Before they were engaged, Julie’s fiancé, James, had bought them a farm to live on after they were married. It was a beautiful place with an old restored farmhouse on it, not far from Covington. Julie was excited to get some horses one day so they could go riding together, but for now, they were renting a few to enjoy during her bachelorette party.
Matilda pulled her car into the driveway at the farm. The vehicle bumped over the uneven tracks that led up to an old overgrown barn. She set the car in park and climbed out. She was wearing jeans, boots and a short-sleeved shirt with a knot tied above the waist. She pulled a cowgirl hat from the backseat and shoved it on her head, grabbed two large shopping bags full of goodies for the party, and headed into the house.
“Hello? I’m here!” she called as she wiped her feet on the welcome mat.
“There you are. Great! Come into the kitchen. I made mojitos,” Julie called out to her.
Matilda followed Julie’s voice and found her standing at the kitchen counter beside a food processor. It was full of icy cold mojitos. She hurried forward to embrace Matilda, who set her bags down on the table.
“Phew! I made it.”
“Busy day?” Julie asked as she returned to her task of pouring the mixed cocktails into a large jug filled with ice.
“I’ve been looking forward to this all week. And yes, it’s been a heck of a day. I’ll be glad when this whole year comes to an end.”
“Well, grab a mojito and let’s party!”
Matilda accepted the large glass Julie handed her and then got to work setting up the decorations and some snack foods. The drinks were already in place on a small card table in the dining room, so Matilda set up another table and added a tablecloth, some balloons and streamers, a plate of crackers, cheeses, and deli meats as well as bowls of chips and spring rolls.
Before long, the women began to arrive—students from the University of Georgia, who studied and worked alongside Julie, as well as women from her high school years, cousins, aunts, church members, and more. There were around thirty women by the time they’d all piled into the small farmhouse.
Matilda had compiled a playlist and had it booming throughout the speakers she’d placed around the downstairs area. Before long, everyone was dancing. It soon came time for horse riding, and Matilda had to shout over the music to get people’s attention. One by one, they took turns until only Julie and Matilda were left. There were two horses, so they went together. The sun was setting beyond the woods to the west of the farmhouse, shooting rays of orange and pink across the sky. It was quiet, apart from the distant music and laugher of the party, and Matilda finally felt like she could draw breath.
“This is stunning,” she said with a sigh.
Julie smiled as she held the reins loosely. Their horses plodded slowly alongside one another down an old cow trail. “It’s perfect. Thanks for putting it all together.”
“I didn’t do much. But you’re welcome.”
“Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”
Matilda frowned. “What do you mean? Are you getting cold feet?”
Julie groaned. “No, not exactly. But I still haven’t finished my PhD. And when we’re married, I’ll be moving out here. It’s a long drive to college. I really should be focused on my thesis. I’m so stressed!”
“But it’s James…”
“I know—it’s James.” Julie smiled. “He’s wonderful. I love him so much. Every time I think about him, I’m happy and ready to move forward. And then I think about my workload and the commute, and trying to do it all at once, and my heart rate skyrockets. Did you have cold feet before your wedding?”
“Definitely, but we got married for a green card.” Matilda laughed and shook her head. “It wasn’t exactly the most sensible thing I’ve ever done.”
“I forgot about that. But you’re happy now, right?”
“We’re very happy. We fell in love. And maybe we were already in love when we got married, but neither of us would admit it at the time.”
“So… you think I’m doing the right thing?” Julie chewed on her lower lip.
Matilda felt for her. Getting married was a big decision. “Only you can choose that for yourself. If you’re doubting, there’s no rush. You don’t have to go through with it.”
“I’m not doubting… not exactly.”
“It sounds like you’re anxious about the changes it’ll bring, and your workload. But James is a doctor, so won’t he be gone a lot for work as well? I’m sure he’ll understand the commitment you have to your studies.”
“I know he does,” Julie agreed. “He’s very supportive. But can I do it all? I’m right in the final stages of pulling my thesis together. I’ve barely slept in weeks. I’m constantly focused on getting it right. And yet I’ve also got to think about flower arrangements, bridesmaid dresses, bridal showers, and all kinds of other things.”
“You’re overwhelmed,” Matilda added quietly.
Julie nodded. “Yes, I’m definitely experiencing a bit of that.”
