19
That afternoon Clara took to her bed with a headache.
Dalton hovered in the hallway outside as Harper softly closed the bedroom door. “Is she OK?”
“I think so. She does this when she feels upset or stressed. It’s her way of resetting herself. When she wakes up, she probably won’t even remember that it happened. But I will.” Harper sighed. “I guess I could have been a little bit gentler with her earlier.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. Your reaction was understandable. It was quite a shock.”
“What on earth came over her though, to plan our wedding without even asking first?”
“Who knows. Her heart was in the right place, though.”
“I know it was,” she sighed. “Will you see if you can help me find her notes?”
After searching through drawers and cabinets, Harper finally discovered a thick folder containing party plans in Clara’s yarn cupboard.
“OK,” she said. “Let’s see what she’s done.”
They began to sort through scraps of papers and index cards with phone numbers and jotted notes. It all made little sense. “I don’t see any receipts for deposits she might have made on anything.”
“Looks as if she planned on ordering a tent and some buffet tables for the reception,” Dalton said, studying an index card. “I’ll call all the tent rental places in town, see if she followed through. At least we know she ordered plenty of decorations.”
“I don’t see any notes about food, or flowers, though. Or music.”
“She’s got a note here to call someplace called Beat Boyz.”
“That’s Danny Kelley, a local DJ. So do you suppose she made all of these calls, or just meant to?”
He kneaded her shoulders. “We’ll figure it all out.”
“What’s our head count so far?”
“From what I can tell, it looks as though she invited around two hundred people. We’ve gotten ninety responses so far that I know of, all coming. Except for Babe.”
She set the folder aside. “I guess we’ll have to wait until Aunt Clara feels better and ask her about all of this. Maybe between the three of us we can make some sense of it.”
“It’ll be fine, Harper. I promise.” He kissed her forehead. “Even if it’s just you and me, even if it’s hot dogs and potato chips. We’re getting married. That’s all that matters to me.”
A sudden lightness filled her heart. Dalton was right. Of course, he was. They were getting married. Married! Nothing mattered more than that.
Clara stayed in bed all that day and the next. On Saturday morning, Harper heard the unmistakable sound of the tea kettle whistling in the kitchen. She rose from her bed and hurried downstairs.
“Good morning, Aunt Clara.”
Clara looked up from her cup of tea with a smile. “Good morning, darling.”
“Are you feeling OK?”
“I’m right as rain, why do you ask? Would you like some tea?”
“Yes, I would, thanks.” She accepted the cup her aunt offered, added milk and sugar, and stirred. She broached the subject carefully. “Do you have any plans for the day?”
“I thought I might start crocheting a blanket for the baby today.”
“That would be nice. Are you all caught up as far as the party? Is there anything you need my help with?”
“Party?” Clara’s brow wrinkled. “I don’t think so, dear.”
“You remember we’re having a party, right?”
Clara thought for a moment, then her expression brightened. “Yes, I do seem to remember that. It’ll be a grand affair, in the gazebo.”
“And it’s not just any party,” she prompted. “It’s a wedding. Dalton and I are getting married.”
“You are? How wonderful! I like Dalton.”
Her heart sank. “You were planning it for us, remember?”
“Was I?”
Pushing down the panic that suddenly made it hard to breathe, Harper retrieved the folder and showed Clara her notes. “You meant to call about all of these things, see?”
“I’m afraid I don’t remember.”
It was worse than she thought. It was a disaster. And the phone calls kept on coming. One hundred seventy-three so far. Harper took several cleansing breaths.
Life is beautiful, even when it doesn’t go as planned…
“That’s what I was afraid of.”
“I’m sorry, darling. Just tell me what you would like me to do, and I’ll be happy to do it.”
She forced a smile. “It’s OK, Aunt Clara. You work on the baby blanket. Dalton and I will take care of the party.”
She settled Clara in her chair with her yarn and crochet hooks and went upstairs to take a bath, hoping it would calm her nerves. She lit a eucalyptus candle and measured out two scoops of lavender bath salts, then sank into the soothing water, allowing herself to dwell on the positives. She was marrying Dalton Kingston, the man of her dreams. And soon they would welcome a daughter into the world. Now if she could just keep the wedding ceremony from being a disaster, her happiness would be complete. Closing her eyes, she repeated her affirmations.
I am strong.
I am capable.
I am enough…
She frowned. Who was she kidding? Even as a professional caterer, she couldn’t possibly pull this off. Even catering a small event took weeks of planning. As she leaned her head back against her bath pillow, the solution presented itself and she immediately rejected it.
“No way,” she murmured.
She washed her hair and then scrubbed her knees and elbows with a pumice stone until they were smooth and pink. Feeling calmer, she climbed carefully from the tub, toweled off, and worked lotion into her skin. The solution presented itself again and she sighed. There was only one person she knew of who could pull together a wedding in eighteen days. Like it or not, she would have to ask for help.
Later that afternoon she drove across town to Babe’s house, repeating her affirmations in her head.
I am at peace with myself and with God.
I trust myself to do what is right, even when it’s difficult.
The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?
She pulled in the driveway and without giving herself time to rethink her decision, walked up to the front door and knocked.
Moments later Babe’s face appeared behind the screen. “What do you need, Harper?”
“I was hoping we could talk for a few minutes.”
“I’ve just come home from work. I have to get Jerry’s laundry in the washer, plus about a dozen other things before he arrives home.”
“It’ll only take a moment.” She added, “Please?”
Babe came out and planted her hands on her hips. “What?”
“Do you mind if I sit?” Harper asked.
Babe waved a hand in the direction of the porch swing and Harper sank into its overstuffed red-and-white striped pillows. She drew in a breath, slowly let it out. “Look, I’m sorry for all of the misunderstandings between us lately.”
Babe let loose a short, sharp bark of laughter. “I wouldn’t call them misunderstandings. I understand full well what you’re doing. You’re trying to keep my grandchild from me.”
“I never wanted to keep the baby from you, Babe.”
“No, of course you didn’t. Until he came along.”
Harper closed her eyes for a moment. I am kind, even when others are not…
“No one is trying to keep the baby from you,” she repeated.
To her surprise, Babe’s eyes filled with tears. “I know you don’t think I was much of a mother to Ashley. But I did the best I could.”
“I’m sure you did.”
“Ashley wanted this baby so much. And so did I. I wanted a second chance, a chance to do better. A chance to have tea parties and play dress-up and all the things I never had time for with Ashley.”
You never made time for those things. But it was plain that Babe was hurting. Maybe she really had turned over a new leaf. “I want that, too. I want you to spend time with her. I never planned to shut you out, and I’m sorry if it seemed that way.”
She regarded Harper tearfully. “You’ll have a husband soon. He won’t want me in the picture, any more than Bo did.”
“Dalton is a good man, Babe. Surely, you’re not denying my child the right to a father?”
“Of course I’m not denying her a father! Didn’t Jerry and I offer to adopt her?”
“Jerry is sixty years old,” she said gently.
“That doesn’t mean he’s not a good man!”
Oh, dear. This wasn’t going well.
“I’m not saying that Jerry isn’t a good man. And I’m glad you’ve found someone who makes you happy. So why can’t you be happy for me? I’d given up on ever finding the right one. You yourself should know how that feels.”
“I’ll admit I picked a few losers before I finally found Jerry,” she conceded. “But if you want my opinion, I think you’re moving awfully fast.”
“We’re doing what’s right for us, and for the baby. Though I’ll admit, we weren’t planning on having a wedding quite this soon. But Aunt Clara sort of took the ball and ran with it.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “You let Clara plan your wedding?”
“I wouldn’t exactly say I let her. She just did it. I thought she was planning a small tea party, but she started making wedding plans and put them all in motion, and now everything’s a mess.”
“What do you mean, a mess?”
“She doesn’t remember any of the details. Like what we’re serving for food, or even who she’s invited.”
“Good heavens!”
“I really need your help, Babe.”
“Oh, so now you want me to just whip up a wedding, which I don’t even approve of, in less than three weeks’ time?”
“Well, yes.”
She was silent for long moments.
Please, Lord. Please put it in her heart to help us…
“OK,” she finally said. “First things first. We have to find you something pretty to wear.”
~*~
In church that week, Pastor Roberts’ message on unity seemed tailor made for Harper and Dalton. After the service ended, he ushered them into his office. When they were seated, he smiled at them.
“Firstly, I want to offer you both my congratulations. I’d be honored to officiate the ceremony of two such outstanding people as yourselves.”
“Thank you,” Harper said. “And thank you for agreeing to do it on such short notice.”
“About that…” His gaze slid from Harper and rested on Dalton. “I’m assuming your beliefs are aligned, and that you two plan to raise your children according to those beliefs, to the best of your ability?”
“That’s the plan,” Dalton answered.
“Good. And you’re both sure this marriage is what you want?”
Dalton reached for Harper’s hand and squeezed it. “We’re positive. I know it all seems kind of sudden, but?”
“You don’t owe me an explanation, son.” The pastor chuckled. “As a matter of fact, Bertie and I knew each other for exactly one week before we got engaged. People said it would never last. We’ve been together for more than thirty years now. When it’s right, it’s right.”
As he talked with them about how healthy relationships include God and the unique challenges that they would face given Harper’s pregnancy, Dalton’s thoughts pressed forward in beautiful, cautious daydreams of the life he and Harper would share and the children they would create together. Yes, it would be an adjustment. The odds were stacked against them. But they would make it. And he was the most blessed man alive.
Shortly after they returned home from church, Babe’s Jeep roared into the driveway. She bustled into the house, armed with notebooks and wedding planners and a mile-long list of tasks for each of them.
“We have no time to waste here, so let’s get started, shall we?” She opened her laptop and pulled up her spread sheets; fussy, complicated things, not a single detail overlooked.
“Dalton, who will be your best man?”
“I planned to ask Nicky.”
Nicky’s face broke out in a grin. “Dude, really?”
“Sure. If you’re free on such short notice.”
“I think I can clear my calendar!”
“Good,” Babe said. “Then you’ll need to take Nicky to the plaza and help him find a suit. Tuxedos might be a bit much for an informal garden wedding. Suits will be fine. I think you should both wear charcoal gray. And for heaven’s sakes, get Nicky a decent tie. We’ll go with lavender to match Clara’s bridesmaid dress.”
He and Nicky exchanged amused glances.
“Harper, we’ll work on your gown tomorrow. I’ll have to add a second panel to the bodice, and sew in some more lace, but I think the one we chose will be perfect. I’ve put in calls to the DJ and the florist, and I’ll follow up with them tomorrow. For today let’s focus on decorations.”
They filed out to the patio, where Dalton and Nicky had moved the mountains of boxes Clara had ordered. Retrieving a utility knife from her bag, Babe began to slit them open. She inspected the silk Ficus trees, the dainty pink papier mache lanterns, and the braided arch with the rose and ivy garland.
“Actually, Clara chose well. These things are quite nice,” she said. “We can definitely build on all of this.”
“I feel kind of bad for Aunt Clara,” Nicky said. “She worked so hard planning the party. I feel as if her purpose has been taken away from her.”
“Not to worry. I’ve given Clara the perfect job.” Babe slit open a box of white fairy lights, pulled out a strand, and studied them. “She’s making the wedding cake. Now out, both of you! Harper and I have got this.”
In the kitchen, Clara was set up at the table, her cake decorating books spread out around her. She glanced up when Dalton and Nicky walked in.
“Hello, darlings!”
“What are you up to, Miss Clara?”
“I’m planning your wedding cake. I was thinking this round, three-layer strawberry and white swirl cake would be just right, and I’ll decorate it with pink rosettes. I think white-chocolate butter cream frosting would do nicely.” She showed them a picture of an intricate cake, the frosting flowers as real looking as the roses on the gazebo. “Do you like it?”
“It’s beautiful, Clara. But it looks complicated.”
“To a casual observer I suppose it does. But it’s really a very simple cake, simple yet elegant, just like our girl.”
Dalton gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Then we’ll leave it in your capable hands.”
“Looks like Aunt Clara got her purpose back,” Nicky said as they moved into the hallway.
“I’d say so.”
“Hey, can you come upstairs with me for a minute?”
“Sure.”
Dalton had never seen Nicky’s attic hideaway. He peered into the gloom of the large room, which was strewn end-to-end with clothes and dirty dishes and fast-food bags.
“What do you think?”
“It’s really something.”
“It looks a lot better when it’s cleaned up,” Nicky said. He jammed his hands in his pockets. “Anyway, I was thinking you two should switch rooms with me after the wedding. You move up here, and I’ll move down to Harper’s room.”
“Nicky, you don’t have to give up your room. Harper’s will be big enough.”
“Dude, no it won’t. Mine is twice as big as hers. And I don’t mind. After next year I’ll be leaving home anyway. It’ll be my wedding present to you both.”
Dalton considered the space. Nicky wasn’t wrong. Harper’s room was a shoebox, with space for a bed, a dresser, the computer desk and filing cabinets she used as a home office, and little else. The attic room was spacious, and without Nicky’s dark curtains the oversized window in the alcove would flood the room with natural light.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” He seemed suddenly shy. “I’m just super stoked with the way things worked out. I think it’s amazing the way you’re stepping up to be a father to Harper’s baby and all, and I kind of feel like I’m getting a big brother in the deal.”
The words touched him deeply. “Thanks, Nicky. That means a lot.”
~*~
The next day, with Harper off to Babe’s house for alterations on her wedding dress, Dalton and Nicky got busy reimagining the attic space. They rented a truck and retrieved the bedroom suite Dalton had bought for his apartment, and then moved Nicky’s things down to Harper’s room. They moved Harper’s computer desk and file cabinets upstairs, hung her clothes in the closet, and set out her photos and whatnots. They replaced Nicky’s black out curtains with a set of sheer white valances they found in Clara’s linen cupboard and put one of Clara’s homemade crazy quilts on the bed. As a finishing touch, Dalton filled a vase with a large bouquet of mixed flowers from the garden and set them on the night table. That evening, he took Harper upstairs and showed her the space.
She gazed around her in disbelief. “I don’t understand. This doesn’t even look like Nicky’s room anymore.”
“That’s because it isn’t. It’s our room.”
Her breath caught. “It’s beautiful.”
At her obvious pleasure, relief pooled in his gut. “It will give us a little more space than the one downstairs.”
“And Nicky’s OK with this?”
“It was his idea.”
She walked around the room, picked things up, set them back down.
“We can get a rocking chair and a portable crib for the ballerina and put it here in this corner. I thought she would sleep up here with us, at least for the first few weeks. And I thought the alcove would be a good spot for your home office, but we can change anything you want.”
“I wouldn’t change a single thing.” Tears stood in her eyes. “I love the space and I love you.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Right back at you, lady.”
“It’ll all be all right, won’t it?”
“It’ll be amazing.”
“It’s just…”
“What?”
“I know this is not the kind of house you’re used to living in. We’ve let things go, since Aunt Clara has been … We’re not the most sophisticated people in the world.”
“I don’t want the most sophisticated people in the world. I just want you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Harper, I’ve never been surer of anything.”
She leaned into him. “I feel like Cinderella.”
“Well, I’m no Prince Charming. And I can’t promise I’ll make all your dreams come true, but?”
Again, she laid her fingertips across his lips. And then she kissed him, a long, lingering kiss that felt as though every dream he’d ever dreamed was coming true.
“You already have,” she whispered.