I also love that she wanted to have a big slumber party before she got married. Once the initial adrenaline from earlier in the night wore off—and we all realized everything was ready for the big day—the three of us shared a joint and spent the rest of the night giggling about pretty much nothing.
I put on my own bathing suit and meet my friends outside. Rose has joined us too, in a magenta one-piece, holding out a mug of coffee to me.
I could kiss you for that, Rose.
Watch it now, Alba teases. We bring our coffees down to the lake, which is perfectly still this morning.
Alba stares out over the water, shielding her eyes. It’s going to be a perfect day, Flora, she says with almost a wistful sigh, looking over at her cousin.
Don’t you start with that sentimental shit! Florence shrieks, It’s too early!
The four of us hold hands, grinning wildly, and run off the end of the dock, screaming and laughing our heads off. The water is beautiful and the whole moment, being here with my friends, makes me feel like I might start crying.
Alba splashes me from where she’s floating on top of the water. See! Violet feels it too! I pull at her outstretched leg and drag her under the surface.
Oh, Flora, Rose says, beaming. This really is going to be such a magical day!
I’m not entirely sure how it happens, but soon the four of us are crying, laughing hysterically at how caught up we all are in the moment. Suddenly reminiscing: about meeting in New York, all those years ago; Alba telling us about coming home years later and meeting Rose; Florence piping in with her own homecoming story. It was the first time in a decade she had come back to Cape Breton after her mom died—and the first person she met was Alistair, who pulled her over for speeding.
Florence treads water, getting teary-eyed again. I can feel my mom here, she says, her voice thick.
Me too. Alba says, eyes still shining.
I feel a surge of guilt. I should be grateful, I think, for the time I have with my parents, with Nan, with my whole family—even though they ask so much of me.
We get out, wrapping ourselves in towels and picking our mugs back up. Sprawling out for another lazy moment, basking in the sun on the dock, admiring the stillness of the water, looking at the rolling hills across the lake. An eagle flies overhead and we all proclaim it to be a good omen.
Well ladies, Alba says, standing up and clapping her hands together. Come on then, we’ve got a big day ahead of us.
Florence links her arm with mine as we walk back up to the house.
So I’ve wanted to ask you, she says, and a flood of anxiety runs through me. Will you still be here when Alistair and I get back from our honeymoon?
In two days, the newlyweds are leaving to spend a week in Prince Edward Island, Florence declaring it a waste to go anywhere outside of the Maritimes during the summer months. They have plans to do a bigger, more official honeymoon trip in the winter.
I’m not sure yet, I tell her, which is the truth. Every time I try to think about what to do next, it’s like my entire body freezes up. I still haven’t bought a ticket home, unsure if that’s even where I want to go.
The pressure of where to go next, what I’ll even do for a job, feels like it could crumble me if I let it.
Well, I hope you will be, she says, nudging me with her hip. Alba will tell you to stay as long as you want, you know you’re welcome here. So take some time to figure out what to do next.
Thankfully, we’re almost back to the house, so I have a natural way out of this conversation. I don’t want to get swept up in my own stuff right now—I want to focus on my friends.
And on making sure everything goes perfectly today.
SEVERAL HOURS AND A FLURRY of hairspray and makeup later, we pull up to the church.
Finn is standing out front with Florence’s uncle, who is going to walk her down the aisle. While he’s using his wheelchair more often, he’s determined to walk with his niece. But at some point yesterday, it was decided that Alba would walk on her dad’s other side to help him.
It’s good because then it’s also me giving her away, Alba had joked last night. So Alistair knows it won’t just be my dad he has to worry about.
That leaves me to walk down the aisle first with Finn.
Finn, who I see is wearing a dark green kilt. My brain scrambles to try and make sense of why, exactly, this is working for me. The green suits him, and he looks so devastatingly handsome it makes my knees feel a little wobbly.
I have to force the memories of his mouth on mine far, far away—otherwise we won’t be walking anywhere.
When we get out of Alba’s truck, Finn has on the biggest smile I’ve ever seen from him. He helps Florence down from the front seat and safely onto the ground.
