She smiled contentedly and sunk back into her chair. “Well, then, I know what to pray for.”
Donnie cracked his knuckles and followed Mandy by leaning back in his chair. “You’re sunk, brother! See you at church in the morning. Come to the late service since the potluck is right after that.”
I didn’t have a response. I just looked back and forth between the two, knowing there was no way to argue. I was not going to go to church tomorrow.
Satisfied, Mandy returned to her meal. “So, now that that’s settled, back to Jed. How long before he moves down here?”
I’m not sure if I hesitated too long or if the burning in my eyes meant there were tears, but whatever it was caused Mandy to once again place her hand on my arm. “What is it? Did I say something wrong?”
I cleared my throat, getting control of my emotions before I spoke. “No, no, you didn’t say anything wrong. Jed and I are… we had a fight last night. One of the bigger ones we have had. I’m not sure if he is still going to come down here.”
They both just looked at me. Finally, Donnie spoke up. “Did he say that? Did he say he wants to end things?”
“No, nothing so definitive as that. He mentioned that he’d noticed I had changed, and he felt like I was getting more angry and feeling sorry for myself. I told him he didn’t have to come down here.Nobody was forcing him.”
Mandy squeezed my arm. “Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry. I’m sure everything will be all right. You’re too adorable. How could he leave you?”
Donnie gave me a half grin. “You always were dramatic.” He turned to Mandy. “His school—he’s a professor—gets out the first week in December, so he’ll be down here in a few weeks.”
Donnie’sattitude about Jed’s and my situation made me both relieved and somewhat irritated. Jed always told me I was dramatic. If Donnie could so easily dismiss my fears, then surely it wasn’t as big a deal as I thought it was. Of course, I would have liked a little more sympathy and understanding.
When I got home, I could hear Maudra playing the piano. I’d intended to go directly to bed, even though it was barely after nine. I was going up the stairs when the music stopped and Maudra called to me, asking me to come back downstairs. I walked into the library. Maudra motioned to the small, carved-wood love seat beside the piano. I sat obediently.
She started playing again, softer now. “So, how was dinner? Wha’dya think of Mandy?”
Already this felt pointed. Maudra was never one for small talk. “It was good. You were right, the enchiladas were terrific. And Mandy was every bit as great as you said she would be. I’m so glad Donnie has her.”
“Well, course I’m right, dear. T’aint no other option.” She chuckled at herself. “I’m glad ya had a good time. Just so ya know, I went out ta Simone’s Drive-In and picked up a burger and fries fer yer mom. Of course she didn’t answer the door. Didn’t ’spect her to. She never did care for Ray ’n’ me. I left it in the bag onher porch. She’ll be fine till tomorrow afternoon, so you can sleep in, since you ain’t going ta church with me.”
“Maudra, you didn’t need to do that. She doesn’t deserve that.”
“Well, as if that’s the point of anything. Ain’t none us gonna get anythin’ good if we go by that logic.”
“Well, thank you. You’re too sweet, as always.” Maudra just nodded as if in agreement. “I think I will go to bed, unless there was something you needed….”
“Actually, there is.” She looked down as her fingers effortlessly danced over the keys. “I wanted you ta tell me ’bout yer weddin’.”
I gaped at her. “What? Seriously?”
She looked up at me, her eyes full of intentional innocence. “Well, yes, I’m serious. Why else would I ask?”
I knew she had an ulterior motive, but couldn’t see what it might be. “Okay, then. What do you want to know?”
“All the details, ’course. The guests, the cake, the whole darn thing, as Shania would say.”
I’d forgotten how much Maudra loved Shania Twain songs. It always made me laugh to hear her singing along to the songs dressed in her old-fashioned gowns.
“Okay, then. I’ll tell you about the wedding. You are a peculiar woman, Maudra.”
“Sweetie, if I had a nickel….”
Maudra returned her attention back to the piano, and I sank back into the cushions and closed my eyes. “Well, we got married at Jed’s folks’ place. They have this mansion on a cliff in Seattle. It’s gorgeous. It’s kinda got this medieval feel to it, yet it’s beautiful and friendly. We got married at the beginning of summer, a little bit before dusk. It wasn’t a big service. Less than thirty people. JustJed’s family and some of his best friends that he grew up with. I invited Sandra and Christina, two of the girls I worked with at the residential treatment facility. They stood up with me. Jed’s little brother and his best friend from college stood up with him. It wasn’t elaborate, but it really was beautiful. We didn’t rent tuxes or anything. We wore black slacks and white fitted dress shirts that we left untucked. Although Jed’s mother about had a heart attack when she realized what we were going to wear. She, on the other hand, looked like she just stepped off the red carpet at the Oscars.” I could feel myself start to surrender to the memory.
“It had rained nearly all day and had only let up an hour or so before the ceremony. I thought we were going to have to have it in their house. I’d wanted to rent a tent, just in case something like that happened, but Jed said we needed to have faith that it wouldn’t rain. Plan on it not raining in Seattle. Can you imagine? Only Jed. Turned out perfect, though. Everything was glistening. There was a mist over the ocean and at the edge of the cliff, the sunset was one of those purple and pink ones, and the mist just seemed to make it glow especially for us.
“His folks had rented those white wooden lawn chairs, and they placed those on either side of the aisle. We didn’t put down a carpet to walk down. Instead we used white rose petals. There were so many of them you couldn’t see the grass at all. Your foot sunk down like it was snow. That was the color of our wedding. White. Only white. Another one of Jed’s ideas. At first I was resistant, but I was so glad I had given in when I saw it. There were white flowers everywhere. The path was the only thing that had roses. Everything else was covered in white orchids, lilies, irises, everything you can imagine. All the guests worewhite and black. The sunset painted everyone like they were a canvas. I have never seen anything as beautiful before or since.
“Jed’s little brother sang. You wouldn’t believe that kid’s voice. To top it off, he’s straight! It was a perfect day. I think I was in shock the entire time, and probably for a week after. I’d never really dreamed I could get married, and then to have it be so unbelievably gorgeous. It felt like I walked into one of those Disney fairy tales I loved so much. Believe it or not, I didn’t cry, not at all. I have cried tears of joy before, of course, but I was beyond that. I have never been so happy.
