“Oh, thank you, dear, dear Leslie,” replied Triessa gratefully. “I know it will be a glorious day. Things are coming together and I feel so relieved. I knew everyone would do a great job, but it’s only natural, I guess, to be a little concerned and jittery. I have heard many stories and it does get a little scary. I will see you then, thanks again.”
She hung up and called her mother to see what had been done.
Her Mom answered the phone and said, “Oh, Hi dear, so glad to hear from you. Deanna and I mailed out all the invitations for you, so it is all set. We invited the rest of the family members, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and the regular lot. I hope that is fine with you. We knew you would want immediate family and that we could not add a lot. I also included some of your close friends. Is that alright? How are things going with Esther? I have been quite concerned about that?”
“Sure, that is great, Mom,” replied Triessa. “Esther seems to be fine now. I believe she got in touch with all of Todd’s family. I know you will do the right thing so am not a bit concerned about it. Thanks so much. It was a very thoughtful gesture and I really appreciate it a lot. I will go now and see what else I need to do. Oh, yes, I contacted Leslie and she can come for the whole day to take care of our cosmetic needs. Isn’t that wonderful? I can’t possibly go anywhere, time will be too tight. She will be here at eight o’clock and we will get started. I think we planned the ceremony to start at eleven o’clock and the reception at twelve-thirty, right? It should all be so perfect. I am getting so anxious. Thank God you are all here to help me with so many details. I got so nervous while I was gone because I could not see things and got all wound up. Thanks to Todd for his wonderful care. What a wonderful thing it is to have close family to step in where there is a need. Thank you, Mom, I love you so much. Please come by soon so we can talk.”
“Yes,” replied her mother, “There is a lot to be done and I wish we could have done it all for you, but I knew you’d want to be involved. You could not relax without being involved and keeping an eye on all the progress. You need to know it will all be great for the wonderful day. Then you should have some time to rest before. You could not have done it yourself and did not need to. It has been such a pleasure for all of us, believe me.”
“Yes, it is true,” replied Triessa, “I could not have a hands-off policy here and be able to relax at all. Even though it is hectic, I knew the situation. To me, it is worth the work we’ve had to do to get it ready. Nothing else could be so special.”
“Yes, I know, dear, and I am thrilled to be able to help all I can. So is your dad and Reese. We love Todd and are so happy for you. How about if I come over tomorrow and we make some plans? I have not seen your dress. Can I see it tomorrow?”
“That would be great.”
“Good, I will see you about nine-thirty in the morning.”
Triessa hung up and went to Todd, put her arms around him and he held her close for a while.
“Let’s take a stroll down by the water near the cottage. It is a beautiful day and the blossoms are elegant and smell just wonderful.”
They sat on the ground and looked at the water and the lilies. They just sat there for a while staring at it all. It was so wonderful and the coming events were like a dream at this point. It was hard to imagine it all coming to pass, yet they knew it would.
“You know, I have really missed all these lovely things, haven’t you? It is pretty much a part of your life now.”
Yes, but sometimes, with all that has been going on, it seems like another place, not the home I have been used to,” sighed Triessa.
“You know we never did talk about the situation with your mother. What happened when the two of you talked?”
“She said pretty much the same as she did before. She realized that she should be happy for me that I found my true love. She felt a little embarrassed especially when she was around you.”
“Dirje talked to me while you two were talking. She had talked to your mother and helped convince her to accept it. It seemed your mother had an eye on a girl who liked you and planned to introduce you with hopes that everything would go well between you. How about that? Aren’t you a little bit curious?” she teased.
“Certainly not,” he said looking a little upset. “I am glad that never happened for sure. She did not say anything to me about that. Probably felt too silly about it. I guess it is all over, but I know how much it upset you. You feared there would be a big delay or that something would go wrong between us, but that could not be. I cannot go on without you now and you should know that. “
“I do and it is the same with me. Thank you for taking care of it all.”
“You will soon be my beautiful bride and it will be so wonderful. You know we have not even considered where we’ll go on our honeymoon. I know it is difficult, but we must make some plans so we can call for reservations. What do you say about starting out in Vienna? We can glide up and down the Danube. Where would you like to go?”
“I think Vienna will be wonderful. We can rent a suite at a hotel for however long we will stay there. A week there should give us time to see a lot, don’t you think? At the end before we come home, I would like to go to Monaco to the hotel that I stayed in and back to the place where you proposed. We could spend some time there and go on to your place before we come back. We won’t have to think about any meetings or anything for a while, will we? We can come back here to think about it and go from there. Is that how you feel also?”
“That is wonderful, and I heartily agree, we should definitely take in Monaco and my place at the end. I think that will be super. We can cover all the spots we did while there and do it from a different perspective as married folk. It will be just grand. But what comes after Vienna? What about Paris? We could stay at a nice little place outside the city that I know about. I think you will love it; I know you will. There’s a nice lady there to take care of us and we will be able to see all the sights there in a week. At least, many of them. We can go back later sometime if you wish.”
“Yes, Paris sounds wonderful to me. I would love to be outside the city rather than staying in all the hustle and bustle. Oh, my darling, it is all coming together and will be so wonderful. I want to take lots of pictures. We can relive it over and over.”
They snuggled closer and sat looking at the flowers. They stayed there for some time. They knew that they must return soon so her dad could find her when he came to the house. Todd helped her up and held her close for a moment.
“Just think, my sweetheart, very soon we will always be able to be together all the time. Won’t that be a marvelous thing!”
“Oh, yes, my darling,” she sighed and they walked back to the house. Her dad was there when she got back. He said he had just got there himself and decided to wait for her so he could see her before he went home.
“Mom is coming over tomorrow. We will cover a lot of things and she will see my dress. Would you like to see it, Dad?” she asked.
“No,” he replied, “I will see it tomorrow with your mother, if that is fine with you. I really should start back now so I can have supper and not keep your mother waiting. Goodbye, my dear, we will see you tomorrow. So long, Todd , we will see you also. You two have a grand evening. It is a gorgeous night. I can show myself out, you two relax and enjoy yourselves.”
He left and they decided they should eat on the patio this evening. It was such a delightful evening. She went in to inform Nancy and they went out to the patio and sat down to wait for dinner. They did not have to wait very long. They ate and sat there in the dusk watching the fireflies darting about in the trees and shrubs. They were marvelous critters. He had not seen them before and was spellbound at the remarkable display they were giving for free. They were so entertaining and spectacular and he wondered how they did it.
Around nine-thirty he decided to go on to bed, and as he got up to leave, she stood up. They hugged and kissed gently, then parted. As he went to the cottage, she watched
him, and then went inside and up to her bedroom where she sat a while to digest all this. She got ready for bed, then sat on her chair by the window to just recall and relive the last week and a half. Then she thought, “How will this room be on our wedding night? Should I do some real special things to it so it will be different? Ours instead of mine with the old usual style.” She would consider this and see what she could do. Time would be the big thing to consider. She may be able to hire someone to come in and do some things for her once she finally decided what to do. She knew she wouldn’t have a lot of extra time, none really. It really was not all that bad. At last, she felt tired. She looked up at the skylight above her and drifted off to sleep.
She awoke to a gorgeous day and remembered that her mother was coming to see her wedding dress. There was just two weeks to wait now. How could she possibly wait? It seemed as unbearable as waiting to see him when they were apart. She stretched, rose, and got ready to face the day. She felt full of energy. She showered, dressed and went down to see if Todd had come to breakfast. When she got downstairs and went out on the patio, she found him sitting there having coffee. He arose, helped her get seated and poured coffee for her. They began to discuss their plans for the day.
“I will, no doubt, be spending some time with my mother, showing her the dress, making plans, checking on invitations, seeing who is coming, and all the major details.”
“Sounds good. I can go out to the garden to see if I can be of any help there with the work your dad and Reese are doing. It will be good to get a real feel for what is happening and how we are moving along. I am getting anxious, now, how about you?”
“Yes, I find it so hard to wait. I wish we could move it up in time, but we cannot. We will have to wait. Soon we will be there, and all too soon we will be looking back at it and into our life. That is hard to imagine right now.”
CHAPTER 13
Nancy brought breakfast and they began to eat. They smiled as they thought of the events coming up and the marvelous life they would have together. It was eight o’clock and her mom said she would be here by nine-thirty. Would it be too late for coffee with them? Probably so, unless they ate slowly. There was no need to hurry anyway.
They lingered and soon they heard her mother coming through the house; it was faster to come that way.
As she came through the door to the patio, Triessa called, “Come and have some coffee with us. There are some pastries here.”
She got up, reached for her mother’s hand and asked her to come over to sit beside her.
“We will go in to look at the things I got as soon as we have coffee. Todd is planning to go out to the garden to see what is going on there. The things we are doing will be girl things and he’d really rather not see the dress until the wedding. It will really be better that way, though difficult in some ways. Men feel different about such things.”
They soon finished and Todd got up to go, saying, “I will see you girls later, have fun.”
“I will, Hon, see you later. I have the things upstairs in my bedroom, so if you come back before we are done, we will be down later after we have gone over all the things.”
They went inside and upstairs to her bedroom. She went to the closet and brought out the boxes containing all the goodies. She showed her mother the underwear and lingerie first.
“Look at this, we found it in the same store where we got the dress. What do you think of it; isn’t it elegant? Phylicia teased me about it. These are some things I got especially for the wedding and honeymoon. It will certainly be different, and I want to look my very best. I have not had anyone see me in my lingerie and nighties. It will seem strange at first. We will be so happy, Mom. I still find it hard to believe at times. I am so lucky to have found Todd. It was a truly tremendous thing to have happen. We will always be grateful to Phylicia for getting us together. I’m so anxious for you to meet her. She will be here early to help.”
“It is two weeks now and it seems like a long time, though I know I have a lot to do. Did I tell you that Leslie will be able to come and help me get ready? It will be very good. Of course, she can be there to help the rest of you if you want her to. Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated.
What advice do you have to give me, Mother? This is very new and strange to me. Will I be frightened or will it all come about naturally? I am a novice, you know. I never really dated that much, maybe just a few times in college I have been so busy, I just did not think about it until I met Todd.”
“That is good, I am glad there weren’t that many boys before him
“They were just simple dates. Nothing could ever match this. There were just enough to know that I have someone who is very thoughtful, considerate and loving. It will truly be wonderful. You and Dad have set a wonderful example for us, which will be a great help for me.”
“Well, my dear, we have tried to let you know how much we love each other. It was not difficult; it was just everyday living with someone you love very much. Your wedding night will be special and you will always remember it. It truly makes the two of you one with a unique bond. You just want to be loving, kind and helpful in any way you can. You are both doing that already. I am sure you will not have any trouble that way. You are a very sensitive, kind and loving person. It will come naturally to you to make Todd happy, as it will with him. I can see a sensitivity in him that will be very helpful in your relationship, especially with your communication. That is a very important area, as I am sure, you have both come to understand to a great degree.”
Triessa brought out her negligee she had planned for the honeymoon. It was a rich satin in teal, her favorite and fitting color. It would be so elegant. She also had a light blue one, the same shade as the dress he liked so well. She had it on the night he gave her the lovely ring, which she showed to her mother again. She had another one, a light pink, which was a great color for her also. But the white one she got when she got her dress was really special and should be the first one she would wear. Her mother agreed totally on that. She showed the blue dress to her mother who was overwhelmed.
“It is stunning, my dear, simply exquisite. Was this one of your creations? Did you present it in one of your shows or keep it for this special occasion?”
“It was one I made for Todd on the trip where he proposed. He loves it. I am sure he wants me to take it along with me on our honeymoon, so I can wear it when we go out. Oh, mother, is it real, or am I only dreaming?”
“No, my dear, you are not dreaming. It is very real, and you will soon be on with your life as a married woman. A truly wonderful life, for you will always have someone at your side to share, help and love you.”
She went to the closet and brought out a large box. Her mother knew what it was. She removed the cover and folded back the pink tissue paper that covered it. Her mother gasped and placed her hands over her mouth.
“Oh, Triessa, it is simply magnificent. I love it. You will be the most beautiful bride ever. Don’t you think you should hang it up in the closet so it will fall full length? It will straighten out and get rid of any wrinkles. I am sure you will have many attendants on the big day. It is just wonderful; you will be a perfect picture. Is Todd wearing a dark suit?”
“No, he is wearing a beautiful blue tuxedo. It is a very good color for him and he will look simply elegant. My dress is a hint of pink. I have not gone the traditional color, blue for boys and pink for girls route; they are just good colors for us. It is a one-time thing and we want it as perfect as we can make it. It will be truly elegant. I am so glad you took care of the invitations for us.
Here is my veil. I love the tiara. It is pretty and not too much for a simple, outdoor wedding. It comes down nearly to my waist in the back. That will be a good length since my dress is shorter than the usual gowns. What do you think about the short length? Since it is outdoors, I did not want it to drag on the ground and get muddy. I felt it would be the best thing, and I am not that particular about a really long dress and train.”
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“I think it is a splendid idea; it will be just right. The long dress and train are more for church weddings where you can walk down a long aisle and let it trail along. It is all about what makes you feel comfortable and happy. Does Todd like the idea?”
“Yes, he likes it and wants me to be happy with whatever I want. He is so wonderful and considerate. I am truly grateful for that. I have seen you and Dad and your happiness, and I really could not settle for less. It makes life much more pleasant when you can deal with things together, and we have an easy time with communication. He seems to know instinctively what I need and want. It is perfect. I can sense what he is feeling, and that will be a great help, I am sure. It is truly amazing what we have learned about each other in so short a time and how well we know each other, though I am sure we have so much yet to learn.”
“Yes, you are right, I can see that you both are very comfortable when you are together. That is so important. Have you discussed a family yet? It is early to think of it. I think it would be good if you take some time to get to know each other first and then think about a family.”
“Yes, I agree. We haven’t talked about it yet. There is plenty of time after we are married to go into it. I know we both want a family, but we will take some time to see where we are going with our work plans and what we want to accomplish first. We will set our goals and see what it will take in time and effort to bring them to pass. But I don’t want to wait too long. I still want to be fairly young when we have children. I am nearly twenty-seven now. Todd is twenty-nine. I have not discussed it with him to see what he wants to do and when. We will get to it; the time will come when we will talk about it.”
“I love your shoes, dear. They are a popular brand and are wonderful shoes. I understand that they are very comfortable. The hosiery is lovely, too. I love the beautiful embroidery on them. It is nice to have beautiful things for a once-in-a-lifetime event. And money is no problem. With the shorter dress, the hosiery will show and it will be so elegant and lovely. Oh, my darling, I am so happy for you. This is a day, I guess, all mothers look forward to. I am glad Leslie can be here to fix your hair and makeup. You two have been friends for a long time. She will be at the wedding, won’t she?”
Once Within A Lifetime Page 18