Trevor, lying next to her, lifted his head and wagged his tail.
“Morning, baby girl,” I said from the doorway. “It’s finally here. Our big day.”
She turned to me with enormous eyes. “I’m so excited to wear my dress.”
“I’m excited too,” I said.
Her dress was hanging on her closet door, a confection of pink tulle with enormous ruffled flowers cascading down the skirt, making it look like a bouquet of peonies. Madison had chosen it herself after rejecting seven other options on the grounds that a flower girl should wear a dress that looked like anactualflower. My girl was quite literal. She’d also insisted on a flower crown of pink peonies and baby’s breath and a matching one for Trevor to wear around his neck.
“Can I get dressed now?” Madison asked.
“Not yet. Breakfast first and then we’ll get you in the bath and wash your hair.” Madison had asked for an “updo” like one she’d seen in a magazine. Grace had generously offered to help, doing two practice runs to make sure she had it just right.
Madison scrambled off the window seat, with Trevor at her heels.
“Feed Trevor,” I called after her.
“I will, Mommy.”
I walked down the hall to Robbie’s room, knocking softly. “Robbie, you up?”
“Yes, Mother. You may enter.”
He was at his desk, working on his computer doing whatever he did with his mysterious coding. Two monitors, a keyboard, and a stack of printed research were arranged neatly around him. He’d been happy as could be since we moved in, spending hours in here with his school work and projects.
We’d also paid for his summer program at USC in full. I’d never seen him as excited about anything in his life. When Grady’s mother had set up the trusts for her children, she would have had no idea what it would give to me and my children. During a recent trip down to L.A. to visit Mara and her family, I’d asked Grady to take me out to the cemetery to visit her grave. I’d had quite a talk with her, telling her about my kids and how happy her decision had made all of us. By the end, I’d felt her presence in a warm breeze that tickled my skin. She approved.
I laid a giant bouquet of sunflowers next to her gravestone and promised to come back soon.
“You all ready for today?” I asked Robbie now.
“Adequately prepared. I’ve revised my toast four times. The current version is optimal. And no, you may not hear it. Maximum impact can only be achieved if it’s new to you as well as our guests. A preview would diminish the effect.”
“Fair enough. Do you need anything? It’s about to get busy around here.” His suit was hanging in the closet. He and Grady had shopped for their wedding attire together, coming home with nearly matching beige suits, light blue shirts and brown leather dress shoes. Robbie had insisted on a bow tie, as it was a momentous occasion, whereas Grady had opted for no tie at all.
“I am quite prepared, but thank you,” Robbie said. “Tyler and Peter have offered to assist me in my best man duties if I should need them.”
“All right, then. There are some bagels downstairs for breakfast. Please eat one. We have a big day.”
“Yes, Mother. He went back to his monitors for a moment before turning back to me. “Isn’t it interesting that your perfect match had been right in front of us this entire time?”
“Yes, it really is.”
“I have to think about that in regard to Seraphina and Delphine. Perhaps we know their matches already too.”
“I have a feeling you’re right.”
“Mother, one last thing.”
“Yes?”
“You’re happy, right?”
“Very much so. Everything’s exactly as it should be. Now.”
A slight smile. “This has been a most satisfying endeavor. Three down and two more to go.”
“I should never have doubted you kids. You were absolutely right to push us into choosing something for ourselves.”
