Small Town Secret: Mayfield Springs Book 1 (10 page)

"You look beautiful Cassie," I said hugging her. I finally started to feel the positive emotion of the day. "You look like a princess."
 

"Oh Amy," said Cassie, sitting down suddenly on the bed. "Mom and I meant to ask you last night if you would bring
your
princess to be part of the bridal party. I'm so sorry I forgot to tell you this morning. I know it's late notice, but do you think you could still manage it?" She looked at me pleadingly.

"Bella?"
 

Cassie nodded.
 

"I don't know," I said looking at Cassie's mom. "Do you think we'd have time? And what would she wear?"

Cassie and her Mom exchanged a glance before Cassie's mom answered, "Amy, we'd love to have Bella as part of the ceremony. We should have mentioned it earlier. But the bride is always late, so it's no problem - as long as your Mom can bring her here quickly."

Cassie interrupted, "and she can wear whatever princess dress she likes. She always looks gorgeous."

Cassie looked at her mom before saying, "My day wouldn't be complete without my miniature Amy there. I almost feel like Bella's a part of our family," she said as both of them looked at me.

And I realized at that moment that Cassie and her mom knew my secret. They had worked out that Bella was also a miniature Chris. I wondered if Chris had told them or if they'd just worked it out when they'd seen Bella this week. Given what Chris had told me about how she was a double of him as a child, it wouldn't have been hard for them to work out.

"Amy," Cassie's mom interrupted my thoughts. "We need to get moving?" she prompted.

"Yes, yes, of course. I'll get on the phone to mom now. They'll have Bella here right away."

When Bella got out of the car, I heard Cassie and her mom squeal at how cute she looked. She was dressed in her favorite Disney princess dress and her blonde curls fell around her shoulders. She held her precious fairy wand in her hand, and a tiara sat precariously on her head.
 

"Aren't you just precious," Cassie kissed Bella's face as the little girl giggled.

I was sure that Bella would be thinking that Cassie looked like a real-life princess.
 

"Amy," Cassie said. "You are the luckiest person the world. What I would do to have a little girl like this."

Cassie's mom took control again.

"Right team, at the moment, we're fashionably late, but if we leave it any longer, the guests may give up on us. Into the car everyone!"
 

And the show that was Cassie's bridal party was definitely on the road.
 

CHAPTER 15

CHRIS
 

Cassie was late, but that was no surprise.
 

But the waiting seemed to go on and on. Guests started to get restless in the church, and a few of them began to walk around.

"I reckon she's still struggling with her false lashes," I joked to my cousin Charlotte sitting next to me. But I was glad Cassie was late because it gave me some valuable thinking time. "I'll be outside," I told Charlotte as I stood up and made my way towards the side door.
 

Daniel was standing at the altar as if everyone should be looking at him. His best man stood beside him, an obnoxious wing man with slicked back hair and a fake tan.
 

"Urgh," I blatantly grimaced at the two of them as I walked past to get to the side door.
 

"Hey Hollywood," the best man called out. "Where do you think you're going? Too good for us?"
 

I ignored the taunt and stepped outside into the neighboring cemetery. From there, I would see the wedding cars when they approached and be able to make it back inside the church in plenty of time.
 

I'm sure some people would think that a graveyard was a morbid place to sit - especially on a wedding day, but I'd always found the Mayfield Springs cemetery to be an incredibly peaceful place. Situated next to the church on top of the hill, there was a view of the whole town which was picturesque and naturally simplistic. I took a seat on the stone wall that circled the graveyard and tried to process the events and revelations of the last few days. My mind was in turmoil.

Bella was my daughter
.
 

Amy had struggled to bring her up for the last three years, too proud to tell me the truth and to ask me for money to support her. It made me feel guilty for not being in touch over that time, but also proud of Amy and her strength of character.

No wonder she was still so angry with me. No wonder she didn't want to forgive me. I knew she loved Bella more than anything in the world and would never change the fact that she was a mother, but it had come at great cost to Amy - the sacrifice of her dreams of being a famous painter which had been put on hold.

And I had compounded things last night. I shouldn't have asked her so bluntly about Bella when Amy had been so angry earlier in the evening. I'd had my suspicions, of course, when Amy showed me the photo of Bella on her phone, but it was Mom who got me thinking when she asked if I was seeing Amy again and then asked in a very pointed way if I had seen Amy's daughter. I wondered how long Mom had known for and admired her for respecting Amy's decision not to tell me about Bella.

So, now what? What would the future hold for us?
 

For me, I wanted nothing more than to carry Amy and Bella away with me, to our happy ever after. But would Amy even speak to me again after my gaff last night?
You've got mold on your ceiling - what was I even thinking?

I'd always had a tendency under pressure to say the first thing that came into my head - it had got me into trouble before but this time, it might cost me everything my heart desired.

All I could do was apologize (
again
) and ask Amy's forgiveness (
again
) and promise that I would make it up to her any way I could.
 

A cheer behind me signaled that the bridal limousine had arrived. I'd been so lost in my thoughts I hadn't seen it coming up the hill. I raced inside the church and took my seat.

There was a loud hubbub as everyone hurried to take their place. Daniel was keeping his cool, a smarmy grin plastered across his face as though he was looking forward to all the attention he was about to get. When the organ music began, we all instinctively looked to the back of the church. And there was Cassie in lacey, white splendor with good old dad on her arm.
 

I wished the people in the congregation weren't so distracted. They were so intent on looking at me, knowing that they were at a wedding with a famous actor, that some of them barely looked at Cassie. This thought was confirmed when a woman on the other side of the aisle, a member of Daniel's family, snapped a phone picture of me as if I was the main attraction. I scowled at her and shook my head in disgust, and she turned away red-faced.
 

Cassie, however, had never looked so happy. In front of her were the bridesmaids, led by Amy. Amy looked superb. Effortlessly beautiful and naturally stunning, I thought she outshone the rest of them. All except the little princess whose hand she held as she walked down the aisle.

Bella in a princess dress, tapping her wand from side to side as if casting magical spells on the congregation. My breath stopped as she reached my pew. Bella was finally in front of me in person and when I saw her face I had no doubt she was my daughter.
 

Anyone watching me would have assumed I was teary and emotional about my only sister getting married. What they didn't know was that I was seeing my daughter for the first time, and apart from her mother, Amy, she was the most beautiful girl in the church. I had to stop myself from leaning into the aisle and scooping her up.
 

Bella noticed me as she walked past, and looked at me with a quizzical expression before turning to her mom and whispering loudly "Mommy that man is from the television." Everyone laughed.
 

Amy put a finger to her lips to quieten her daughter, and as Bella walked away from me, she turned back and smiled making my stomach flip somersaults.
 

When the ceremony began, I barely paid attention. I was too busy looking at Bella, and most of the guests were too busy looking at me. Luckily for Cassie, she didn't notice because she was too busy looking at Daniel, and he was too busy thinking about himself. It all worked out and when they said their vows and kissed, it was the magical moment I'm sure my sister would have wanted.

Cassie beamed as she and her husband ran out from the church to a flurry of confetti.
 

"See you all the reception," Daniel waved at everyone, taking center stage as usual.
 

CHAPTER 16

AMY

I usually hate first dances. The songs are unbearably sad or cheesy and despite the fact I try not to, I always cry my eyes out. This first dance, on the other hand, was a happy occasion. Cassie and Daniel, true to their perfectionist style, chose Michael Jackson's '
Thriller
' and had memorized every dance move.
 

Frequently they tried to outdance each other, their egos getting in the way of the special moment. By the end of the song, it was more of a dance-off than a first dance, but I guess that's what they wanted.
 

At my side, Bella danced happily to the music, bobbing her head and stomping her feet. She's got some Taylor family genetics in that little body of hers, and I thought she'd probably got the theatrical gene from them. I wondered if Bella would grow up to be as successful as her dad and aunt? Or if she would be more of a homebody like me?
 

I picked her up and bopped her on the nose.
 

"Are you having fun, sweetheart? Would you like to have some more cake?"

Bella nodded.
 

I bumped into my parents on the way from the dance floor. I could see they were having a good time, laughing and falling off each other's arms
 
- the product of a lively reception and a little too much wine.
 

"Amy!" Mom called out, giggling with intoxication.
 
"Where are the two of you going?"

"To get some fresh air and some more cake," I replied.

"More cake," Bella confirmed, nodding her head.

"How lovely, Bella. And weren't you the cutest princess up there in the church?" Mom asked as she pinched Bella's chubby cheeks.
 

"Mom said I was the most beautifulest person there. Even more beautiful than Cassie, " Bella said proudly.

"Bella! I exclaimed, hoping no one had heard her. "No one was more beautiful today than the bride. But you were a close second." I tickled her ribs to stop her saying anything else.
 

Mom leaned in close to Bella and whispered, "Bella, don't believe your Mom. You were by far the most beautiful princess in the church but don't tell anyone because it's a magical secret."

Bella erupted into a fit of excited giggles and held on tight to her Grandma.
 

I felt a gentle touch in the middle of my back. "Can we talk?" Chris murmured in my ear.
 

"Sure, I'll just grab Bella and...

"No," Chris interrupted, "just the two of us." He reached out to Mom's arm. "Sue, would you mind looking after Bella for a moment?" She nodded.

"Remember, I promised Bella some cake..." I called to Mom over my shoulder as Chris led me away.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked once we were outside. Now that we were away from the crowd there was no longer any need to hide my anger.
 

"I just wanted to say I was sorry," he said quietly.

"Sorry?" I replied. "That's it?"
 

Chris took hold of my hands and looked me directly in the eyes.
 
"Amy. I'm so sorry. I am thrilled that Bella's my daughter. You have to believe me. I just said something stupid at the time. I'm sorry. Please give me another chance."

"Why would I do that?" I asked, still mad as hell. "I used to believe everything you said and look how that worked out for me."

"Amy..." responded Chris, "if I was in your position I wouldn't believe me either, but please understand that I'm a different person now. I didn't know how to behave back then. I was trying to get my career established, and there was no relationship between Stacey and me other than one of convenience. I didn't think about how things were going to work out."
 

He hesitated and dropped his eyes to the ground. "Ambition ruins people Amy. And it wasn't until I was successful that I could see that, but I know what's important to me now."

"And what would that be?" I asked caustically.

"You and Bella," he responded, looking back at me.
 

"The acting world does things to people, Amy," he continued. "It chews you up, it makes you want all the things that are bad for you and reject all the things you need, like love... and the people who care."
 

He took hold of my hands again.
 

"I cared," I said, feeling a tear slide down my cheek. "But I don't know if I can care again. It's not just me I have to worry about this time. I have to think of Bella as well."
 

Chris' eyes were wet with emotion as he launched into his plea for my heart.
 

"Please give me one more chance and I promise I will never let you and Bella down again. Those missing four years will taunt me forever, but I can make up for them... if you'll let me. I don't want any more years without you and Bella in my life."

I stepped backward and perched on the railing behind me, trying to process everything I'd just heard.
 

Had Chris Taylor really said that he wanted Bella and me in his life? And what did that mean anyway? That we'd stay here in Mayfield Springs, and he'd drop in and see us occasionally?

I looked into the reception hall. I could see Mom and Bella sitting at an empty table. Bella's legs swung beneath her chair, and a smear of icing covered her chin.
Could Bella really have her Mom and her Dad - that was something I had given up on as a reality for her. And what did it matter if we only saw Chris occasionally? Wasn't that better than Bella never knowing her father at all?