Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 11 (2 page)

“
I
’
m under strict orders not to consider it.
Chad says I need to buy the biggest
,
poofiest white dress I can find.
He didn
’
t like my dress
.”

“
Do you have a dress you wanted?
”

Willow dug to the back of her closet and pulled out her white embroidered dress.
“
I suggested this one
,
but now that I see the magazines, I can see why Chad wasn
’
t impressed
.”

“
Well, we can go looking for dresses soon if you like.
I know a few places in Rockland that carry things that might suit your style.
I
’
d hate to see you wear just any old dress because someone labeled it a
‘
bridal gown
.’
You need to find something
you
love
,
but
—”
Marianne turned away to fiddle with her suitcase.

“
But what?
Tell me
.”

“
Well, call me an interfering mother
,
and I
’
ll back off
,
but I think my son deserves a bride who looks like she cared enough about him to dress herself for the occasion
.”

At last
, an
argument that Willow understood.
The idea of a wedding
slowly grew
on her.
I
nvitations, gifts for guests, and
some of the
other artistic sides of the wedding appealed to her sense of
design and creativity
.
“
So what do you think the first thing you do when you plan a wedding?
”

This was all Marianne needed.
“
Come on; let
’
s go downstairs where we won
’
t bother Chad
.”

At the kitchen table, Marianne pulled out the tiniest of notebooks from her purse.
“
We
’
ll fill this up in no time
,
but
—”

Willow reached for a blank journal on the hutch.
“
How about this?
”

“
Excellent.
Now, I think the first thing you have to do is pick colors.
Without colors, you don
’
t know what to do for flowers, or dresses, or invitations…
”

While Marianne thumbed through the books showing
her
everything from pink and black to red, orange, and even the most hideous shades of green Willow had ever encountered, she focused on flowers.
In her mind, she saw tables with spring flowers.
“
I think I want something that looks good with daisies and lilacs
.”

“
Ok.
That
’
s great!
So
either lavender with yellow accents or yellow with lavender
—”

“
White with yellow.
The lilacs can be the only lavender.
It
’
ll be simpler that way and then there
’
s less to match
.”
Willow said decisively.
“
I
’
ll get my paper catalog
—”

“
Why?
”

“
To order paper for the invitations
.”

Marianne slowly turned pages in the magazine as Willow hurried upstairs for the
“
paper catalog
.”
What she returned with was a huge book of samples.
“
Every two or three years,
Mother ordered one of these.
They carry everything
.
”

“
Um, Willow…
”
Marianne began tentatively,
“
we could go into the city tomorrow
.
There must be twenty
stores that sell everything in that book plus some
and then there are quite a few small scrap
booking stores
.
”

“
Really?
”

“
I
’
d be happy to drive us if you thought
—”

Willow
beamed
.
“
Wow.
I wonder if Mother knew that we had such a variety so close.
Let
’
s go
!” Her eyes drifted to the ceiling before she added, “That is
if you think Chad is fine alone for the day
.”

“
I
’
m fine alone for a month.
What are you doing?
”

Chad
’
s interruption startled both women
,
earning him a good-natured scolding.
“
Your mother offered to take me to Rockland to buy paper for invitations
.”

“
Mom!
I told her she wouldn
’
t have to think about it until after Luke
’
s wedding.
I wanted her to see everything
,
so she know
s
what she
’
s up against
.”

Willow held up the magazines triumphantly.
“
But your mom found a way to bring it here.
Besides, I didn
’
t get a wedding invitation
,
so how am I supposed to learn from that?
”

“
That
’
s odd; Libby called three weeks ago to confirm your address.
Are you sure?
”

Nodding, Willow stared out the window.
“
I
’
m trying to remember when I checked my mail last.
Maybe I didn
’
t get it
all
or maybe it
’
s come since then
.”

Chad grabbed her keys
,
pulling on his coat.
“
I
’
ll go look.
It
’
ll be nice to take a walk
.”

From the living room window, Marianne watched her son plow through the fresh snow to the mailbox.
Willow sat at the table sketching invitation ideas
,
using the magazines as a guideline
. When
Marianne walked back to the kitchen,
she nearly squealed with delight.

“
That is beautiful
,
Willow
!
You could have that copied
,
and
—
”

“
Copied?
I don
’
t think I
’
d enjoy that.
I think I
’
ll just sketch them
,
but only if Chad likes it.

On a blank page of
her journal, Willow had written:

Daisies

Lilacs

And
below them, she had
drawn a picture of a sprig of lilacs bunched with a trio of daisies and tied with a ribbon.

“
I think I
’
d attach ribbon inside and actually tie it around the
‘
stems
.’
It
’
d be prettier that way.
Or maybe I could get a sheer paper to lay over it and soften it instead.
Of course, I could fold the top part over and leave the bottom free and…
”

Willow was still discussing options with herself when Chad returned.
Marianne had
gone
upstairs to call her husband
,
reappearing
just in time to see Chad lean over the back of
Willow’s
chair
. He pointed
at
one of Willow’s designs
.
“
I like that idea.
We need to call Wes Hartfield too.
I want his pictures
.”

With an emphatic nod, Willow wrote the name down on a fresh page in the journal.
“
I
’
ll get
his number from Alexa
.
I agree.
My birthday pictures were the most amazing things I
’
ve ever seen
.”