by Julie Allan
“I know I need to deal with this, I seem to be getting worse as time passes than better. I’ll talk to my doctor and see what she recommends. Now, I’m depressed enough without having a sad conversation over lunch. Let’s here all about precious Dot’s wedding plans.”
The wedding was a nice distraction. Lizzie shared about the plans made and what was left to do. On her phone, she had pictures of the gowns and the flowers, and they enjoyed scrolling through.
Amy pushed her plate back. “You know M.A., I would love it if you would consider co-hosting the bridal shower with me, we have five weeks, and I’m doing the invitations tomorrow.”
For the first time since Lizzie sat down, M.A.’s smile reached her eyes. “I would love to do that; it would give me some purpose.”
“I think I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have the two of you and Dot will be tickled to hear that you’ll be co-hosting.”
After lunch, Lizzie took them out to her car, and she pulled the plastic off the dress.
“I love that color!” M.A. held the skirt out admiring the layers.
“So, what alterations did you have in mind?” Amy asked.
Lizzie pulled out the belt. “I thought the waist needed some detail, but I don’t want a ribbon tied in the back. Dot has opted for a ribbon sash in pink for her gown, and I think I’m a little mature for a bow.”
“That is an easy fix. Can I take the dress and belt with me?”
Lizzie hugged Amy, “Absolutely!” She pulled the plastic back over the dress and returned the belt to the bag, handing them over.
Amy said her goodbyes and headed home to sew.
Lizzie hugged M.A. tight. “I can’t imagine the depths of your pain, but I do know this, you will find your way through it. It will have changed you, but in the end, it won’t break you. Your soul is too strong for that.”
M.A. held on to Lizzie. “Thank you, I swear it’s the girls in my life, my daughters, granddaughters, my mother and my friends that continue to light my way out of the darkness. I’m so grateful for you!”
Lizzie watched her go. Her heart ached for M.A., if she could carry the burden for her, she would. She knew grief was a journey that M.A. had to take and she couldn’t skip any steps in the process; otherwise, she would never find her way forward.
Sawyer’s family birthday celebration was being squeezed in a week after he turned twenty-two. He had chosen to celebrate with his buddies on the day. Lizzie was just glad to get the four of them together for dinner; it would be probably the last time. She stood at the kitchen counter using the hand mixer to whip up the white chocolate icing for Sawyer’s red velvet cake.
A hand on her shoulder startled her. Lizzie whipped around, hand mixer at high speed, icing flew everywhere, and Lizzie in her panic struggled to remember how to turn it off.
“I should know better.” Bennett swiped some icing off his cheek and licked it off his finger. “Mmmm.”
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t hear you come in.” Lizzie looked around icing on the cabinets, counters, on Bennett and herself.
“I called your name, but your mind was somewhere else.”
“I was thinking about how tonight’s dinner might be the last one with just the four of us, Hudson would be here, but he’s out of town for work, and in five weeks he becomes a permanent part of the family.”
Bennett picked up a sponge and began wiping off the cabinets. “Don’t think of it as the last of something, think of it as the continued evolving of our family. We eat more meals just the two of us now as it is even with Dot back under our roof.”
Lizzie unplugged the mixer. “I know. It takes me a while to warm up to changes, even the good ones, as you well know.”
“Contemplate if you must, but let’s finish it in the shower, this frosting is never going to wipe out of our hair.”
Lizzie wrapped up in a towel and combed out her wet hair. “When our nest was full, we couldn’t have done that in the afternoon.”
Bennett pulled a clean shirt over his head. “Know you’re thinking on the right track.”
Sawyer and Dot arrived around the same time and immediately took Tucker and Sadie into the backyard to play. Lizzie finished washing the bowls from her mac and cheese prep. Tonight’s menu was all by Sawyer’s request. She watched her children out the window, how many times have I watched them play from this very spot? It didn’t matter that they were young adults, they were her babies and watching them together melted her heart.
“Happy birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you . . .”
The family sang, and Sawyer blew out his candles. Lizzie’s mind played through twenty-one years, from Sawyer in his high chair, cake smashed to his face, the year she had crafted the Batman cake to his eight-year-old delight, to his sixteenth birthday when he insisted on a pick-up truck-shaped cake. Here they were marking the year Sawyer was officially an adult. Now she understood why Aunt Dorothy had encouraged her to treasure those early years; they were fleeting and so precious.
Amy and M.A. had outdone themselves. A trail of pink rose petals led down the path from the sidewalk to the front door adorned with a magnolia wreath. On the hall table, the guest book was set with a gold pen and a vase of fragrant roses mixed with lush greens and lavender.
The house was transformed with the flowers repeated in every room and soft pink ribbons. The dining table was draped in a white vintage damask with roses swirling around the tone on tone cloth. Cake plates of various heights and silver trays displayed delicate bites from canapes to lemon squares.
Faith was filling the punch bowl, and M.A. was setting out the glasses.
“Wow, this looks amazing!” Dot stood in the doorway between the dining room and the kitchen. Her light pink sheath dress enhanced the rosy glow in her cheeks and the shimmer of her pearls, once Annabeth’s, matched the shimmer in her eyes.
Amy turned to embrace her. “So do you, beautiful bride!”
Lizzie followed Dot into the kitchen. “Everything is so lovely! Thank you, my friends, today will be a memory to cherish.”
M.A. sat the last glass down and came to hug her. “Is that–?”
Lizzie smiled, “Yes, this is the dress I wore to my rehearsal dinner, and it still fits! A little snugger than back then, but it works.”
“Yes, it does! You should wear emerald green more often.” Amy greeted her.
“Dot says that too. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Not a thing, but I do need you to pin on this corsage and Dot, here is one for you as well.”
Amy handed them two floral boxes, each containing a pale rose with a spring of lavender and greens.
“What a lovely touch.” Lizzie went to the front hall mirror to pin it on.
Soon the guests arrived, Scott had picked up and dropped off Amy and Bennett’s mother, one look at the rose petals on his walkway sent him scurrying off to the golf course.
M.A. organized several games; one was a scavenger hunt for fake diamond rings, the one with the most won the magnolia wreath from the door. Since Hudson’s mom was not able to attend, Pat stood in for the battle between the mother’s. Lizzie and Pat had to create a bouquet of flowers using tape, one wire and a roll of toilet paper within fifteen minutes. Finally, each guest filled in the answers to a list of questions about Dot, Hudson, and their romance, the maid of honor, Dot’s college roommate, Emma, won by answering the most questions and Faith gave her a gift certificate for two to The Biscuit Box.
M.A. encouraged the girls to fix plates and eat before gifts.
Lizzie brought a plate to her mother-in-law and sat down to eat with her.
“It’s too bad Hudson’s mother couldn’t be here,” Pat said as she took her plate from Lizzie.
“I know, but they have a couple’s shower down in Pensacola for them next weekend, and she has been helping her daughter with a new grand-baby.”
“That’s nice dear. Are you and Bennett going down there for the shower?”
Lizzie nodded. �
�Yes, we are going to fly down and drive a boat back. You know that son of yours, he’s figured out a way to make the trip a business expense.”
Dot was feted with lovely gifts and a jar of tips for a happy marriage the guests had filled. The back of the car was fully packed.
“Thank you, Aunt Amy. Thank you, Aunt Mary Ann, this was even more special than I had imagined.”
Lizzie could not have imagined a more beautiful shower for Dot. The community of women that lifted Dot up with love, laughter, and friendship was more valuable than any gift she had unwrapped. Lizzie had been blessed by such relationships, her heart was full knowing Dot was too.
Lizzie and Bennett stepped out of the airport and into the rented truck complete with a hitch for the boat. They were staying a beachfront hotel about twenty minutes away from Hudson’s parent’s house. They picked up the boat before heading for the hotel. The plan was to make an early start for home the next morning.
The party was at a family friend’s house on the beach and had a luau theme. Lizzie changed into her floral sundress, and Bennett put on his one and only Hawaiian shirt.
“I thought when you bought that, you said you were going to take me to Hawaii?
Bennett pulled her in for a kiss. “Did I? Well, when we get all this wedding nonsense out of the way, why don’t we plan a second honeymoon of island hopping.”
Lizzie gave him a deep kiss. “I think that is a wonderful idea.”
At the door, they were draped with lei’s and offered cocktails. Dot and Hudson dashed over to hug them, so did Hudson’s parents.
“Marvelous you could make it.” Mr. Mills hugged Lizzie and thumped Bennett on the back.
“We are so glad to be here.” Lizzie embraced Becky Mills.
The party was a boisterous one with a live band and a true roasted pig. The gifts had been encouraged to stock the bar and Lizzie was sure Hudson was going to need to rent a U-Haul to get it all back to South Carolina.
It was going on two in the morning by the time they made it back to their hotel room.
Bennett fell on the bed, “Boy, those people sure know how to party!”
Lizzie fell next to him. “That was so much fun, but I don’t think we’re going to make our seven-a.m. departure goal.”
Bennett yawned. “Agreed. Let’s just wake up when we wake up and figure it out then.”
Lizzie barely heard him. Her eyes closed, the music of the band echoing through her head. They slept where they fell, fully dressed, lei’s still around their necks.
The sun was high in the sky by the time they stirred. Lizzie rolled over to look at the clock, her neck stiff from sleeping without a pillow. “Bennett, wake up, it’s nine o’clock.”
Bennett grunted and slowly rose to a seated position. “I just can’t party like I used to.”
After quick showers and a change of clothes, they went downstairs for breakfast. They decided to make it to Jacksonville and stay the night there before heading on to Charleston. Bennett stopped at the front desk to see if they could book them a room and Lizzie returned to the room to pack and call Jeremy to see if he was okay with keeping the dogs another night.
Recharged with coffee, they hit the highway roughly six hundred miles between them and home. Lizzie settled in to play DJ, finding songs they could sing along with. It had been a while since they had taken a road trip just the two of them. Lizzie had forgotten how fun it could be rolling down a highway, singing, talking, reminiscing. For the first time since Jim’s death, they talked about him without the shadow of sadness, just the appreciation for what a great friend he was to them both.
There was something about being on a road trip that suspended the rest of the world, shrinking it down to the two of them. Bennett seemed to sense it too. glancing over he smiled at her, lifting her hand to his lips and grazing it with a kiss.
“I wouldn’t want to road trip with anyone but you.”
Chapter Eighteen
The backyard was set up with a long trestle table, draped in white with pink linens overlaid. The white folding chairs were dressed in gauzy pink bows. Lizzie had set the table with Aunt Dorothy’s antique silver anniversary Haviland china. The scalloped edges touched with gold, reminiscent of flower petals. The silver sparkled in the sunlight, reflecting the trees and sky.
Lizzie had arranged silver julep cups with pale pink roses, and lavender down the center of the table and Faith had helped her to fold pink napkins into swans and center them on each plate. The two stood back to admire their handiwork.
Faith clapped her hands together. “It’s so lovely, Aunt Lizzie.”
“It really does look like something out of a fairytale.” Lizzie checked her watch. “We better get changed.”
Lizzie had insisted on cooking for the bridesmaid’s luncheon, but she had accepted Faith’s assistance. The two had planned a light but elegant menu. The first course was melon and prosciutto with a honey drizzle, to be followed by a cup of cucumber soup garnished with crème fresh and dill. The main course was a shrimp salad served in yellow pepper cups. For dessert, Lizzie had prepared all the parts to strawberry shortcake and would have the servers assemble it right before serving.
She had hired three of Faith’s Biscuit Box catering staff to prep the plates, serve and clean up. Lizzie had barely slipped into her shoes and put on her lipstick before the doorbell rang with the first arrival. Lizzie hurried down the stairs just as Dot answered.
A woman they had never seen before stood on the porch. “Oh, I’m sorry I must have the wrong house.”
Lizzie smiled, “I’m sure we can help you find the right one, we know all the neighbors. I’m Lizzie Wilson, and this is my daughter Dot, and you are?”
“That’s very kind of you. My name is Camille Waterson.”
Just then a carload of bridesmaids pulled up and got out. “We’re here! Let the wedding weekend begin!”
“I can see your awfully busy. I’ll just recheck my directions. Sorry to have bothered you.” The woman began her retreat from the porch as the bridesmaids climbed the stairs.
Lizzie’s eyes followed her. “It really is no bother, good luck and feel free to ring the bell if you can’t find your directions.”
Camille turned around and flashed her a smile. “You are so very kind.”
Dot and the girls had moved into the house and out to the back porch where mimosas were waiting. Lizzie held the door open, Becky and Hudson’s sister Robin had pulled up. She saw Camille hesitate at her car, she started to turn around, but apparently changed her mind, getting into her car and pulling away. That was a strange encounter. Lizzie had no time to wonder about it, the Mill’s women, and right behind them Amy and her mother arrived. It was time for hostess mode.
Lizzie beamed at the complements her table elicited. She enjoyed every compliment especially when the soup came out served in the delicate tea cups that matched the service. This wedding weekend was starting off with the bar set high.
The rehearsal at the church was scheduled for five and the rehearsal dinner downtown for seven. Lizzie changed for the third time, selecting a navy lace sheath dress and she wore her mother’s emeralds. Bennett whistled when she came down the stairs.
“Wow, do I have a hot date tonight or what?”
“Looking pretty spiffy yourself.” Lizzie reached up and adjusted his bowtie.
At the church, Bennett held Dot’s arm, and they practiced walking down the aisle. Dot was stunning in her cream St. John knit. Lizzie watched as father and daughter paraded up and down, laughing over some inside joke. How many women in our family have walked down this aisle to be married? Lizzie knew Aunt Dorothy had, and her mother before that. Caroline had as well. Lizzie had taken two trips, but for her, only the second one counted.
Dot came to sit by Lizzie. The maid of honor, Emma, would do the traditional stand-in to avoid bad luck.
The rehearsal over; many in the party headed downtown. Lizzie had asked Dot and Hudson to wait and ride with them. Lizzie was dou
ble checking the times they could get in to tie the flowers on the pews.
Dot in her excitement twirled before the steps to the sanctuary singing the words from My Fair Lady, “I’m getting married in the morning!”. Bennett called out to her. “Careful sweetheart, we don’t want any…”
Too late, Dot tripped falling into a floral wreath, forgotten from a funeral earlier in the day. Dot and the wreath went careening towards the first row of pews.
Hudson leaped to her side and helped her up. “Are you okay?”
Dot rolled to her shoulder. “I think I might have a bruise and my ego took a hit, thank goodness it was only you and Dad to see it.”
Lizzie hurried over to see what was going on. Her heel caught in a small hole in the floor and she lost her balance, Bennett catching her just before she hit the floor.
Bennett shook with laughter. “You see what you’re getting into Hudson, a lifetime of mishaps.”
Lizzie punched him on the arm. “Watch it, mister, those mishaps keep you entertained.”
Bennett kissed her. “They surely do. Hudson, all I can add is you’re a very lucky man that Dot is just like her mother.”
That night the rehearsal dinner proved to be equally spectacular in its own way. The Mills had booked the private room at The Grocery downtown, where Lizzie and Bennett had taken them soon after the engagement.
The chef had prepared a five-course meal, the first four each starring a local ingredient. The last course was Hudson’s favorite, The Grocery’s churros with three dipping sauces. Everyone left satisfied and wondering how the weekend could get any better.
“Rise and shine princess!” Lizzie stood before Dot’s bed with a tray.
Dot yawned and stretched. “Breakfast in bed, I’m a lucky girl!”
Dot sat up and propped her pillows against the headboard and Lizzie sat the tray on her lap. Lizzie had prepared a soft-boiled egg and a buttered biscuit. There was also a bowl full of strawberries, and Lizzie swiped one as she sat down on the edge of the bed.
