The Apartment (28 page)

The big day dawned blue and gold and sunny on the fourteenth of June. It wasn't too hot or too cool, and Sasha was nervous all day. Her father and Charlotte had gone back to the hotel, and her father said she was resting and propped up in bed.

The hairdresser came at three o'clock to blow-dry Sasha's hair, and do the others. And she got her makeup done at four. She had bathed before they arrived. Sarah had made sandwiches for everyone, and Sasha couldn't eat. She was too excited. Her mother had offered to come downtown to help her, but Sasha didn't need her or want her, and she discouraged her. But Valentina was there, looking fabulous. Bert was going to meet them at the church. Amazingly, she was still seeing him three months after they had gotten back from Arizona, and Valentina insisted it was “the real deal.” At least he kept her out of trouble. She'd been taking him to events and parties with her, and he was having fun. He was still with the NYPD, and the talk of his unit, with his supermodel girlfriend, and they were in the press a lot. Valentina seemed a little more normal now, and didn't seem as hell-bent on shocking everyone. He toned her down a little, and she had put some jazz and glamour into Bert's life. They had been mentioned on Page Six several times. They referred to him as supermodel Valentina's drop-dead gorgeous bodyguard. They were a striking pair.

And then the big moment came, and Sasha's friends lifted her wedding dress over her head, with Sarah's help. Abby stood on a chair to assist, and they were careful not to mess up her hair or makeup. The hairdresser attached the long lace veil to her short hair. As soon as Sasha was dressed, Alex called to tell her how much he loved her, and they talked for a few minutes.

The girls had covered the something old, something new department too. She had wrapped a lace handkerchief of her grandmother's around her bouquet, the dress was new, Valentina had given her a pale blue lace thong, and Sarah had lent her a string of pearls. It seemed sad to her for a moment that she had Claire's mother there to help dress her, and not her own, but she didn't want Muriel to spoil it, and she would have. Sasha didn't want to take the chance.

Her father was meeting her at the church, and she rode uptown alone in the limousine he had rented for her. And the girls rode in a second one, right behind her. She could feel them near her, cheering her on. And Prunella was waiting for them at the church in the rectory where they gathered, while Alex's groomsmen ushered people to their seats in the church, which the florist had filled with white flowers. Prunella immediately took charge when they arrived. She lined everyone up, in the proper order, with Valentina last in line, and Sasha's roommates ahead of her in order of height, Abby, Claire, and Morgan. And the moment her mother and the Scotts sat down in their pews, the procession began. There was a brief pause after the girls took their places at the altar with Alex's groomsmen, all friends from medical school, with his brother at his side as best man. And then Sasha and her father came down the aisle in stately elegance, and she could see Alex catch his breath as she walked toward him. It was the most perfect moment of her life.

They exchanged their vows and their rings, were declared husband and wife, Alex kissed her, and everything was a blur after that until the reception and her first dance with Alex and then her father. And then she nearly fainted when she saw her father ask her mother to dance, and Muriel smiled at him, and they danced and actually looked like they were enjoying each other.

Jim had flown in from San Francisco to escort Sarah to the wedding. And Josh was there with Abby in a real tuxedo, not a camouflage jacket, and they were smiling and holding hands. Abby's parents, Joan and Harvey, had flown in. And Max stood proudly beside Morgan. And Bert stood right next to Valentina the entire time and seemed more like a bodyguard than a boyfriend, but there was no denying he was gorgeous, and Sasha noticed later he was a great dancer, and her sister gazed at him adoringly and did nothing scandalous at the wedding or reception, and was surprisingly well behaved.

The penthouse location was perfect, and the night was warm and balmy. Everything was candlelit, and they had seated Ben Scott next to Claire, since they were both alone, and didn't have dates. Sasha wasn't sure she'd like him, but she saw them talking and laughing through most of the evening, and they danced several times.

“So what made you move to Hell's Kitchen?” he asked her when they first sat down, and she laughed.

“It was cheap and I was poor. I'm still poor, but not as poor as I used to be. And I still love it.” He asked what she did, and she said she was a shoe designer and had just started her own business. It sounded interesting and fun to him, and she told him about the factory in Italy and the trade show in Las Vegas, and he seemed to enjoy hearing about it.

“It's going to be strange at the apartment now,” she said wistfully during dinner. “I've lived there for nine years with roommates. One left in March, and the other two are moving out this summer.”

“You're not ready to be alone there?”

“I'm not sure,” she said honestly. “I've never tried it. I don't know if I'm that grown-up yet,” she said, looking hesitant.

“Have you ever been to Chicago?” he asked her.

“No, I haven't.” But she was planning to visit once Sasha and Alex moved there.

“You should come out sometime. Do you like to sail?”

“I love it. I'm from San Francisco. I used to sail on the bay as a kid.”

“Have I got a boat for you!” he said, laughing, and they chatted all through the evening, when they weren't dancing, and Sasha elbowed Alex and pointed at them discreetly.

“Maybe we got lucky,” she whispered.

“I always thought she'd be great for him,” Alex confided to his bride. “I just didn't know how to get them together.” The wedding was the perfect occasion.

“Now we just have to get her to Chicago,” Sasha said, looking thoughtful.

“He's a big boy—he can afford a ticket to New York. I wonder if he's told her about the boat yet.” They both laughed and then went to say hello to his mother and then hers. For once, Muriel had nothing bad to say. Sasha was shocked as she danced away in Alex's arms. “It looks like we have a policeman in the family, by the way,” Alex commented. “I know it sounds crazy, but I think he's good for her. Have I told you lately how good you are for me?”

“Not in at least five minutes,” she teased him. “Tell me again.” And then he kissed her. And out of the corner of her eye, she could see Prunella everywhere, overseeing everything. She was great, wearing a severe black dress that made her look like a member of the Addams Family with her black hair. But she had done her job to perfection.

They went over to talk to Oliver and Greg then. They had been thoroughly enjoying the evening, and Oliver had danced several times with his sister and teased her about the bump. It had really popped in the last month. Morgan was proud of it now, and had adjusted to the idea, with Max's help. And as long as he promised they'd never marry, she agreed to have as many kids as he wanted.

Sasha was standing with all of her roommates later in the evening. They were reminiscing about the early days, and when Morgan and Sasha had moved in, and how well it had worked for so long.

“What are we going to do without each other?” Sasha said sadly.

“Fly around to see each other, I guess,” Morgan said.

“Josh and I are moving back in a year,” Abby assured them, and they wanted to believe her. And Claire looked at all of them and realized how lucky they were, and somehow remarkably they had found good men as their partners, despite their mistakes along the way. Josh was perfect for Abby and was launching her career, Alex and Sasha were made for each other. Max was the best thing that had ever happened to Morgan. And Claire had survived George's cruel madness, and as they stood together, Sasha could see Ben waiting at a discreet distance to dance with Claire again. And they all agreed that the loft in Hell's Kitchen would be home base to them forever.

“Come and stay with me whenever you want,” Claire reminded them, and then Ben got up the courage to sweep her away from her friends and onto the dance floor.

“Now let's talk about your trip to Chicago to see our boat. The Fourth of July would be perfect,” he was saying as they danced away.

It was time to cut the cake then. And after that to toss the bouquet, as Prunella handed Sasha the tossing bouquet so she didn't have to give up her real one. And all the single women lined up in orderly fashion under Prunella's direction, as the men stepped aside, and Alex watched his bride adoringly, waiting to take her away.

She stood on a little stool so she could throw the bouquet at them, and her toss was stronger and higher than expected as it sailed over the women's heads, past Claire, where she had aimed it. And without even meaning to, Greg instinctively reached out and caught it, as Oliver looked at him in amazement.

“It's the goalie in me,” Greg said apologetically, and everyone laughed, and with a gallant gesture, he handed it to Claire.

Alex and Sasha lingered for a while and finally left the party, as everyone threw rose petals at them on Fifth Avenue, where a white hansom cab pulled by a white horse was waiting to take them to the Plaza for their wedding night before they left for Paris in the morning.

The last faces Sasha saw, as she turned to wave at them, were the three women she had lived with in Hell's Kitchen, standing next to their men. And Ben was with Claire with an arm around her. It was a pretty sight as the white horse clip-clopped them down Fifth Avenue toward the Plaza, and into their future. It was a beautiful night.

And the loft in Hell's Kitchen was in their hearts forever. It had all started there, and the love and bonds it had created would never end.

THE APARTMENT
•
PROPERTY OF A NOBLEWOMAN
•
BLUE
•
PRECIOUS GIFTS
•
UNDERCOVER
•
COUNTRY
•
PRODIGAL SON
•
PEGASUS
•
A PERFECT LIFE
•
POWER PLAY
•
WINNERS
•
FIRST SIGHT
•
UNTIL THE END OF TIME
•
THE SINS OF THE MOTHER
•
FRIENDS FOREVER
•
BETRAYAL
•
HOTEL VENDÔME
•
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
•
44 CHARLES STREET
•
LEGACY
•
FAMILY TIES
•
BIG GIRL
•
SOUTHERN LIGHTS
•
MATTERS OF THE HEART
•
ONE DAY AT A TIME
•
A GOOD WOMAN
•
ROGUE
•
HONOR THYSELF
•
AMAZING GRACE
•
BUNGALOW 2
•
SISTERS
•
H.R.H.
•
COMING OUT
•
THE HOUSE
•
TOXIC BACHELORS
•
MIRACLE
•
IMPOSSIBLE
•
ECHOES
•
SECOND CHANCE
•
RANSOM
•
SAFE HARBOUR
•
JOHNNY ANGEL
•
DATING GAME
•
ANSWERED PRAYERS
•
SUNSET IN ST. TROPEZ
•
THE COTTAGE
•
THE KISS
•
LEAP OF FAITH
•
LONE EAGLE
•
JOURNEY
•
THE HOUSE ON HOPE STREET
•
THE WEDDING
•
IRRESISTIBLE FORCES
•
GRANNY DAN
•
BITTERSWEET
•
MIRROR IMAGE
•
THE KLONE AND I
•
THE LONG ROAD HOME
•
THE GHOST
•
SPECIAL DELIVERY
•
THE RANCH
•
SILENT HONOR
•
MALICE
•
FIVE DAYS IN PARIS
•
LIGHTNING
•
WINGS
•
THE GIFT
•
ACCIDENT
•
VANISHED
•
MIXED BLESSINGS
•
JEWELS
•
NO GREATER LOVE
•
HEARTBEAT
•
MESSAGE FROM NAM
•
DADDY
•
STAR
•
ZOYA
•
KALEIDOSCOPE
•
FINE THINGS
•
WANDERLUST
•
SECRETS
•
FAMILY ALBUM
•
FULL CIRCLE
•
CHANGES
•
THURSTON HOUSE
•
CROSSINGS
•
ONCE IN A LIFETIME
•
A PERFECT STRANGER
•
REMEMBRANCE
•
PALOMINO
•
LOVE:
POEMS
•
THE RING
•
LOVING
•
TO LOVE AGAIN
•
SUMMER'S END
•
SEASON OF PASSION
•
THE PROMISE
•
NOW AND FOREVER
•
PASSION'S PROMISE
•
GOING HOME

PURE JOY:
The Dogs We Love

A GIFT OF HOPE:
Helping the Homeless

HIS BRIGHT LIGHT:
The Story of Nick Traina

PRETTY MINNIE IN PARIS

PRETTY MINNIE IN HOLLYWOOD