“He’ll be here.” Misty looked out toward the street just as Richard’s car pulled up. “Finally,” she muttered, and hurried off to greet him.
“Thank goodness,” Sharlene said. She clapped her hands loudly. “Places, everyone.”
Misty hissed something in Richard’s ear, but Sharlene was grateful they were out of earshot, because neither of them looked happy. Noticing that Sharlene and the whole wedding party were watching them, Misty suddenly grabbed Richard and kissed him passionately.
Richard’s eyes opened wide in surprise, but before he could react, Misty pulled away, beamed at him, and waved to the members of the wedding party. Richard sputtered as Misty took his arm and walked him back to the waiting group. He nodded to the minister, gave a thumbs-up to his best man Jack, and winked at a grinning Megan standing behind all the other bridesmaids. She winked back and giggled.
“Richard, dear,” Sharlene said, “being late to your own wedding rehearsal—it’s such poor manners. Couldn’t you have called? Hopefully you’ll arrive at the country club on time for dinner.”
“Is that a question or an order?” Richard asked her.
“Richard, dear, always such a kidder.” Sharlene clucked sweetly while Misty narrowed her eyes at her fiancé.
“Shall we begin?” Reverend Roberts asked.
****
This was Sharlene’s moment. She was the hostess for this carefully-planned, elegant evening at the country club, all in honor of her brother’s wedding to the Peterson heiress. She almost wished she were the guest of honor, since her own wedding had been such a hurry-up affair. But no matter; tonight would definitely land her in the society pages of the Indianapolis Star, lauded as Daniel Benedict’s wife and capable hostess. Dinner was originally scheduled to be served at eight, but Sharlene had already informed the wait staff that it would be delayed at least a half hour, due to Richard’s late arrival for the wedding rehearsal.
Sharlene surveyed the room. The bar was up and running in a reception area adjoining the private dining room at Belford Country Club, with waiters dressed in black tuxedo pants, white shirts and black bow ties. Since Daniel had driven himself and Megan from the Peterson estate while Sharlene rode with her cousins, he had a head start at the bar, working on a scotch while Megan stood next to him sipping a ginger ale. Adele Meadows, drinking her martini and barely concealing a scowl, sat in an overstuffed chair in one of the many cozy lounge areas scattered around the large room near the picture window that overlooked the eighteenth hole of the golf course. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson stood passively near Adele’s chair, barely acknowledging her or each other while guzzling drinks. Sharlene hadn’t yet had a chance to speak to the bride’s parents, so she stepped over to join them and her grandmother.
“Hello, all,” Sharlene said. Adele scowled, Tildie took a swallow of wine, and Merrill Peterson rocked back on his heels while sipping his cocktail and gazing out the window.
“Tildie, dear,” Adele said, “would you pass me some peanuts? And perhaps you should have a few yourself, to soak up some of that alcohol.”
Tildie shoved the bowl toward her but ignored Adele’s suggestion and drained her glass of chardonnay. She calmly took her husband by the arm and led him back to the bar, turning to give Adele a dirty look as she went.
Sharlene cringed, embarrassed that her grandmother was already insulting the bride’s family, but she’d learned long ago she couldn’t tell Adele Meadows what to do. So she took a head count. The four bridesmaids were all clustered together on a sofa by the picture window. But the men were missing, as were the bride and groom. Sharlene sidled up to the bridesmaids. “This is going to be an absolutely spectacular party,” she told them, then took a step back when all four of them gave her dirty looks.
“What kind of wedding rehearsal was that?” Sierra, an old school friend of Misty’s, asked her. “I’ve never seen two people look more miserable.”
Sharlene’s hand flew to her chest. “Why, whatever do you mean?”
“Don’t worry, Sierra, Misty has…” Krystal, the matron of honor, stopped herself and gave her friends a half smile. “Never mind.”
“What were you going to say, Krystal?” Sierra asked. “Come on, you know more than you’re letting on.”
“Let’s just say Misty has a plan.”
Sharlene frowned, but quickly recovered. “I hope her plan is to enjoy this evening and tomorrow’s gala wedding.”
“Hey, look, the guys are here!” Krystal stood up and waved at her husband Scott, who waved back.
Richard and Sharlene’s twin cousins Gary and Greg, brothers of the remaining bridesmaids, went straight to the bar, followed by Eric, Richard’s basketball-playing buddy from the gym. Jack Anderson entered, hands in his pockets, and called out, “Hey, folks, nice night for a wake.” No one laughed. Jack shrugged and went to join Scott and the bridesmaids.
Scott brushed Krystal’s lips with a quick kiss and sat down on the sofa next to her. “I hope dinner goes better than the rehearsal.”
“What is it they say? Bad dress rehearsal, great opening night?” Krystal took a swallow of her daiquiri.
“Except this isn’t a play, it’s real life,” Scott said. “Why did Richard look so pained through the whole thing?”
Sharlene felt her face turning bright red. She left the young people to their gossip and went to her grandmother, took the martini out of her hand and barked, “Where is Richard?” before remembering herself. She stood up straight and smiled graciously to her guests. “He must be with Misty. Those two lovebirds!”
“I’ll thank you to not treat me like a spoiled child, Sharlene,” Adele said. Sharlene handed the drink back to her grandmother, who held it up in a mock toast.
“They were in separate cars,” Jack volunteered, “and they were right behind us guys. Traffic maybe?”
Daniel downed his drink at the bar and started to order another one. Sharlene shot him a dirty look and made a beeline across the room. Daniel put his arm around his wife as he turned to Megan. “Would you like another ginger ale, Megs?”
“No thanks, Dad. This is the most boring party I’ve ever been to. Can’t I just go home? I’m sure Caroline would come get me.”
Daniel gave Megan’s shoulders a hug. “Sorry, Megan, but if I have to stay, so do you.” Despite his wife’s disapproval, he ordered a third drink.
Richard and Misty finally arrived after fifteen agonizing minutes—agonizing for Sharlene anyway—Misty’s arm tightly linked in the crook of Richard’s elbow. His stoic expression complemented the plastered-on smile on her face.
“The happy couple has arrived!” Sharlene announced. The rest of the wedding party applauded and whooped it up. She just hoped the ‘happy couple’ hadn’t had an argument on the way over.
Misty smiled as she addressed everyone. “Just a few more hours till we’re husband and wife.” Richard blanched as she steered him toward the bar. The bartender handed her a white wine and Richard a beer. As soon as they had their drinks they parted company, Richard to talk to his best man, Misty to chat with her bridesmaids by the picture window.
Sharlene followed Richard, smiling graciously at her guests as she crossed the room, but when she reached his side she grabbed his arm and pulled him aside. “Richard, what in heaven’s name is wrong with you tonight?”
He sighed and scratched his head. “I’m tired, Sharlene, and all this”—he indicated the country club, dinner party, and open bar—“is just so pretentious.”
“Pretentious? Richard, surely you know how hard I’ve worked to plan this evening. I don’t care how tired you are. Couldn’t you at least act like you’re having fun—with your fiancée?”
“I’m with her, Sharlene, but can’t you see she wants to talk to the girls?”
“Richard Meadows,” Adele said sternly as she joined her grandchildren, “I must speak to you in private.”
“What is it, Grandmother?” Richard took her arm and patted it lovingly.
“I s
aid privately.” Adele shot Sharlene a warning look as she led Richard out of earshot.
Sharlene gave them a few moments, although she was pretty sure Grandmother was trying yet again to convince Richard to postpone the wedding. Sharlene decided she’d had enough of this nonsense and stomped over to the two of them. “Richard, dear, you’re behaving as if you aren’t a man about to marry the girl of your dreams. Please feel free to mingle with the guests.” She gave her grandmother a withering look.
Richard sighed and patted Adele’s arm. “Sharlene’s right, Grandmother. I’m being rude.” He slowly rose and looked around the room. Jack waved him over.
The headwaiter whispered in Sharlene’s ear. She nodded and announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served. Please go in and find your seats.”
The waiter opened the large white folding doors to reveal an elegant table with seventeen place settings, a seating arrangement Sharlene had agonized over for days. Unfortunately, none of the guests moved toward the private dining room.
She tried again. “Folks, dinner’s ready!”
Daniel turned to the bartender yet again, holding up his empty glass. Megan pulled out her cell phone and started texting. Krystal and Misty had their heads together, and the Petersons both looked too drunk to acknowledge much of anything.
Sharlene panicked. “Everyone, the dinner will be ruined if we don’t…”
Jack gallantly went over to Richard’s grandmother and offered his arm. “Shall we?” Adele allowed him to help her to her feet, but instead of heading to the dining room, she adjusted her purse on her shoulder and went straight for the exit.
“Grandmother, wait!” Sharlene called. “Oh, this is not going well,” she muttered.
Jack poked Richard’s back and pointed toward Sharlene. “Your sister’s waiting.” When Richard nodded and started for the dining room, Jack put his hand on Richard’s shoulder to stop him. “Dude, your bride.”
Richard sighed, doubled back and offered Misty his arm.
There was an interminable silence. Sharlene stepped over to wave the bride and groom toward the dining room, hoping the others would follow suit. But then Krystal stepped between Richard and Misty, who were in a heated discussion.
Sharlened edged closer. “Could we…?”
“…bachelorette party at the Jazz Corner in Rosslyn Village,” Krystal was saying to Richard. “You know, scene of your romantic proposal to your bride-to-be.”
Richard shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “Right.”
“Richard,” Misty said, “you didn’t tell me where you and the guys are going tonight.”
“Someplace where the happy couple won’t see each other on the night before the wedding,” Jack volunteered. He looked from Misty to Richard and back to Misty. “You two don’t need the bad luck.”
“Well, I certainly hope you all make an early evening of it,” Sharlene said cheerfully as she attempted to shoo them into the dining room. “Everyone has a busy day tomorrow, but tonight of course, we haven’t even had the rehearsal dinner. Would everyone like to…”
Richard didn’t look at her. “I guess I’m not hungry after all, Sis.”
“Nervous bridegroom, I suppose,” Sharlene tittered, but it didn’t relieve the tension building in the room. She cleared her throat. “Why just today in The Indianapolis Star, they raved about what a gala affair this wedding will be.”
“You’ll have to excuse me, Sharlene,” Misty said. “As you said, tomorrow’s a big day and I have a million things to do.” Misty turned her back and walked toward the exit.
“What about the bachelorette party?” Krystal called after her.
Misty called over her shoulder, “I’ll meet you there.”
Sharlene looked helplessly at Richard. “But the dinner…”
Jack stepped up once again. “Come on, guys, Sharlene’s gone to a lot of trouble, and I for one am starved.”
This was a disaster, but Sharlene was determined to put a happy face on it as she led her remaining guests into the dining room. The seating chart would be all wrong now, of course, what with her grandmother and the bride gone, the bride’s father MIA and the bride’s mother passed out on a sofa. The salad course had been placed on the table ages ago, and now it was looking wilted. “Please, everyone, enjoy your meal,” Sharlene said in frustration. The dinner and wine were expensive, but she’d thought it was worth the expense to be the hostess of the perfect dinner party. Now the evening was in shambles.
Richard was the last to head to the dining room. Sharlene watched as her brother stood transfixed, his back to the guests in the room. She got up from her seat at the head of the table and went to the doorway. “Richard, really, I…oh, Caroline!”
Sure enough, Caroline was there, dressed casually in shorts and sandals. She and Richard were staring at each other.
Sharlene let out a huge sigh. “Caroline, dear, your father didn’t mention…”
“I didn’t mean to interrupt, but…”
Richard actually broke into a smile. “Caroline, finally a friendly face!”
Caroline nervously shifted her handbag onto her other shoulder just as Megan walked between them.
“Hi, Car, thanks for coming to get me,” Megan said. “This is the worst party ever.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Caroline fought back the nausea as long as she could but finally got out of bed and made a run for the bathroom. She didn’t think she was actually sick, unless being sick with misery counted, but she decided to sit and wait out the queasiness. A couple of minutes later, she heard a quiet tap on the closed door.
“Caroline,” Allie whispered, “are you okay? I heard you get up…”
Allie opened the door a crack and peeked in. Caroline was sitting on the floor near the toilet, a wet wash cloth draped over her forehead.
“Are you sick?” Allie went to Caroline, felt her forehead, and helped her stand.
Caroline shook her head, hung the wet cloth on the towel rack and ambled back to her bedroom, Allie trailing behind. Caroline sank onto her bed and leaned against the pillows. “It’s just nerves.”
Allie scrutinized her. “Nerves? I don’t know, Car, you don’t look good.”
Caroline closed her eyes. “It feels like a bad case of dread.”
Allie thought for a moment while she eased herself down on the bed next to Caroline. “Then maybe you should skip Richard’s wedding today. I’m sure Emily and Sara would understand. Especially if you’re not feeling well.”
Caroline slowly shook her head. “No, I’ll be okay. I just need to rest.”
“But that’s a lot of pressure you don’t need.”
Caroline lifted herself onto one elbow and faced Allie. “I’ve thought about it, and I think if I actually see Richard marry Misty, then I can quit fantasizing about a life with him and move on.”
“Well,” Allie said, “if you’re sure, but I say you should stay home if you don’t think you can stomach that whole circus Sharlene has cooked up.”
****
Sharlene arrived late in the morning to check on the final preparations for the wedding at the Peterson estate. After last night’s dinner fiasco, she was determined that nothing would go wrong today. She was barking orders at everyone, including the wedding planner who was nearly in tears. The caterer, florist, and hired wait staff had been there since nine a.m., setting up for the six o’clock wedding, and staying out of Sharlene’s way as much as possible. The wedding planner may have thought she was directing the activities, but Sharlene set her straight on that, including where to position the arbor in order to deflect the late afternoon sun from the guests.
Sharlene didn’t like how the chairs in the tent where the ceremony was to be held were arranged, so the wedding planner had to rearrange to make a wider aisle between the bride’s and groom’s sides. A wet bar was originally set up under a shade tree and stocked with only the most expensive brands of alcohol, but Sharlene ordered it moved to the patio under
the awning. There was a separate tent for the reception, with an area designated for the musicians to play, adjacent to the dance floor. But the floor was a laminate material and Sharlene insisted on polished hardwoods, so it had to be swapped out. And Sharlene didn’t think the area inside the tent where the guests would enjoy their meal looked festive enough, either, so the staff bustled around rearranging chairs, ribbons, flowers, china and crystal, silverware, linen napkins and serving dishes to Sharlene’s satisfaction, all to accommodate approximately two hundred and fifty guests.
After hours of hard work, Sharlene looked around the grounds and decided it looked like the wedding wonderland she’d envisioned. She called out to the wedding planner, “The gazebo still needs to be decorated! And where are the Petersons? They should be here, too!”
The wedding planner timidly approached Sharlene. “Mrs. Meadows-Benedict, Mrs. Peterson’s maid said she’s taking a bubble bath and gave instructions not to be disturbed, and Mr. Peterson is holed up in his study. Miss Peterson hasn’t come out of her bedroom all day.”
Sharlene shook her head. “Find them! They need to come out and at the least, sign off on all this.” The woman stood there motionless as Sharlene clapped her hands. “Go!”
****
Caroline parked her car in the Peterson’s circular drive. She and Megan got out, walked to the front door, and rang the bell. Megan had her bridesmaid’s dress in a plastic bag on a hanger, and another tote bag with accessories in the other hand. A maid answered the door.
“Hi, this is Megan Benedict,” Caroline said, indicating her sister, “and she’s one of the bridesmaids.”
“Yes, ma’am, please come in. I’ll show you the room where the bridesmaids will be dressing.” The maid led them into the house and up the winding staircase to a large bedroom suite with its own bathroom. “Please make yourselves comfortable. Would you like anything to drink, Miss?” she asked Megan, ignoring Caroline.
“Diet Coke?” The maid nodded and left the room. “Wow! This room’s as big as our whole house!” Megan exclaimed, doing a full circle to take it all in.
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