by Darcie Chan
Ruth led them around a corner and to the double doors that led into the enormous great room. Claudia gasped. Everyone from the wedding was there, but the room itself was transformed. There were beautiful sofas and chairs around the perimeter of the room, where people could comfortably sit and visit. Large bouquets of red roses were strategically interspersed along the walls and next to a table overflowing with gifts, and the disc jockey they had hired had set up his equipment in one of the far corners.
The guests began to applaud as they made their entrance, accompanied by the announcement of their arrival over the sound system. As they mingled, Claudia began to realize that what she’d heard was true. One of the hardest things about weddings was having so many people you love around you and so little time to spend with each one. Her family was there, of course, and several of her fellow teachers from Mill River and her hometown of Dryden, New York. Her best friend from high school had flown in, as had her college roommate. There were other familiar faces. Dear Father O’Brien was slowly working the room. When Claudia spotted Karen Cooper standing with her husband and son, she immediately went over to them.
“Claudia,” Karen said with a smile, holding out her arms to hug her as Kyle and Nick shook hands. “You look so beautiful. Congratulations.”
“I’m so glad you’re here today. And you, too, Nick! I’ll always look back and remember what a blessing it was that you were both able to share this day with us.”
“It is a blessing,” Karen replied. She gazed at Nick’s face, and he squeezed her against him with the arm that wasn’t in a cast and sling.
Claudia was looking around, trying to see where Rowen was, when a short little woman with gray curly hair approached her.
“Oh, Miss Claudia, this is the most perfect wedding I’ve ever been to,” Daisy Delaine said in her distinctive singsong voice. “Well, you know that it’s the only wedding I’ve ever been to. I’m so happy you invited me. I hope you and Officer Hansen have a long and joyful life together.”
“I hope that, too, Daisy, thank you,” she said, and bent down a little to embrace her.
“Oh, and you know, Miss Claudia, I made you a real special potion as a gift. It’s an early batch of my famous love potion. There’s no fresh wintergreen ready yet, but I had just enough left over in the freezer from last year. Anyhow, it’s on the table over there, but I thought I’d tell you that the one that has ‘Fragile’ on it is from me.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for it, Daisy,” Claudia said. “And thank you so much for thinking of us. I’m sure it’ll be great.”
As Daisy tottered off into the crowd, Claudia noticed Emily, who had helped Ruth set up for the reception, standing with Matt Campbell in a nearby corner. Claudia had been meaning to compliment Emily on the stunning renovation of the mansion, but she and Matt were holding hands and talking, seemingly oblivious to everything around them.
“I’m so thrilled with how everything turned out,” Emily was saying to Matt. “If you hadn’t helped me so much…I still can’t believe you offered when I was so cool toward you in the beginning.”
“Eh, I like challenges. I didn’t have anything better to do, and I figured it was worth a try to get what I really wanted.”
“Which was?”
Matt gave Emily a naughty grin. “A woman of substance,” he said. “Smart, good sense of humor, and one who…” He leaned over to whisper in her ear. Claudia didn’t catch everything he said, but she couldn’t help smiling to herself when she heard him say “tool belt” and “smoking hot.”
The evening seemed to speed by, faster and faster, in a blur of champagne and hors d’oeuvres, cake, dancing, more champagne, and more cake. All the while, the snow continued to fall outside. A few hours after they arrived at the mansion, Ruth took them aside.
“Fitz just told me they’ve issued a winter storm warning for the whole area. They’ve upped the snow totals, too. You might think about getting on the road if you want to get to…uh, wherever you’re planning on spending the night.”
“She’s probably right,” Kyle said after Ruth went to check on the appetizers set up in the dining room. “Why don’t you have a quick word with anyone you haven’t talked to yet. I’m going to go find Rowen to make sure she and my parents are good to go, and then I’ll meet you back in the kitchen.”
“Okay,” Claudia said. She couldn’t help giggling as Kyle grabbed her up and kissed her passionately before letting her loose. When she returned to the kitchen, she was surprised to find Kevin lounging against the counter. He’d removed his bow tie and held a half-empty bottle of beer.
“Hey there, sis,” he said as she came in. “Great party out there. I guess you and Kyle will be taking off soon?”
“I think so. We heard that the weather’s going downhill fast.” Kevin was a pitiful sight, with bloodshot eyes and hair that was mussed on one side. “I’m really sorry to hear about you and Misty,” she said carefully. “I wanted to tell you that earlier, but it’s been kind of crazy tonight. I haven’t had much time to talk with anyone for more than a few minutes.”
“Thanks. I was hoping no one would notice Misty didn’t come, especially you guys. It was your special day, you know? I didn’t want the whole mess with her to take away from that.”
“It didn’t, and it wouldn’t have,” Claudia said. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Kevin took a swig of his beer and nodded. “Yeah. I was kind of pissed about it at first, but it’s been a week or so since she ended things, and now I’m not as upset. I’m even starting to feel glad. I mean, she was really beautiful, you know? The prettiest girlfriend I ever had, hands down. But I found out that she was sleeping around on me.”
Not with Kyle, Claudia thought with smug satisfaction, though she wasn’t at all surprised about Kevin’s revelation. Remembering Misty’s proposition to Kyle, she felt the urge to wallop the woman all over again. What was strange was the fact that her new brother-in-law was sharing so much with her. Maybe it’s the alcohol, she thought. Or maybe the poor guy just needs someone to talk to about it.
“Oh, Kevin, I’m so sorry. That’s awful.”
Kevin snorted. “Yeah. Some guy she met at the gym. They took a naked selfie together, which she texted to me, along with a few choice words about how much better-looking he was than me, to break things off.”
“Oh, God.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s really horrible.” Secretly, she was relieved that Kyle hadn’t been the one to reveal the truth about Misty to Kevin.
“I know. Ol’ Kevin struck out again. But I figure I’m better off without her, if that’s the kind of person she is. I just wish I could find a really nice girl.”
“You will,” Claudia said. “It’s hard to be patient when you’re ready for a relationship, I know, but it takes time to meet the right person, time to get to know her.”
“I’m trying. Have been for a while, but I never seem to find the right one. Mostly, it’s tough to get anyone interested in going out with me.” Kevin twisted the beer bottle as it sat on the countertop. The bit of liquid left inside sloshed rhythmically against the brown glass.
Claudia chewed on her bottom lip, trying to think of what she could say to bring him some comfort. Finally, she took a deep breath. “There was a time not long ago when I didn’t think I’d ever meet anyone, especially someone who loved me for me—the person I am on the inside. I was pretty overweight and had been all my life. No one wanted to get close enough to me to see what kind of person I was. Or maybe I was so insecure that I convinced myself of that.
“Once I committed to getting healthy and got myself in shape on the outside, I figured things would be really different. But, you know what? On the inside, I didn’t change that much. I realized after a while that I’d never have a real relationship unless I met someone who truly loved me for who I was inside…and unless I loved myself. That was scary. No amount of running on the treadmill would take away my insecurities, so meeting people hadn�
��t gotten any easier for me, despite the change in how I looked. I realized that outward appearances aren’t the important thing.
“With Kyle, things just fell into place. It happened fast—faster than I ever imagined it would—and there are still days when I pinch myself and marvel at how happy I am with him. Like today. But my point is, you’re a lot like him, Kevin. You’re a nice guy. You are good-looking, regardless of what Misty said. You obviously value what a person is like inside, and you deserve someone who shares that quality. I know the right girl is out there, waiting for you. It may take a little while, and a strikeout or two, but eventually, you’ll find someone you love for who she is, inside and out, and she’ll feel the same way about you.”
“I hope so,” Kevin said. “And I think Kyle is really lucky. You don’t have any sisters, do you?”
Claudia laughed. “Nope, just my brother, but I’ve got a lot of friends. A lot of single friends. Maybe I can set you up on a blind date once we’re back from our honeymoon.”
“Really?” Kevin finally cracked a smile. “Are you serious?”
“Sure, if you’re up for it.”
“Huh. Well, what the hell? I guess it’s worth a shot.”
Claudia beamed. “It definitely is.”
A moment later, Kyle entered the kitchen. “All right,” he said. “I think we should get going. You ready?”
“Yes,” Claudia said. She stood up and took Kyle’s hand.
“Have a great time,” Kevin said with a wink at Claudia. “And I’ll be looking forward to my date.”
“Date?” Kyle asked with a puzzled expression as they left the kitchen.
“Oh, I’m going to try my hand at playing Cupid,” she said. “I’ll explain later.”
They quickly changed out of their formal attire and said goodbye to their families and guests. Their overnight bags were already packed and in the cab of Kyle’s truck. Ruth handed them a small portable cooler just before they got inside. “I didn’t see either of you eating much, so I packed some food for you to take. There’s some of the cake in there, too.”
“That’s so nice of you, Ruth. Thank you so much for everything,” Kyle said.
Claudia hugged her tightly. “We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful reception. And congratulations on your new bed-and-breakfast. It really is amazing.”
Rowen ran up to Kyle and grabbed him around the waist. “You be good,” he told her as he squeezed her around the shoulders. “Don’t you run your grandma and grandpa ragged. We’ll be back tomorrow night.”
“Don’t worry, we’re going to have a great time,” Peggy said. “Now get going, you two, before the snow gets too deep and you end up stuck on the side of the road on your wedding night.”
“Are you finally going to tell me where we’re going?” Claudia asked once they were on the road.
“Ummm, no. I’d rather you see it,” Kyle said. “You only have to wait another hour, though.”
“Thank goodness,” she said, sliding her hand along his thigh.
“So, what was Kevin saying?” Kyle asked. “About the date?”
“I was trying to cheer him up. Misty cheated on him with another guy—treated him like crap. I feel so bad for Kevin. He really deserves to meet a nice girl, so I’m going to try to set him up on a blind date with one of my friends.”
“Really? That would be awesome!” Kyle grinned at her. “You know, I didn’t say anything to you, because I didn’t want you to think it was a big deal or that I wouldn’t handle it, but Misty made a couple passes at me. She even texted me after Thanksgiving, wanting to hook up for fun. Can you believe it?”
“What?” Claudia looked at him with her mouth slightly open. “Are you serious?”
“Oh, yeah. I texted her back and told her that I was madly in love with you and that she should fuck off and stay the hell away from Kevin. Not that I usually use words like that, but I was so disgusted. I wanted to use language she’d understand. I blocked her number, too.”
“There aren’t words bad enough to describe her. It’s a good thing you didn’t tell me all this before now. I trust you completely, but I really might’ve killed her.”
Kyle chuckled. “I know. So, you’re not mad? I didn’t want it to ruin our wedding or the time before it. I made it clear to her that she was no longer invited, but I haven’t told Kevin what she did. I’ve been trying to figure out how to do that.”
“I don’t think you have to,” Claudia said, and she filled him in on the details of Kevin’s breakup. “He’s done with her and looking toward the future, so he’s in a good place. And so are we.” She rubbed his thigh gently, and Kyle put his free arm around her so she could rest her head against his shoulder.
After several minutes, they managed to get out in front of the storm, and they made great time the rest of the way.
“Lake Placid?” Claudia asked as she saw a sign.
Kyle just smiled.
A few minutes later, her eyes grew wide. “ ‘Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa,’ ” she read as they pulled into the parking lot. “Oh my God, I’ve heard of this place. It’s supposed to be incredible!”
Kyle smiled again. “It is.”
They had the Adirondack Suite, one of the lake-view signature suites with a stone fireplace and a whirlpool tub. Claudia could only stare at the columns of birch bark, twig, and cedar and the rustic wooden frame on the enormous king-size bed. Through the window, they could plainly see the rush of snowflakes flying past as the storm caught up with them.
“It really is just like our first time,” Claudia breathed. “I think this might have been worth the wait.”
“What do you say we try out the tub first?” Kyle asked. He came up behind her and slipped his arm around her waist.
Claudia stroked his hand with her own and reached out to lower the window shade. Then she turned toward him and began unbuttoning his shirt. “First the tub,” she agreed, planting a light kiss on his bare chest. Feeling the warmth of his skin against her lips sent a rush of electricity down her body. “And then?” She looked past him, toward the bed.
Kyle took her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. “And then I intend to take my wife into that huge bed and make love to her for the rest of the night.”
—
In his office in the parish house on Saturday night, Father O’Brien read over his homily for the next morning’s Mass. Every so often, he glanced around and felt a renewed gratitude that he was still there, able to enjoy and be a part of this place. And then there was Elizabeth, the wonder of her finding him and of feeling a love reawakened after eighty years.
He looked down at two envelopes sitting on the corner of his desk. The first was a business letter from a medical laboratory confirming that he and Elizabeth were siblings. After seeing the spoon, he’d had no doubt, but the modern marvel of DNA testing had made it official.
The second envelope held two old, handwritten letters. One of them was from his mother to Mary, written when they’d been corresponding. He’d had no idea that they would develop the friendship they had. When he’d suggested they start writing, it had been merely to give two similar individuals—one isolated in a great white house in Mill River and the other a long-term patient at the Brattleboro Retreat—a constructive activity.
And yet, his mother had confided to Mary so much. He’d read all of the letters since Emily had dropped them off in Patrick McAllister’s old briefcase, and it gave him joy to know that his mother had regained her memories over the years. Mary, with her penchant for helping, must have seen in his mother another person who needed her, albeit from a distance.
Father O’Brien unfolded the first letter and read it again:
October 24, 1971
Dear Mary,
I write this letter with a heavy heart, for I have learned that my older brother, Frank, has died. I visited him in the hospital two days ago, and we said our goodbyes then, because the doctor told us his infection wasn’t responding to treatment
and his organs had begun to shut down.
Frank told me something very upsetting during my visit, something he had kept from me for nearly forty years. My baby girl, Grace—the one I told you about, who died only a few days after she was born, didn’t actually die at all. I don’t remember much from back then, as I was very ill, but I do remember her. She was born prematurely at less than four pounds. I named her with Michael and Frank sitting beside me, right before her baptism.
Frank told me that he knew I would’ve done anything for that baby, but in my condition, I wasn’t capable of taking care of an infant. I was so grief-stricken over Niall’s death that I didn’t even recognize her or Michael, and the doctors couldn’t tell Frank when I might be myself again or if I ever would be. Frank also detested orphanages. He told me he’d heard about too many orphans being mistreated…or worse. So, he arranged for Grace to be adopted by a childless couple—good people, he assured me—although back then he told me she’d died. She was so small and weak at birth that the doctors didn’t expect her to survive, and Frank felt that if I ever got well enough to realize my daughter was gone, it would be easier to come to terms with her death than her having been adopted. Plus, I imagine Michael would have objected strenuously if he knew Frank was attempting to find a new home for Grace.
Mary, I find myself pining more for my lost child than my late brother. That may be terrible to say, but it’s true. There aren’t words to describe how upset I was with him when he finally told me the truth. The difficulty I had carrying that baby, and all the trouble Michael went through to provide for me when his father couldn’t…I fought harder for Grace than I’d fought for anything my whole life. In the end, she was taken from me, and I was too sick to realize it.
Frank didn’t have any information about the child—the names of the adoptive parents or where they lived. He worked with another priest in New Hampshire to arrange it, but it was done quickly and in secret. I’ve made inquiries to various state agencies and offices of the church, but no one has been able to find any record of her other than a funeral Mass conducted in the spring of 1935, which I now know was not reflective of the truth.
