Judy's maternal instincts kicked in and she let out a sigh. "But you have such nice curly brown hair."
"Yep. Like my Auntie Flisty's hair. But I wish it was red like yours." Erica slurped her remaining milk and said, "Bye," as she zoomed back to the family room with Brenda close behind her.
Cal sat down with a cup of decaf. "I am so glad that we'll have the girls and Tim to help us with her. She's as active as Jeremy was."
Phyl commented, "I thought our girls were active, but she's just ..."
Judy said, "Now I'm even more glad it's you two and not us that will take care of her. But now that I've seen her with Brenda..." She paused as if searching for words. "I think I'll be able to like her for herself."
When everyone had gone home and Erica was in bed, Phyl and Cal sat down on the family room sofa to snuggle. Phyl let out a deep sigh and relaxed against her man.
"Penny for your thoughts, love." Cal dropped a kiss onto the top of Phyl's head.
"I was so worried about having David and Judy over with Erica so new in the house. But it worked out fine."
"Erica is a pretty charming kid. Grace has done a very good job with her."
"I know. I feel for Judy, though. It was pretty hard for her."
"I heard what you said about Jeanine. We should pray that she finds Jesus and that her marriage is everything it needs to be so she can find that love and stability she needs. It must be hard when you know that your mother's health is failing and your fiance doesn't want anything to do with your child."
"At least we have each other and Erica has us." She scooted around so she could sit on his lap.
"I guess I still owe you a few kisses?" Cal drew Phyl's head closer.
"Yes, you do," she murmured softly against his lips before she claimed them.
Chapter Twenty – December
"It's all right, Vivian. I really do understand. Brenda wrote me a final letter warning me that Mark might need space before he can let his grief go."
"I'm really sorry, Cal. You and Phyl looked so perfect together at the party in July, even if neither of you would admit you were a couple. I'd love to be there for the wedding."
"David's bringing a camera and so is one of the university students from church. Between the two of them there should be hundreds of pictures."
"How's my new niece?"
"There was room for her at the same school Timothy goes to, so she's settling in and making new friends there. I know we sent you some pictures."
"She looks like a handful, and her accent is darling."
"Well, any time you're headed this way give us a call and we'll make sure there's enough food in the fridge for Eric and Andrew."
"I might send them to you for the summer so I can afford to buy clothes for them. They're growing so fast."
"Well, I wish you were coming but I know Mark. Give him a hug from me."
"I will, Cal."
"Bye, Vivian."
Phyl looked up from her armchair. "You don't look surprised."
"I can't say that I am. Brenda wrote me a letter, you know the one I showed you where she said I should marry you if there was a spark between us?"
"It's a lot more than sparks, old man. One kiss and I was lost."
"I believe I've already admitted I was several kinds of idiot, young lady. It took more than a few kisses for me."
"Yes. I remember the letter, so I'm not surprised that Mark can't come. We'll see them next summer. I haven't been down East yet. We should make a point to visit with Harry's parents, too. That will be a fun trip, if the big girls are up for it. The U-17's take most of August off to let the kids have a summer vacation."
"And you haven't seen Victoria either. Maybe we'll rent a motor home out there and spend a few weeks on the road."
Phyl opened a newsletter from Redeemer. "Ouch. Cal, we forgot to check the school schedule when we booked our wedding."
"Oh. What's up?"
"The Christmas formal dinner is the night before the wedding. And we promised to get the girls proper dresses and to help out at the school."
"The dresses aren't a problem, except getting Lydia to decide on a style. And it's a second wedding for both of us so we don't have to do any of the night before rituals. I did that once and I was so glad that the wedding was at four instead of two so I could get enough liquid back in my system."
"Tim could look after Erica, I suppose."
"Or we could ask Jeremy and Patty. They'll be here the Wednesday before."
"We'll work something out. I want to be there for the formal."
"So, Felicity. You can wear your formal Scottish to both the wedding and the dinner or just the wedding."
"Can I have two different dresses?" Felicity turned on the charm.
"You can have two different dresses. What were you thinking?"
"Well, I was thinking that I'd get a mid-calf dress for the wedding to match Phyl's dress. She'd not doing the full train white dress thing. She's got this really pretty dress that will go well with the Buchanan tartan sash you gave her."
"That's the first I've heard about her dress."
Felicity looked crestfallen. "I don't know if I should have said anything."
"Don't worry. I expect I'll be awestruck no matter what she wears."
"Yeah, you look pretty goofy when she dresses up for you."
"Everyone seemed to notice that before I did."
"Well, it was cute. Still is, even if Lydia gets embarrassed by it." Felicity waved her hand to silence him. "Now for the formal I was thinking about a dress like the one that Elaine wore to Burns Night three years ago."
Cal thought about that. "That's a bit low in the front, don't you think?"
"Not if the dressmaker fits the bodice properly. I don't mind looking really modest at your wedding, but I want to look like a girl at the formal."
"What's Lydia wearing?"
"She's still arguing with Mum about it. She wants to wear a backless green satin halter dress, but Mum is freaking about it. I mean, it will cover more of her than her swimsuit top does." Felicity was obviously trying to enlist Cal's support.
"Okay, Beast. I'll talk to Phyl."
Felicity threw her arms around her dad and said, "You're the best. Thank you."
To Felicity's retreating back he said, "It doesn't mean she'll let either of you..."
"They are young women now. They need a chance to dress up and flirt in a controlled environment." Cal said reasonably.
"I can't approve of this, Cal. I just can't." Phyl knew she wasn't being rational.
Cal gathered he into a hug. "Does this have to do with wild Heddy?"
Phyl looked into Cal's caring face and burst into tears. "You know it does, you nasty old man."
Cal let her cry for a while and gently asked, "Is the dress Lydia wants something that Heddy would have worn?"
Phyl looked up into Cal's face again and said, "No, it's too modest. I had a dress that had a skimpier top and only came to mid-thigh."
Cal had a vision of Phyl in a dress like that. "As a complete aside, would you wear a dress like that for me?"
Phyl saw the desire in his eyes. "You don't need that kind of stimulation. At least not yet. And it's too young a style for me now. Anyway, we were discussing Lydia."
"Actually, dearest, I thought we were discussing your fears." Cal hugged Phyl closer.
Phyl wiped her eyes and sighed. "You're going to make me think that age brings wisdom if you're not careful."
"Only because it gives you the opportunity to learn from more stupid mistakes. I made a pretty big one recently that I'm still learning from."
Phyl giggled. "I suppose." She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. "I guess I have to let Lydia make her own mistakes every now and then."
"Don't forget we're part of the catering team. Both of them will be on their best behaviour."
"And they will both complain about it for months."
Cal gave Phyl an affectionate peck and said, "How about this.
We get three dresses made for each of them and we get to veto their choice for the formal."
"What do you mean?"
"You've already approved their dresses for the wedding. So we let them get the dress they really want for the formal and a dress they are certain you'll approve of. Then we let them model the dresses for our approval."
Phyl still looked uncertain. "I suggested the same thing when Elaine went to the prom in grade twelve. Brenda put her foot down instead and that was yet another chapter in the Colin debacle."
"Okay, dear man. Let's tell the girls."
Cal came back from shopping to find Jeremy and Patricia already unpacked and making themselves at home in the kitchen. Erica raced over with excitement written all over her face, "Auntie Patty's going to have a baby. I'm going to have a new cousin." She bounced around the kitchen table like a kangaroo then zoomed off to find Felicity and tell her for the fifth time.
Cal blinked and said, "Congratulations. I see you've run into Hurricane Erica again."
Patty took the groceries from Cal's hands. "It's hard to miss her."
Jeremy gave his dad a hug. "She's a sweet kid. Phyl dropped the girls off about a half hour ago and said that she had to go pick up some dresses for Lydia and Felicity."
Patty said, "She looked a little stressed."
Jeremy replied, "Well, she is getting married in three days. And moving into a new house with this old fart. That would be enough to stress anyone."
Cal said, "Yeah, and you're the only step kid from the first batch who's younger than her."
Jeremy asked, more seriously, "Are David and Mark still giving you grief about that?"
"No. After the Erica crisis, David's been good. Mark just isn't talking to me because he still misses your Mom and he thinks I'm being disloyal."
Jeremy snorted. "Well, he never saw you guys and the Schuylers on a regular basis. And you waited a over a year before you started courting her. All of the conventions were followed."
Cal heard a voice from the front door. "We're back!" This was followed by a squeal and Erica shouting "Bestemor!" from the top of the stairs.
Phyl, cheeks still pink from the frosty weather, came into the kitchen with six hangers covered with zippered garment bags. Felicity, Lydia and Erica trailed after her. "OK, girls, put these in Felicity's room."
They had a leisurely supper because the kids didn't have any homework but the girls were getting more and more anxious. Eventually, Phyl put them out of their misery and said, "I guess it's time for a fashion show. Just the two choices for the formal and put your hair up in either a ponytail or a bun."
Cal called after them. "Put on your second choice first."
Phyl looked grumpily at Cal then softened as she held his loving gaze for a while. Erica poked Phyl in the leg about four times. "Bestemor...Bestemor..."
Turning her attention to Erica she responded, "Yes, Erica?"
With her eyes really wide she said, "Did you know I'm going to have a new cousin?"
Phyl had a hard time keeping a straight face. "Yes, sweetie. I was here when Patty told us she was going to have a baby in April."
Patty stood next to Erica and gave her a little hug. "If it's a girl, I hope she's as nice as you are."
Felicity came in then, dressed in a very traditional floor length white gown with a Buchanan Ancient sash pinned with the Richardson sept badge at the hip.
Jeremy said, "Very pretty, sis. Very traditional."
Cal nodded approval and the women both agreed it was very nice. Felicity got a look that said she was hoping for better than pretty but then remembered she had another dress to model. "Back in a couple of minutes."
Lydia came in wearing a calf-length satin dress in sapphire blue with a high square neckline and short puffy sleeves. The bodice was contoured but not form fitting which still managed to show off her athletic figure.
Patty said, "Oh, that colour is very flattering."
Jeremy said, "Very nice."
Cal and Phyl looked at each other. Phyl gave her judgement, "You look very pretty, Lydia."
Lydia smiled and curtseyed, then went upstairs to change.
Felicity came back in with her first choice and Jeremy and Cal stopped talking. She was wearing a strapless silk cocktail dress in fine Buchanan tartan with a fitted bodice and a lightly pleated skirt that came to just below her knees. A black velvet bolero jacket covered her shoulders while displaying a hint of her bosom. She was wearing a pair of black pumps with two and a half inch heels that she'd obviously been practicing in, because she didn't wobble as walked across the kitchen floor.
Patty spoke first. "Oh my that's beautiful, Felicity."
Phyl stood up and examined her from all angles. "It's perfect for you, Felicity."
Jeremy looked at his father. Cal found his voice. "You look so much like your Mom, sweetheart."
Jeremy said, "She only remembers Mom with mostly grey hair, Dad." He turned to Felicity. "That looks very elegant, sis."
Felicity's eyes sparkled and she asked, "So this is okay for the formal?"
Cal looked at Phyl who nodded. "Yes, dear beast. It's perfect. But only very light makeup. Lip gloss and mascara. You're trying to look beautiful not find a husband."
Felicity stuck out her tongue and walked out of the kitchen wearing a big smile. "Next!"
Lydia came in wearing an emerald green knee length satin cocktail dress. It was a halter dress with an empire waist that hugged her curves and looked elegant rather than sexy. Her shoulders were covered with a deep burgundy mohair shawl that she'd borrowed from Aunt Ros. She was also wearing heels, but these were almost three and a half inches putting her eye level with Jeremy.
Phyl was stunned that her fourteen year old daughter could look so beautiful. The dressmaker had done a wonderful job of preserving the reality of the fourteen year old girl wearing the dress while giving a glimpse of the future woman. "Twirl around for us, Lydia."
She took a confident step and twirled around, obviously just as practised on her heels as Felicity had been.
Phyl took Lydia's hands and said, "You look beautiful. I'm sorry I questioned your judgement."
Lydia blushed. Jeremy echoed Phyl. "You and Felicity are both turning into beautiful young women. Just remember that men don't know how to speak to beautiful women, so if some of your friends seem a bit strange, well that's the effect you'll have on them."
Patty said, "Now. I'll give you the same warning that Phyl gave the Beast. You only need light makeup to look your best. You aren't trying to find a husband this year." Patty looked fondly at Jeremy. "Besides I think it's better if you wait until your man is all grown up. Like in his late twenties."
Lydia asked, shyly, "So I can wear this dress on Friday?"
Phyl stood on tiptoes to kiss her suddenly very tall daughter on the cheek. "Yes, Lydia. I want you to be beautiful for your first formal."
Lydia carefully hugged her mother. "Thanks, Mum." Then, giddy with excitement, she slipped off her shoes, picked them up and ran upstairs.
Erica, who had been sitting quietly at the table eating a cookie, said, "Auntie Lydia looks really pretty, like my Mommy looks when she goes dancing. But Auntie Lydia is way taller."
Phyl, who had met Jeanine, said, "I'm sure your Mommy is really pretty when she dresses up special."
"I'm going to be pretty when I'm all grown up." Erica announced.
"You're already very pretty, sweetie." Cal ruffled her hair. "But now it's bedtime."
"Carry me, Grampa?" Erica put up her arms.
"I guess I can do that." He picked up Erica
"Cal, I have some things to do if we're really getting married on Saturday. So bring Erica over here for a kiss and I'll say goodnight to everyone. Send Lydia home when she's ready." She kissed them both and then headed with them to the front hall.
"'Night, Bestemor." Erica said in her piping voice.
"Good night, my sweethearts."
Cal leaned over for another kiss then climbed the
stairs.
Phyl looked at the bedside clock. Two a.m. She sighed. It wasn't like her to get cold feet but the reminders tonight were hard to take. Harry should have been here to reassure Lydia she was beautiful. Jeremy and Cal were both gobsmacked by how much Felicity looked like Brenda. Even for her it was like her best friend had shown up looking like she was headed out to Burns Night with Cal. These were bittersweet, but her long buried doubts had resurfaced.
It was Erica's reference to Jeanine that was worrying her. Was she marrying Cal as an antidote to loneliness or because she needed stability or even a father figure in her life? Was Cal actually right that he was too old for her? For the past three hours she had lain awake in bed wearing a rut in the circles she was thinking.
She snapped on the light and prowled downstairs to make a cup of chamomile tea. On the way downstairs she spotted Lydia's textbooks in a pile on the dining room table. The top book was her New Testament textbook. Shaking her head, she changed her mind about the tea, poured herself a glass of water and found her old study Bible.
There was a long list of references to marriage in the index and the Biblical reasons for marrying. She prayed and studied and by half past three she had calmed down. Then she picked up the Prayer Book and reread the service for the Solemnization of Marriage. According to the service, the reasons for marriage were threefold: the care and nurture of children, the avoidance of fornication, and mutual comfort.
She thought back over the past eighteen months. How they had helped each other with caring for their three, now four, children. How Cal had promised that he would help her raise any more they might have to the best of his ability. So they were good partners for the first reason.
The avoidance of fornication. Most people believed they had not avoided it but it wasn't really anyone else's business. Not that they hadn't come very close on a number of occasions recently but so far they had avoided that temptation and, thank the Lord for his mercy, they would only have to avoid it for another three nights. She looked at the clock. Two and a half more nights.
A May-September Wedding Page 20