Chapter Thirty-Six
O nce she’d finished her fried catfish, Vickie glanced over at Ainsley, who cradled a sleeping Faith in her arms as she tried to eat her own dinner. Vickie held out her arms. “I haven’t gotten to hold her nearly enough,” she told Ainsley as she took the baby.
“I’m glad for the help.” Ainsley smiled. “It’s nice to have two hands to eat my dinner.”
Vickie pulled the baby toward her and inhaled. “Seriously. They should bottle this smell.” She closed her eyes and smiled. “And I’m pretty sure my biological clock just started ticking in double time.” She paused. “But don’t ever tell my mother I said that.”
Ainsley laughed. “Uh oh. Is she giving you a hard time?”
“Let’s just say that my thirtieth birthday was less than a celebration.”
“Oh no.” Ainsley took a sip of her water.
Vickie looked down at Faith’s angelic face. “How do you not just stare at her all the time? She’s so sweet.”
“I pretty much do.”
The clinking sound of a fork on a glass got everyone’s attention. A hush fell over the room as Ace stood up. “We’d like to thank everyone for coming to be with us during this special time.” He gazed down at Kristy and grinned. “Even though we could be on a beach right now, mother nature just didn’t agree with that plan. But I hope everyone is enjoying their time here at Shiloh.”
“We’re just happy to see you two finally tie the knot,” an older gentleman called out. Vickie thought he’d been introduced earlier as Ace’s uncle. “It doesn’t much matter where it happens.”
Ace smiled broadly. “Our sentiments exactly.” He held out his hand to Kristy and pulled her up from her seat. “We do want to thank our parents, especially, for everything they’ve done for us.”
Kristy nodded and smiled her agreement. “Thanks to each of you. If you are here this weekend, it is because you are someone very important to us, and we are so blessed to have such wonderful people surrounding us as we begin a life together.” She gazed at Ace, the love in her eyes apparent to everyone in the room, then looked back at the crowd. “The next time I see all of you, it will be the happiest day of my life.”
Ace leaned over and gave her a spontaneous kiss on the cheek. Everyone applauded and cheered.
Faith began to stir at the noise. “Should I take her out where it’s quieter?” Vickie leaned over and asked Ainsley.
“No. She’ll be fine.” She grinned. “She’ll have to eat again soon anyway, so it’s inevitable that she’ll wake up.”
As the crowd began to depart, Kristy walked over with her mother.
Nancy O’Neal’s hair was as red as it had always been. She wore a grey pantsuit with a smart royal blue scarf tied around her neck. “Hi, girls,” she exclaimed, hugging first Vickie and then Ainsley. “I wanted to come over and say hello and of course, see this beautiful baby.” She peered at Faith. “I can’t believe you’re old enough to be mothers. It seems like just yesterday you were college freshman.”
They laughed.
“It’s been twelve years since our freshman year,” Kristy said. “I guess we’re not spring chickens anymore.”
Nancy laughed. “What’s that they say? Thirty is the new twenty?” She grinned.
“Sounds good to me.” Vickie shifted Faith to her other arm.
“I want you girls to make sure Kristy gets some sleep tonight, okay?” Nancy asked. “You know how grumpy she can be when she stays up too late.”
Vickie and Ainsley laughed. Kristy was notorious for falling asleep early. And her mother was exactly right. On the few occasions she managed to stay up late, she was a bear the following day.
“Don’t worry, Mom.” Kristy grinned. “I promise to be in bed by eleven.”
“Good,” Nancy said. “Now I know you three are going to get ready at your house tomorrow. I’m not going to bother you. But I do have a surprise.”
The three girls looked at her expectantly.
“A limo is going to come pick you up to bring you to the ceremony. I thought it would be fun for you.”
Kristy grinned broadly. “You didn’t have to do that.” She paused. “But I’m glad you did.”
“Did I hear someone say limo?” Owen Branam, a big burly man walked up, holding the hand of a petite woman. “That’s awfully fancy for these parts.” He chuckled. “Look who we have here. Two of my favorite seasonal rangers of all time.” He grinned. Owen had been working as a ranger at Shiloh for the better part of twenty years. When Vickie, Ainsley and Kristy had worked as seasonals, Owen had helped train them.
“Owen,” Vickie exclaimed. “It’s so good to see you.”
“It’s been a long time,” Ainsley piped up.
“I want you to meet my beautiful wife.” He put his arm around the woman at his side. “This is Dorothy Branam. My better half.”
Vickie remembered how devastated Owen had been several years ago by the loss of his wife. Kristy had played matchmaker between Owen and Dorothy, and had been ecstatic that it had worked out so well. “Nice to meet you, Dorothy.” Vickie smiled and shook hands with the older woman.
“Kristy told me that you’d volunteered to hold Faith during the wedding,” Ainsley said. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”
Dorothy’s blue eyes lit up. “Oh, I’m glad to do it.” She patted Owen on the shoulder. “And Owen will be there to help me. He loves babies.” She grinned. “I’ll come and find you before the ceremony begins.”
“I really appreciate it,” Ainsley said.
“I told her she could just carry Faith down the aisle, but she said no.” Kristy laughed.
Owen peered at the baby in Vickie’s arms. “Well, she’s prettier than any bouquet I’ve ever seen.”
Ainsley beamed. “Thanks.” Her hazel eyes sparkled.
“I’m going to go tell Ace goodnight.” Kristy flashed them a grin. “I’ll meet you at the car.” She hurried off to where Ace was standing with his parents.
They slowly strolled out of the restaurant and onto the wooden deck that overlooked the Tennessee River. “The weather is perfect,” Vickie proclaimed. Even though it was October, Indian Summer was hanging on. “Tomorrow should be a beautiful day for a wedding.”
“That it should,” Ainsley agreed.
They made their way out to the car and waited on the bride-to-be.
∞∞∞
“Wow, I’m tired.” Vickie said once they were back at Kristy’s. Ainsley had fed Faith and put her to bed in the borrowed Pack and Play, and everyone had changed into their pajamas.
Kristy sat on the couch, scrutinizing her eyebrows in a little round mirror. “I think my stylist took a little too much off the left brow.” She turned to look at Vickie and Ainsley. “Do I look uneven?” She raised her eyebrows and smiled at them.
They burst out laughing.
“Put the tweezers down and step away from the mirror. You don’t want to over-pluck and look funny in your wedding pictures.” Vickie plopped down on the couch and took the mirror out of Kristy’s hand.
“You don’t look uneven, anyway. You’re just paranoid,” Ainsley said from her place in the recliner. “Hey, I meant to ask you earlier, where’s your dog?” Kristy had a Caviler King Charles Spaniel who’d been her constant companion for the past several years.
“I thought it would be best if Sam stayed with Ace tonight.” She grinned. “Otherwise, he’d be in the guest bedroom, mesmerized by Faith.” She laughed. “He loves babies.”
“Speaking of babies. . .” Vickie trailed off and looked at Ainsley. “How’s mommyhood?”
Ainsley played with a wavy strand of her dark red hair. “I love it.” She gave them a tiny smile. “I just love her so much. More than I ever realized would be possible.”
“How’s everything else?” Kristy asked.
Ainsley was silent for a moment. “Okay.” She took a deep breath. “I don’t want to spend much time on this. Promise?” She looked from Kristy to Vickie.
They both nodded.
“Things aren’t going very well.” She shook her head. “I don’t know who I am anymore. Before Brad’s death, I was on a specific path. I was a wife, and we were planning to be a family. And I guess I don’t really know how to be me now that I’m not part of that.”
Vickie didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t imagine how devastated Ainsley must be.
Ainsley took a breath and continued. “You don’t have to tell me that I’m not moving through the grief like I should. I know it. It’s like I know what I should do, but I don’t feel like it yet. I haven’t even been back to the Grand Canyon since the day of the accident. And you know how much I loved it there.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I need you to hold me accountable for something.”
Vickie and Kristy exchanged confused glances. “Anything. What is it?” Vickie asked.
“I’ve been putting off going to a grief counselor. Can you believe it?” Ainsley shook her head. “Because I didn’t want to hear what they’d have to say. So I’ve decided to give myself a deadline.”
Vickie raised her eyebrows in question. “A deadline?”
“This will be Faith’s first Christmas. And because of that, I want us to stay at my parents’ house for a little bit longer.” Her hazel eyes filled with tears. “Every time I imagine the two of us moving into our own place and having a pitiful little tree and me being so sad. . . well, that’s not the kind of first Christmas I want her to have. You know?”
Kristy nodded. “Of course. I think it’s fine for you to stay there for as long as you need.”
“That’s just the problem,” Ainsley said. “I’m afraid I might never feel like I’m ready to leave. So I’ve decided that by the end of January, I’m going to start talking to a grief counselor and see if maybe I can learn to be myself again.” She looked at Kristy and Vickie. “But I might need you guys to gently remind me of my deadline.” She gave them a tiny smile.
“I can put it in my planner right now.” Vickie smiled. She never went anywhere without her day planner. Paper, not electronic, because she loved to check things off a list with a flourish.
Ainsley returned her smile. “Thanks. There’s one more thing.”
Kristy propped her feet up on the coffee table. “Name it.”
“This one will entail a little more effort from you two.” She glanced over at them. “But I need to know I have something to look forward to. So I was thinking that maybe we could plan a trip. Sometime next summer?” She looked at them expectantly.
Vickie sat up. “I’m in. Name the destination.” She smiled.
“Me, too. You know I’m always up for a trip.” Kristy nodded.
“Thanks. I think that’ll help me get through the next few months. Knowing I have fun plans. By then, Faith will be old enough for me to leave her with my parents for a few days.” She looked glum. “You know how Brad and I used to travel any chance we got?”
Kristy and Vickie both nodded.
“Well, this is the first trip I’ve taken in over a year.” She sighed. “I had to practically hog tie my mother to keep her from coming with me. She wasn’t sure I could handle it.” She glanced at them. “And I’m not going to lie. Traveling with a baby wasn’t easy.” She paused. “And I had to muster up every ounce of courage I had just to get on the plane. Anyway, I’m hoping that planning a fun trip will help me get some of my life back.”
“Of course. And by the way, you’re welcome to come and visit me in Washington any time you want,” Vickie said. “I mean that. I have an extra room that is always available.”
“Thanks.” Ainsley smiled. “Okay. Enough about me and my problems.” She glanced at Kristy and wiggled her eyebrows. “How about you, Miss Bride-to-Be? Any last minute jitters?”
Kristy shook her head. “Nope.” She paused. “Well, maybe a tiny one. But it isn’t really a jitter, more like a bad memory.” She picked up a pillow from the couch and pulled it to her. “I guess I keep remembering the feeling of standing there in my wedding gown, knowing Mark wasn’t coming.” She gave them a tiny smile. “And before either of you say anything, I’m not worried about Ace not showing up. I know without a doubt that he is the man I’m supposed to be with.” She sighed. “But it makes me feel guilty somehow, that he knows I almost married someone else. Does that even make sense?”
“I guess,” said Ainsley. “But instead of feeling guilty, I think you should be thanking God that Mark backed out, even if it was difficult for you at the time. I’m certain that is how Ace looks at it.”
Vickie nodded in agreement. “I’ve never seen any indication that Ace might hold that against you. So I think you should let that guilt go.” She met Kristy’s blue-eyed gaze. “Besides, what you went through with Mark helped make you who you are today. After your relationship with him, you were able to take stock and figure out what you really wanted.”
Kristy nodded. “True. It did help me put a lot of things into perspective.” She gave them a tiny smile. “So you don’t think I should feel guilty?”
Vickie shook her head. “That’s all in the past. And I think you need to leave it there.” She remembered what Thatcher had said about learning from the past mistakes and successes.
“Amen,” Ainsley said. “You said it at the rehearsal dinner. Tomorrow will be the happiest day of your life so far. You should just enjoy it.”
“I guess y’all are right.” Kristy turned to Vickie with a gleam in her eye. “And that brings us to you. Don’t think you’re getting off the hook.”
“No doubt,” Ainsley agreed. “You’ve been awfully evasive lately. What in the world is going on in D.C.?”
Vickie had known she wouldn’t be able to avoid questioning. And her friends were right. She had been purposefully quiet lately about her personal life. “Okay, fine. I’ll tell you.” She bit her lip, trying to figure out where to start. “You know how I’ve been spending a lot of time with the professor lately?”
Kristy laughed. “Every time you call him that, all I can think of is Gilligan’s Island .”
A soft chuckle came from Ainsley’s direction.
“Very funny you two.” Vickie couldn’t help but smile though. She’d taken to calling him ‘the professor’ because it seemed less personal. Guess that plan hadn’t worked. “Let me start over. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Thatcher lately.” She sighed. “And I think I’ve developed a little crush on him.”
Ainsley and Kristy exchanged a glance.
“What? What was that look?” Vickie sat upright.
“I was afraid you were going to say that.” Kristy was suddenly enthralled with the remote control. She turned it over and over in her hand.
Vickie narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean you were afraid?”
“Hasn’t he made it clear that this is just a professional relationship?” Ainsley asked gently. “We just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Kristy drew her eyebrows together. “Like last time.”