Epilogue
April, the next year . . .
Charleston, South Carolina
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iant oak trees dripping with Spanish moss canopied the short path leading to the plush garden where Abby's wedding was scheduled to take place. The gardens were flush with spring's blooms. The azaleas were every hue of pink under the midmorning sun; the camellias, red, white, and orange, exploded from verdant stems like wild arms reaching out from the earth. The scent of night-blooming jasmine still clung in the morning air.
Toots wanted one last moment alone in the garden to ensure that everything was as close to perfect as possible for her daughter's wedding day. Toots drew in a deep breath, taking in the fresh air, the chirping birds, and the sounds of crickets rubbing their legs together. And every once in a while she could hear the croak of a frog. Had she asked Mother Nature to create an absolutely perfect venue, this is what she would have wanted.
Abby and Chris wanted a simple wedding, with only those they were very close to attending. Toots had been completely shocked when Abby took an indefinite leave of absence from
The Informer,
leaving it in Josh's capable hands. Chris had decided that it was time to return to his father's estate, which had been in his family for over two hundred years. He was temporarily, at least, abandoning his legal career. When they told Toots that they would be returning to Charleston to live, she and the godmothers could barely contain their excitement. And with the wedding gift Toots had given them a few weeks ago, they were considering the possibility of setting up a foundation for the care of abandoned animals whose medical needs went beyond the ability of existing shelters to handle. With the help of Dr. Becker, who kept insisting they call him Phil, they had contacted specialists on the East Coast to explore the possibilities.
And now, at last, the day had arrived. It was time to go inside and dress for the wedding. Tapping on Abby's door, the bedroom she'd had as a child, Toots felt the tears coming again but blotted them with a tissue as she'd already had her makeup expertly applied. Ida's miracle creams had truly taken years off her appearance. She tapped lightly on the door, and Abby called, “Come in.”
Sophie, Mavis, and Ida were helping their goddaughter into her wedding gown, which was a simple cream-colored sheath with a scooped neckline. Her blond hair was piled artistically on top of her head, with loose tendrils around her face. She wore her mother's diamond earrings and a simple gold diamond necklace given to her by her godmothers. On her wrist she wore a single gold bangle given to her by Chris. On the inside, he had had their wedding date inscribed in a simple script. She wore a cream-colored veil that reached the top of her shoulders. Abby was a simple woman, not one for frivolous accessories.
Toots had been honored when Abby asked her to serve as her matron of honor. Yes, they all knew it was unusual, but they didn't care. Sophie, Mavis, and Ida would act as her bridesmaids. Each wore an elegantly cut tea-length dress in a pastel green.
Abby's bouquet was a single white rose with baby's breath and a sprig of greenery from their night-blooming jasmine.
“You look like an angel,” Toots said to her daughter. “I wish your father were here to see you, but something tells me he's watching over you, and he approves.”
“It's time, Mom,” Abby said. “Sophie, tell Goebel I'm ready for him to escort me down the aisle, or the garden path.”
They all laughed, each a little bit nervous.
The five women carefully helped Abby down the stairs to the garden, where it had been prearranged that Goebel would wait with her out of sight.
Lucy, Jamie's assistant, had offered to provide the music. Abby heard the soft, melodic sound of the young woman as she sang her and Chris's favorite song. As soon as she finished their song, she began to play the traditional wedding march.
Toots, knowing this was her signal, walked slowly down the garden path leading to the priest who had christened Abby. He'd flown in from New Jersey just to perform the ceremony. Toots couldn't have been more pleased.
She walked down the path, all eyes focused on her. When she reached the altar they'd had specially constructed, she felt her eyes tear up when she saw Chris and Phil waiting. Chris was her stepson, and he was about to become her son-in-law as well, and she, his mother-in-law as well as his stepmother. Yes, this was not the norm, but there was not one thing that was normal about this loving group of women who'd shared the raising of Abby.
Sophie, followed by Mavis and Ida, walked down the path to the altar. Jamie, who had remained behind, stepped onto the path, leading Chester, who wore a matching tuxedo collar, followed by Coco, wearing a diamond-studded collar with a pale green, silky half dress. Then there was Frankie, dressed in a matching collar, with a mini white top hat secured on his small head. Mike, Jamie's date, laughed as he saw her walk the animals down the aisle.
Neither Abby nor Chris had known that the animals were sharing their special day, and both laughed when they saw the trio of canines as Jamie escorted them to the altar.
Wade and Robert were seated in the chairs placed on either side of the pathway, along with several of Chris's and Abby's friends from high school and college.
Father Cauble proceeded to read a verse by Kahlil Gibran that Chris and Abby had chosen.
“May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding. May you always need one anotherânot so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness. A mountain needs a valley to be complete. The valley does not make the mountain less, but more. And the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So let it be with you and you. May you need one another, but not out of weakness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you entice one another, but not compel one another. May you embrace one another, but not encircle one another.
“May you succeed in all-important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces. May you look for things to praise, often say, “I love you!” and take no notice of small faults. If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the first step back. May you enter into the mystery that is the awareness of one another's presenceâno more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities. May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy. May you have love, and may you find it loving one another.”
After Father Cauble recited their chosen poem, he proceeded with the traditional wedding vows.
“Christopher Clay, do you take Abby Simpson to be your wedded wife to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor, and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her so long as you both shall live?”
Chris spoke with confidence. “Yes, I do.”
“Abby Simpson, do you take Christopher Clay to be your wedded husband to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor, and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?”
Abby said, “I do.”
“Does the couple wish to exchange rings?”
Each placed a simple gold band on the other's finger.
“By the powers vested in me by the State of South Carolina, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Chris took Abby in his arms and kissed her passionately.
“I now introduce Mr. and Mrs. Clay.”
Lucy played the wedding march exit, while Chris and Abby raced down the path, followed by Chester, Coco, and Frankie.
It was official. Abby's dream had finally come true. Inside the house, her mother had spared no expense for her small reception. What made it even better was that Toots and Phil were madly in love, Goebel and Sophie were engaged to be married. Wade and Mavis were contemplating moving in together, and good old Bernice and Robert were inseparable.
As Toots, Sophie, Mavis, and Ida had done since they met over fifty years agoâonly this time Abby was includedâthey placed their hands on top of one another's, lifted them to the sky, and said, “When you're good, you're good!”