“Do I look okay, Tully? After last night I feel like I have a permanent blush on my face this morning,” Violet said as she reached for her hat on the hook by the door.
“Makes you look like a woman that has been thoroughly loved, Wife. Gosh, I like saying that,” Tully chuckled, probably thinking of last night in their bed. Oh, what a glorious beginning to their life together.
Violet looked out the window to the scene below to see her relatives climbing out of the Brenner’s two-seat buggy. Her mother was in the bench seat of their wagon, along with Kaitlyn Reagan. They must have stopped at the parsonage when they came into town to pick up Tully’s mother.
“Tully, come look in the back of the wagon,” Violet gestured to Tully. There had to be at least a dozen wooden crates of various sizes in the back bed.
“Oh. My. Word. Did your mother bring us everything she didn’t want anymore?”
Violet covered her mouth with her hand when a giggling snort erupted from her mouth. “Papa wasn’t kidding about her bringing in a wagonload. And guess who gets to carry it all upstairs while us women shop?”
“Lucky me. Actually, that’s very kind of her, and saves us money too. I hope those two crates of jars aren’t all sauerkraut, though,” Tully said as he studied the wagon contents.
“You’ll find out when you carry it all upstairs,” Violet laughed as she opened the door.
“Hello! We’re coming down to you. You can see our new home after we get my dress,” Violet called out from the landing before she walked carefully down the steps. She had Tully pull her corset tight in preparation for trying on dresses, and she was cinched in so tight she could hardly breathe anyway with her excitement.
“Good afternoon, ladies. Glad you could all be here to help Violet and Faye with the wedding preparations,” her sweet husband said to her family standing around her. Tully might not want to be a preacher now, but he did have a way with words.
“Good afternoon,” the women murmured almost unison.
“I brought…just a few things for your home I thought you might need,” Violet’s mother gushed with excitement.
“Thank you so much, Faye. We’re overwhelmed with gratitude for your generosity,” Tully sincerely stated while giving her mother a hug.
“I’ll carry everything upstairs while you ladies are busy, and then you can help Violet put things away later. Shall I take the horses and vehicles over to the livery afterward? I imagine you’ll be here a few hours,” Tully asked the group.
“Or more,” Cate Connely answered honestly.
“First, what’s the date for your vow renewal and reception?” her mother asked with anticipation.
“Saturday, May twenty-first,” both she and Tully said at the same time. She bumped his shoulder in silliness, so happy with this date worked out.
“That’s mine and Patrick’s wedding anniversary!” Kaitlyn exclaimed, placing her right hand over her heart.
“I assume it is all right that we share the date with you, Ma? Da agreed, when we suggested the twenty-first as our first choice,” Tully answered his mother.
“But why didn’t your father tell me?”
“We wanted to see your surprised face. I rarely got anything past you growing up. This might be the first,” Tully kidded his mother.
“And it’s a wonderful surprise indeed. Thank you, Tully and Violet.”
“Ladies, let’s walk over to the dress shop. I’m sure Mary is waiting for us,” Violet’s aunt Sarah suggested to move the group out of the alley. Otherwise they’d probably spend the next hour talking where they stood.
Violet linked her arm with her mother and pulled her away from the wagon. “Come on, Mama. Tully will be careful with everything.”
Her mother laughed. “I bet he’ll unload it better than your father and brothers did loading the wagon, grumbling with every box.”
The atmosphere was charged with excitement and chatter as they walked the block to the dress shop. Violet didn’t realize until now what she would have missed out on if she hadn’t planned a second wedding at home with her mother.
“Welcome to the new Mrs. Violet Reagan and her ladies’ court,” Mary Jenkins announced as she opened the door and motioned them inside her shop. Just as Aunt Sarah had suspected, Mary had been waiting for them.
“Keep walking all the way to the back right room,” Mary asked them from her position behind them.
Violet entered the room, decorated with shades of lavender and cream wallpaper, upholstered settee and chairs, side tables, and a huge three-way mirror to see all sides of the dress you have on. She’d never been back in this exquisite room as it was reserved for brides and their mother’s only to be here.
Violet turned to her mother before entering the room. “We should have invited Edna Clancy, Mama. Would that be wrong with Dan just passing?”
“I’m already here, Child. Let’s get started,” Edna called from the corner of the room.
Violet gave her mother a hug. “Thank you for inviting all the women who have been so special in my life to this…dress party,” Violet laughed. “I think this is so special.
“Mary, thank you for continuing this tradition. I can’t wait!”
“Then let’s begin,” Mary said as she walked to one of the trunks against the wall. “Faye, Sarah, Cate, and Kaitlyn. Please stand by a trunk and we’ll open them together on the count of three!”
Violet squealed with delight, and Edna clapped as the trunks revealed folded dresses of billowing cream and white. Oh, what fun this was going to be to try on all these dresses! Today wasn’t the day to think of trousers or split skirts. She was going to be a lady of high fashion on her special day.
“That’s the dress, Violet. Turn around and look in the mirror,” Edna advised her. She’d been the most outspoken member of the group as Violet tried on dresses for over an hour. Of course, the group had to sort through all the dresses first to decide which ones to try on.
“Wait, Violet. Let me pin the veil into your hair before you turn around so you can get the full effect,” Mary said as she held up a ten-foot long train of sheer tulle material. Violet bent at the knees to lower her height and Mary carefully nested the headband of the veil into her hair.
“You can leave the top piece as is, or add silk or real flowers to it,” Mary said as she stepped away from Violet. “Now slowly turn toward the mirror, and I’ll move the veil for you.”
Violet looked at the women in the room. Her mother’s hands were clamped over her mouth, and there were tears in her eyes. Apparently, they all thought this was the dress for her.
She slowly turned around, looking first at the layers of lace and satin at the base of the skirt, then moved up to the bodice of matching lace and the high collar. The long sleeves ended with lace cuffs. Then she stood back and took in the whole dress at once. The dress looked either cream or a slight pink in color depending on which way she turned in the light coming from the back window and lamps lit in the room. The cloud of ivory tulle drifting from her head, past her fingertips then sweeping behind her set the dress off perfectly.
Yes, this was the dress she’d wear to marry Tully. Violet was so glad the special women in her life were here to witness this Clear Creek bridal ritual with her.
“This is it!” Violet exclaimed as she met her mother’s eyes in the mirror. Her mother smiled back and nodded.
Violet felt overflowing love for her mother. If Faye hadn’t run to her Uncle Isaac when Violet was a baby, none of this life as Violet knew it, nor these wonderful women would have been her future. Yes, she owed so much to her mother, including the wedding of her dreams.
Edna tapped her cane twice on the floor. “We got the dress, now let’s move over to the hotel to discuss the party. I’m in need of a cup of tea, and a sample of wedding cake.”
The poignant mood changed to a joyous one as everyone laughed at Edna’s remark. Violet bent her knees again so Mary could remove the veil. The dress fit perfectly and didn’t need to
be altered. Eight days from today she’d put on the gown again and walk down the aisle to Tully for the second time. But this would be the wedding date they’d remember because they’d be married in their community church by Tully’s father, in front of all their family and friends.
***
“You still carrying stuff upstairs?” Nolan called from the back door of the café.
“Yep. Two more crates. Trouble is, I only have so much table, counter, and floor space to stack the boxes. I have no clue where Violet plans to store all the stuff Faye brought into town, or in what order, so I’m just hauling it upstairs,” Tully answered as he walked toward Nolan, ready for a glass of water or cup of coffee if Nolan would offer it to him.
“I unloaded the wagon first to get the horses over to the livery for water. They pulled a load into town.”
“I saw the group of women arrive an hour ago. What were they up to?” Nolan asked.
“Wedding planning. Dress, reception, cake…” Tully shrugged his shoulders. Luckily he was just in charge of the wagon.
“I noticed Violet wasn’t wearing a ring yesterday. Saving it for the church vows?” Nolan asked as he nodded to Tully to follow him into the kitchen. It was the slow time before the early supper crowd, and Nolan usually took a break about now.
Tully helped himself to a glass from the cupboard and poured water from a pitcher into the glass. He drank the water in a few gulps, refilled the glass, and leaned against the counter facing Nolan.
“Yeah. I looked at wedding rings at the mercantile, but all they had was plain bands. I want something different for Violet. Fergus said Iris had a Montgomery Ward catalog and it had a jewelry section. Thought I’d head over to their studio after I finish moving my mother-in-law’s ‘gifts,’” Tully answered, thinking of all the items Faye had packed.
Violet was going to be thrilled going through the boxes. And Tully was happy they were saving money with some of the thoughtful items Faye had passed on to them.
“Uh, did you happen to notice my Grandma’s ring on her right hand,” Nolan spoke low, apparently not wanting anyone walking into the café to hear him.
“Yeah. I did. Your grandma said Gramps had it custom-made for their sixtieth wedding anniversary.” It was a delicate silver ring with a sapphire setting. Edna told him that was her favorite stone.
“I might not be able to afford a stone in the ring, but the band was unique by itself. What catalog did he order it from?”
“No catalog, but locally made. Few people know this, but Kiowa Jones does silverwork besides blacksmithing.”
“Huh. Tate told me about Kiowa’s side profession too, but I hadn’t thought to ask him about making a wedding band.”
Tully stood up, refreshed from the drink, and ready to finish this first job. Next, he’d talk to Kiowa about fashioning a wedding ring for Violet. He’d love to surprise her during the ceremony with something unique.
“Thanks for the water and the advice, Nolan. Need help with breakfast?” Tully hated to ask since Violet was with him now, but he’d help his friend if he needed it.
“Not unless you and Violet need breakfast. I bet Faye packed you everything from a skillet to eggs,” Nolan grinned.
“If she didn’t give us coffee beans and a grinder though, we might be in need of coffee and wander in later,” Tully answered with a chuckle as he opened the screen door and backed out of the kitchen.
Only twenty steps and he was back to the base of their apartment steps. Life sure turned around in a few days, and all because he was back home.
Chapter 15
"Oh, I see them!" Violet said excitedly and waved at her grandparents. Tully stood beside her as they, and Violet's family, waited on the depot platform for her Tucker family to depart the train car. Her grandmother waved out the window before standing to leave the train.
"It's been a few years since I've seen your Tucker elders," Tully said as they watched her family move down the aisle toward the exit door.
"It was last summer for me, almost a year ago."
Her grandmother Nancy stepped off the steps first, all smiles as she waved toward Violet's family. In her early seventies, she was trim and fit, even though she'd had ten children, and now dozens of grandchildren. Even though Violet wasn't her grandchild by blood, Nancy had always considered her as one.
Grandma Nancy waited for her sister-in-law, Ruth, to descend the steps, and then linked her arm with the other woman’s to help her walk toward Violet's family.
Ruth had aged since Violet saw her last summer. Her hair was now all gray, her gait was stilted, her look confused. Violet studied her this time, now knowing this woman was her grandmother. It broke her heart that Ruth couldn't recognize her own daughter, Faye, but at least there was still physical contact.
"Hello, Sweetheart! I'm so happy we could be here for your wedding!" Grandma Nancy gathered Violet in for a tight hug, before releasing her and turning to Tully.
"And here's your groom, now a preacher! Hello, Tully. We were so thrilled to hear you'd be part of our family. And to think we practically watched you grow up on our visits to Clear Creek."
Violet watched Tully’s ever-so-slight grimace before he turned his charm on to her grandmother.
As Tully and her grandmother talked, Violet watched Ruth approach Faye. The woman always touched her mother's face, as if trying to remember her by her features. Violet's mother talked to Ruth in a calm, soothing manner, reintroducing herself as Rusty's wife. How had her mother handled doing that for twenty years?
Grandpa Simon and Uncle Edwin joined the family as everyone hugged and talked, happy to see each other again.
Violet was caught up in conversation with her grandparents and was surprised when Ruth slipped in between them to stand in front of her. Her grandparents stepped back, used to Ruth's bouts of concentration.
"Your sisters are on the train," Ruth said as she traced Violet's jaw with two fingers. Violet cupped her hand over Ruth's and pulled it down to hold it.
"No, Aunt Ruth, my brothers are here," she turned and pointed to Luther and Anton talking to Uncle Edwin.
"I saw two young women on the train, your sisters," Ruth insisted, raising her other hand to smooth a wisp of Violet's hair behind her right ear.
Violet's breath hitched when Ruth's words made sense.
"Tully," Violet whispered, "did you invite the Chaney's to our wedding?"
Tully's eyes widened when he thought of the implication and shook his head.
Surely Ruth was confused, but yet she had incredible clarity at other times. Violet's eyes shot to the last of the embarking passengers, alert to Ruth's announcement.
"Tully! How could you invite them!" Violet hissed as she watched her half-sisters, Alice and Emma, descend the steps. At ages seventeen and fifteen, they were spitting images of herself. And right behind them was their parents, Bonnie and Richard Chaney.
Tully gawked at her family and shook his head. "I swear, Violet, I did not invite them."
"You must have said something to them when we visited them on our way home."
Violet was upset with her parents when they sent her to school because she didn't want to go. Out of spite and curiosity, Violet stopped in Kansas City to look up her birth father's dry good's store. Her mother had told her about Richard Chaney, and Violet always wondered what he looked like.
His wife, Bonnie, was working at the store counter when Violet went inside to spy on the owner. Noticing Violet's resemblance to her own daughters, Bonnie had called Richard to the front of the store as he'd been working in the back room. He had recognized her and welcomed her into his family with open arms. Over the past two years, Violet had written and visited the Chaney's several times, the last being when she and Tully traveled home two weeks ago.
Violet shot a look at her mother and saw the exact moment it dawned on Faye who this family was. She prayed Rusty didn't see the longing in Faye's eyes as she viewed her past.
Violet rushed to her mother's side
, grasping her mother's shoulders and turning them away from the family walking toward them.
"I'm so, so sorry, Mama! I didn't know Tully invited them! I should have told you I'd met the Chaney's, but I was scared that would hurt you and Papa, so I didn’t tell you. I only wanted to see what Richard looked like, but then I met the family—" Violet quickly confessed.
"I can't believe he's here," her mother interrupted. "This same thing happened for my own wedding almost twenty years ago. Richard walked off the train the moment I met my in-laws."
"W-what are you talking about, Mama?"
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Tully move forward to stop the Chaney's before they walked up to Violet.
"Richard brought another man, George Ogden, who thought he was your father, to come to claim you. It was the day before our wedding. But Richard took one look at you and said you were the image of his deceased daughter, Violet. You had no resemblance to Ogden, so they left, and I've never seen him again until now."
Faye gave out a long sigh. “His daughters match you perfectly…with his looks.”
Violet felt dreadful. Was her mother wishing these girls were her daughters too…and Richard her husband instead of Rusty?
How could Tully ruin this for her parents?
Rusty had been talking to Grandpa Simon but looked toward the Chaney’s when his father pointed toward them. Her father straightened to his full height and purposefully strode to the other group.
Oh no! Did her father remember when Richard had been here years ago too?
“Papa! Papa, wait!” Violet cried as she rushed to his side. How could she ever apologize enough for hurting him so badly? She only wanted to see her birth father, but Rusty had always been her father, raising her from the time she was an infant.
She was going to tell Tully their wedding was off and tear up the first certificate for what he just did to her parents. How could he? Did he think this was a funny prank, just as he’d done to get Rollie to marry them? Violet wanted to haul off and slug him in the jaw!
Tully's Faith (Grooms with Honor Book 11) Page 9