sheath dress that complimented her height and long legs. Maggie's had beaded embroidery on the bodice, while Rose had the same embroidery around the hem. The dresses were tea-length and showed off high-heeled shoes of green. Their bouquets were made up of cream roses interspersed with white stephanotis, along with some sprigs of ivy.
They stood in the wings at stage left. "I think we're ready, Mom," Beth said. "Are the others all set?"
Sophia nodded. "It's time. And...yes, there's the music change. I'd better get out there and into my seat. Good luck, my darlings!"
When she left, the three sisters looked at each other and began to giggle. "Oh no!" Beth said. "We are so not doing this. Now stop it!"
They giggled some more but then they heard the wedding march begin. Suddenly, they were all very serious.
"This is it," Maggie said. "I love you, Bethie." She kissed her sister on the cheek and Rose did the same. They left to walk across the stage and meet up with the groomsmen who were entering from the other side.
Suddenly, Beth saw and heard the large burgundy curtain begin moving. It was opening? That made no sense. They had planned for it to just be the backdrop. But it was time for her to go out and meet William now, so she refused to worry about it. She walked out onto the stage and froze for a second. There was an audience! It looked like the whole town was in the seats and lined along the walls of the auditorium.
Beth didn't know what was going on, but she was getting married no matter who was there. She kept walking, and heard the 'oohs' and 'ahs' as people saw her dress. She looked for William and saw him walking to the center to meet her, looking so handsome in his perfectly fitted tuxedo.
The justice of the peace was waiting for them, since the minister had been unavailable. The flowers were on either side, and they stepped between them, facing out to the audience. A hush fell and then the ceremony began. They'd opted for something very simple, with additions of their own.
"Beth Carter, I take you to be my wife. I promise to love you always and respect your choices, caring for you in sickness and health, joining my life to yours forever. On the stage of life, I have found my purpose, and meaning, my all, in you."
He slipped an emerald cut diamond on her finger along with the simple plain band.
Beth took a deep breath. It was funny, she thought in that second, that even though she was on a stage, she felt more real than any other time in her life.
"William Christopher, I take you to be my husband. I promise to love you with all my heart, body, and soul, to care for you in sickness and in health, and to make my life with you forever. No matter how much theater we have in our world, I promise what we have will always be real."
She put the platinum band on his finger.
They took a step toward each other, and slowly came together in a kiss that felt magical. She felt as if she could kiss him like this, right here, forever. But then she heard a loud noise and realized the audience and the family behind them were clapping and cheering. Blushing, she looked up and waved to the audience, and then she and William walked back to join the family.
* * * *
"Of course it was all Mary Jo's idea. She started people talking about it, and they decided it would be a good way to break in the Playhouse, so to speak," Frank was saying to William and Beth at the reception. "The truly funny thing, though, was that nobody told Maelynne! She wasn't even there."
"Thank goodness," William said. He was still stunned by how the town had showed up for the wedding, but everyone seemed sincerely happy for them.
Holly and Jason had opened up their house, which had some large patios for entertaining outside. Fortunately, it was a nice spring day, with warm air still in the evening. William was pretty sure everyone in town had stopped by at some point.
He glanced over at Beth, who was listening to the old lady, Violet, giving her advice. He smiled when he noticed Beth looking at her rings repeatedly. He'd surprised her with the three-carat diamond. They'd only talked about simple wedding bands due to the short period of time beforehand. He was glad he'd gone ahead and had Lucretia get it for him.
Beth looked up at that moment and smiled at him, her face full of love. His heart wa
s overflowing with happiness.
That night, back at the house, they made love with tenderness and almost a sense of relief. They were together now, for always. William heard Beth whispering over and over, "I love you, I love you." And he knew he was where he belonged.
* * * *
Beth jumped back into rehearsals the very next day after the wedding. The play was coming together well, and the chemistry between all the actors was clicking.
William had taken to trying out new colors of shirts every few days. The whole town agreed with Beth that the days of the mustard-colored shirts were not good. And pink was also not his color. But he continued to experiment, and left the all-black days behind, which pleased Beth enormously.
Finally, the big day arrived, and Beth was a nervous wreck on opening night of the play. But once she set foot on the stage, it was like the nerves just melted away. Here, on this stage, was where she felt comfortable, she realized.
The play was attended by not just townspeople, but also critics and investors from the city that'd learned William was the director. The next morning, Beth was stunned to read glowing reviews of her performance as Corie.
"I thought I'd have to wait years to read something this good about my acting," she told William over their early breakfast. "Can this be real?"
"I told you, you are good," he said, smugly.
"Because I have a great director," she said with a smile.
"Well, of course, that's a given."
She tossed a muffin at him.
Later that day, William got a call that brought him running through the house to find Beth. "William...what's wrong? You look...stunned."
"This call I just got. They want to put on a play, our choice Beth. With you as lead actress and me as the director. In the city, this fall. These are the big-time investors, my love. You've made it!"
He picked her up and whirled her around, while Beth felt like she was in shock. A play in the city? The big-time?
"For real? This is happening?" she asked, in a dazed voice.
"Yes! Our choice! It's amazing."
And that night her performance sparkled even more than the night before. The run of the play in Sully Point was a huge hit playing to packed crowds every night and matinee.
When it was over, the whole family gathered on the beach at Sam and Anna's house to celebrate with a clam bake. Which of course included lobsters, shrimp, corn on the cob, and more.
Rose had settled into houseboat living. Sophia and Ed were planning to move into a newly-built house designed by Jason in a few months. Maggie was looking bigger than ever as she waited for the birth of her baby.
Joshua now spent regular amounts of time each week with Eric at the computer lab. It was becoming more and more apparent just how special he was, and the family members worked hard to give him as normal a childhood as possible.
As Beth sat on the beach, leaning against William and surrounded by family and friends, she felt more than blessed. She felt touched by the stars.
"You know what, Mr. Director?"
"What, leading lady?"
"I love you more than I have words to say."
"That's good. Because I love you at least as much."
"Is it possible to burst with happiness? Can it be too perfect?"
"No," he replied. "It's absolutely right for us."
And he bent his head to hers and kissed her, as the sun set on another day in Sully Point.
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