Over at Kasey, actually, who was picking up another moonakis flower. I watched as she turned the stalk in her hand, thinking of the scrubby, unimpressive plant they’d come from and how she’d called them a mystery. Like this summer, or life in general, the only guarantee was that you’d be surprised.
Two hours later, we were all at the Woods on the porch. Jonathan and Anne sat at the end of the table, holding hands.
“Okay, everyone’s here now,” Liz said. “Go ahead.”
A beat. Anne glanced at Jonathan. “Well…,” she said slowly, “we’ve decided the wedding is back on.”
“Oh my goodness!” Liz exclaimed. “What wonderful news!”
“Congratulations,” Kasey said to Jonathan, who smiled. I thought of the way he’d looked earlier, so desperate as he peered in the cabin, searching for her. Thank God they’d ended up together. Otherwise I wasn’t sure I’d ever believe in love again.
“Are you sure about this?” Lana asked Anne. “You were pretty upset.”
“I was.” She looked at Jonathan, who nodded. “But we’re united now. When we talk to Kathy, we’re going to be very clear if this wedding happens, we’re doing it our way.”
Liz, who was madly texting with, I assumed, Travis, looked up. “Your way?”
“Here,” Anne replied, moving a hand around her. “With my dress and flowers from Kasey’s garden. The way I—”
“We,” Jonathan chimed in, eyes still on her.
“—want it,” she finished.
Liz looked dumbstruck. “But… the wedding is this Saturday.”
“Yes,” Jonathan said. “We know.”
“That’s two days away,” my mom, ever the realist, pointed out.
Anne nodded. “Exactly.”
Silence. Finally, Kasey said, “Well, count me in for the flowers. It would be an honor.”
Anne brightened. “Really?”
“Of course.” Kasey looked at Liz. “Doing it here, though…”
“How?” her sister replied. “I mean, what would that even look like?”
Anne stood, moving over to the dollhouse. As she grabbed one side, right under the eaves, Jonathan took the other end.Then, together, they began to turn it, outside becoming inside. There was the living room. Those rows of chairs, an aisle. Like before, all that was missing was the people. And now we were here.
“Yes, hello. I need to rent some items for a party?”
It had been only about an hour since Anne and Jonathan’s announcement. Liz had wasted no time getting to work.
“This coming Saturday,” she was saying now. “A wedding, my daughter’s. How many? Well, there are a hundred guests, so… oh. Right. Well, is there—hello?”
That was the third place she’d called that was a no. Just listening, I was getting discouraged. But she only sighed, consulted the legal pad she was scribbling on, and began to dial again.
“Hi, I’m looking for some chairs and tables for this weekend.” She paused. “Yes.Thisweekend.”
Just then my phone chirped.BFF, said the screen. That was Lana. While I’d put in her number and made it one of my favorites as directed, she’d added this detail herself. I went out onto the porch to answer.
“Is Ben there?” she asked me, skipping a hello. She’d gone to the Egg to grab our paychecks. “Anne’s looking for him. Something about playing at the wedding.”
“Don’t they have a band booked already?” I asked. I was pretty sure I remembered hearing about one, with a name even more unfortunate than Sudden Constellation.
“Gary and the Shenanigans,” she replied. That was it. “Forthe reception. I think this is for the ceremony. Anyway, if you see him, will you let him know? Clark’s dragging me to Bly Supply.”
