It was Joe who answered. “It’s Ezekiel’s way home.”
She snapped her head toward him as though surprised he’d spoken to her. Hugging the baby tight, she took a step away from him, and from the light. “No.” She shook her head. “No! I won’t leave him. Not again.”
“You’re not leaving him,” said Ron. “You’re sending him where he belongs.”
“He’ll be looked after,” said Joe. “He’ll be loved.”
She shook her head. “I said we’d be together.” Her gaze roved the room until it landed on Vi, who was conscious and sitting upright. “We were all supposed to be together.”
Vi nodded. “I know, Mama. We all will be. Someday.”
Joe approached her, slowly, cautiously, holding up his hands in a sign that he meant her no harm. “I know how this feels. I had to send my own little girl on without me. But I know she had loved ones waiting for her, li ke Ezekiel does.”
“But… what about me? Why I can’t I go with him?”
“Same reason I couldn’t go with my girl. Because you and me, we took matters into our own hands that didn’t belong to us, made choices that weren’t ours to make. Our day will come, and we’re gonna have to stand and face our Maker for that.”
“It’s not fair,” she said.
“No. But it’s just.”
Ron approached and placed a tentative hand on her shoulder. “You have to let him go, Rowena. Let him go where he’ll be healed and whole. You don’t want him to suffer any more than he already has, do you?”
She sniffed and shook her head. Turning away from them, she closed her eyes and held the baby close, humming to him, stroking his hair. Chris was about to say something to convince her when suddenly, she turned toward the light. “I love you,” she said, and kissed him tenderly. Then she held him out like an offering. The light accepted him, seeming to reach for him before enfolding him and fading away, taking him with it.
Marsha dropped to her knees with a sob. Vi reached out a hand to Derek, who helped her to her feet. She crossed over to Marsha and knelt beside her. “Mama?”
Marsha turned toward her, and her face crumpled. “Oh, Violet!” She pulled the old woman into her arms. “I’m so sorry! I never wanted to hurt you!”
“I know, Mama.”
Marsha released her, and then took her face in her hands. “Can you ever forgive me?”
Vi smiled, placing her hands over Marsha’s. “I already have. But there’s something I need you to do for me.”
“Anything.”
Vi leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Then she pulled her hands away from her face and held them in both of her own. “Give me back my granddaughter.”
Marsha looked startled by the request, but then she closed her eyes and nodded. Rowena departed, backing out of her before disappearing with a shimmer. Marsha slumped forward, but Vi caught her.
“Granny?” Marsha asked, blinking up at her.
Vi smiled. “Yes, my darling. Everything is all right now.”
Drew hurried over and knelt beside them. “Marsha? Are you okay?”
She turned toward him and threw her arms around his neck. “I’m fine. It’s over now.” She pulled back and looked at Chris. “Isn’t it?”
“As far as I can tell. Ezekiel has crossed over.”
“And Rowena?” asked Derek. “I didn’t understand everything that was happening here, but I got the sense that she couldn’t go with him.”
“No. But I don’t think she’s going to be a problem anymore.”
“Where did she go?” asked Marsha.
“I don’t know. But she’s not here.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ron and Joe fade out of sight, most likely going to find her and make sure she was no longer a threat.
“Well, I don’t know about anyone else,” Drew said as he got to his feet and helped both Marsha and Vi to stand, “but I could use a drink. Have we got anything stronger than tea in this house?”
Vi looked surprised by the question. “You mean Marsha never told you about the wine cellar?”
“I was saving it for a wedding surprise.”
“Oh. Well, I’m sorry I ruined it. But hopefully a bottle of vintage bubbly will make up for it. I think we all have cause to celebrate.” Vi headed out of the kitchen, and Drew and Marsha followed.
Derek came over to Chris and slipped an arm around her. “What about you? How you holding up?”
“I’m fine. I’m going to be sore tomorrow, but mostly, I’m relieved.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” He leaned in and kissed her on the temple. “I never doubted for a moment that you’d find a way to handle it, though.”
“Not even during all the moments we almost got killed?”
“Nah. We’ve got too much to look forward to for that to happen.”
“Careful, Brandt. You’re coming awfully close to tempting fate.”
“Yeah, well, as far as I’m concerned, fate owes us some happy times before permanently yanking the rug out from under either one of us.” Stepping in front of her, he pulled her into an embrace and kissed her sweetly on the forehead. “You did good today, is what I’m trying to tell you.”
Chris smiled. “Thanks.”
“Now come on.” He took her hand and pulled her in the direction the others had gone. “Let’s go get some of that bubbly.”
They found her standing beside the pond. Not crying, not drowning, not wandering aimlessly like before. Simply standing there, gazing serenely out over the shimmering water.
“You go on,” Joe said. “I’ll be right here.”
Ron squeezed his hand and made her way down the hill. She stood next to Rowena as her mind turned over about a dozen possibilities for something to say. But none of them seemed right, so she kept them all to herself.
Eventually, Rowena was the one who spoke. “I always loved this spot. Back before… everything.”
“I can see why. It’s lovely.”
“Charles and I were married here. He built that gazebo especially for the wedding.”
“Huh. How about that.”
Rowena turned and looked at her. “What?”
“My dad and Marsha are going to get married here. At least, that was the plan.”
“They should. It’s a beautiful spot for a wedding.”
“Does that mean you’ll let them?”
Rowena looked back out at the water and wrapped her arms around herself. “I have something now that I didn’t have before.”
“What’s that?”
“Absolution.” She glanced at Ron. “Maybe not from God. Maybe that will never come. But from my children, at least.” She nodded, as though satisfied. “And that’s a kind of peace. It’s more than I had before.”
“What will you do now?”
She shrugged. “Wait. What else can I do?”
“Wait for what?”
“Judgment, I suppose. To see my babies again. To get to move on.”
“You won’t have to wait alone. Joe and I will visit. And my dad and Marsha are planning to live here. Heck, they might even have kids. I guess they’d be your great, great grandchildren.”
“I’d like that. To watch children grow up here, happy, and to be in a state of mind to enjoy them.” She turned to Ron. “Will you tell Marsha that I’m sorry?”
“I can have my sister tell her.”
“Can she also tell her… tell her she shouldn’t blame herself? For her baby. You were right. What happened to her little girl… it’s not the same. She shouldn’t carry the same burden of guilt I did.”
“We’ll tell her.”
Rowena turned back to the water. “I hope she gets to have another baby someday.”
“Yeah,” said Ron. “Me too.” She realized as she said it that she meant it. Marsha deserved another chance to get it right.
And so did her dad.
Ron reached over and laid a hand on Rowena’s arm. Rowena covered her hand with her own and gave it a squeeze. Letting go
, Ron turned to make her way back up the hill to where Joe waited. Whatever else might have come out of this ordeal, she was glad to have made a friend, however awful the circumstances were that had led to it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The wedding went off without a hitch. Except, of course, for the one that was intended all along. Marsha had scheduled the ceremony to take place right at sunset, and nature had fortunately decided to cooperate. The effect was a breathtaking display of crimson and coral and golden light, bathing the bride and groom as they said their vows, before fading to a deep purple canopy stretched over a fairy land of twinkle lights and candle flames.
Chris had never seen her dad look happier, nor Marsha looking more relaxed. As for herself, she had managed her maid of honor duties without completely losing her sanity. Of course, Derek had helped. So had Ron, who, along with Joe, had watched the wedding from the back row.
They were the only spirits in attendance. Rowena had failed to put in an appearance, although Chris thought she caught a fleeting glimpse of her peeking out at the festivities from a second-story window.
With the nuptials accomplished, several dances and the toast behind her, and probably one too many glasses of champagne inside her, the only thing putting a damper on Chris’s mood was her sore feet. She was in no hurry to change any part of her outfit, though. Marsha really did have excellent taste, and the dress and shoes she’d picked out for Chris made her feel Old Hollywood glamorous. It didn’t hurt that Derek hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off her all night.
Or his hands, for that matter. He snuck up behind her at the bar, where she’d been contemplating whether she should get one more glass of champagne before calling it quits, grabbed her waist from behind, and spun her around to face him. “How about another dance?”
“No way. Not in these shoes. My feet need a break.”
“All right, then how about we go find someplace to sit and talk? I don’t know about you, but I’m getting kind of peopled out.”
“Sure. That, my feet can handle.”
“Come on.” He took her hand and led her toward a grouping of tables underneath a canopy of trees strung with fairy lights. The seats had been mostly abandoned once most of the guests crowded the dance floor next to the gazebo. They were halfway to their destination when the music wound down and Marsha climbed the gazebo steps.
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention?” the DJ announced as Marsha waved and held up her bouquet. “It’s time for that age-old wedding tradition, the bouquet toss! Would all the single ladies please gather on the dance floor?” The DJ played a sample of “All the Single Ladies” by Beyoncé as the dance floor cleared and a number of women and girls began lining up.
“What is she doing?” asked Chris. “I thought she was leaving this out.”
“What do you mean? It’s tradition.”
“It’s a stupid tradition.”
“Come on, it’s all in good fun. Shouldn’t you be out there?”
Chris looked at Derek. “Uh, last I checked, I wasn’t a single lady.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure where these things are concerned, ‘single’ means ‘unmarried.’”
“I’m pretty sure you’re wrong.”
Derek laughed. “Come on. As the maid of honor, shouldn’t you be out there, setting a good example?”
“Are you kidding?” She motioned toward the group of women huddled in the middle of the floor. “They don’t need me. And I’m not about to risk taking an elbow to the face by some desperate woman who actually believes catching that thing will guarantee her a husband.”
“All right, when you put it that way. Let’s at least get a front row seat to watch the violence.”
With Derek leading, they made their way through the crowd until they reached the crowded dance floor, centered behind the women who were vying for position. Marsha seemed to be waiting for something, scanning the crowed with an anxious look on her face. Her gaze landed on Chris, and she smiled. Chris wasn’t sure, but she thought Marsha winked at Derek before finally turning around.
“On the count of three!” she shouted, and the crowd all counted along as she yelled, “One! Two!”
On three, she turned back around and lobbed the flowers as hard as she could. It sailed in a perfect arch over the reaching hands of the other women and smacked Chris right in the chest. Catching it reflexively, she stared at it in open-mouthed disbelief.
“Did you see that?” She looked at Derek. “She threw it right at me!” She looked back at Marsha, who was grinning from ear to ear. She waved to Chris and again gave Derek a wink. Chris knew she didn’t imagine it that time.
Beyoncé started back up. Marsha descended the steps to join the other women in dancing away their disappointment at having to go on waiting for someone to put a ring on it. “Come on,” said Derek, tugging her away from the floor. “Let’s go find that table.”
“I can’t believe her!” Chris complained as he led her away from the crowd. “You saw that, right? I wasn’t even trying to catch it. She aimed for me. Brides aren’t supposed to aim. They’re supposed to throw it blind!”
He brought her to a secluded spot before turning around. He examined the flowers. “It’s a pretty bouquet, though. At least you got a souvenir to take home.”
“I seriously can’t believe her! I mean, how unsubtle can you be?” Embarrassed by what Derek might be thinking, she cringed. “Derek, I’m so sorry. I swear I didn’t put her up to it.”
“I know. Let’s have a look at these flowers.” She handed him the bouquet with a grunt of disgust. “They really are pretty, though. You should take a closer look.”
“Yeah, of course they’re beautiful. Marsha picked them out.”
“Yeah but… here, what’s this purple one?”
“I don’t know. Some kind of orchid, maybe.”
“And this white one?”
“A lily? I don’t know flowers.” She sighed. “I guess I should take these inside and put them in some water before they die.”
“And what’s this shiny one?”
“What?”
He leaned in close, holding the bouquet where she could get a good look. “There, in the center. See it?”
She looked more closely. There was something shiny in there, all right. It glinted under the twinkle lights. Chris’s heart sped up and suddenly, she couldn’t form words.
“Here, let me pluck that one for you.” Derek reached inside the bouquet and pulled out the object. “There,” he said, holding it up before her, turning it left and right. “I mean, it’s no orchid, but…”
Chris’s hand flew to her mouth as she stared at the ring. When she found her voice again, she said, “You and Marsha planned this whole thing.”
“Yeah. Well, the bouquet thing was actually her idea. You’ve got to hand it to her, she sure knows a thing or two about big, romantic gestures.”
“I’ll say. But you said you were thinking about whether or not you’re the marrying type.”
“Yeah, and I thought about it. And I decided that I’m the marrying Christine Wilson type. What about you?” As he lowered himself to one knee, Chris’s heart fluttered until it threatened to burst out of her chest and fly away. “Are you the marrying Derek Brandt type?”
She didn’t know what to say. Despite the hints, this all felt so out of the blue. She hadn’t thought much about their future together as she’d focused on helping to plan this wedding. She hadn’t allowed herself to think about it in case he decided he wasn’t the marrying type after all.
She wanted to think about it. She wanted to discuss it with him. She wanted to talk to Ron. But in spite of what her head wanted, her heart already knew, and she found herself nodding and stretching out her hand. Sometimes, she knew, she needed to turn her head off and let her heart lead. This was one of those times.
Derek took her outstretched hand as she gave him a definitive, “Yes!” He slid the diamond onto her ring finger befor
e standing up and grabbing her in a hug that lifted her off her feet. He held her like that while they kissed, a kiss that was full of promise and hope.
Finally, he set her back on the ground. As he did, “It Had to Be You” rang out from the speakers surrounding the dance floor. “What do you say, future Mrs. Brandt? You ready for that dance?”
She was too busy fighting tears to speak, so she simply nodded. Holding hands, they walked to the floor together, and then held each other tightly, swaying in time to the music.
As he spun her around, she caught sight of her sister standing beside the gazebo, watching the dancing with a wistful look on her face. Chris waved to get her attention. When Ron met her gaze, she held up her left hand behind Derek’s back, pointing to it emphatically with her right. Ron’s eyes went wide, and she broke into a huge grin, giving Chris a double thumbs-up.
Joe appeared behind her, looking surprisingly dapper in a modern tuxedo, and whispered something in her ear. Chris wanted to go over to them, to find out what was going on and how Joe had managed to change his clothes, and of course to talk about her happy news. But she wasn’t quite ready to stop savoring the feeling of dancing in the arms of her new fiancé, and everything she wanted to ask and share with them would wait.
Derek spun her away from her ghostly family. When she came back around to facing where they’d been, they were gone.
“Did you see that?” asked Ron as Joe led her into the woods.
“See what?”
“The rock on Chris’s finger? Looks like Derek finally popped the question.”
“Good for him!”
“Good for both of them. We should do something to celebrate. Maybe put some streamers up back at the house and surprise them when they get home.”
“Sure, we could do that,” Joe said without stopping. “But let me show you something first.”
“Where are we going?”
“I told you, I want to show you something.”
Following behind him, Ron eyed his back suspiciously. “You know, if we weren’t already dead, and I didn’t know you were such a stand-up guy, you leading me deep into the woods could be construed as creepy.”
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