“Isn’t it beautiful?” Emma said. “And me, practical Evans daughter, server of coffee and slinger of breakfast foods gets two dresses on her wedding day.”
“And it looks comfortable.”
“Until I put on the heels,” Emma said with a laugh. Leaning against her friend for support, she slipped into the heels.
She paused to look at herself in the full-length mirror. “Honor?”
“Yeah?” Honor said absently as she re-laced the back of the dress.
“I look…beautiful,” Emma said slowly. And she did. Her cheeks were full of natural color and her eyes bright with joy. Her smile felt as wide as the ocean and her body thrummed from excitement.
Honor looked at her friend for a moment before leaving the dress and hugging her. “You are beautiful, Ems. Inside and out.”
“No, you don’t understand. I’m Emma Evans. I wear practical shoes and fill coffee orders. I look after my family. I find jobs for people in need. I’m like the town’s mom.” She waved at her reflection. “Who is this woman?”
“Emma Evans, I’d like to introduce you to Emma Nguyen. She’s a wonderful and sexy woman who just told all of her family and friends she thinks her husband has a hot ass.”
Emma dissolved with giggles. “I guess I did at that, didn’t I?” She shrugged. “Eh, worse things I guess than thinking your husband has a fine behind. Which mine does.”
“Agreed.”
“Hey, you’re not supposed to be looking at my husband’s rear view,” Emma said with a laugh.
“Oh no, you are not getting me in this conversation,” Honor said with a laugh.
Brenda knocked on the door and hurried them along. “I got this out of the car,” she said, holding up the garment bag to carry Emma’s gown. She whistled in admiration when she saw her daughter. “Goodness, you look beautiful in that, Emma. What a lovely gift from David’s parents.”
Emma and her family got to the small hotel before David’s family did in order to line up to receive the gifts.
The groomsmen and the Nguyens gathered outside the hall carrying nine elaborately decorated lacquer boxes, each draped in red cloth. Inside these nine boxes were gifts that had to be offered to the bride’s family before entry into the hall. Emma and her sisters solemnly accepted each box. They arranged the gifts on a small altar.
“Are we doing it right?” Amy whispered.
“How should I know,” Brooke responded.
“Just, let’s do the best we can,” Emma begged. “I’m not completely sure what I’m doing and I’m sure we’ll make mistakes but can you guys at least try?”
“Take a breath, Ems,” Amy said. “We’re here and we’re doing the best we can.”
“I know. But. Nerves. You know?”
“Why?” Tabitha asked. “You’re already married.”
Emma started at her youngest sister’s words. “You know, you’re right,” she said, her shoulders relaxing for the first time that afternoon. “But I still want this to be good for David’s folks, okay? Respectful.”
Tabitha considered that before nodding. “I can be respectful.”
Emma brushed an air kiss against Tabitha’s cheek. “I know you can. Thank you.”
As soon as the gifts were arranged, everyone joined them in the reception hall while Emma went to hide in a spare room. Guests found their tables or simply watched the ceremony play out.
Duc and Dao said a quiet prayer, asking their ancestors to accept the marriage.
“Thank you, Duc. Dao. We’re honored you and your family came to visit for this joyous time.” And then, following Duc’s lead, Clayton introduced his parents, in-laws, wife and daughters.
Brenda excused herself to lead Emma back into the reception hall.
David felt his heartbeat treble when Emma appeared in her traditional dress. The silk made a sibilant sound as she walked and David found himself getting more and more distracted by the beauty she wore so effortlessly.
And she was his. From this day, forward.
He met her with a small bouquet of tea roses and honeysuckle. Holding hands, they each paused to say a prayer and asked that their marriage be both blessed and accepted.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.
She smiled shyly up at him. “I love you.”
“From this day forward, we are family,” Clayton said, Brenda by his side as he formally welcomed Duc and Dao.
“It is good to be family,” Duc said and the two men shook hands in agreement.
David’s cousin Heather hugged them, tears in her dark eyes as she presented a small tray with a teapot and a variety of small tea cups.
Emma’s large blue eyes watched as David poured the first cup and presented it to her grandmother. The older woman accepted it with a smile and drank it.
“Attack problems, not each other,” Grandmother Evans said, smiling at them and touching their cheeks with her aging, freckled hands. At each relative, in turn, they received a small cup of hot tea and offered a brief bit of marital advice.
Dao handed a small lacquered box to Heather. Heather opened it and present Emma with a pair of luminous pearl earrings. She smiled shyly at Emma before silently asking permission to put them on her. Emma nodded and arched her neck, allowing Heather to put them in her ears.
“Thank you, so much, for raising such a wonderful man,” Emma said, her heart in her voice “Thank you for raising my soul mate.”
David shook Clayton’s hand and kissed Brenda’s cheek. “You gave me the world when you raised my beautiful Emma,” he said. Tears formed in his eyes and he hugged his in-laws.
“Can we eat now?” Tabitha asked.
~~~~~~
The last strains of their wedding song faded. “I think Tabby had the right idea,” Emma said, her smile beginning to feel pasted on.
“How’s that?”
Emma’s stomach chose that moment to make a loud sound of protest. “Is it time to eat? We had to smile and greet everyone while the hors d’ourves were being served. We have smiled and danced. And did I mention smile some more?”
David laughed as he pulled his wife into his arms. “The bride is hungry. Got it.”
A commotion came from the hallway and Emma looked up with a frown. “What the?” she asked, turning to David.
“Come on,” David said as he took her hand.
“Mr. Ivy?” Emma asked. Frank Ivy was crashing her wedding reception? “What are you doing here?”
“You closed the diner,” he accused, his dark eyes full of passion. “Where am I supposed to get my hot coffee?”
A ghost of a smile played around David’s lips. “I am pretty sure The Breakfast Club isn’t the only place to find coffee in Harper’s Mill.”
“Can I help?” Clayton asked.
“I want my coffee,” Frank shouted, causing the guests to stop and stare.
“Maybe we should let him stay?” David asked. “I mean, it is the neighborly thing to do.”
“See? He’s a bright boy even if he did marry one of the chubby Evans girls.”
“What?” David asked.
Emma’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Are you drunk?”
“Just a nip o’Scotch,” the older man said with a slur.
“That’s an insult to good Scotch,” Clayton said. He got close enough to get a good whiff of Frank’s odor. “Sure seems like he’s drunk,” he said with a nod. “Want me to call the sheriff? Give ol’ Frank here a ride home?”
Emma nodded. “Sounds good, Dad. He shouldn’t be driving home in his condition.”
Epilogue
Emma woke with a start as the vision hit her. The room was dark and she had to focus in order to separate vision from dream. She let the images roll over her and she smiled, ever so slightly. The story played out for her and she absorbed each tiny detail, knowing she would need it later.
As her eyes faded back to a more human shade of blue, she stretched and reached for her alarm clock. Midnight. The bright red LED read out felt ha
rsh against her eyes and blinked again as she let her eyes grow accustomed to being awake.
She stirred and David opened his eyes. “What’samatter,” he mumbled.
“I had a vision,” Emma said.
David blinked and sat up. “Is everyone okay?”
“Yeah,” Emma said. She lifted the covers and sat up. “I have to deliver the snow globe to Eden Race.”
“What?”
“The snow globe. The one in the living room.”
“The one that snows all the time?”
Emma nodded. “The snow globe is more than just a pretty decoration. It’s fey magic,” she said, he eyes brightening with her story. “It was created by the love between an elf and a fairy. They designed it to bring love to whoever owns it.”
“Where did you find it?”
“In an antique store a while back while I was shopping with Eden. And look, I found you.”
“And you need to take it up to Eden Race.”
Emma nodded. “Yep. Time to pass it forward.”
“And it has to be now?”
Emma looked at the clock again. It was still shortly after midnight. “I guess I can wait until morning.”
“Good,” David said, grinning and pulling her slim body under his. “Because I can think of much better things to do while wide awake at midnight with my beautiful wife.”
“Yeah? Want to tell me about them?”
“I’d rather show you.”
And he did.
THE END
Honeysuckle and Roses (Harper's Mill Book 5) Page 10