AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Black, white, and champagne.”
“Very classy.” She nods with approval.
“I hope so.”
Mama pauses in her conversation, her head swiveling. When she spots me, she beckons me over with a frantic wave. “Abigail! Come and mingle with your guests!”
* * *
“Marvelous job fillingin for the bridesmaids today!” Peggy Sue hollers at Violet from beside her baby-blue Parisienne, her thick glasses fogging in the frigid cold. “And make me one of those hats in red, like yours!”
“I’ll have it to you by Easter.” Violet waves before hitting the button to close the window and sinking into the passenger seat. “I really like her.”
“Everyone likes Peggy Sue.”
“Maybe not Mama.” Violet bursts into laughter as my cheeks burn.
“Peggy Sue gets a kick out of riling her up.” Most guests respected my wishes for a charitable donation, dropping their envelope into the card box, but there were still wrapped gifts on the table with my name on them. The majority were personalized—beveled picture frames engraved with Henry’s and my name, matching crystal candlesticks with our initials, his-and-her bath towels—but that old coot not only wrapped up a racy white lace lingerie set for me to open in front of everyone but felt the need to note that my-stud-of-a-future-husband won’t be able to keep his hands off me.
Mama’s face puckered from biting her tongue so hard.
“Thank you for taking all those notes. It makes it so much easier to send thank-you cards.”
“Yeah, no worries.”
I check the dash clock. Henry should be landing in Pittsburgh soon, and it’ll take an hour for us to get there, especially on the dark roads. “So, I was thinking …”
Violet reaches back to fish out a cookie from the box Celeste insisted we take with us. “Yes?” She croons in a mock deep voice.
“What would you say about being one of my bridesmaids?” It dawned on me halfway through the shower that, if Violet were younger, we’d have made her a flower girl. It wouldn’t be a question.
Violet pauses midbite. “Are you serious?”
“Of course I am.”
She chews, giving herself time to process. “But won’t your numbers be uneven?”
I shrug. “So what? I also have a man in my bridal party. And you should be in our wedding. It’syour dadgetting married.” More and more, I’ve been dropping that word into our conversations to try to make it a familiar one.
She bites her lip. “Is he okay with this—”
“Yes.” Or he will be when I tell him.
“Okay.” A slow smile stretches across her face. “Yeah, that’d be cool.”
“Good.” A swell of emotion hits, telling me that while I might have made that decision only hours ago, it’s the right one. “We’ll get your measurements to the seamstress this week.”
She reaches back to collect the wooden card box. “This is pretty.” She traces the letters of Henry’s and my name with her fingertip before easing it open.
“Celeste does calligraphy. She painted that by hand.”
Digging inside, she pulls the top card out to read aloud. “‘Dear Abigail, we are so thrilled for you. As requested, we’ve made a donation to—’” Violet’s voice cuts off as she reads the rest silently. “You asked for donations in my mom’s name?”
“Toward ALS research, yes. Henry and I felt that was the most meaningful charity for our family.” Which now includes Violet. I lied to Mama, telling her Audrey was one of Henry’s staff members. I wouldn’t even share a last name.
I watch the dark roads for a moment as the silence in the car stretches. When I dare steal a glance next to me, I note the tear rolling down Violet’s cheek.
CHAPTER23
