Certainly Sensible (28 page)

She opened the slider and stepped into the refreshingly cool living area. There sat Adele in an overstuffed chair, two hours early. Sharlene braced herself.

“Good afternoon, Grandmother.” Sharlene walked over and kissed her on the cheek, shuddering when she saw the deep lavender summer pantsuit and large red garden hat Adele was wearing. Sharlene tried to overlook her grandmother’s obvious eccentricities and smiled sweetly. “Are you feeling better today? You must have been dreadfully ill last night to leave so abruptly.” As Adele eyed her warily, Sharlene added in a less pleasant tone, “And please tell me you haven’t invited The Red Hat Society.”

Adele sat up straight and faced her granddaughter. “I feel fine, thank you, dear. And, yes, two of my fellow Red Hatters will be here. This day’s going to be painful enough as it is, so I need my friends to bolster my spirits.”

“Grandmother, surely you didn’t arbitrarily add people to the guest list!”

Adele patted Sharlene’s hand. “I assured them you could squeeze them in.”

Sharlene bit her tongue. She decided to just let it go and inform the caterer about the extra guests. She took a deep breath and tried again to be civil. “Why are you here so early, Grandmother?”

“I need to speak to Richard. It’s too hot outside right now, so I’m waiting in the air conditioning until I see him.”

Sharlene inhaled a calming breath. “Grandmother, please don’t put any undue stress on Richard. I know you don’t approve of this wedding, but he’s made his wishes clear.” She paused and nearly added more, but decided this day was too important to be spoiled with an argument.

Adele gave her granddaughter a stern look. “No one ever kept me from speaking my mind before, so don’t you try now.”

Sharlene shook her head. All the hard work and planning that had gone into this wedding and she had no intention of letting Grandmother’s opinions of the bride ruin everything, so Sharlene decided it would be prudent to head off Richard before Grandmother got her hooks in. She pulled out her phone to send him a text, but got distracted when she saw an incoming one from the reporter covering what he referred to as “this important society event.”

She regained her composure and pointed to her phone. “Grandmother, it’s from
The Indianapolis Star,
and they’ll be here today to cover this wedding. So everything has to be perfect.”

“Hrmph,” muttered Adele.

Sharlene walked off, envisioning her picture in the Society section, her name captioned underneath, along with quotes about how hard she’d worked to make this a memorable day for her brother.
Sharlene Meadows-Benedict, wife of Truitt Wellness Corporation’s CEO, sister of the groom.
It had a nice ring to it.

Richard walked in from the main entry at that moment. Sharlene stepped over, kissed Richard’s cheek, and planted herself between him and Adele. He was already dressed in his wedding tux, complete with a white boutonnière in his lapel.

“Richard, dear, where have you been?” Adele asked, craning her neck around Sharlene.

“What do you mean? I’m not late.” He pulled out his cell phone and checked the time display. “Actually I’m early.”

“No, you’re late—almost too late. This is important, dear. Sit down here and listen to me. Sharlene, move.” Adele patted the oversized ottoman facing her. “You can still call off this wedding, you know.”

“Grandmother!” Sharlene exclaimed, a lump rising to her throat as she nonetheless stepped aside.

Richard sighed as he sat down. “Grandmother, I gave my word. I agreed to marry Misty, maybe in a weak moment, but it’s done, and one thing my mother taught me was to honor my commitments.”

“See?” Sharlene said to Adele. “He’s going to do the honorable thing.”

“Your mother was a fine woman,” Adele said, ignoring Sharlene, “but she died way too young. She had no way of knowing…” She sighed as she broke off.

Richard took her hand between both of his. “Grandmother, I know you’re concerned, and I’ve been giving it some serious thought, I really have.”

Sharlene tapped her foot. “Given what
serious thought?”

Richard waved his arms around. “All these preparations, gifts sent, food prepared, and the guests will be arriving soon. It’s too late to call it off.”

Sharlene smiled to herself. Okay, so maybe Richard and Misty weren’t passionately in love like her and Daniel, but they were friends and could fall in love later. They had a whole lifetime ahead of them. As soon as this wedding was accomplished, that is.

Adele shook her head. “It’s easier to call off a wedding than a marriage, Richard. You’re marrying the wrong woman.”

Richard sighed. “We’ve already had this conversation, Grandmother.”

“End of discussion,” Sharlene added.

Adele withdrew her hand from Richard’s. “I’ve seen how you look at Caroline Benedict, Richard. That’s why I planned that little surprise dinner. Didn’t you see which woman you really want?”

Sharlene’s jaw dropped. “What? You sent Richard on a date with another woman? Grandmother, really!”

Richard rubbed his forehead, looking from Sharlene to Adele and back again. “Good cop, bad cop, huh?” He smiled, but it soon drained away. “I guess I need to speak to Misty. Do you know where she is?”

“She hasn’t been out of her room today,” Sharlene said, chagrinned. “Bridezilla” didn’t begin to describe Misty’s behavior.

“Well, if you put off the discussion any longer, you’ll be bound in wedded bliss to the wrong woman.” Adele stood and adjusted her hat. “Now please do the right thing and go speak with your fiancée.”

Richard nodded thoughtfully as he stood. “If you’ll excuse me, Grandmother.”

He walked out of the room, up the stairs to Misty’s closed bedroom door, and knocked. “Misty? Misty, it’s Richard. Can you open the door?”

Sharlene stepped to the bottom of the stairwell and stared up at her brother. “Well? Any luck?” she called.

Richard shook his head and knocked again, shouting louder this time. “Misty, turn down that music and at least talk to me through the door.”

Sharlene went all the way up the stairs. “Misty, dear, your fiancé is concerned about you.”

“Fine,” Misty called from her side of the door. “Okay, I’m here but I’m not opening the door. What do you want?” she snapped.

Sharlene was a bit surprised at Misty’s tone, but hoped it was just wedding jitters. “Misty, I know it’s bad luck to see the groom before the wedding, but may
I
come in?”

“No!” Misty shouted.

She and Richard heard muffled whispers, and they exchanged puzzled glances. Then the volume on the music increased to a deafening level. “I can’t hear you. Go downstairs and let me finish getting ready.”

Richard stared at the door and hesitated a minute, letting go of the knob. He turned to Sharlene, opened his mouth to say something, closed it, and ran down the stairs and out to the lawn.

****

The doorbell rang, and Susan went to answer it. It was Patrick, carrying his coat and smiling as he tugged at his collar to loosen the tie. Susan invited him in.

“Whew! It’s a scorcher out there.” He looked at her with approval. “You look gorgeous!”

Susan blushed. She had on a blue flowered sundress with a matching solid-colored shrug and low-heeled white sandals. “Everyone’s about ready.”

“How’s Caroline doing?” Patrick asked.

“Not too well,” Susan said. “This is hard on her. Anyway, Emily and Sara are here from Chicago, so hopefully we have enough troops rallied around her.” Patrick gave a low whistle, and Susan turned to look as Allie walked into the room.

Allie had chosen a crisp pale yellow linen pantsuit with black strappy sandals, the spike heels adding to her already statuesque height. Her dark hair was pulled back with an elegant clip, tiny diamond stud earrings shone brightly, and she was carrying a small black clutch bag.

“
Wow
!” Patrick exclaimed.

“Do you think Brandon will like it?” Allie asked, turning around to display the entire effect.

“What man in his right mind wouldn’t?” Patrick grinned broadly. “The bride had better watch out.” There was a knock on the door, and Brandon let himself in. Patrick elbowed him. “Are your ears burning, old man?”

“What?” Brandon asked, and then he saw Allie.

“Kind of takes your breath away, huh, Phillips?”

Emily and Sara walked into the family room from the kitchen. Sara was dressed in her usual dark blue, conservative business suit, and Emily had chosen a sleeveless little black dress, understated in its simplicity. They looked at Allie and gasped.

“Who’s the star of the show today—you or Misty?” Emily joked.

“Is it too much? I can change.”

“Don’t you dare,” Susan said.

“And Emily,” Allie said, looking chagrinned, “I owe you an apology. For last month. You, too, Sara.”

Emily folded Allie into a bear hug. “You owe us no such thing. You didn’t get sick on purpose.”

“But I used visiting Brittany as an excuse to go see Mark, and then I moped for days, all while getting sicker and sicker. I should have spoken up sooner.”

Emily released Allie from the hug. “We’re both just glad you’re okay now. Did you talk to Brittany?”

Allie nodded. “We video-chatted We’re getting together at Christmas. But I just feel so bad…”

“Nonsense, Allie,” Emily said as she winked at Sara. “Love makes women do nutty things. Besides, look who you’re with now!” Emily slapped a blushing Brandon on the back. “Say, where’s Caroline? Is she ready?”

Susan frowned. “Ready to watch the man she loves marry another woman?”

“I’m giving it a good try.” They all turned to see Caroline standing in the doorway, nervously tucking a stray hair behind her ear. Her sleeveless lime-green garden dress accentuated her slender waist and strawberry-blonde hair.

“What are we waiting for?” she said with a forced smile. “Let’s do this.”

They sorted themselves into two cars and the seven of them arrived in tandem at the Peterson estate. They had to wait in a short line of cars ahead of them. “This is going to be a big wedding,” Susan commented as she looked at all the cars waiting to be parked.

The valet opened the front passenger door and handed Susan out. Brandon helped Allie out of the back seat, while Patrick turned over his car keys in exchange for a claim ticket. The valet hopped into Patrick’s sedan and drove it to the church parking lot across the street.

“Shall we?” Brandon asked Allie, offering his arm.

“Yes, we shall,” she giggled in response.

Susan put her hand up to shade her face, since the sun was beating down and causing a glare. She pointed to the far side of the parking area. “Emily’s van had to go way over there.”

“They’ll catch up,” Patrick said as he offered Susan his arm. Likewise, Brandon escorted Allie toward the wedding festivities.

“It’s breathtaking,” Allie said as she took in the decorations. “There must be two hundred people here already.”

Susan followed Allie’s gaze around the grounds. Some guests sat in the white plastic chairs awaiting the ceremony, some loitered at the bar, and some just milled around the grounds. “Too bad the wrong people are getting married.”

Patrick nodded and squeezed her arm reassuringly. “Do you want something to drink?”

“Not just yet,” Susan said. “Let’s wait for Emily, Sara, and Caroline.”

“Look at the gazebo,” Allie said, pointing off in the distance. “It’s gorgeous over there.” She again linked her arm through Brandon’s as the four of them chatted happily, admiring the decorations and keeping an eye out for the rest of their party. Suddenly Allie gasped. “Ohmigod!”

“Allie, what’s wrong?” Susan looked to see where Allie was pointing, grasped Patrick’s arm tighter and whispered, “What’s Mark Townsend doing here?” Of all the times for her daughter to run into the man who’d broken her heart…

Mark walked over to join them, never taking his eyes off Allie. He seemed to fumble for words, but finally said, “You look good, Allie.”

“Mark, what are you doing here?” Allie demanded. Brandon glared at Mark who shifted from one foot to the other.

“I’m… uh… I’m a guest of the bride.”

“You’re a guest?” Susan asked. Mark was underdressed for a wedding, to say the least, wearing khaki shorts, a golf shirt, and loafers. His whole appearance made her suspicious.

“Uh, Allie, can I talk to you a minute?” Mark asked. “In private?”

“Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of my family and friends,” Allie told him.

Mark scratched his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I guess I just wanted to say I’m sorry for the way I treated you in Chicago.”

“Apology accepted.” Allie coolly turned on her heel, tightened her grip on Brandon’s arm, and the two of them started to walk away. But then she stopped, let go of Brandon, and turned back around. “That’s it? Just ‘sorry’? You really hurt me, Mark.”

Mark looked down at the ground. “I know. And when I heard you were sick…” He was silent for a moment. “If it makes any difference now, I did have feelings for you. But there were things going on in my family…”

“There were things going on in my family, too.”

A look of anguish spread over Mark’s face. “What are you doing with Brandon?”

“I’m right here, man,” Brandon said, scowling.

Susan saw Emily, Sara, and Caroline approaching and was about to suggest they all go find their seats. The wedding couldn’t be any more uncomfortable than this.

Allie tilted her head in Brandon’s direction. “He’s been a good friend, both to me and my family. And by the way, I’m starting at Bradley University next week, thanks to him.”

“Bradley?” Mark lifted an eyebrow. “But I thought you were going to Ball State.”

“Things changed. Lots of things. I’m not that naïve little girl anymore that you rescued at the symphony.”

“Allie, I’m, uh…” He shrugged. “Just be happy, okay?” Mark shoved his hands in his shorts pockets and slowly walked away.

Susan asked, “You okay?” at the same time Brandon asked Allie the same thing.

Allie stood up straight, pushed a stray hair out of her face, and nodded. “Mark caused me a lot of pain and disappointment, but I don’t have any feelings for him anymore.” She shrugged. “Maybe I never did.”