16
After the ceremony, the celebrations moved to Jack and Daphne’s back yard. As she mingled with the guests, most of whom she already knew, Marguerite tried to pretend that her heart rate wasn’t elevated.
Alexei and Iris had planned out the food, but she’d felt part of the planning, since they’d talked recipes in that brief, wonderful time they’d been lovers and colleagues. The food stations were exactly where Iris had planned them, and the simple, colorful food was a huge hit with the guests, who walked around with small mismatched china plates laden with perfect bites of simple Greek food.
She refused to look in the general direction of the kitchen, never mind go in there. Alexei, she knew, was there. She could feel his presence as though there were an invisible lasso tied around her waist and he was tugging at it, so strongly did she feel the urge to go to him. He might even need help, not that she was exactly the most useful person in the kitchen, but she could chop and rinse and tidy with the best of them.
However, she was perfectly certain that he had Melissa there helping him with anything he needed. Food related or otherwise. Besides, Daphne, who had an embarrassing older woman’s crush on him, would certainly be dashing in there to help. Never mind that this was her daughter’s wedding.
She tried to snap herself out of such ungenerous thoughts. She pulled out one or two of the meditation techniques she’d learned through the years, but nothing worked. In the end, she took a deep breath and forced herself to walk forward into the main room. Just because Iris hadn’t wanted a lot of fancy floral arrangements at her wedding, didn’t mean that Marguerite hadn’t used her talents to help decorate the large and somewhat shabby main living room of Daphne and Jack’s house. She glanced around with pleasure at the tall vases bursting with fall colors: chrysanthemums ranging from a deep glorious purple to an antique gold color, dahlias and even a few late roses and boughs of autumn leaves that she found on their property. The look was whimsical, colorful and casual and it suited Iris and Geoff’s wedding perfectly.
One of the large chrysanthemum heads looked as though it were nodding off for a nap, drooping untidily over the edge of the vase. She stepped forward and shuffled it to the back so its lack of dignity wouldn’t be so obvious. Geoff, looking proud and happy and very formal in his dark blue suit came up to her and said, “Those are beautiful. They really change the atmosphere in here.”
She laughed softly. “Let’s face it, the Chance house is never going to be fancy or elegant, but it’s got a certain lived-in charm.”
He nodded. “I know this sounds crazy, but you can feel the happiness in here. It’s like it oozes out of the walls or something.”
“I’ve always felt that way, but I assumed it was because I grew up here. I mean, this is our family home, we celebrated birthdays and family dinners and now weddings and, in spite of some arguments and hard times, we’ve been a very happy family.”
“Believe me, it’s not just you. I’m not the most touchy-feely guy, but some houses, you walk into them and you can feel the unhappiness and the years of bickering. But the moment I first walked into this house, on Iris’s birthday, last year, I felt the love.”
She glanced up at him, teasing, “Are you sure the love was coming from the house? Or did it have anything to do with your infatuation with my cookie-baking, short-story-writing sister?”
He laughed and glanced down at his brand-new wedding ring as though surprised to find it there. “I guess you’ve got me there.” He seemed as though he were about to say more, paused, pushed the wedding ring around his finger a little bit and then finally said, “I haven’t had an opportunity to thank you yet. You gave me really good advice when I needed it and helped me find the way to talk to Iris. To convince her to set a date.”
“You two are so in love with each other, it was inevitable you would find your way. If I helped even a little bit then I’m glad. I’m also really happy to have you as a brother.” She didn’t even add the in-law part. One of the things she’d learned growing up in the Chance family where the kids were a mixture of purebred Chances and strays was that you didn’t love people because you shared their DNA. What they shared was the bond of choosing to love and support each other. She had a feeling that Geoff made a very good addition to her family.
“And I couldn’t imagine having a better sister than you.”
“Well, you’ll be seeing a lot of me. I intend to be a very involved aunt. And with twins, you’re going to need all the aunts you can get.”
She walked through the joyful throng of people. The big patio doors were thrown open wide so the outdoors was as much a part of the venue as the indoors. Since Marguerite always preferred to be outdoors when she could, she stepped out into the unseasonably warm late October day. She was conscious of a wish to step out of her heels and enjoy the feel of the springy grass under her feet. However, she resisted the urge and remained politely and properly in bridesmaid mode.
For a moment she simply observed. Standing at the edge of the grass field, where there was a slight rise and looked over the groups of people laughing and chatting. A huddle of young girls sat on the grass swapping secrets. Watching them, she experienced a moment of intense nostalgia as she remembered how she and her sisters used to whisper and giggle as kids at a grownup party.
So much had had happened on this piece of land where, through a combination of luck and fate, Daphne and Jack had found themselves, and put down roots and raised eleven children.
Iris stood with Paisley and Dosana, a glass of sparkling water in one hand. The other hand resting protectively on the barely visible mound of her belly. Marguerite glanced once more behind her sister as the group of young girls in their party dresses started giggling.
“Seems like only yesterday we were sitting on that very spot making daisy chains,” Rose said, appearing at her side.
“You read my mind.”
“So, what’s up with you and Alex? He told Matt you were an item, but he’s so busy chefing I haven’t even seen him yet.”
She felt the betrayal all over again. “He told Matt we were an item? I don’t think I’m the only one. I caught him kissing Melissa in the food truck.”
She was filled with fury all over again so it took a moment to register that Rose was laughing. “You know Melissa’s gay, right?”
She turned sharply. “What? Are you sure?”
“Yes. Matt says that’s why she and Alex work so well together, because she’s not interested in him. Believe me, if she was kissing Alex, it wasn’t in lust.” She sighed, turning her engagement ring, which flashed extravagantly when the light hit it. “I probably shouldn’t even tell you this, but he asked me if you were seeing anyone. Weeks ago. He’s crazy about you.”
Geoff emerged from the same patio door she had recently come through herself and she saw the moment he spotted his brand-new bride. As though she felt his gaze upon her, Iris turned toward him. Her smile was the sun on the longest day of the year, and Geoff looked as proud and happy as a man can look.
He strode towards her and, even though she couldn’t hear the words, she knew that he was checking in, seeing how she was doing, did she need anything, want anything? She knew he was inclined to fuss a bit but with Iris’s background, being always the one who listened to everyone else’s troubles and helped them solve their problems that it was nice for her to have a man in her life who wanted to do that for her.
“They sure are happy,” Rose said and she nodded in agreement.
