Chapter 3
Ophelia laughed at a bunch of kittens tumbling around in the yard. The grass was that lovely shade of green that only comes with spring in Texas, and all the kittens were variations of black and white even though their mother was a big gray tabby. She glanced over at Jake and was surprised to see crow’s-feet wrinkles around his eyes and gray sprinkled through his blond hair.
“Wake up, wake up. You are giggling in your sleep. Are you dreaming?” Tertia’s voice interrupted her sweet dream. “Seems like I had to wake you up when I first got home the other day. This is getting to be a habit.”
“I don’t want to wake up,” Ophelia muttered and refused to open her eyes.
Tertia threw the covers off her sister. “It don’t matter what you are dreaming about this morning. You’ve got to get up and help us with the final reception plans.”
Ophelia opened her eyes and in a flash realized that she had been fantasizing about a man she hardly knew. But sitting beside him on the porch and seeing the two of them years into the future had made her feel all warm and cozy. She wondered what her military therapist would say about that. She would probably ask her how the dream made her feel.
She rubbed sleep from her eyes and silently answered the question. The dream made her giggle, not wake up in tears and drenched with cold sweat, like it did when she was ordered to push a button that would obliterate a building that had human beings in it. Whether those people had horns like the devil or halos like angels, they were someone’s sons and daughters.
“Today is all about Ursula,” Tertia was saying. “Mama made cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and everyone is just grabbing and going. Ursula is so nervous that she’s queasy.”
“The rock that we once knew as Ursula Simmons, and now as Ursula Baxter, is jittery?” Ophelia covered a yawn with her hand. “That’s hard to believe.”
“I know!” Tertia replied. “Who would have ever thought that she would let a simple reception get to her like this? Luna, who worried herself sick about upsetting Endora with her relationship with Shane, is plowing through like a trouper, making all kinds of decisions about flowers and cakes and all that for her wedding. Ursula, who never lets anything shake her, not even quitting her job and moving home, is nervous about going to a reception that won’t be all that different than our Paradise Christmas party is every year. Doesn’t make a bit of sense.” Tertia stopped talking long enough to take a breath and then clapped her hands loudly. “Stop woolgathering and get out of bed!”
Ophelia was on her feet so fast that it made her dizzy. “Good Lord! Why did you do that? I’m barely awake, and besides I’m still adjusting to not working at night.”
“You’ve had six months to get used to that,” Tertia said, “and you’ve had several minutes to wake up from whatever dream you were having. The way you were smiling tells me that there was a guy involved.”
“Bite your tongue,” Ophelia growled and headed out of her bedroom. There was no way she would ever admit that Jake Brennan was in her dream, or that she had felt so happy while she was wrapped up in a make-believe world.
“Stand still,” Tertia scolded Ursula. “I can’t get the curls in your hair if you’re wiggling around like Endora’s cats when they are playing hide-and-seek.”
“What are you worried about anyway?” Ophelia asked. “It’s just a reception, and then y’all can come home. Tomorrow we’ll have Mother’s Day dinner after church like we always do, and life can go on.”
“I’m not worried,” Ursula declared to all of her sisters who were crowded in her old bedroom. “I love Remy. I always have—from the first time I saw him when we were just kids. I’m just hoping this isn’t too much for his mother. Vera doesn’t do well in big crowds, and I don’t want her to be overwhelmed.”
Ophelia fastened all the buttons up her own sundress printed with daisies on a green background. “Vera will be just fine. Maybe a glass of wine would settle your nerves?”
Ursula shook her head. “No, thank you. My stomach wouldn’t handle that so well, but I might have a glass of sweet tea.”
“I’ll go downstairs and get one for you,” Tertia said. “Either of y’all want something while I’m making the trip?”
“Nope,” Endora and Ophelia chimed in from across the room.
“Nope, what?” Aunt Bernie asked as she entered the room. “Remy is downstairs looking like sex on a stick in his boots and creased jeans. Girl, you better be glad I’m not thirty years younger or I’d take that man away from you.” She stopped and stared at Ursula. “You look beautiful, darlin’, and Tertia did a lovely job on your makeup. But she needs to touch it up, because you look green around the mouth.”
“She’s worried about Vera,” Ophelia said.
Bernie drew her eyes down and tilted her chin up. “Vera is fine. She’s not nervous at all and is looking forward to seeing some of the folks she worked with all those years. She looks lovely in her yellow dress, which is almost the same color as mine.” She turned around slowly to show off her attire. “Mama always said that this was my best color, but I’ve got to admit, I like red or hot pink better. I’m still mad at you for not letting us at the very least go to the courthouse with you and Remy, but what’s done is done. We get to have a party today, so that makes up for it a little bit. I forgot to tell the Universe that I wanted to attend your wedding. I made sure to take care of that with Luna’s event.”
Ursula stared at her reflection in the mirror. “Thank you, but I have had second thoughts about even having a reception. Mother’s Day with both our families could have been the reception.”
“The bride should have what she wants for a wedding. The groom’s job is to love and cherish her.” Ophelia repeated Jake’s words. “But the party is in full swing now, so you’ve got to go, and Vera will be fine with Remy there.”
“Remy makes everyone feel at ease,” Bernie said. “I did good when I picked him out for you.”
“I believe I did the picking,” Ursula said, “but thank you all the same. And thank all of you for all the support today.” Ursula smoothed the front of her white eyelet lace dress, designed with a portrait collar and short sleeves. It fit her tall, slim body like a glove and stopped at the tops of white lace-up cowboy boots.
Vera poked her head into the room, and then came on inside. “You are so beautiful,” she said as she crossed the room and gave Ursula a hug. “I’ve always wanted a daughter, and I’m so lucky to finally have one.”
“You should have come over and let me know that years ago,” Mary Jane said as she entered the room. “I have seven and would have been glad to throw a couple over the fence to you.”
“I would have taken all seven, but in those days, I was too withdrawn to even make friends with you,” Vera told her. “But I’m better now that Alan is in my life.”
There was no doubt that Vera was Remy’s mother. They shared the same color eyes, dark hair, and slim faces. She was tall and slender and had a brilliant smile that lit up the room just like Remy’s did.
Tertia came in with a glass of tea in her hands and handed it to Ursula. “Sorry it took so long. Remy says it’s about time for us all to head toward the winery.”
“He will be totally speechless when he sees Ursula,” Vera said, “but I guess we do need to get on out to the vehicles. We don’t want to keep the guests waiting too long.”
Mary Jane looped her arm into Vera’s. “We are so lucky to have Remy in our family, but not only him—you and Alan as well.”
“Same here,” Vera smiled. “I’m not bringing as much family to the mix as you are, but I’m grateful for all of you. Now, we have a lovely day for the reception, and it wouldn’t matter if it snowed or rained or if we had to deal with a tornado, I’m grateful to be able to have Mother’s Day tomorrow with the family. I couldn’t ask for any more than that for this wonderful weekend.”
Ophelia wondered if Ursula was sad that their own biological father had opted out of even coming to the reception. He and his wife were in Aruba at her summer house until after July fourth. Ophelia hoped that when and if she decided to get married, he would be off on a trip, because Joe Clay would be the father who walked her down the aisle or up the steps to the courthouse. She hung back while everyone filed out of the bedroom and wrapped her arms around Ursula. “I love you, Sister.”
“Love you, too,” Ursula said.
Bernie put her hand on Ophelia’s back and gave her a gentle push. “You’ve got to get out of here, or you’ll make your sister cry. You don’t want to have Tertia mad at you for messing up her makeup job even if it does make you look a little sallow. We need to follow everyone else out to the cars.”
When Ophelia saw the way Remy looked at Ursula as she came down the stairs, her mind went back to the dream that Tertia had so rudely awakened her from that morning. If—and that was a gigantic if—she and Jake were to ever get together, who would be his best man? And which sister would she choose to be her maid of honor or matron of honor? Luna hadn’t been able to decide on a maid of honor, so all six of her sisters would be bridesmaids. When Aunt Bernie pouted, Luna gave her the important job of sitting at the reception table to welcome the guests.
Remy took Ursula’s hand in his when she reached the foyer. “Everyone, please gather around. We’ve got an announcement to make before we leave for the reception. We want to…” He looked over at Ursula. “You want to tell them or should I?”
“Go ahead,” she whispered.
Tell them what, Ophelia wondered and then she remembered how her sister had claimed nerves caused her nausea. Ophelia’s breath hung in her chest so long that it began to ache, and when she drew in more air, it sounded like a gasp.
“Thank you all for being here, but before we start getting hugs and go to the reception, we want you all to know that we have a special bottle of nonalcoholic red wine that Jake has prepared for Ursula and me. Ursula won’t be using anything with alcohol for a while,” Remy said.
“Why?” Endora asked.
“Because I’m pregnant,” Ursula answered. “Our baby will be a Christmas present.”
“Oh! My!” Mary Jane gasped and hurried over to wrap both Remy and her daughter in a three-way hug. “This is wonderful news.”
Tears ran down Vera’s face. “A daughter and a new baby! Alan, we will have to come back to see the new grandbaby next Christmas.”
“Yes, we will, darlin’,” Alan said with a wide grin. “We might even buy that little house down by Shane and Luna’s place. That way we could spend part of the year here in Texas and the rest in Wyoming.”
“And Vera can help me with my new matchmaking and wedding planning business,” Bernie said.
“What?” Vera asked.
Bernie patted her on the shoulder. “That’s a later conversation. Today is all about Ursula, Remy, and the new baby.”
“I’m jealous,” Ophelia whispered when she finally broke through the family enough to get in her hugs. “But it seems only right for you to have the first grandbaby since you are the oldest.”
“You could have the second one if you would get on the ball.” Ursula beamed.
“Luna will beat me to that, and she’ll probably have twins and make hers the second and third both,” Ophelia said with a sigh.
“Or maybe we’ll have twins and she’ll have to just settle for third,” Remy teased.
“That’s something to unload on us right before we have to leave. We’d like to all stay right here and talk about a new baby coming into our family all afternoon,” Joe Clay said, “but I can’t complain. I’ve waited a long time to be a grandpa, and we can talk more about it when we get home from the party.”
“Yes, we can, but we should be going. The early-bird guests are probably already at the reception,” Remy said as he ushered Ursula out to his truck.
“Shotgun!” Tertia called out as she made a beeline for Ophelia’s truck.
“You always do that,” Endora grumbled.
“I’m just faster than you are,” Tertia joked as she got inside and fastened the seat belt. “You’ve got to learn to think ahead.”
Ophelia had already put the truck in reverse and had started to back up when Bernie came out on the porch, waving and yelling. Ophelia braked and rolled the window down. “Is something wrong?”
Bernie hurried down the porch steps and ran out across the yard. “I had to put Pepper out in the trailer, and everyone else has left. I don’t want to drive myself, so…”
Tertia undid her seat belt and held the door open for Bernie, then got into the back seat beside Endora. Ophelia looked up in the rearview in time to see Endora do a little head wiggle and point at Tertia, who promptly stuck her out tongue at her younger sister.
Bernie settled into the seat and then nodded at Ophelia. “Let’s get this wagon train headed south.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ophelia said. “Can y’all believe that we’re all going to be aunts when Ursula and Remy’s baby gets here? A Christmas baby is so exciting.”
“I’m going to be a great-great-aunt,” Bernie bragged. “This is the best day ever. It’s even better than the day that Bubba Thomas proposed to me, and I turned him down.”
“Aunt Bernie!” Endora gasped. “Why did you do that?”
“Because he was a two-timin’ sumbitch, just like your Kevin. Sorry sucker slept with my cousin. She got drunk and told me that he wasn’t all that good in bed anyway,” Bernie answered. “Was your Kevin at least good in bed?”
“Aunt Bernie!” Endora’s tone went all high and screechy like Poppy did the time that Aunt Bernie accidentally rocked on her tail.
“You don’t have to answer that or ever get married, darlin’. Sleep with ’em and tell them to leave before breakfast…” She giggled and then paused. “Unless they’re the ones cookin’ for you. Then keep them around until you finish eating.”
Ophelia wondered if Jake knew how to make something other than canned soup or bologna sandwiches.
“I’d like to formally announce the newlyweds as Mr. and Mrs. Remington Baxter of Spanish Fort, Texas. Let’s give them a big round of applause,” Jake announced when the wedding couple entered the reception hall.
Ophelia clapped with everyone else, but she couldn’t keep her eyes off Jake. His dark-red shirt with the Brennan Winery logo fit him snugly. His jeans hugged his body, and his cowboy boots were polished and shiny. Everything about him was so very different from her last boyfriend, who was a banker and wore suits and loafers—and who never offered to cook breakfast for her, not even once. That man looked more like someone who made wine, and Jake looked like he ought to be rounding up cattle or hauling hay.
Bernie nudged her on the shoulder. “He is definitely one good-lookin’ guy, and it’s not hard to imagine him all tangled up in sheets. If Bubba Thomas had looked that good, I might have forgiven him and married him just to get at his body every night.”
“Who are you talkin’ about?” Ophelia asked.
“You know who,” Bernie said. “Do you think you’re the only single woman eyeballing him? I’d be willing to bet that he will have at least a dozen phone numbers tucked into the pocket of them tight-fittin’ jeans before everyone clears out of here. If only”—she sighed loudly—“I was young enough, I wouldn’t put my number in his pocket. I would take them jeans off real slow-like and…”
“Aunt Bernie!” Ophelia blushed.
Bernie shook her finger at Ophelia. “Don’t you go fussin’ at me like Endora’s been doing all day. Ain’t a one of us women in the family still a virgin. Sex is natural and it’s a helluva lot of fun, and you can’t tell me you ain’t been thinkin’ the same thing about Jake. That scarlet color fillin’ your cheeks is a dead giveaway. I was right about there being a new baby in the family by Christmas, and I’m predicting—again—that we’ll have at least one more serious relationship by that time. I’m actually shootin’ for two, but I’ll be satisfied with one at a time, and”—she shook her finger at Ophelia again—“you can run from it, but your heart knows better. You know, I might start up one of them advice columns too.”
Ophelia grabbed her aunt’s finger. “Duroc pigs and Angus bulls will sprout wings and fly before I get married in only six months or even have a serious relationship. You better meddle in Tertia’s love life if you want Santa Claus to bring another wedding to the Paradise, or get busy on that matchmaking business you’ve been talking about. I’m not going to be the cause of Mama having a heart attack from overworking. She needs a couple of years to get over this and Luna’s event.”
Bernie pulled her finger free, laughed out loud, and slapped her leg. “Your mama is strong and would dance a jig in a pig trough to have you girls all settled down. But what you said about pigs and cows is funny. Looks like Tertia ain’t the only one in the family with a sense of humor. I can picture pigs and cows flying around in the sky above the Paradise. I’ll have to get my shotgun out for sure and do some target practice if they light on the roof.”
“Daddy would probably barbecue them if that happened,” Ophelia said.
“He makes a mean barbecue sauce, so I wouldn’t mind chowing down on some spareribs or brisket. Maybe we’ll do that for your and Jake’s wedding. Think maybe you could lasso him, just so I can see farm animals take to the sky?” Bernie teased and then pointed across the room. “They’re fixin’ to cut the cake and do the toast, and then the preacher will grace the food and we can all eat. I’m starving. How about you?”
“Yes,” Ophelia nodded, but her mind was not on food. She stole another sideways glance across the room in time to see Jake pour wine from a bottle with a lovely label that had Remy Ursula written in scroll on it.
The reception was lovely. The turnout was awesome. The news about the new baby was priceless.