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Wiley was wide-eyed and in disbelief. “You’re bigger than Cameron.”
B.J. shrugged. “Don’t blame me. Blame the DNA.”
Cameron appeared, grinning from ear to ear.
“Son! When did all this happen?” he asked.
“Lots of taste-testing in the kitchens of New York City?” B.J. said.
“Well, it all went to height and not weight, which is always good,” Cameron said. “It’s good to see you here,” he added, and then lowered his voice. “And even better to have you home.”
“Thanks for helping make it happen,” B.J. said.
Cameron shrugged. “I didn’t make it happen. I just heard the word and passed it on. Your résumé and application got you the job. When do you start?”
“Two months, but that’s not being advertised,” he said.
“Understood. Anyway, it’s good to see you again.”
“It’s good to be home,” B.J. said.
And then the pianist took her seat at the piano and sounded a chord, the signal services were about to begin, and everybody began scrambling for a seat.
On that Easter Sunday, Shirley Pope was as happy as a woman could be. She had all four sons and their significant others lined up in the pew beside her, a hymnal in her lap, Preacher Farley standing at the pulpit with sunlight coming through the windows onto his face, and she was feeling the timelessness of this place, with the future sitting beside her.
Epilogue
Wolfgang Outen had once attended a funeral in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, but had never felt the presence of spirit as profoundly as he did today in the Church in the Wildwood, waiting to walk his daughter down the aisle.
They hadn’t issued invitations for the wedding. It was family only, because there was no room for anyone else. Family filled the pews and all the folding chairs along the walls and sat holding children in their laps to save room to witness the marriage of another Pope and the woman he was bringing to the mountain. For them all, it was acknowledgment of the continuation of their heritage and reassurance that even after they were gone, there would still be Popes on the mountain that bore their name.
The reception afterward was being held at the ballroom of the Serenity Inn, and Brendan Pope, the new pastry chef at the hotel, had received the honor of making both the groom’s cake and the wedding cake. The last touches had gone onto the cakes just before midnight last night, and then the cakes had been rolled into the massive coolers to await their presentation.
B.J. had four hours of sleep before he was up and getting ready to join his brothers at the wedding. By age alone, Aaron was Sean’s best man. And by order of birth, Wiley and B.J. were his groomsmen.
Amalie’s choices had been the wild card.
She’d asked Ella to be matron of honor, and Dani and Shirley to be her bridesmaids. Lili Glass was her chosen flower girl, and to everyone’s horror, she wanted Mikey Pope to be the ring bearer.
Even Rusty and Cameron were doubtful of the choice. It wasn’t until Amalie suggested Ghost walk with Mikey to keep him in the aisle that they all threw up their hands and gave in.
“We’re delighted, but on your head be it, and don’t be surprised if Cameron winds up in the aisle with them riding herd,” Rusty said.
“Pomp and parades are not my thing, but belonging to this family is everything. I’ve learned to celebrate the flat tires and ruts in my road. I don’t want perfect. I just want them,” Amalie said.
“And I want what she wants,” Sean said, and the discussion ended, and today it was happening.
They’d tied the FOREVERwedding band onto the ring bearer’s pillow. Ghost was on a short leash, and Cameron was riding herd.
But it was Ella who’d gone over the moon.
She had never been a bridesmaid. She had never been a bride. But today, at the age of ninety-four, she was going to walk down an aisle toward a preacher holding a bible,wearing a dress of sky-blue silk, with a bouquet in her hand. It was the closest thing to married she was ever going to be.
Her heart was full to bursting.
She would ask life for nothing more.
The Sunday-school classroom was full of women wearing gowns in different shades of blue. Shirley’s wedding had been before a justice of the peace, and she was so honored to be part of Amalie’s wedding party that it was all she could do not to cry. Dani and Amalie were Shirley’s girls. The daughters she had never had, and she treasured their places in her heart.
