Page 15 of The Ties that Bind
I couldn’t say or do anything except reach out and squeeze Maggie’s hand in understanding, because that was exactly the way I felt about Zoe and my life with her. Professors were supposed to have a way with words, but I never would have thought to put it like that.
“Alright, ladies, time for us to disappear back upstairs,” Maggie decided, finding Abigail and Zoe amongst the milling people. Giggling, the three girls ran up the stairs after one last glance at Al and me.
I smiled and made a shooing motion with my hand, then mouthed “I love you” to Zoe. It surprised me that Maggie’s eyes lingered for a moment on her mother struggling to straighten the floral garlands around the stair railings, but didn’t stop to say anything. She really was happy and intent upon just having a wonderful time, whether every single flower was perfectly put into place or not.
Marty’s mother took charge in the bride’s absence, but she seemed to have taken a leaf out of Maggie’s book and relaxed considerably. Smoothly, we all helped to make sure the last of the flowers from the truck in the driveway were unloaded and put into place, the tables were set aside out of sight but ready to be moved into the backyard when we rearranged the chairs for the reception.
Delphine asked if I had heard from the bakery and the caterer? When I told her, “They both called me this morning to double check the time and let me know everything’s ready,” she breathed a sigh of relief.
Then I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I looked behind me to see Al. “I think we’ve done about all we can, and we’re just about the only ones not dressed yet. Let’s go get ready.”
Dressing for men was usually easier and faster than it was for women, and today was no exception. It didn’t take us long to change into our tuxes and gel our hair into a presentable form. It took longer than it needed to, though, because we chatted the whole time, talking about many things - especially our women. I hadn’t talked to Al before today, and I had only met Marty briefly, but the three of us hit it off immediately.’
“It’s because our girls are best friends,” Al joked as he came out of the bathroom, adjusting his bowtie.
“Wow, you clean up nice for a rough and tough rocker,” Marty joked. Only the tattoos on Al’s hands peeked out from under the tux jacket, and he had tamed his hair into a style more acceptable to the older generations that would be in attendance.
“Of course I do,” Al responded, raising his eyebrows high, standing up straight, and jokingly brushing an invisible hair back into place. “Mustn’t offend the moms and grandmas.”
Yeah,I decided again,I like Al. A bit direct, or even crass but polite when he needs to be.
Marty glanced at his watch. “We need to get out there,” he announced, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.
“You already got the girl, man,” Al told him nudging Marty with his elbow. “All you’ve got to do now is get out there, kiss her and seal the deal.”
Chapter Eight
Maggie
What’s wrong?” Zoe leaped forward, steadying me in my heels at the top of the stairs. The house was finally quiet, and I knew why - everyone was outside waiting for me to appear.
I corrected my near overbalance with her help, feeling a little silly. “Nothing,” I told her, letting Abigail take my other hand. “I’m not dizzy or overheated or anything. I just…” I giggled and held a hand to my mouth. “I’m so excited my legs are kinda shaky.”
My two friends relaxed when they realized I was alright and fussed over me, finding some little things that were “wrong” with my satin train and waist length veil. They fixed these imaginary issues while I calmed my racing heart and settled my shaking legs.
I was doing it. I was getting married. After so much preparation, the time had finally come, and I could hardly believe it was happening. “This is really happening. Marty and I are getting married,” I murmured, wondering if the words would become more real if I spoke them aloud.
“Yes, itishappening,” Abigail agreed. “And it’s happening because you’re a beautiful, wonderful woman who found the man of her dreams.”
I glanced back and forth at my two best friends in the world and grinned. “You two are absolutely stunning.” The pale pink silky charmeuse fabric of their bridesmaid dresses clung to their curves elegantly. “Everything’s going to change after today, isn’t it? But for the better.”
Zoe nodded her head slowly, her black curls bouncing against her shoulders. “Aiden said something to me this morning. He said that paths can separate, but they can also join again.”
“We can split and go across the country to live our lives, but we can always come back together again,” I translated.
“Exactly. Now come on, you got this! Let us go out first, your dad is waiting in the dining room. Then you just take his arm and walk out the back door, looking like the beautiful bride you are, and tell that guy waiting at the end how much you love him.” Zoe gave me a careful hug and Abigail did the same, then they headed down the stairs and straightened out my train before leaving.
Everything is ready. Everyone is ready. I had written my vows, but I hadn’t needed to memorize them. They were written in my heart, and I could never forget something that meant so much to me.
The house is so quiet,I realized. I couldn’t hear a murmur of voices outside, the chirp of birds in the trees or gusts of wind playing with the old shutters. Everything held its breath along with me, waiting for the sound of the grand piano that had been placed in the backyard, near the gazebo. I shifted my bouquet in my hands, and the leaves and petals rubbed against each other and whispered tiny encouragements.
“Are you ready, Maggie?” My dad stepped up to me, offering me his arm with sparkling eyes.
“Oh, Daddy, I’m so, so ready. And I’m so glad you’re here!” I carefully through my arms around him in a spontaneous hug before I took his arm. “And you look so handsome, and Momma looks so beautiful.” I kept puttingsoin front of everything like I could somehow use the word to explain the vastness of the wealth of happiness in my heart.
“And you look the best of all of us, Honey. You make your whole dress glow,” he said gently, giving my sleeve a little tug to straighten it from the hug.
Then deep, shimmering tones came from the backyard. “Is - is that it? Is Abigail at the piano?” I asked, suddenly unsure.