by Sherie Keys
They lay together on the grass beneath the tree for some time before dressing, without a single word, and holding hands as they headed back towards the gate.
*
That night, Tanya and Kurtis ate supper with his father and Carla. They all laughed and joked as they sat at the vast dining table and Henry raised a glass to make a toast.
“To Tanya and Kurtis, here's wishing you all the very best for your future together and I think Kurtis has something to say to you, Tanya.”
Tanya looked to Kurtis, who sat opposite her and had been staring at her for most of the meal and had hardly eaten anything at all. He got up and walked to Tanya's side of the table. He got down on one knee. Tanya put her hands over her face, briefly, releasing them and smiling at both Henry and Carla before turning to face Kurtis. His face was serious with a hint of a smile. And, if Tanya wasn't mistaken, a tear or two waiting to fall.
Kurtis reached into a back pocket and brought out a little box.
“I think the contents of this box are no longer a mystery, but I hope you can indulge me,” he said, looking up at her.
“Of course,” Tanya replied.
He opened the box and removed the ring from it. Tanya outstretched her left hand and Kurtis held the ring just at the tip of her finger.
“This ring has been the subject of a lot of controversy concerning us. All of which neither of us have had the power to control, as we all know. But for me, this ring symbolizes love, hope, togetherness and all the dreams we had and the life we always wanted to share with each other. When my mother died and left this ring with Dad for me to give to the woman I married, she said that it deserved to be with a couple whose love was everlasting.”
Here he looked at his father who gave him a nod of encouragement. “And so, if you accept this ring, you accept me forever, all my faults but all my love too, Tanya. They’re all yours. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, Kurtis, I will. Definitely, this time.”
Carla was in tears and Henry was very close to crying as they applauded Kurtis and Tanya, who were now standing and sharing what seemed like an everlasting kiss.
***
Two weeks later, Henry's country house was buzzing with activity. On the morning of the wedding, catering trucks were arriving and the staff being directed to the large kitchen where Henry's usual staff were given the day off. Soon, the caterers prepared what would be a lavish feast for the one hundred and fifty guests who Kurtis had flown in to California for the wedding of the season.
Of course, the press was there but only with limited access at Tanya's insistence, although Kaya didn't mind if they were filming while she put on her bridesmaid's dress.
The bridesmaids, Kaya, Mae and Jeannie were all dressed in pastel aquamarine chiffon dresses. They were long and whimsical, sleeveless with crystals sewn just under the bust in a swirling design. They each carried bouquets of white, blue and lavender flowers with high-heeled sandals that matched their dresses.
“I can't put on any eye makeup,” Mae sniffed as she held a compact mirror and applied lipstick.
“Why's that?” Kaya looked at her through the large dressing table mirror as she fixed the flowers into her hair.
“Because I can't stop crying.”
“Damn it, Mae. This is supposed to be a happy occasion.”
“I know that's why I'm crying.”
“Well, pull yourself together. Tanya needs us now to help her dress. Come on, they should be finished with hair and makeup by now.”
In Tanya's room, Jeannie, already dressed and her long hair scooped upwards with flowers forming a halo around her head, had champagne on ice.
“Wow, we all look amazing,” she said. “Tanya really knows about clothes. This color suits us all and the dress is so flattering.”
“I know and where's Tanya?”
“Oh, she's in Carla's dressing room, getting the finishing touches on her hair. Her dress is behind this screen but and I can't wait to see her in it.” Jeannie and the girls couldn't hide their excitement.
“And did you take a sneaky look?”
“You better not have done,” Tanya said standing in the doorway of her room in a silky dressing gown. “I wanted to surprise you all.” Tanya's hair was piled high on top with double the amount of flowers the bridesmaids had in their hair.
“What are you waiting for, get into that dress,” Kaya demanded.
“All right, all right.”
Tanya disappeared behind the screen by the window in her room while the tension and excitement rose to almost fever pitch with the girls, as they waited with bated breath.
“I heard the zipper. She's coming out, she's coming out.” Mae was jumping up and down by now.
Eventually Tanya emerged from behind the screen. Kaya, Mae and Jeannie were stunned into silence. Simultaneously they took a breath,
“Well?” Tanya said.
“You look beautiful.”
“It's a dream of a dress.”
“I can't wait to see Kurtis's face when he sees you in this.”
Tanya came around to look in the mirror. She was wearing the same dress she had seen in the shop in New York just by chance that day, and on a whim, she had tried it on knowing, as soon as she did, it was the one. The bodice was covered with crystal studded netting, and below which was a satin, close fitting dress that was low cut and delicately glided over her hips and touched the floor in smooth ripples. Not wide and exaggerated but simple yet sophisticated. The pearl white was perfect against her skin. The crystal effect carried through to the long sleeves that gave a touch of elegance.
“And now for the veil,” Mae said. She picked it up from the bed and helped Tanya on with it. “It's so amazing. You're perfectly stunning. Now let's get you into those designer heels, it's time to get to the ceremony. We have five minutes.”
There was a hushed excitement now as the girls glided down the stairs where Tanya's father waited with tears in his eyes and a look for pure pride.
The wedding took place on the western pasture just under the sycamore tree. A large area of the land was leveled and decked with canopies over the eating area and the seating area for the ceremony. There was a stage and dance floor.
The press was allowed to the front of the house and the hedged edges of the meadow where they could snap photos for five minutes from a distance, before being ushered completely away.
“Are you ready?” Tanya's father asked her.
“Yes, I am, Daddy.”
“Then let's do this.”
The music began, the congregation got to their feet and Tanya's heart beat fast in her chest all the way up the aisle. But no one would know that, not with the smile she wore. Everyone knew that this day was fated to happen, especially when Kurtis turned around and saw his bride and the look in his eyes when she stepped up close to him and she raised her veil.
THE END
Note from author:
Hi
Thanks so much for following this series all the way to the end, I hope you were satisfied with the ending.
If you enjoyed the series then please give me a rating on the store too!:)
If you want to check out any of my other books then you can visit my Author page here!
Sherie x x
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