Chapter 4
Summer 2009
The Waterstone-Sutton wedding was deemed the ceremony of the summer in Savannah, Georgia. Everyone in the upper echelon of society was invited—including politicians, musicians, actresses, important businesspeople, and their very rich and sophisticated children. After all, Nick Waterstone was the son of the city’s most esteemed surgeon, practically Prince Charming himself. He was going to be someone special. He was their brightest star.
It was said that his bride was a medical student in her own right. Not as brilliant as the Waterstones, of course. But maybe she would become a gynecologist or a children’s doctor, as women were meant to (if they didn’t become a nurse, which seemed easier for everyone to handle).
Bethany was not immune to these conversations. They seemed to happen all around her, at every restaurant, in the hospital’s halls, and in Nick’s family home. Despite everyone’s doubt of her medical abilities, she floated on a cloud of joy. After Nantucket, she’d never imagined herself falling in love again. Yet here she was, about to marry into Savannah”s most prestigious medical family. Nick was terrifically handsome and generally good to her. It was beyond her wildest dreams.
Bethany was twenty-eight and a year into her surgery residency at a Savannah hospital. Nick was in the midst of his residency, as well, at the same hospital where his father worked. It pleased Bethany that they didn’t work side by side at the same hospital. She wasn’t sure their relationship could withstand that kind of competition. Moreover, her soon-to-be father-in-law wasn’t entirely keen on hiring females. Despite his appreciation for her grades, he didn’t think she had the wherewithal to handle a “high-stress” surgery. Bethany tried not to let this get to her. He was just a grumpy old man. And she was going to be a great surgeon one day! She knew it. She could feel it.
The wedding was set for a sunny Saturday in May—just before Savannah fell into the depths of summer when the heat and humidity draped over everything and slowed everyone down. On the morning of the ceremony, Bethany woke up in the apartment she’d shared with Nick for the past year and a half and ran six miles through blissful morning light. Other runners waved hello to her and smiled, and she wondered if they could see the joy on her face. Could they tell she was getting married today?
Nick had spent the night at his family home, upholding old traditions of not seeing the bride before the ceremony. Bethany bubbled with expectation at home alone, making herself a smoothie and listening to the radio. A few friends texted to ask how she was feeling, and she wrote back right away, saying she could hardly wait.
Having female friends was not a normal thing for her. However, friends had fallen from the sky since she’d paired up with Nick. Whoever Nick was interested in had to be interesting, right? Although Bethany had a hunch that some women who befriended her were secretly in the game for the top prize of Nick’s love, some were genuinely good people. Violet and Jenny were her favorites—and they’d agreed to stand up front with her at “the wedding of the summer” and support her as she married her groom.
It was hard to believe how quickly everything in Bethany’s life had changed. More than that, Bethany was still not entirely sure why Nick had chosen to fall in love with her, of all people. That first night at the diner and the subsequent day at the hospital had solidified something between them. And for whatever reason, ever since then, they’d hardly spent a single day apart.
Of course, they weren’t without their problems. But Bethany knew the majority of those issues resulted from the intense pressure on both of their shoulders. They were doing surgical residencies! Nick’s father demanded so much more of him than most fathers! They wanted to save the world!
It was enough to cause a few arguments here and there. Bethany knew they were nothing to worry about. Couples fought. It was the making-up that mattered.
Bethany agreed to meet Nick’s mother and two sisters, Violet and Jenny, at the venue to get ready at ten thirty. Nick’s mother, Amanda, had hired the best hairstylists and makeup artists in the city, and she’d insisted everyone get their nails done this week. Bethany had never gotten her nails done, and she hated the sensation now that she couldn’t fully use her hands. Immediately after the honeymoon, she would have the nails removed. She was a surgeon. She needed her fingers.
Amanda Waterstone was a very traditional Southern belle. It was often captivating for Bethany to be around her. She was fascinated with her drawl, big hair, and very backward ideas about feminism and the world. She was incredibly proud to be Bob Waterstone’s wife and often spoke of herself as a “surgeon’s wife” as though that were a title everyone understood. Because Amanda had so much power in the community, nobody questioned her.
When Bethany and Amanda first met, Nick and Bethany had only been dating for a few days. Amanda had looked at her with beady, distrustful eyes, but she’d welcomed her into their home, feeding her pot roast and glaring at her as she asked Bob Waterstone questions about his career.
“You seem to know a thing or two about all that,” Amanda had said back then. “What do your parents think of your career choice?”
Bethany had stuttered and then said she wasn’t sure they knew.
“They don’t know what you’re doing, honey?” Amanda demanded, melting slightly.
“Mom,” Nick had said. “Don’t be rude.”
Now, Bethany entered the beautiful bridal suite, where her wedding dress had already hung from a hook on the ceiling, and her female in-laws were already seated in front of a large mirror, getting their hair done.
“There she is,” Amanda said. “We were nervous we’d have to do the wedding without the bride!”
Bethany laughed, although she was only three minutes late. It was best to take Amanda with a grain of salt. She would be dealing with soon-to-be mother-in-law for a very long time.
As Bethany sat in front of her hair stylist, Violet and Jenny breezed into the room with bottles of champagne. They laughed happily and kissed Bethany on the cheek before greeting Amanda. Amanda beamed at them and squeezed their hands.
“How are your mothers? Will they make it today?” Amanda asked. After all, she’d known Violet and Jenny for a long time.
She’d probably hoped Nick would marry one of them.
But Bethany tried not to dwell on the realities of her mother-in-law’s hopes and dreams. What mattered was that today, she was marrying Nick Waterstone. They were heading out on an adventure of a lifetime in their coupledom and honeymoon, which would take them to Florence, Venice, and Rome. Bethany had never been out of the country before. Growing up on Nantucket hadn’t required any kind of travel. And after Joel’s death, it wasn’t like any of the Suttons had been up for it, either.
Thinking of Joel now put an immediate damper on the day. Bethany tried not to imagine what it would have been like to have her family there. If everything hadn’t played out the way it did, perhaps Victor would have walked her down the aisle rather than Dr. Waterstone. Maybe her mother would have been beside her, getting her hair done. Perhaps her sisters would have been bridesmaids—Rebecca, the maid of honor, and Valerie, palling behind them like always.
As it was, she wasn’t sure if Rebecca, Valerie, or Esme even knew she was getting married today.
“You wouldn’t believe the argument I had with the wedding planner this week,” Amanda was telling Violet now, her eyes flashing. “The seating arrangements for dinner were atrocious. I gave her direct instructions! I know for sure that the girl must have gotten them mixed up. And to think—we’re paying her an arm and a leg to be organized!” Amanda huffed, clearly pleased with herself. “I dare say this will be her last wedding in Savannah if she makes another error like that.”
Bethany’s stomach twisted, and she struggled not to frown. Since she and Nick had gotten engaged, Amanda had adored tossing around information about the money she and Bob spent on the engagement party and other festivities. Her favorite joke involved the fact that the bride’s parents were traditionally supposed to pay for the wedding. “But of course, we couldn’t do that to poor Bethany. Imagine us at that ceremony! Bethany would probably serve cheese sandwiches on white bread. She’d hook up a radio for music!”
A few months ago, during a state of insanity, Bethany pulled Amanda aside and asked if she could pay for the wedding cake herself. Shame curled her toes. But Amanda had patted her shoulder and explained that the cakes she and Bob had their eyes on cost upward of five thousand dollars a pop. Bethany had guessed five hundred dollars, tops. Feeling like a fool, she”d slunk away and allowed Bob and Amanda to happily flash their credit cards around for the remainder of the wedding planning.
An hour and a half before the ceremony, Bethany slipped into her wedding dress and felt Violet’s soft fingers button her up the back. When she turned toward the mirror, her breath caught in her throat. She looked exactly like a young woman in a bridal magazine, exactly like a moneyed and happy and athletic young woman on the brink of the rest of her prosperous life. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she blinked them back, not wanting to mess up her makeup.
“Look at you,” Amanda breathed, stepping up beside her and touching her arm gently. “My darling daughter-in-law.”
The others stood behind them in a small semicircle, watching in reverent silence. Bethany’s heartbeat was loud in her ears.
“When I look at you now,” Amanda said, her voice catching, “all I can think of are the wonderful grandchildren you’ll bring into my life. They bring purpose to everything, you know. Another generation of Waterstones.”
Bethany’s lips curved into a nervous smile. Of course, she wanted children. Eventually. When they fit into her career plans.
“Yes. With Nick’s brains and your beauty, my grandchildren will be remarkable people,” Amanda said happily.
Bethany’s gut seized. She searched for Violet’s or Jenny’s eyes in the mirror, hoping for safety. But they all seemed to be looking elsewhere, happy to let Amanda say whatever she pleased. She was the woman with the credit card, after all. It was technically Amanda’s special day.
“If you’re anything like me,” Amanda said, “you won’t know how to leave your children in daycare. I’ll tell you that right now.”
Bethany stiffened, and a horrible wrinkle formed between her eyebrows.
But before she could ask Amanda to clarify, Amanda continued, “I just can’t respect women who allow others to raise their children. Nick was meant to be a surgeon; he was born into it. But look at you, darling. You were born to raise those beautiful babies. You were born to be a surgeon’s wife. I know it because I was born to do that, too.”
Amanda beamed as though she’d just translated the most deliriously wonderful news. Bethany’s gut swam with fear. She felt as though she were on a cruise ship that tossed over waves.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Bethany said, drawing her skirts up and hurrying toward the bathroom. She pressed her forehead against the door in silence and shook with sorrow.
How many hundreds of thousands of hours had she studied to be a doctor? How much had she given up to be a surgeon? Didn’t Amanda understand that?
The answer was obvious. Amanda knew how much Bethany had given up but didn’t care. In her mind, Bethany was better off at home, raising grandchildren. She was better off supporting Nick. It was just the way things were done.
Bethany locked eyes with herself in the mirror and gave herself a silent pep talk—one that seemed all the more ridiculous due to the ostentatious wedding dress and the very thick makeup. Nothing and nobody would get in the way of her career. She hadn’t been put on this earth to carry the next generation of Waterstones. She hadn’t been born simply to love Nick. She was a complex and intellectual young woman. She’d been through hell. And people like Amanda Waterstone wouldn’t force her into any sort of life—no matter how much money they threw around in honor of “how things were supposed to be.”
Bethany knew entering the Waterstone family meant she would always be seen as second best. Nick would always be the surgeon; she would always be the “wannabe.” She had to get comfortable with that.
Oh, but she loved Nick. She loved the humor they shared, loved that he muttered in his sleep and held her tightly until dawn, loved that they could share tremendous scientific knowledge with one another and know that the other would understand. Hers was a unique Cinderella story; she knew not to take it for granted. But she also knew to be careful and protect her heart.
That afternoon, Bob Waterstone walked Bethany down the aisle to “Pachelbel’s Canon.” Four hundred and fifty remarkably intelligent and very rich guests watched as Bethany and Nick said their vows and pledged their lives to one another. It was the happiest day of Bethany’s adult life. And although Bethany resented it, she had to admit the cake was absolutely to die for. Amanda had selected perfectly.