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“Fiona, you never said a word,” Mama said.
“I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure,” Fiona said. “Anyway, we’ve been busy planning the wedding.”
“I’m delighted for you,” Jo said, beaming. “For me, too. I love being an auntie.”
“I’m tired,” Fiona said. “Worried, too. How will I take care of them all?”
“That’s what you have all of us for,” Cym said. “There’s always someone to call in this family.”
“You’ve all given me such a good life,” Mama said, crying again. “I love being your mother.”
“We love you, Mama,” Fiona said. “More than you could ever know.”
“All this fuss. I’m so sorry,” Mama said. “I’m overcome suddenly and blubbering like a fool. I wish my mother could see you, Addie. She’d be very proud to see you in one of Annabelle’s dresses.”
“She’s with me, Mama,” I said, tapping my chest. “Always.”
“Let us pray before going to the church,” Mama said. “On this most joyous of days.”
“Won’t we be praying at church, too?” Delphia asked. “Why should we do it now?”
Josephine turned to address my little sister. “Delphia, please, try to be a good girl today. And don’t give Mama any sass.” She smiled, indulgently, and gestured for her to come and stand next to her.
Delphia stuck out her bottom lip. “I wasn’t trying to cause trouble, I was just asking.”
“Come here, goose.” Cym wrapped her arm around Delphia’s shoulders. “I know it’s hard to be good.”
“It really is. Especially when I never know what the rules are,” Delphia said.
“Would you obey them if you knew?” Fiona asked, teasing.
“I might,” Delphia mumbled.
We made a circle, holding hands. Mama’s voice was soft and sweet in the warm room. A breeze rustled the curtains as we bowed our heads.
“Dear Lord, thank you for this day and for my beautiful girls. Thank you for blessing us with another happy union. Please be with my baby today as she marries James. Amen.”
We echoed her amen and stood for a few seconds gazing at the floor for fear that we’d all burst into tears.
Regardless of the sentimentality of the moment, we broke apart. There were vows to exchange and a celebration to enjoy. A marriage to begin.
* * *
After the ceremonyat the church, we all traipsed back to the big house, as we always did after one of us was married. Finally, it had been my turn to walk down the aisle on Papa’s arm. I’d been strangely calm. My groom, however, had spent most of the short ceremony with misty eyes and a trembling voice as he answered the pastor’s questions.
Now we were in the backyard. The sun had set already, and stars had appeared. Fiona and Li started in with a rousing jazz number, and most of us wandered out to the grass to dance. Instead of a formal meal inside, I’d asked if we could enjoy our wedding feast on the back porch. Lizzie had gladly arranged for it to be so, and she and Mrs. Wu had cooked all day yesterday and today to prepare cakes and treats as well as a roast pig. Not Daisy, mind you, who as far as I knew was behaving herself in the barn. The wedding cake, white with buttercream frosting, had been cut and consumed. Champagne continued to flow, and even the staff had been convinced to join us for dancing and drinks.
The air, scented with roses and lavender, had cooled and felt nice on my bare arms after the heat of the afternoon. James held me close despite the fast pace of the music. We had our own rhythm to begin this new season of our lives and eyes only for each other.
“Mrs. West, are you enjoying yourself?” James whispered in my ear. His breath smelled sweetly of champagne and cake. I shivered in his arms, nervous and excited about what would happen later when the party was finally over and everyone had gone to bed.
“It’s been a lovely day.”
“No regrets?”
“About what?”
“The wedding, I guess. Or me.” He smiled down at me, his eyes catching the light cast from the porch.
