no matter what she said he still hadn’t warmed up to them. Maybe the wedding would get them talking more.
Emma and Craig came around the table for hugs and kisses too and then Vivian sat her parents at the table closest to them. Craig’s parents and Hawk’s parents would also be sitting at this table. Vivian thought about how many speeches were going to be given and hoped everyone took her time limits seriously. She didn’t want there to still be speeches being given at midnight.
Vivian’s dad, Clint, pulled Emma to the side, and whispered something into her ear. Vivian stepped close, wanting to hear what was going on.
“Emma dear, I know this is late notice, but I just wanted to make sure you have someone to walk you down the aisle,” he said. “Because if you didn’t, I would be honored to do so.”
Emma smiled at him, the first tear of the night slipping down her cheek. “Thank you Clint, thank you so much, but Grandma Maisie is going to walk me down the aisle.”
Clint nodded. “That’s good. That’s wonderful. Mary Beth and I just want you to know that, you being Vivian’s sister and all, well, we’d like to think of you as our daughter if that’s OK with you. We wish and wish that we had known about you when you were born. We’d have adopted you in a second.” He stopped and nodded. “But we can’t change the past,” he added with an air of resignation, his white eyebrows knotting together.
Emma nodded, the tears flowing freely now. “Thank you Clint. Thank you ... Dad?”
“Yes dear, you call me dad. I would love that.” He patted her hand and pulled her towards his wife, Mary Beth.
Vivian stood there watching them, and wiped away her own tears. She hadn’t known her dad was going to offer that, and it made her heart feel about to burst. Having her adoptive parents accept her birth family with such open arms delighted her. Life handed her new pleasures every day. Her hand crept to her belly. Thinking of new pleasures and joys made her feel a desperate longing for her first child. She savored it for a moment, then let it go, knowing it would come when the time was right.
More people started to filter in and Vivian and Emma went into hostess mode, seating everyone, and handing out kisses and thank-you-for-comings like candy. The waiters showed up and began to bring bread and drinks for everyone. Vivian’s mother was in charge of them and handled them perfectly, like they were her own personal team.
When everyone had arrived and was seated except for Jerry, Vivian sat back down next to Emma and asked her where Jerry was.
“Oh, he’s at physical therapy till 7. He’s been spending as much time as possible there lately,” Emma said.
“Really? That’s great. How is his limp?”
“It’s better. Not even noticeable sometimes.” Something clouded Emma’s eyes and Vivian saw it immediately, feeling a pang of heartache for her sister. Did Emma really still feel responsible for Jerry being shot by Norman and then almost losing his lower leg when Norman reversed his horrible car and tried to pin Jerry between it and the ambulance? Vivian chewed on her lower lip, knowing Emma did. She wished there was something she could do to roll this boulder of pain off her sister’s heart.
Emma’s face brightened. “I think he likes his physical therapist though.”
Vivian laughed. “Is she pretty? Because if she is, of course he does.”
“It’s not that,” Emma lowered her voice and leaned in. “I think he really likes her. Like I’ve never seen him like anyone. He asked her out 6 months ago and she said no because of their professional relationship. But today is his last day of physical therapy and he says he’s been trying to convince her to be his date to the wedding all week.”
“Really? But the wedding is tomorrow. What if she won’t go?”
“He says he will come stag then. He says there’s no one else he wants to go with anyway.”
Vivian’s mouth dropped open. Jerry
Emma and Craig came around the table for hugs and kisses too and then Vivian sat her parents at the table closest to them. Craig’s parents and Hawk’s parents would also be sitting at this table. Vivian thought about how many speeches were going to be given and hoped everyone took her time limits seriously. She didn’t want there to still be speeches being given at midnight.
Vivian’s dad, Clint, pulled Emma to the side, and whispered something into her ear. Vivian stepped close, wanting to hear what was going on.
“Emma dear, I know this is late notice, but I just wanted to make sure you have someone to walk you down the aisle,” he said. “Because if you didn’t, I would be honored to do so.”
Emma smiled at him, the first tear of the night slipping down her cheek. “Thank you Clint, thank you so much, but Grandma Maisie is going to walk me down the aisle.”
Clint nodded. “That’s good. That’s wonderful. Mary Beth and I just want you to know that, you being Vivian’s sister and all, well, we’d like to think of you as our daughter if that’s OK with you. We wish and wish that we had known about you when you were born. We’d have adopted you in a second.” He stopped and nodded. “But we can’t change the past,” he added with an air of resignation, his white eyebrows knotting together.
Emma nodded, the tears flowing freely now. “Thank you Clint. Thank you ... Dad?”
“Yes dear, you call me dad. I would love that.” He patted her hand and pulled her towards his wife, Mary Beth.
Vivian stood there watching them, and wiped away her own tears. She hadn’t known her dad was going to offer that, and it made her heart feel about to burst. Having her adoptive parents accept her birth family with such open arms delighted her. Life handed her new pleasures every day. Her hand crept to her belly. Thinking of new pleasures and joys made her feel a desperate longing for her first child. She savored it for a moment, then let it go, knowing it would come when the time was right.
More people started to filter in and Vivian and Emma went into hostess mode, seating everyone, and handing out kisses and thank-you-for-comings like candy. The waiters showed up and began to bring bread and drinks for everyone. Vivian’s mother was in charge of them and handled them perfectly, like they were her own personal team.
When everyone had arrived and was seated except for Jerry, Vivian sat back down next to Emma and asked her where Jerry was.
“Oh, he’s at physical therapy till 7. He’s been spending as much time as possible there lately,” Emma said.
“Really? That’s great. How is his limp?”
“It’s better. Not even noticeable sometimes.” Something clouded Emma’s eyes and Vivian saw it immediately, feeling a pang of heartache for her sister. Did Emma really still feel responsible for Jerry being shot by Norman and then almost losing his lower leg when Norman reversed his horrible car and tried to pin Jerry between it and the ambulance? Vivian chewed on her lower lip, knowing Emma did. She wished there was something she could do to roll this boulder of pain off her sister’s heart.
Emma’s face brightened. “I think he likes his physical therapist though.”
Vivian laughed. “Is she pretty? Because if she is, of course he does.”
“It’s not that,” Emma lowered her voice and leaned in. “I think he really likes her. Like I’ve never seen him like anyone. He asked her out 6 months ago and she said no because of their professional relationship. But today is his last day of physical therapy and he says he’s been trying to convince her to be his date to the wedding all week.”
“Really? But the wedding is tomorrow. What if she won’t go?”
“He says he will come stag then. He says there’s no one else he wants to go with anyway.”
Vivian’s mouth dropped open. Jerry
Similar Books
