Family Reunion (68 page)

"What if something goes wrong? It could you know. I can't help feeling as though I'm waiting for that something to happen ... oh and what if we're in the middle of the ceremony when it does?" Lena feared.

"Lena, now is not the time to lose faith. Nothing is going to happen, nothing but the fact that in a few minutes, you'll be Mrs. Maynard Ramsey Webster." Sandra assured sitting down next to her to grab her hand. "Now, how about we get you dressed."

"Her gown is ready and awaiting." Terra announced.

Lettie left the room wishing to see Lena when she appeared, as well as the look on Manny's face. "Well mama, it's time." Hope whispered. Lena looked around the room with her friends and stood shedding her wrap. Standing there, she couldn't help but think back to the day Kayleen had first prepared her to be taken to him, it seemed so very long ago, yet…only like yesterday. Back then, he had been her master, and now…shortly, he would become her husband. Lena slipped her arms carefully into the slender sleeves of the lace waist shirt, letting Terra pull it into place on her body, bringing the back together to fasten the small top four pearl buttons, bringing the high collar together around her slender neck.

The color of the gown was a soft cream, accenting the color of her skin and lighting her eyes. Next, the satin cream gown, which Terra's assistant held open for Lena to step into, pulling it up her body as she slipped her arms in the wide openings. The bodice was nothing more than a wide satin band that hugged her upper arms, leaving her shoulders and upper chest, right above her breasts and arms bare.

She stood still, barely
able to breathe as it was fastened in the back with the pearl buttons of her gown picking up where the pearl buttons of her waist shirt left off. Between her breasts, on the satin band, was a tiny floral embroidered design with the letters, 'P & C' carefully stitched in an Edwardian scroll. To the right of it, Josey pinned her cameo. Below the band, starting at the center of her breasts on the high waist gown was a pleat that widened as it went to the floor. Small strings of pearls attached to either side, hung across it every six inches, widening as the gown spread.

Lena stood gazing at her reflection and the finished product of the perfect fitting gown in overwhelming appreciation. Terra bent low and placed on her stockinged feet the kid slippers of satin cream as Lena closed her eyes letting all the sounds and feelings leading to her marriage engulf her.

The vision of her brought tears to Josey's eyes. Francis hiccupped and shook her head in awe, about to cry. "Oh Lena wait until he sees you." Josey's impassioned voice declared. Lena was afraid to move. For the first time ever, she felt more than a princess, she felt like a queen.

"Okay mama, stand still, you should smell as pretty as you are." Hope warned her as she dabbed her here and there with her favorite fragrance. "Hope! That's enough!" Lena halted her, startled. Hope grinned as she set the bottle down. "It is a light fragrance má chere, it will only tantalize all those around you, nothing more." Terra assured her.

There was a knock at the door. Maria opened it and Mike entered saying. "I sure hope she's ready because dad-…" He stopped in mid sentence staring as Lena turned to her him. His tall, very masculine frame so out of place among the shorter women, made Lena's heart soar to know that this handsome man was her son. He stood staring, speechless. Mike found himself overcome with emotion; he swallowed and cleared his throat, working his eyes to keep them clear.

"Isn't she breathtaking?" Hope went to her brother as he filled the doorway trying to collect himself; they were like proud parents instead of son and daughter as they gazed at her. "Look at you. Look at my mother. There truly are no words in the English language to describe you." He murmured passionately, walking up to her, taking her hand and placing it to his lips. Lena was afraid to speak; she felt her eyes brimming with tears.

"Do you know how very proud I am of you? How good it's going to feel to be by your side? To give you away to him? I love you mama."

That did it, Lena started crying.

"Aaah Mike! Now do you see what you've gone and done? Mama don't cry, you'll make your eyes red... aaah mama." Hope fretted, taking a hanky to wipe her eyes gently.

"I can't help it."

"Mike don't say another word, I want daddy to see her as she is ... oh mama." Hope could feel moisture in her own eyes. "Now look whose crying and you talk about me!" Brother nudged sister as she turned away wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Well ladies, I suggest all the maids of honor get ready, and those who are not, go and take your places downstairs. If I don't get her down there now, my father will be on his way up to fetch her himself." All the women scattered, chattering in excitement.

"Smile Lena, everything's gonna be fine." Eugenia promised, squeezing Lena's hand on the way out. "Remember mama, no more tears." Hope reminded her and kissed her cheek, following Eugenia. "I will get the girls and Felix in place." Maria chimed in departing. Lena nodded to her and took a deep breath. "Turn around dear, I must now fasten on the train, every bride should have a train." Terra instructed, Lena turned so that the ten feet in all, satin train could be tied beneath the overlap of her bodice band to the tiny silk ties hidden there, over to five feet of the train would drag behind her. "Oh grandma, you so pretty!" Celina exclaimed staring from the doorway.

"Thank you baby."

"Oh, the music has started, it's time." Terra gasped nervously.

"Okay darling, you will go first-..." Terra announced, talking to Celina, "…-and then you will follow her-…" She instructed Lolita who showed up, sent by her mother. "…-where is the little one with the rings?"

She asked just as Maria rushed him upstairs, coaching him as she led him in. "Come here hijo." Mike called to his son. "You will go after the girls. I'm going to give you these rings, and until you hand them over to your grandma and grandpa, your eyes are to watch nothing but the direction in which you are walking, and then back to these rings... do I make myself clear?" Mike advised him firmly, placing the rings on the collapsed center cushion that he held.

"Yes papah... I can do it."

"Alright, then head out."

Mike stood and turned to his mother, her eyes were closed as she concentrated on relaxing, or praying.

"It's time."

"Yes it is." Lena answered taking a long deep breath.

"Mama, forget all else…and know that with every step you take, I am right by your side." He assured her. Lena looked up at her son, her Michael, strong, proud, a man. "You ready?" He asked gently.

Lena
nodded, "Yes I am son, I am."

Mike walked her to the door as the music floated up from downstairs to meet them. Terra went behind Lena, taking care to hold her train until they reached the aisle between the chairs. "Mariella, head on down, I can take it from here. Lena, keep your head high, shoulders straight as well as your back and whatever you do má cher ...do not trip!" Lena's eyes rolled towards the ceiling groaning, just when she was starting to relax.

Manny stood fussing with the cream ruffled cuffs that came out of his dark brown, double breasted, penguin tailed, jacket sleeves. He was a splendid vision, wearing a frill front cream colored shirt tucked into well fitting beige colored breeches, with their satin shiny stripe down the seam. Beneath the jacket he wore a silk brown waist coat with it’s sprigged inlay of fawn colored prints of fleur-de-lis and a dark brown cummerbund.

The music was playing and his palms were sweaty as he stood watching the hall entrance that led from upstairs. Thomas stood at his side as best man, Rory behind him, next Esteban and Papo last. Glancing briefly at the door, he checked it again to be sure it was well guarded.

Standing there was Rollo, Joe, Sheldon, Gydale, Finbar and Leon.

Manny sighed in relief; no one was coming through that door. He turned back in time to finally see the first member of the bride’s procession coming from the back. Celina, smiling brightly dropping flower petals as she led the way; Lolita was not far behind her, and keeping the pace; Felix emerged, his eyes boring into the pillow holding the rings, then up briefly to see where he was going and back down again. Manny inhaled deep through his nose and blew it out.

"Alright big guy, this is it, the moment you've been waiting for." Thomas whispered as he leaned towards Manny. "I just want it over and done Thomas." Manny returned.

Sandra then emerged as the first matron of honor, such a weird, yet wonderful feeling of freedom seemed to envelope her, a feeling of strength and rightness that brought unexplained moisture to her eyes. Lena was like the sister she’d never had and loved her as no one understood. They shared an unbreakable bond and she was overwhelmed with joy for her, she felt it was the light at the end of the tunnel. She also felt good about herself. Finbar stood in the distance watching her and was enraptured; he'd secretly watched her comings and goings on the ship.

At the ball, he’d gazed longingly at her from across the ballroom floor and learned from Rory bits and pieces about her, until he went to Manny with his thoughts and learned a bit more. "Aye lass, I've what you'll be needin', t'be sure t'be sure." He whispered to himself as he watched her. He was biding his time and knew that when they set sail, they would be on the same ship together, he’d seen to it.

After Sandra, Francis appeared, looking for Leon. Spotting him standing guard by the door, their eyes met and he winked at her, she burst into giddy schoolgirl giggles. In order to get control of herself she looked away, fighting the urge to look back at him, he was so incredibly handsome that the sight of him sent her into shivers.

"Imagine that, Leon - a grown man with a wife ... where has time gone Manny?" Thomas whispered again in observation, trying his best to keep words flowing in hopes of settling Manny’s nerves, unaware that he stood counting his own heartbeat with nerves stretched as tight as a bow string, conscious of each second and minute that seemed to snail crawl by. "Aaah, sweet Josephine; you know ... in my estimation, she has to be the most amazing white woman I've ever known. You would have liked Long Bow, your son-in-laws father…and it seems, time has even moved on from him. By the looks of her friend Raymond standing there, it is possible he to thinks so." Thomas whispered on. Manny was listening without saying a word; his eyes were glued on the entrance knowing that Lena would be next.

"Get ready, here she comes." Thomas murmured, Manny shot him a look of exasperation, his voice distracting him, his old habit of biting into the corner of his lip returned just as Mike escorting his mother, stepped into view, and a low gasp of pleasure sounded within the room causing him to sink his teeth in with his heart pounding in his chest.

Radiant beyond his wildest dreams and as if seeing her for the first time, he watched her gracefully glide down the aisle toward him with her son. Seeing them together that way took him down memory lane to the day she had just given birth to Mike. Kayleen and the other women had her cleaned up and put to bed, leaving them alone. Nervous and unsure of what to do, he could not keep himself from them and so carefully he'd opened her cabin door and crept in as quietly as possible. Making his way silently to the bed, he'd looked down at her and his newborn son. She had been exhausted and was fast asleep, holding Mike in swaddling cloth, protectively. So stunned from the sight of his son, he had to look at him again. In total disbelief, he knelt by the bed and reached over to uncover his small head. Blonde gleaming wisps of silk swirled around his tiny crown. Unable to resist, he caressed it in wonder.

He looked up and saw Lena's gold eyes
watching him.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you. I just…he's so…echm, can I take him please, just for a moment?"
He asked in awe of her and the babe she bore him. She smiled and nodded. Swallowing nervously, he scooped up the small bundle and left her cabin with him, cradling him close against his chest, careful with every step he took until he found Jordan, grinning from ear to ear, he showed him.

"Look at'im Jordan…would you just look at'im. He's gotta be the most perfect child ever born!"
He exclaimed.

"Oooh-weee! Can I hold'im?"

"Well – um, sure…be careful – watch his head."

"Boy you don' did somethin' now ain'cha!? Les’ go show Henry?"

Manny chuckled out loud remembering that day so very clearly. By the time Kayleen had found him she was hot with anger, yelling at him –
"If you don't get that baby back to his mama! You must have lost yo'mind! Got him out here and passing him around like a new puppy…give'em here!"
All the men had quieted in fear; Kayleen was on the war path.

"Look at my son now." He murmured to himself, feeling choked up.

Lena felt every eye in the room on her, in the far corner, she spotted Gaitsu, he smiled and nodded, she returned the gesture. Turning from him, she sought out the pair of aqua blue eyes that were now locked onto hers. The two of them suddenly merged off into a world all their own, with no one else around. Never would either forget the way they came together that day.

Nigel Franks felt a smile touch his lips and for the first time showing outward affection, he reached over and took hold of his Dorothy's hand. He held and squeezed it. She stared down at their clasped hands, his so white to her own dark one and with slow reluctance she closed her fingers around his. What a change had come over him, he’d started out in the beginning with her for no other reason than to use her for his own needs. She smiled when she heard their daughter whisper to her older brother, "Look David, they're holding hands." He did look, surprised by it and sat back to quietly witness the first marriage he’d attended. Manny and Lena stood having to now focus ahead where the preacher Burtry stood, their son between them for the
last
time.