The Wedding

Her mother woke her way too early.  Okay, 8:30.  Bernice insisted she wanted Riley to eat a hardy breakfast because she didn’t want her fainting walking down the aisle.  Plus they had their spa appointments to keep.  Mani-pedi, hair, makeup for all of them, Mom, Riley, Eden, Lily, Mary Ahern, and Orla.  That should be fun.  In a way, it was too bad that Mike’s mother wasn’t coming.  But that was her choice.  The spa would serve them little tidbits and then—  Then, they would all go to the Mayapple Estate and repair to the suite her mother had reserved for Riley’s final preparations.  What a day this was going to be.  And the grand finale?  Her wedding!  She would admit now, if only to herself, that she had fears she would never meet someone, that she would grow old alone.  But along came Mike.  She knew she shouldn’t feel this way as a modern woman, but somehow with Mike she felt her life was complete.

Mike stood, waiting, Declan at his side.  Yes, he was nervous.  He had already asked Declan several times if he had the ring and warned him not to pull any pranks like dropping it and pretending to search for it.   “Hey, you know me,” Declan replied.  Which is exactly why Mike warned him.  Then he watched as the seats filled with almost late-comers, before the parade down the aisle was to begin.

Even though a tent had been set up just in case, they were lucky with the weather.  It was cloudy and there was a slight breeze, just enough to be comforting.  He and Declan were surrounded by a plethora of blooming plants and shaded even more by a canopy of flowers over a wooden trellis. Fortunately, neither of them suffered from allergies.

Then the incidental music stopped and a more formal march-like tune was struck up.  “Here they all come,” Declan whispered.  At which point, the officiant, a Unitarian minister came from the side to take his place. He smiled at Mike and said, “This is going to be grand.”

Let’s hope, Mike thought.  Let me just get through these hours and then it’s off to Ireland for ten days of heaven.

First to come were his parents, his father looking rather uncomfortable and his mother looking like something was amiss.  Having been through this so many times, it should have been old hat for them.  They took their seat in the front row, where Mary and Thomas were already sitting, along with Declan’s wife.

Next came Riley’s mother Bernice, along with her professor Than Dunkirk.  There was no awkwardness here.  She paraded down the aisle like a queen, acknowledging her friends along the way.  Almost reluctant to give up the spotlight, she was finally seated in the same row as Steve, who had served as usher and Lily, Frank’s girlfriend.

Then the music paused again, the ensemble rose for the star attractions.  Down the aisle came Eden, in an emerald green dress that fitted perfectly with the flora.  She stepped up onto the platform and smiled happily at both Mike and Declan.

Here was the moment Mike had been waiting for, along with everyone else.  Riley.  Radiant Riley on her brother’s arm, the dress an A-line, square neck, puffed sleeves, wearing as jewelry her engagement ring and the gold Celtic knot he had given her the week before.

“You—“ he said when she joined him.

“I know, beautiful,” she replied with a wide smile.  She touched the Celtic knot.  “Together.  Forever.“

They hadn’t written their own vows.  Riley thought it was a corny thing to do.  She just wanted the traditional ceremony.  Vows could be so—sappy.  And sappiness could be saved for the toasts at the reception.

When the time came, Declan didn’t drop the ring; but Mike almost did.  Riley had no ring for him.  They were planning on getting one in Ireland.  Maybe getting another one for her too.  Their kiss:  tentative.  No fulsome displays of lustiness in front of this crowd.  There would be time for that when they were alone.

And then it was down the aisle, followed by Eden and Declan, then row followed row, tumbling toward the reception, the drinks, the hor d’oeuvres, the dinner, the dancing, everything that makes up a wedding, a la Bernice Franklin.

Bernice stood next to Riley in the family receiving line.  Thad had demurred as he wasn’t family, as had Lily and Orla.  Fortunately, Mike’s parents were on the other side next to Mike with Declan being the tail end, joking with all who came past.  On the other side of Bernice, instead of Frank, stood Eden.  Unfortunately, Bernice found nothing to criticize about Eden’s choice of dress.  Too bad she hadn’t seen her younger daughter in white!  “I bet you’re regretting not having a wedding now,” she took the chance to whisper to Eden.

“You did a great job, Mom.  You should be proud,” Eden responded.

Bernice gave her a quick look to see if she was being sarcastic.  But she caught no hint of it.

Steve slipped his hand into Eden’s.  She turned to smile at him.  No regrets about our wedding at all, she thought.  Only overwhelming love.  Would that the happiness of this day would last forever.  That was her wish.  She squeezed Steve’s hand and thought of their life to come.