Home at Last

by Judith Keim

  Sarah fanned her face, trying to hold back tears. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t want anyone to get the wrong impression of my crying as I got dressed. This is such a happy time for me. Or, it should be. Neither family is making it easy.”

  Lee approached them. “We’re going ahead with the dinner right now. Darren has assured me everything is as close to what I wanted as he could make it.” He put an arm around Sarah’s shoulder and hugged her to him. “I hope you’ll be happy with it.”

  She smiled up at him. “I know I will be. It’s our wedding dinner.”

  Lulu observed the flurry of activity as kitchen staff and servers worked together to arrange food on a large, round Lazy Susan set up in the middle of the table.

  Lee turned to her. “Please get a photo of each item as I’m explaining it. I want my parents to know I followed some of the traditions.”

  “I can’t wait to learn about them,” said Lulu. “It’s interesting to discover different cultural traditions. We might even incorporate some of them into our wedding program here.”

  “I’ll try to explain them carefully.” Lee held a chair for Sarah and then sat as the others lowered themselves into chairs at the table.

  “Instead of serving one course after another like you might do at a large wedding, I’ve asked Darren to serve the dishes together so we can taste what we like. But I’ll explain what each dish means.” He pointed to a plate of crispy-skinned pieces of pork. “The pork represents the purity of the bride, especially the crispness of the skin.”

  As everyone helped themselves to a taste of it, Lee continued.

  “The crab claws represent the groom’s side, the Dragon. The scallops with asparagus are for lots of children because the word for scallops in Chinese sounds a lot like the word for children. The lobster is stir fried with ginger and onions and topped with coriander. But it’s the lobster’s red color that’s important. The color red is for good luck, which is why we have so much red at this table and for the wedding flowers. We couldn’t get pigeons, but the chicken we’re serving symbolizes peace.”

  “We’d all better eat a lot of chicken,” quipped Sam.

  Laughter rang around the table, and the tension that had hovered above it disappeared. After wine and beer were poured, everyone settled down to taste the interesting collection of food that symbolized so much for the bride and groom.

  Lulu took photos of the food and the group celebrating at the table and then said to Lee. “Enjoy your meal. I’ll be available whenever you need me. Just buzz me on my cell.”

  ###

  Lulu was grabbing a bite to eat in the kitchen when the staff member handling the registration desk came hurrying into the room. “Lulu, come quickly! Cami needs your help.”

  She dropped the sandwich she’d been about to taste onto her plate and raced out of the kitchen.

  In the lobby, Cami was standing face to face with an angry man. She gave Lulu a look of desperation.

  “Mr. Wing would like to speak to us about his son’s wedding. I’ve tried to explain that Lee and Sarah are guests, and we don’t want them disturbed. I’ve told him he’s certainly welcome to call his son on his cell and wait for him here, but we can’t allow him to interrupt them without their permission. We have a requirement to protect the privacy of our guests.”

  “I see,” said Lulu, giving herself a moment to come up with a plan. She held out her hand. “Mr. Wing, I’m Louise Kingsley, the photographer your son and daughter-in-law have hired. May we offer you some refreshments?”

  “Why don’t I have a tray of appetizers brought out?” said Cami, giving her a grateful smile. “And, Mr. Wing, what could we offer to you to drink? Tea? Coffee? Wine?”

  He let out a long breath of frustration and then quietly said, “A glass of wine might be nice. I’ve rushed to get here. Now that I know it’s too late, I need time to think things through.”

  Lulu led Mr. Wing to a couch in the living room. “We can sit here. And, if you’re interested, I can show you some of the photos I captured.”

  He sat down on the couch and held his head in his hands. When he looked up at her, his eyes reflected sadness. “Tradition isn’t always easy to follow, I understand that. But the young people today don’t have any idea how free they are compared to those of my generation.”

  Lulu studied him. He was a well-dressed, handsome man with gray hair at his temples. As stern-looking as he’d first appeared, she noticed laugh lines around his eyes, and relaxed.

  Cami returned to them carrying Lulu’s cameras. “I thought you might need these.” She turned as a waitress approached carrying a tray holding a selection of appetizers, two glasses, and an opened bottle of wine.

  Lulu moved the coffee table closer to the couch and helped place the tray on top of it.

  Cami poured the wine into the two glasses and, after exchanging reassuring glances with her, left.

  Lulu raised her glass. “Here’s to your health and happiness, Mr. Wing.”

  He bobbed his head. “And to yours.”

  As the wine slid down her throat, Lulu kept an eye on him. Observing the tightness in his face relax the tiniest bit, she thought Cami was right to offer this gesture of hospitality as a counter to her refusing to permit him to interrupt Lee and Sarah’s wedding. Normally, she would not be drinking wine with a guest, but she knew it might seem rude for Mr. Wing to drink alone.

  They sipped the wine and tasted the appetizers in silence and then Mr. Wing spoke. “I understand what it is to challenge tradition. People in my generation have been told by our elders how irreverent we are, and yet my children test me even further.”

  “Let me show you a few of the photographs. I think you might find an answer to your dilemma there.” She lifted her digital camera and began going through the photographs with him. As modest as she was, Lulu could see she’d captured how alive, how happy, how spontaneous Lee and Sarah were together.

  Mr. Wing remained silent until she came to the pictures of the food and then, his eyes moist, he uttered, “My son has not forgotten everything. I see the red colors, the food choices ...”

  “And their love?” Lulu couldn’t help saying.

  “I see that too.” He got to his feet and walked over to one of the front windows and gazed out.

  She sat quietly as Mr. Wing continued to stare out at the darkness.

  “Father?”

  At the sound of his son’s voice, Mr. Wing whirled around. “Son?”

  Holding hands with Sarah, Lee walked toward him. Facing his father, he said in a shaky voice, “Sarah and I are married now. We hope to have your blessing.”

  Lee’s father stared at him and then ever so slightly bobbed his head. “I will not stand in your way, but you will do me the courtesy of writing to Mr. Chou to tell him of your choice. Understand?”

  “Yes, but there’s no need. Amy is here with us. She’s part of our wedding and with her boyfriend. This is what we both wanted.”

  Mr. Wing’s eyes widened and quickly returned to normal. “We’ll talk later. Now, I ask Sarah to forgive my rudeness. My wife and I will welcome you into our home as Lee’s wife.” His smile was brief. “I’m sure Mei will want to celebrate in style when you can come to San Francisco.”

  “Thank you,” Sarah said. “I am honored.”

  “Thank you, Father,” added Lee.

  Though the exchanges were all formal, Lulu understood what giant steps had been taken to move forward.

  “Won’t you join us? We’re having cake and enjoying some nice music,” Sarah said to Lee’s father. She turned to Lulu. “Will you come too?”

  Lulu grabbed her cameras, and with Mr. Wing, she followed Lee and Sarah to Chandler Hall. She was curious about the band Cami had talked about. It had been an evening of surprises and yet, according to her sister, another one awaited her.

  The strands of soft music wafted out of the building to greet her as Lulu approached Chandler Hall.

  Even though only a portion of the building had
been set aside for the wedding and celebration, the entire exterior of the building was lit with twinkling lights. Inside, she found the same attention had been given as a welcome to the guests.

  Sarah and Lee led them to the enclosed section by the fireplace.

  Lulu froze. A keyboard player, a drummer, and a guitar player were working together to produce a nice, mellow jazz sound. The man playing guitar caught her eye and winked.

  Her breath escaped in a soft gasp. Even though he wasn’t playing the right music, Miguel Lopez looked like the hottest rock star ever.

  “Cami said you’d be surprised to see Miguel,” Laurel said coming to her side. “Though he denies it, he’s actually very good. He certainly looks the part.”

  “Yes,” Lulu replied automatically. Her mind was still spinning at the sight of him in dark, tight jeans and a white, long-sleeved shirt that showed every bulging muscle from his work in the vineyards.

  “Surprised?” Cami’s smile was like that of an imp as she approached. “Better get lots of pictures. I had a hard time convincing Miguel to substitute for the guy who usually plays with this group.

  “A good choice,” said Laurel. “Mindy looks ready to swoon.”

  The three of them laughed. Weddings could be very interesting.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The soft, romantic sound of the music stirred Lulu. She hoped one day to find the man of her dreams and enjoy a quiet celebration like this. Something small, intimate.

  She looked up to find Miguel’s eyes on her and felt heat creep up her face. It wasn’t only his appearance that was so attractive to her. He’d protected her from the angry man at the restaurant. And that meant a lot to her.

  Mr. Wing rose from his chair at the table and asked Sarah to dance with him. The look of surprise on her face was telling, as was the grateful expression Lee wore. Standing quietly on the sidelines snapping photos as Lee’s father danced with Sarah, Lulu noticed the tears in both sets of eyes. For different reasons, she supposed, but a few tender moments she hoped to capture.

  Studying the people who surrounded her father like moths drawn to a light, Lulu had been trained to see what others might miss. That’s what made her photography of people so compelling. Tonight she was grateful for it.

  After the music stopped, Mr. Wing approached Amy. Lulu overheard him say, “I’ll speak to your father tomorrow.”

  Amy clasped her hands in front of her chest in a prayerful pose. “I called him myself after the ceremony, but it would be helpful if you two talked. I’m sorry if I offended you or your family. I would never wish to dishonor you or them.”

  He gave Amy a steady look. “Honor among families is very important. I will speak to your father about what I’ve seen and heard. I wish you the happiness my son has found.” He turned to watch Lee and Sarah dance. “Ah, to be so young, so brave, so bold.”

  As he spoke, Lulu captured the way regret had entered his eyes and knew a sad story lingered there.

  “I must leave,” he announced, walking up to Lee.

  Laurel hurried over to him. “Won’t you stay the night? We have a room ready for you.”

  Mr. Wing shook his head. “I must get back to Portland. I have an early morning flight home tomorrow. There are things to be done.”

  “I understand. Is there anything we can do to make the drive to Portland more enjoyable? Perhaps bottled water and a snack?”

  He shook his head. “Thank you, but my driver has all that.”

  Laurel shot him a look of concern. “A driver? Oh my! Has he been waiting all this time?”

  “Yes, but he’s fine. I told him it might take a while.”

  Hearing this, Lulu realized that the evening which had turned out as well as it had could have been a huge disaster. Lee’s father was used to having things go exactly as he directed. She knew then how much he loved his son.

  Lee and Sarah left the room with his father.

  “Wow! I’m glad that’s over,” said Amy sinking into a chair at the table. “I’ve never been so nervous in my life. Mr. Wing might’ve been my father-in-law.”

  “He seems like a nice man,” Laurel said.

  “He is, but he’s even more old-fashioned than my father. And, besides, I love Sam. My parents already know I wouldn’t marry Lee, but I couldn’t tell Mr. Wing that.”

  A while later, Lee returned to the group. “Sarah and I are going to call it a night, but you’re welcome to stay and dance and enjoy yourselves.”

  “Amy and I are tired from the trip. We’re going to our room.” The look Sam gave Amy indicated they weren’t so tired they couldn’t have a little fun.

  Mindy turned to Elliott. “How about you?”

  Elliott put his arm around her. “I’m ready to retire too.”

  Laurel called in the waitstaff to clean up. Lulu snapped a few photos of the cake that remained and shots of the band putting away their instruments. The Pendleton/Wing wedding was over. She’d take a few shots of the group in the morning, and then her work would be done.

  Lulu swung the two cameras over her shoulder and prepared to leave.

  “Hey! Where are you going?” said Miguel, walking over to her.

  “I thought I’d go home. My work is over for the night.”

  He lifted her chin and gave her a crooked grin. “That last song? I was playing it for you. Don’t end the evening now. Let’s go down to the Green Grape. I want to get to know you a lot better.”

  Every instinct told her to say no. His hand on her chin had sent disturbing heat waves through her.

  “Come on. Please. You haven’t let me apologize to you for the last time we were there. Give me a chance to make it up to you now.”

  Lulu sighed. “Okay. I need to drop the cameras off in my office and then I’ll meet you out front.”

  He beamed at her. “That’s a deal. I’ll have the truck warmed up for you.” His expression told her that’s not all he wanted to warm up.

  ###

  It being a Saturday night, the Green Grape was jammed. Miguel took hold of her hand and tugged her through the crowd.

  “Where are we going?” Lulu asked, weaving with him through the dancers.

  “I called and reserved a table,” he said. “I know one of the girls at the bar.”

  “Of course, you do,” she said wryly, suddenly wondering why she’d allowed herself to be talked into a date with him. As he cleared the way for her, Miguel reminded her of some of the security people who worked for her father. Lulu was pleased to see that the table that had been reserved for them was a small one in an out-of-the way corner.

  “What can I get you? Wine? Beer?”

  “Beer sounds good. Whatever you choose is fine.” Everyone once in a while she liked a beer, and with all the micro-breweries in the northwest, she’d learned that some beer drinkers were as fussy with their beer as she was with her wine.

  “I’ll be right back,” Miguel said, making his way to the bar.

  Lulu was deep in thought about Lee and his father when she sensed someone approaching. She turned. A young woman with long, dark hair slid into the empty chair at the table.

  “I’m sorry, this table is taken,” said Lulu.

  “I’m well aware of that,” the woman said smoothly. “I just wanted to get a good look at you and warn you that Miguel and I have an understanding. After he gets all this foolishness out of his system, he and I are going to be married.”

  “Who are you?” Lulu asked wondering why no one had warned her about Miguel’s engagement.

  Glancing into the crowd around them, the woman rose. “I’m Maria Ramos. Don’t you forget it.”

  As she hurried away, Miguel appeared with their drinks. “Who was that?”

  “Didn’t you recognize your fiancée?

  He set down the drinks with more force than necessary and faced the crowd. After a moment he turned back to her and sat down. “If you’re talking about Maria, she’s not my fiancée!” Miguel dragged a hand through his glossy black hair. “It w
as a mistake. The whole thing.”

  “You don’t need to explain your love life to me,” said Lulu, shaken by the encounter.

  Miguel’s dark-brown eyes studied her with an expression of disbelief. “You’re going to accuse me of something without knowing all the facts? You, of all people?”

  Lulu’s cheeks burned. She was acting as terrible as the reporters and other members of the news media who decided something was the truth whether they’d investigated or not. She reached over and touched his hand. “I’m sorry. Please go ahead.”

  “Maria and I were together in high school. A cheerleader/football player kind of thing. At the end of our senior year before we went away to college, she wanted to get married. I told her no, that I had a lot of growing up to do.”

  “She thinks you’re just sowing wild oats, so to speak, before settling down with her.”

  Miguel’s sigh spoke volumes. “I’ve tried to explain that’s not going to happen, but she won’t listen. I have no intention of marrying anyone until I’m sure I’m ready. I do my best to ignore her, though sometimes I feel as if she’s stalking me.”

  Listening to him, Lulu filled with sympathy. Because she’d seen this kind of thing with her father, she understood how he felt. “Let’s simply enjoy ourselves. It’s been a busy, emotional day for me with the wedding, and I need to relax.”

  As they sipped their beers, they began to talk about the vineyards and how the three of them—Chandler Hill, Taunton Estates, and Lone Creek could do exciting things together. One beer led to two and then three.

  Lulu enjoyed the buzz and the chance to get a guy’s perspective on life in the valley. She recognized how knowledgeable Miguel was about grape growing. And he had a way of listening to her questions that made her feel as if she was the only person in the world.

  His gaze settled on her. “Now, you know a little about me and my work. What should I know about you besides your being your father’s daughter, Cami’s half-sister and working at Chandler Hill? What are your hobbies? What are some of your favorite things?”