Home Song

by Thomas Kinkade

  Emily could tell her sister was nervous and just trying to be considerate. She checked her watch. It was already a quarter past twelve.

  “Let’s wait a few minutes,” Emily suggested. Jessica nodded, and the others stood around, chatting quietly.

  Emily stood by the open church door, watching the street for Sara’s car. She pulled her shawl around her shoulders.

  What had happened to Sara? Did she have car trouble—or, God forbid, an accident? Wouldn’t she have called about that? She couldn’t have left for Maryland, could she? Emily thought with a cold knot of dread in her heart. It was understood that she would stay until the wedding. At least, that’s what I understood. But maybe Sara’s parents had pressured her or there had been some emergency that called her home.

  Still, I can’t believe she would have left without saying good-bye. There’s got to be an explanation.

  Emily felt her mind spinning off in all directions at once. Maybe Sara was held up somewhere with a flat tire or something, she consoled herself. No need to go running off the deep end. She’ll be here any minute. She wouldn’t just break a promise like that.

  Emily glanced at her watch again. Five, ten, fifteen minutes had passed. Her spirits sank. The worst scenario seemed possible.

  Finally she turned to Jessica. “We’d better start,” she said. “I don’t think Sara’s coming.”

  “What do you mean? Did she say something to you?”

  “I don’t know. . . . I think she may have gone back to Maryland,” Emily admitted. She sighed and Jessica squeezed her hand.

  “Let’s just wait a few more minutes,” Jessica said.

  Emily shook her head. “It’s all right, Jessica. Let’s go ahead.”

  Jessica finally nodded and then walked over to Reverend Ben. She whispered something to him, and he glanced with concern at Emily. Then turned to the group and got them in order again.

  Emily took her place at the back of the procession, just before Jessica and Dr. Elliot.

  She heard the first notes of the wedding march begin and felt her stomach jump with nerves. Molly’s daughters started walking slowly down the aisle, and everyone in the church rose, turning to look at them.

  Then Molly started walking and Emily followed.

  Suddenly the heavy wooden door of the church flew open. Emily turned at the sound and felt her heart nearly stop beating.

  Sara stood there, smiling. Then she held the door open wider and Lillian appeared. She paused for a moment, then slowly walked into the church, looking very well turned out in an ice-blue silk coat and dress ensemble perfect for the mother of the bride.

  Emily stood there, speechless.

  “Mother,” Jessica gasped. “You’re here.”

  “So I am.” Lillian glanced at Sara. “That girl would not take no for an answer. She takes after you, Emily. Very headstrong.”

  Sara came to stand beside them, and Emily leaned over and gave her a hug, then planted a kiss on her hair. “More like you, Mother, I’d say,” Emily replied.

  “I think you’ve finally met your match, Lillian,” Dr. Elliot chimed in.

  Emily saw her mother cast a cool glance at Dr. Elliot, but she didn’t respond. She turned instead to Emily. “Where are the pearls? They’re not at the bank. Have you lost them?”

  “Of course not. . . . I have them right here.” Emily retrieved her purse and pulled out the velvet box.

  Her mother took it from her, opened it, and took out the necklace.

  “Come here, Jessica. Let me put this necklace on you. You can’t get married without pearls. It’s practically . . . unheard of.”

  Emily lifted her sister’s long hair aside as Lillian fastened the necklace. She noticed her sister blink back tears, but her lips formed a shaky smile.

  Jessica stood back and touched the pearls at her throat, then she glanced at her mother. “Thank you.” She leaned over and gave Lillian a brief kiss on her cheek.

  Her mother looked surprised and even touched, Emily thought, then she quickly squared her shoulders and turned away.

  “Who will escort me to a seat?” Lillian asked, gazing around.

  “I will,” Reverend Ben said. He stepped up and offered Lillian his arm. “I’m headed in that direction again anyway,” he added with a small smile.

  Emily nearly laughed, but her mother’s solemn expression stopped her.

  The organ music started again, and everyone in the wedding party gathered at the back of the church and prepared for the procession once more. Sara stood in front of Emily this time. When it was Emily’s turn, she followed automatically, feeling almost in a dream as she put one foot in front of the other.

  She had expected Jessica’s wedding to be lovely, but this was beyond her wildest imaginings. Everything felt right, for the first time in years.

  The wedding party took their places at the altar, and the bride and groom stood before Reverend Ben and joined hands. A hush fell over the gathering as the Reverend raised his hands and began to speak.

  “We are gathered to celebrate the marriage of Jessica and Sam, who have chosen to promise themselves to each other in the presence of God and in the company of those who love them,” Reverend Ben began.

  “As they begin their journey together, we are called upon to rejoice in their happiness, to be patient when they make mistakes, to help them in time of trouble, and to remember them in our prayers.”

  He paused and glanced at the bride and groom who stood before him, holding hands. “God’s gift of human love is among the most precious and glorious we can experience here on Earth. Through this love, man and woman come to know each other with mutual care and companionship. Jessica and Sam have been blessed with this gift, and today we rejoice in this gift for them.

  “They acknowledge that there may be bumps in the road ahead,” the Reverend continued solemnly. “Yet they trust that the God who brought them together and brings light out of the darkness will also smooth the way. As they pledge themselves to each other today, let our hearts be filled with new joy and allow God’s grace and light to illuminate our lives, even as these two lives are joined as one and made anew today.”

  Jessica and Sam exchanged their vows and rings. Then they leaned together for their first kiss as husband and wife, and the church filled with applause.

  The organ music started again, loud and resounding, and Emily marched back down the aisle in the wake of the happy newlyweds, the many familiar, smiling faces on either side of the aisle blurred by her tears of happiness.

  THE INN AT SPOON HARBOR HAD BEEN THE PERFECT CHOICE AFTER ALL, Emily reflected as she sat and watched couples dancing in the soft candlelight. The table settings were elegant, the flowers luxurious and fragrant, and the food delicious, receiving high reviews from even the Morgan clan.

  Funny how things worked out, she thought. After all the ups and downs, her sister’s wedding couldn’t have turned out any lovelier.

  Emily spotted Sara sitting alone and walked over to her. “Have you been enjoying it?” she asked.

  “Absolutely,” Sara said. She nodded toward Luke, who was across the room, talking with Digger. “Luke’s having a good time, too. It’s a great party.”

  “Yes, after all,” Emily agreed with a happy sigh. “Tell me, how did you ever get my mother to come to the wedding? That was amazing.”

  Sara shrugged and smiled. “I think deep down, she really wanted to come. And she adores attention, somebody making a big fuss over her.”

  “Tell me about it.” Emily rolled her eyes.

  Sara laughed. “Once I got her to admit that she actually had a dress in mind to wear and we located it, the rest wasn’t too hard.”

  “Not too hard? You ought to win the Nobel Prize or something,” Emily remarked. “For a minute there I really thought you just weren’t coming. I was afraid you’d gone back to Maryland without telling me.”

  “I wouldn’t do that, Emily,” Sara said.

  “Well, it did cross my mind that maybe you
were afraid to tell me face-to-face, but I also couldn’t really believe that you would just take off like that. Still, if you had, I would have understood,” she admitted.

  Sara looked touched by Emily’s admission. “I did speak to my parents,” she said.

  Emily held her breath. This was it. “And?”

  “We had a long phone call. I’m going home in a few days—but only for a short visit, over Thanksgiving weekend. I’m going to see them and get some more clothes and things. Then I’m going to come back.”

  Emily felt as if her heart had just about stopped beating for a minute. Then she felt her body sag as all the tension suddenly drained out again.

  “You’re coming back . . . to stay here longer, you mean?” she asked, making sure she heard correctly.

  Sara nodded. “My parents say they understand. They want to come and meet you sometime.”

  “I would like that very much,” Emily replied, though the thought partly terrified her.

  “Besides, Dan Forbes gave me a job at the paper. It would be hard to pass that up, and my parents thought it was a good opportunity for me, too. I’m just correcting copy at first, but I’ll get to write some stories, too, pretty soon, I think.”

  “Oh, that’s great.” Emily felt a surge of pure happiness. Good old Dan. She would have to thank him for helping her once again, it seemed.

  “I think his son has come to run the paper,” Emily added.

  “Yes, Wyatt. We met the other day. . . . Oh, and Dan had an accident. Did you hear?”

  “An accident? No, I didn’t hear a thing about it. What happened?” Emily asked in alarm.

  “He was doing something on his boat, getting it ready for his trip or something, and the boom hit him. He fell and broke his arm and leg. He’s basically okay, but I don’t think he’s going anywhere for a while,” Sara added, shaking her head.

  “When did this happen?”

  “Yesterday morning. I’m surprised you didn’t hear about it.”

  “I was out all day, getting ready for the wedding. Nobody mentioned it to me today, either.” Emily sighed. “Poor Dan. He must feel awful.”

  “Well, at least he has Wyatt there to take care of him,” Sara pointed out. “It would have been tough if he were all alone.”

  “I’ll have to go by and see him,” Emily said. She suddenly realized that this meant Dan was not sailing off into the horizon after all. Or not as soon as he had planned.

  Yes, she would definitely go by and visit him. Maybe even tomorrow.

  Sara suddenly stood up and took her hand. “Come on, Emily. Jessica’s going to toss her bouquet.”

  “Oh, I can’t do that. You go ahead up there if you like.”

  “Come on. Get moving. Betty is up there, front and center,” Sara goaded her. She tugged at Emily’s hand until she had no choice but to follow.

  Emily sighed and stood at the back of the group of women, trying to slip away from Sara’s watchful eye. She had her back to the group and was tiptoeing back in the direction of her table when suddenly Jessica’s bouquet landed at her feet. She automatically leaned over and picked it up, not quite sure for a moment what had happened.

  Then she turned and faced a clutch of surprised-looking women. Molly stood at the center of the group, and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Oh, for pity’s sake . . . that was fixed,” she grumbled.

  Emily felt amazingly silly holding the bouquet and looked around for someone to take it from her.

  “Good strategy,” Sara said coming up beside her. “I never thought she would throw that far down field.”

  “Here . . . do you want this? This is a mistake,” Emily replied.

  “It’s yours, Emily, no avoiding it.” Sara pushed the flowers back at her, grinning mischievously.

  The music started again, and couples moved out to the dance floor. Luke came by and smiled at Sara. “Care to dance?”

  “Sure,” she said, leaving Emily. “I didn’t know you could do this slow stuff,” she remarked, moving into Luke’s embrace.

  “I really can’t. I just sort of—sway. And then kind of—shuffle.”

  “Okay. I can go with that,” Sara said agreeably, trying to match his rhythm. She suddenly remembered the problem he had with his leg and thought it was good of him to dance with her at all.

  “You look great in that dress,” he said admiringly.

  “Thanks.” She glanced up at him. “You told that me before, you know.”

  He laughed. “Well, you still look good. What can I say?” They danced for a few moments, then he added, “I nearly thought you stood me up back at the church.”

  “When I was late getting Lillian, you mean?”

  He nodded. “I thought you went back to Maryland,” he told her.

  “So did Emily,” Sara replied. She turned away from him for a moment, realizing how much her presence meant to both Emily and Luke.

  “So, what’s the story? Are you going back soon?” he asked quietly.

  “Uh, yes and no,” she answered. “I’m going down for a visit with my family. Then I’m coming back here. I got a job on the Messenger.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” She shook her head as he pulled back and looked at her, a smile slowly spreading across his face.

  “Wow, that’s really great. Sara Franklin, Ace Reporter.”

  “Try Ace Copy Editor,” she replied.

  “That still sounds good to me,” Luke said. She felt him hold her just a bit tighter and swirl her for a second. “I’m glad you’re not really leaving. I didn’t like that idea at all.”

  She looked up at him and he gazed down at her, his gray eyes looking soft and tender. “Oh” was all she could manage to say.

  “You really helped me all these weeks, Sara. I wouldn’t have come this far without you.”

  “I didn’t do anything,” she said.

  “Yes, you did. You helped me just by being there. You helped me by needing my help sometimes, I think. If you know what I mean.”

  “You’re doing great now. Your plans are all going to work out, Luke.”

  “I know. But I would have missed you so much,” he confessed. “It wouldn’t be the same without you here.” He took a deep breath and practically stopped dancing, but still kept his arms around her. “I know it’s too soon to say what will happen between us, and I know you’re not ready yet for a real relationship. But I hope that you’ll give me a chance when you are . . . that you’ll give us a chance. I really think there could be something great there.”

  Sara felt thrilled to hear Luke’s softly spoken confession. She couldn’t pull her gaze away from his, but couldn’t find the right words to reply, either. “I didn’t want to leave you, either,” she finally admitted. “I thought a lot about that. Not just about Emily.”

  He hugged her close, and she pressed her cheek against his shoulder. “Do you still worry that I’m too young for you?” she asked.

  He slowly eased away, his mouth turning up in a small smile. “Actually, I’ve been thinking maybe you’re too mature.”

  Then the music stopped and the singer in the band announced it was time for the bride and groom to cut the cake.

  Luke stood beside Sara, still holding her hand as they watched. Jessica met her eye and sent her a warm smile, and Sara smiled back. The wedding was almost over, she realized. The hours had flown by. When she was first invited, she had dreaded attending; she agreed only for Emily. But now she knew she would have been foolish to miss it. It had been a very special day for her. She was starting to feel like part of the Warwick family.

  EMILY DROVE HER MOTHER HOME AFTER THE WEDDING AND HELPED HER into the house. Her mother was so tired that she didn’t even argue when Emily offered to help her get undressed and into bed.

  As her mother sat on the edge of her bed in her nightgown, Emily hung up her fancy dress and matching coat. “This is a beautiful ensemble. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before.”

  “Of course you have. I had
it made in Paris. Your father and I took a trip there for our fifteenth anniversary. It was a fairly famous designer—what’s his name . . .”

  “That was over thirty years ago, Mother,” Emily cut in. She stared at the dress and coat in amazement. “I guess I’d forgotten.”

  “Truly good clothes never go out of style. I’ve always told you that.”

  Emily turned to her. “I’m glad you came today. It meant a lot to Jessica. You did the right thing, Mother.”

  Her mother sat up a bit straighter and untied the sash on her robe. “I did what I thought I should do. I still don’t approve of Sam Morgan, and I don’t require your approval, either,” she said curtly.

  “Sara persuaded you, though,” Emily noted.

  “Yes, she did. She’s a very persuasive young lady. She ought to go to law school.”

  “She has a job on the Messenger. She might turn out to be a reporter. At least she’s going to be in town a while longer.”

  “Yes, she told me.” Lillian swung her legs up on the bed and slipped under the covers. “I can see you’re pleased.”

  Emily met her gaze. “I know you are, too, even if you won’t admit it. Sara told me she’s been visiting you.”

  “Yes, she has. What of it?”

  “I’m glad you’re finally accepting her. She is your only grandchild, you know.”

  “Don’t you think I know that? We have our own relationship, Emily. It doesn’t have anything to do with you,” Lillian pointed out.

  “Well, whether it has to do with me or not, I’m still relieved that you haven’t shut her out. I really don’t know what I would have done if you had, Mother,” Emily admitted.

  “What you would have done? What do you mean by that?” Lillian pushed herself back against the pillows and folded her arms over her chest.

  “It would have been very difficult for me. I’ve waited over twenty years to see Sara again. I’m not sure I could have stood it if you didn’t accept her.” Emily paused. “I’ve thought about some things that you said, Mother. I’m finally willing now to let the past go. But I’m not willing to have anyone destroy what I’ve found in the present.”

  Lillian glanced up at her, then folded her hands in her lap, as if resigned to some new idea.