"You waltz divinely," said Lord Frost.
"You're not too bad either," said Timber with a grin.
"I hope not," laughed Lord Frost.
Lord Frost and Timber danced for half of the song before they were interrupted.
"May I cut in?" asked Dresden, tapping Lord Frost on the shoulder. Lord Frost stepped aside and Dresden took Timber by the hand.
"I'm not as good as Lord Frost or Henry, but I wanted to dance with you anyway," said Dresden.
"So what do you think of Xianna?"
"She's the most beautiful creature I've ever seen," said Dresden. "Her eyes are like emeralds. They are stunning. I must admit I like her. Is she naturally shy?"
"Far from it," said Timber. "She's loud, flirtatious and she has no filter on her mouth, but she's incredibly loyal and a very dedicated friend."
"Would you accept if I asked her to dinner or a movie?" asked Dresden.
"I would welcome it," said Timber happily. "You would need to ask her older brother, Orion, though. He's rather protective of her."
The song ended and Dresden pulled away with a bow and a smile. Over the applause, Xianna changed the song again and Timber got a look from Xianna that told Timber if she didn't dance, she would be punished in the most severe manner (which meant Timber would be tickled until she wet herself). So Timber danced.
She closed her eyes and let her feet move freely. She didn't think and lost herself in the music as she moved. Everyone was lined up around the walls clapping to the beat. Eventually, Timber got tired of dancing alone and moved towards Henry. She pulled him out into the middle of the circle and closed the gap between their bodies. Henry blushed but got into position. The music started again and Henry led Timber in a very sensual mambo routine. Henry moved well as his feet stepped in four-quarter time. He twirled Timber around the hardwood floor and dipped her low while Timber's friends whooped and hollered. When the music died and Timber and Henry stopped dancing, wild applause broke out throughout the room.
"Well Timber got herself quite a dance partner," said Grace when the noise had died down.
Timber burst out laughing. She looked around the room and smiled. It was full of the people she cared about most even though she had only known some of them for a brief time. She was abruptly struck with an idea. She looked at Lord Avanti, Aiyanna, and Jaci with hopeful eyes.
"Will you guys come to the wedding?" she asked.
"Of course, we will!" cried Jaci happily.
She grabbed Timber and pulled her into a hug. Then she was passed to Aiyanna who gave her a slightly tighter embrace. Lord Avanti smiled happily and nodded quietly. Timber didn't think she could ever be happier.
After Henry cashed in his five million dollar inheritance from his grandparents, he and Timber began looking for a house with some help from Chad. Despite his steadily declining health, he insisted on going along with them to make sure that the house was sturdy and suitable for his only niece. Emily had also accompanied them to make sure that the house was big enough for her to come over to bug Timber whenever she wanted. Timber and Henry decided to find a modest house in Fort Bragg instead of a larger one right on the cliffs. They found a beautiful two-story craftsman style home with a large, well-landscaped front yard on South Harrison Street. The property was fenced off, which Timber liked and it was small enough so she didn't have much to clean but it was large enough for her and Henry to build a home together and entertain their friends and their friend's future families without being overly cramped.
The day after they got the news that the house had passed inspection and was now theirs, Timber began her two-day spree with Grace and Emily shopping for the basic necessary items to fill the home such as living room furniture, cookware, and a dining set. She and Henry agreed to keep her bedroom set but replace the mattress and bedding for something more mature.
Five days later, Timber, along with Gina, Ashley, Kendra, and Xianna graduated from high school. Timber had walked up on the platform in her purple cap and gown and took her diploma from Mrs. Holborn who beamed at Timber with pride. The rest of the day, at least for Timber, was amazing. She loaded up her new silver Ford Fusion (her graduation gift from Chad and Grace).
She, Xianna, Ashley, Gina, Kendra, Henry, and Dresden headed south to Mendocino to spend to rest of the afternoon at Big River. They filled up the Igloo cooler with sweet tea and snacks, grabbed a collapsible table from the garage, a boom box, and spare batteries to load into her car and Henry's new Dodge Hellcat, and went to spend the day at the river.
When they got to Big River in Mendocino, the group unloaded both cars, set up the table, turned the radio on as loud as it would go and the girls started stripping out of their clothes until they were in nothing but their swimsuits. Henry and Dresden took off their shirts and Timber saw Xianna stare in want at Dresden's very well-defined abdominal muscles. She smiled and nudged her best friend, making her turn tomato.
The group raced each other to the water. Xianna was the first one in since she was the fastest runner followed by Henry, Dresden, and Kendra. Gina was the last one in since she didn't like to run fast and everyone spent the afternoon playing in the water. Timber had even convinced Gina and Kendra to cliff jump with her from the other side of the river. Dresden and Henry joined Timber on her second trip to the cliff and jumped with her. When the sun began to set Xianna and Kendra set up the table with several cups on either side. Timber filled them halfway up with tea and then the girls split off.
"What's happening?" asked Henry.
"Oh I forgot, you've never played this game," said Ashley. "The object is to turn all the cups over before the other team. One person will run to their side of the table and down the cup of tea. The catch is that you have to flip it from an upright position. You can't set it down. You have to keep trying until it stays upside-down. Then you run back to the back of the line and the next person goes. Shouting is encouraged from those waiting their turn."
"We have an odd number," Dresden pointed out.
"Gina always sits out," said Kendra. "She's the referee."
"Pick your team guys," said Xianna.
Henry joined Timber's team and Dresden joined Xianna's. Gina gave the signal and Xianna and Timber took off running towards the table. Xianna reached it first and downed her tea with Timber three seconds behind her. They started trying to flip their cups while everyone else shouted enthusiastic encouragement. Timber got hers steady first, threw her arms up and ran back to tag Kendra. Kendra and Ashley finished at the same time so Dresden and Henry were up against each other. Dresden finished first and ran back to tag in Xianna. The game went on until the last cup had been flipped. Timber laughed as Xianna did a victory dance in the sand.
Night had nearly fallen and the girls decided it was time for a bonfire. The guys volunteered to get firewood while the girls put the pit together. By the time Henry and Dresden came back, the girls had set up everything and pulled out the snacks. Timber noticed that Dresden looked a little nervous and Henry was supporting him through meaningful glances. They all got the fire going and Timber smiled as she saw Xianna lean into Dresden. Henry pulled Timber in and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"So you're getting married next week," said Gina to Henry and Timber. "Have you guys got a honeymoon destination yet?"
"Disneyland," said Henry. "There were so many places we wanted to go so we had to narrow it down. We finally settled on Disneyland last night. I booked everything as soon as we decided. Everything is all set."
"You'll have to take pictures for us," said Ashley as she pulled her red hair up into a messy bun
"Why?" asked Timber. "You've already been there. You've been practically everywhere."
"I still want pictures," said Ashley.
"Fine but don't expect that many," said Timber.
"Don't expect any at all," said Xianna who was passing out bags of chips. "They might not even get into the park. They'll be too busy with indoor activities."
Timber t
urned bright red and looked up at the sky in embarrassment.
"So, who is buying who Cowlicks this year?" asked Ashley when she finished laughing.
"Xianna is buying Gina ice cream again," said Kendra pulling a sheer cardigan over her shoulders.
"Hey, my grades went up this year!" said Xianna defensively.
"Not enough, though," said Gina. "You're still a three point two five grade point average."
"I saw Gina's report card," said Timber. "She accomplished what the rest of us only dreamed about. A perfect four-point zero GPA."
"What?" cried Xianna.
"You've always had a three point seven five grade point average," said Ashley in astonishment.
"It was on my senior bucket list. You owe me a mint chocolate chip cone Xianna," teased Gina.
"Yeah, yeah," said Xianna. She stuck her tongue out at Gina who laughed.
"So you're the only one who hasn't made plans this summer," said Ashley to Xianna.
"Well I don't know what I want to do," said Xianna. "I just know that I want to spend the summer with Dresden."
"Would you like to spend longer than that with me?" asked Dresden.
"Of course," said Xianna. "Why?"
"I was hoping you would consider going steady with me and consent to becoming my girlfriend," said Dresden.
"Of course," said Xianna and she leaned into him, glowing radiantly.
The following Saturday was a joyous one. A small crowd of friends and family was gathering at Holly's Ocean Meadow in the Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden just south of Fort Bragg. It was Timber and Henry's wedding day and Timber had spent two days getting ready. Her paternal grandmother paid for a full spa day for the day before so her skin was completely rejuvenated and her muscles were relaxed. As a convenience for the wedding, Timber and Henry had rented the guest house so they could get ready on location.
Timber was in the largest room with Xianna, Gina, Ashley, Kendra, and Emily. Emily was styling Timber's hair while the other girls were taking turns with the bathroom mirror to apply their make-up. Timber was anxious and jittery. She had decided the prior week that Henry wasn't allowed to see her for three days before the wedding and she was feeling the effects. She desperately wanted two thirty to come around so she could see him.
"Okay, Timber," said Emily, who was trying her hardest to refrain from bouncing in excitement. "It's time to get into your dress."
Timber had not been able to connect with a dress when she was taken shopping and her Debutante gown didn't survive the punch that had been spilled on it by Orion at the end of the evening. So Timber went into her dowry and put on her great grandmother's gown. It was the dress. Grace sent it to her cousin in Louisiana for modifications and it came back better than Timber could have imagined.
The long sleeves had been removed and the lace was reused to add detail to bust. It had even been reshaped to fit Timber's style. It looked nothing like the original dress except the lace pattern. Tulle had been added at the bottom because Timber was several inches taller than her great grandmother.
Timber stood and undid her white silk robe and let it fall to the floor. She stepped into her gown, pulled it up, and adjusted it so it was perfect. She looked glamorous in the elegant strapless mermaid gown adorned with vintage lace and a cream ribbon around her waist to hide a tiny red wine stain. Her long curled hair was pinned half up with a stunning cathedral veil tuck in the back of her hair. Her makeup was classic with a thin line of black eyeliner that was winged out, natural eye shadow, a coat of black mascara, some pale pink blush, and red lipstick. Around her neck and wrist was her special something old. Her mother's bracelet and matching necklace stood out against her fair skin. Her something borrowed was the only thing Henry had from his sister; a pair of simple gold dangle earrings. Her something blue was the garter that was high on her thigh.
"Timber, you look beautiful!" said Xianna with tears in her eyes.
"Thank you, Xia," said Timber.
She embraced her best friend with a smile.A knock sounded and Grace poked her head in. She immediately burst into tears of joy when she saw Timber. She fanned her face with her white gloved hands as she tried to calm herself.
"You're as beautiful as your mother," said Grace and Timber beamed with pride. "The men are ready. Are y'all ready?"
"Almost," said Timber. Something caught her attention in the corner of the room. "Could I have a moment to myself? It's the only one I'm going to get today and I want to calm my nerves."
The girls smiled and filed out of the room and closed the door. When the footsteps faded, Timber addressed the shadow in the corner of the room.
"Mom?"
To her great surprise, the figure took the clear, but ghostly form of Elizabeth Brogan.
"I'm here, Love," she said. Her silky voice was like a distant echo but it was as beautiful as Timber remembered. "I'm sorry for everything you had to go through, Dear. I never meant for any of that to happen but I am very proud of the young woman you've become."
"There are so many things I want to ask you," said Timber choking on her emotions. "How are you able to speak with me now but you never showed yourself before?"
"Her Majesty was able to allow me a visit today. Before, I was merely a shadow of myself. I tried my best to protect you but I failed and I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Mom," said Timber.
"You made sure I can take care of myself and now I have Henry. I am safe with him."
"I know, Love," said Elizabeth with a warm smile. "You know, you met him for the first time many years ago though it was so brief he would not remember. He was just a boy too. I was carrying you down to the creek to play. You saw him and you smiled the biggest smile I had ever seen on you. So your relationship with Henry started when you were three years old. After that, you would always come up with some reason to try and see him. We left Haven when you were five. That's why you don't remember. I am very happy that you found each other now, so many years later. Love like yours is rare and beautiful."
"Can you stay with me today?" asked Timber.
"No," said Elizabeth sadly. "I have to go back. My time was brief. I love you Timber. Never forget that."
"I love you too, Mom."
Timber reached out her hand to touch her mother but Elizabeth's hand went right through hers and then she was gone. Timber did the best she could to not cry. Thankfully a distraction came from Xianna.
"Everyone is waiting for you," she called through the door.
"Coming," said Timber.
Timber opened the door and Xianna grabbed her hand and smiled.They walked down and out of the house and Timber stopped out of sight behind the bushes with Emily who looked adorable in blonde pigtails even though she was fourteen, and Chad, who was pale, bald, and leaning heavily on a walker. The dark shadows under his eyes could not hide the pride and happiness that he was feeling. The music started and Dresden walked with Xianna on one arm and Ashley on the other. Henry's brother Charles walked next with Kendra and Gina. Emily looked up at Timber with a grin before she bounced away, dropping yellow and red flower petals on the white runner.
She could hear the acoustic guitar playing as she walked arm in arm with her uncle helping him stand steady, and carrying a bouquet of Plena Sunrises and Angel's Breath. She stopped at the back as everyone stood to their feet. The background was the beautiful Pacific Ocean and rocky eighty-five-foot cliffs. A white runner rested on the center aisle, with wooden chairs full of guests on either side leading to the small pergola draped in white fabric. The smell of salty ocean water filled the air as well as the hundreds of perennials that surrounded them. The sky was blue without a cloud in sight and the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs was soothing and beautiful.
The guitar man played 'Here Comes the Bride," and Timber walked gracefully down the aisle with Chad stepping proudly at her side. Timber couldn't help but stare at Henry as she walked. She had not seen him in three days and she was fighting with her entire being not to run t
o him. His sandy blonde hair was combed to the side and his eyes glistened with tears of joy and pride as he saw his bride. He wore the same tuxedo he wore to the prom but he looked better in it in the bright summer sun.Dresden and Charles were in the same attire as Henry but with red flowers on their jackets instead of yellow. Timber's bridesmaids were all in floor-length chiffon gowns with a sweetheart neckline and bouquets of red roses. Lord Frost was standing in the middle with his long blonde hair pulled back. Timber thought he looked a little odd in a three-piece suit instead of his long silk robes, but he was still handsome all the same.
As she walked, she saw Lord Avanti, Jaci, Angie, and her girls, Grace, Xianna's brother Orion and his fiancé. Gina's brother and parents, all four of Ashley's brothers and her father were in the middle. Kendra's parents, Mrs. Holborn and a good majority of Grace's family from Louisiana, including Timber's grandparents were near the front. They all smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back. Timber and Chad reached the altar and Chad hesitantly gave her away with tears in his eyes. Timber hugged him and he sat down in the front row beside his wife. Timber turned around and stood facing Henry. She could smell his cologne and it made her knees a little weak. She took in his appearance and the way his eyes were shining with pride as he looked at her. She wanted to remember the way he looked at this moment forever.
"Friends and family," said Lord Frost, "we are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of committed marital love, and to add our best wishes to the words which shall unite Ferdinand Henry Santelli and Timber Elizabeth Brogan in marriage. Today, the couple would like to read their vows to each other."
"On this day," said Timber to Henry with happiness vibrating clearly in her voice, "I give you my heart, my promise that I will walk with you, hand in hand, wherever our journey leads us, living, learning, and loving, together, forever. You are my dream, my soul mate, and my best friend. I would not be standing here today without you."
The Timber Effect Page 39