EPILOGUE
The guest list was as follows in no particular order—
Crik Sekrikinski (Muck doesn’t like to fly)
Mr. and Mrs. Reidburn Trent (the groom’s parents)
Dr. Wayland Trent, Miss Mallory and Master Benjamin (the groom’s brother and children)
Mr. and Mrs. Collin Trent, Miss Vivian, Master Robert and Miss Olivia (the groom’s other brother and family)
Lieutenant Daniel and Celia Cooper (Just Married)
Louise Parker, Princess Bonnie and Prince Tommy (the bride’s next husband)
Lieutenant Phillip R. and Joy Lynn Mason (one on the way)
Marina George and Alan Bradon (keep reading)
Stephen and Calli Duncan, James Lee and baby Betsy Ann
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Bluff
Major Ellis and Jenna Charles (another one on the way)
There were no bridesmaids or groomsmen, just two people who stood on the beach and wanted to officially knit themselves together in front of their family and friends. Watery foam washed in and out, and the white sand was a pure carpet beneath the celebration. Liddy wore Edda’s ankle-length cotton and lace wedding dress and Reid stood, without canes, in a white cotton shirt and pale blue trousers. He didn’t wear shoes—no one did.
A long row of identical white clapboard-sided beach cottages set up against the rocks, and their rusted tin roofs reflected in patches the rays of the warm September sun. Raised wood porches were draped with beach towels and bathing suits, except the couple’s honeymoon cottage. Liddy’s sister-friends had draped it from porch ceiling to deck with yards of sheer fabric. On the door was a heart wreath made of shells.
The portable radio was on its third set of batteries, and the party danced beneath the sun in the sand and then under the moon and the stars. While he tended the fire, Crik sat with Reid’s father and Jerry Bluff. Wedding cupcakes that were exploding with sparkler sticks were held high in front of the little ones as they paraded in and out of the festivities.
Reid’s mother knew how to throw a beach party and she had enough food for a week or more. Liddy sat with Reid on one side of her and Tommy Parker on the other in canvas beach chairs. Empty plates sat on their laps that had hosted fire-roasted corn cobs, shrimp salad and apple cornbread.
Reid’s mother pushed through the sand toward them. “Liddy sweetie, can I steal away your husband to dance with his mother?”
“My husband…” Liddy looked at Reid and smiled her crooked smile. “… that’s you, isn’t it?”
“For better or worse,” said Reid and kissed her.
“I’ll take them both.” Liddy kissed him back, then took Reid’s hand and held it up to Mallie Trent. “He’s all yours.”
Mallie leaned down and kissed her daughter-in-law on the forehead and held her cheek. “You’re the ‘better’, sweetie.”
Liddy watched as Reid and Mallie walked hand-in-hand, talking and laughing as they joined the guests on the dance sand. Joy Lynn and Phillip towered over the group, and Calli and Steven held their blessings as the little family twirled together. Even in the sand, Marina and Alan floated in their step, but they almost looked ordinary—barefoot, with Marina in her simple yellow cotton dress and Alan in his tan slacks and white shirt. Daniel spun Celia, Ellis swayed Jenna and Louise danced with Reid’s brother Wayland until a new song started up, and then they all changed partners.
Marina had called Liddy back in July and flipped small talk back and forth. Finally, she got out that she was wondering how Liddy would feel if she called Alan and invited him to an air race. A pain tugged at Liddy’s heart and then a huge joy washed over her, and she insisted that Marina do just that.
At Alan’s birthday party, it was Marina who was on his arm when they entered the room. Liddy smiled when she pictured Mrs. Alan Bradon the III gliding over to greet them. If anybody could handle Mrs. A, it was Marina George—there was no doubt of that.
At Calli’s 21st birthday party in Atlanta, Reid and Alan had the chance to get to know each other. Reid joked to Liddy that if he was her, he didn’t know if he would have given up Alan for him. Everyone loved Alan Bradon—it was impossible not to.
Liddy was lost in happiness as she looked around the beach at Reid’s and her friends and family, celebrating their love, when she heard Tommy’s voice.
“Aunt Liddy?” Tommy looked up at her.
“Yeah, honey.”
“How long are you going to be married to Mr. Trent?”
“The rest of my life, I hope.”
“Oh.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“I guess so.” Tommy set his hand on top of Liddy’s. “Mommy says I can get married when I’m twenty. I just wanted you to know that.”
“That is very good to know, thank you for telling me.” Liddy took Tommy’s pudgy little hand and kissed it.
“I’m gonna go get a cupcake.” The little man slid out of the chair and skipped across the sand.
Alan had left the dance floor and plopped down in Tommy’s chair. He gave Liddy’s hand a squeeze and smiled at her with his whole face.
“Is this weird?” Liddy asked.
“A little bit,” said Alan.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Liddy patted him on the cheek.
“Me too, pal.” Alan got a rare serious look on his face. “I’m happy for you, Liddy.”
“I know you are.”
They both leaned back in the chairs and watched the dancers and laughed when Joy Lynn and Marina Tangoed through the group, and back again.
“So, how’s everything going with the George and Bradon merger?”
“It’s been very nice, actually.”
“I’m happy for you too, Alan.”
“I know you are. I told you I’d land on my feet. You okay I landed where I did?”
“Are you kidding? It’s so obvious.”
“It kind of is, isn’t it?”
“Joyfully so,” said Liddy, “Perfect really, two of my favorite people in the world being happy together. I’m just hoping the landing sticks.”
Bonnie ran up and grabbed Alan by the hand and took him back to the dancing. It was hard not to speculate if it would last, but Marina and Alan were having a wonderful time of it. Liddy watched the pair and realized there are a few people who have the gift of love and Alan Bradon was one of those people. And she couldn’t think of anyone she wanted him to give the gift to more than Marina George.
Reid finished a dance with his nieces and walked back to Liddy. He reached out for her hand. “Can I have this dance, Mrs. Trent?”
“And many, many more.” Liddy set her hand in Reid’s.
Reid pulled Liddy to her feet and led her into the middle of their people. With the next song, the guests broke into the Bet dance and twirled and bopped around the newlyweds, while the bride and groom held each other and swayed a little hole in the sand. That which willed their hearts to soar would float them free until they were down again, if ever they were, and the sky above and the water below spun into a thousand shades of blue.
Copyright
1st Kindle Edition
Published by
STORY CREEK BOOKS
Post Office Box 27314
Ft. Collins, Colorado 80525
Copyright © 2008 Cynthia Lee Cartier
The Author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work