6 The Wedding (10 page)

But he wasn’t, and worrying wouldn’t help, so I went back
inside, turned up the lamp, and sewed the last of the appliques onto the dress
I would wear at our wedding.
Tomorrow.

*
 
*
 
*

Misha explained it all to the Wings after they’d arrived
back at the airport and the van was being unloaded into his airplane. It turned
out that the Mercedes van came complete with two movers. They worked with
efficiency. It was obvious that any help from the Wings, Misha, or even Sergei
would have only gotten in the way. During the time spent loading, Misha and the
Wings changed back into their street clothes and Misha enlightened his
ignorance.

Misha had called someone in Winnipeg the moment he’d gotten
off the phone with the Flowers. His contact in the warehouse district was asked
to find the location of the orchids being delivered to the Sanderson-Downy
wedding. He called that same person again when the Wings arrived in Seven
Forks. The person he called was a young up-and-comer in the city’s underworld. He
had been trying unsuccessfully to win an in with the Russian mafia to provide
them with certain services. This was a touchy subject since the mob preferred
using its own services for most important jobs. Misha had convinced the kid
that it was worth his while to perform this one little service for one of
Misha’s rich clients.

Realizing that he could not afford to pay for the flowers,
let alone fund an operation to steal those flowers, Misha had opted to pay the
least amount of money required, five thousand dollars, to rent the trappings of
a Russian Mafioso and his rich client. The deal came complete with wardrobe,
car, and a driver who could also serve as a bodyguard. All Misha and Danny had
to do was perform their parts.

“You mean that young hoodlum at the warehouse was convinced
that you were a high-level Russian mafia crime lord?”

“Da, something seemed to have given him that impression.”

“But isn’t it dangerous impersonating a member of the
Russian mafia?”

“Da, but remember that I was a member of the Russian mafia.”

Misha paid Sergei five thousand dollars before he left with
the suits, the shoes, and the car. By that time the Mercedes van had already
left. Misha and the Wings were left alone on the tarmac beside the Beech 18. It
was only then that the Wings noticed there was no room in the passenger seat
for
Misha,
the plane had been packed so solid with
boxes of flowers.

“Wait, they’ve made a mistake,” Danny observed.

“No mistake,” Misha assured him.

“But aren’t you coming to the wedding?”

“There is more room for flowers if I don’t. Is my gift to
bride.
”

“Wow, that’s really big of you, Misha,” the Wings said,
grasping his hand in a shake.

To the Wings’ surprise, Misha pulled him close until their
faces almost touched and their eyes met. Danny could feel the Russian’s breath
on his face when he spoke.

“Just remember you owe me five thousand dollars. Or perhaps
you can pay with transport of little blue pills loved by Americans. We make
plan.”

The Wings froze in response. Meanwhile, Misha pulled away
with a broad smile back on his face and slapped his other hand over the top of
Danny’s right hand.

Misha’s words echoed in his mind as the Wings climbed behind
the wheel of his plane and pressed the ignition button.

Good Lord! This was what chivalrous impulse led to. No more
knight-errantry for him. He couldn’t afford it. Unless, the Gulch still had a
fund left over from fencing the Russian jewels. Maybe Big John could help him
out….

*
 
*
 
*

Big John was exhausted and the
stitch in his side made him feel like he’d been running from a grizzly, but the
cake was done. The frosting was a little runny at first and he had had to give
it two coats, but after it had dried it looked like an orange pearl, and with
all those orange and yellow flowers his daughter said were safe to use stuck on
it, no one would notice the puddles of icing around the bottom. And the top two
layers were butterscotch flavored—but that was okay. He should have thought of
that before.

The slight list to the left was a
concern. He’d driven a dowel through the cake but it was still leaning. He’d have
to be very careful when he moved it. Actually the cake kind of reminded him of
something.
A building maybe … that one in Italy.
The Tower
of Pisa! That was the one.
Only prettier and
oranger
, of course.

My wedding
day dawned bright and clear
with no sign of rain and no sign of the groom. Panic rolled over once in my
stomach and I felt a bit ill, but I quelled the nerve’s mutiny immediately and
got up to make tea.

Max whined.

“He’ll be here,” I insisted. “It’s more dramatic this way.”

And Chuck would be there. He would crawl through hell if
need be to keep this appointment. Only death would keep him from his wedding
and I refused to even consider the idea that something had gone wrong on his
assignment. Anatoli was with him and if anyone on the face of the planet was
able to look after himself, it was Anatoli. Chuck was fine, just a little late.

And the Flowers would be there shortly to help me with my
hair and to dress, so I needed to eat breakfast, have a bath, and find a happy
place in my brain to wait until Chuck came.

*
 
*
 
*

“Doc!
Doc! Wake up!” The voice was
frantic and underlined the urgent beats on the door.

The Bones opened his eyes and saw Linda already opening the
door to their summoner. It was just after dawn and the man was little more than
a silhouette.

“Come quick! Billy’s gone and fallen down the ravine and his
leg’s
broke bad. You can see bone showing through.”

Doc threw back his covers and stepped into his pants, not
bothering to remove his pajama bottoms. He stuffed his feet into his boots and
grabbed his bag.

“Linda, bring the stretcher. Then radio the Braids and tell
her we won’t be able to make the wedding after all. Damn it.”

*
 
*
 
*

I looked beautiful in my dress. I did. My hair and makeup
were perfect. I had never looked so lovely or elegant. But I felt hollow
inside.

Madge tapped on the door and then cracked it open. She stuck
the upper half of her body inside and shook her head at the Flowers.

“Any sign?” I asked, knowing there wasn’t.

“Not yet. But it’s only a little after ten.”

A little after ten?
The battery
clock on the wall said it was eight minutes to eleven.

“Maybe you should serve some punch and coffee,” I suggested.
“And ask Fiddling Thomas to start playing.”

“But—”

“And spike the punch. It will keep people happy. Just don’t
give any to Reverend
McNab
.
Or
Father White.
Especially Father White.”

“Okay. By the way, you look beautiful,” she said and then
disappeared.

“That’s a good idea,” the Flowers said encouragingly. “If we
have to, we can have the party first and the wedding at the end. There’s no
reason we can’t do it that way—save the best for last.”

I nodded and forced a smile.

“We’ll give him until eleven thirty and then we’ll serve the
cake. Sugar and booze will buy us another hour.”

*
 
*
 
*

Horace debated what he should do. On the one hand, he wanted
to reassure Butterscotch that all would be well. But, truthfully, he was
beginning to feel panic. He knew that his son wouldn’t miss this day unless
something dire had happened.

“Big John,” he said quietly, accepting a glass of spiked
punch that he wasn’t sure he wanted.

“I know. I’m worried too.” The big man looked worried. In
fact, he looked ill.

“I don’t know what to say to Butterscotch,” Horace
confessed. “I’m just no good at this kind of thing.”

“Me either. I wish my wife was here.”

“Yeah.”

Madge joined them.

“If Chuck’s not here by eleven thirty Butterscotch wants to
cut the cake and start serving the dinner. I hate to do it when things look so
pretty but we may have to.”

“You and the Braids and the Flowers did a great job,” Horace
said, recalling his wife’s sermons about remembering to express gratitude to
the ladies for the invisible work they did and were rarely thanked for doing.

Madge’s smile trembled.

“I just hope the Mountie gets here to see it.”

*
 
*
 
*

“It’s eleven thirty,” I said, getting to my feet. “Let’s
go.”

“Are you sure?” the Flowers asked.

“Yes. It doesn’t seem right if
neither the
bride or
the groom are at the wedding. I know people will try to be
polite, but I think we should go ahead and eat. They’ll be hungry by now.”

“Alright.
Let me hold up your dress
while we cross the road.”

I looked at Max.

“I know you want to come but.…” The big eyes looked so sad.
“Okay, you can come. But you have to promise to stay away from the food.”

Max stood up and wagged his tail. He could sense my mood and
was acting subdued.

It took some doing to get my skirt through the door. As the
Flowers tucked my layers under her arm, I had time to look around. There were a
few fluffy clouds gracing the sky out of reach of even the strongest hawk. I
noted this though I had no room in my heart to appreciate it.

I was trying to think of something encouraging to say when
there came a harsh cough, a sound very close to a human voice and yet not human
at all. I looked up on the roof and there was a large crow on top of the
community hall jeering down at us as we struggled with my gown.

A crow.
The
hoodie craw.
I took hold of my imagination and strangled it. It was
superstition to believe that crows were the harbingers of death. Chuck was
fine. The crow was just attracted by the people and the bright ribbons on the community
hall door.

Max didn’t think much of the crow either and snarled at it.

With another harsh caw, it flapped away.

The Flowers exhaled.

“I don’t hate crows but.…” She stopped.

Yeah. I don’t hate crows either but….

I heard the music as we crossed the street and I thought
that Thomas had never played so well. The door to the hall was open and people
fell quiet when they saw I was coming. After a moment, Thomas also stopped
playing.

I knew I needed to say something but for a moment I was
struck dumb. Our hall had never looked so beautiful. Everywhere there were
orchids—
cattleyas
, cymbidiums, and
phalaenopsis
. And color! Surely the whole of the rain
forests in
all the
wide world didn’t have this many
colors in it. Tears gathered in my eyes and I turned to the Wings and blew him
a kiss.

I took it all in—the orange cake which looked surprisingly
lovely and appropriate amid all the blooms, especially with the twinkle lights
that circled the base. The tablecloths were works of art and I marveled at what
the Braids had been able to do with some old sheets.

No wedding anywhere, ever, had been so lovingly and
beautifully prepared. I had to gulp back a sob.

Later I would say a formal thank-you to everyone for what
they had done but I know my heart was in my eyes and they knew I was touched
beyond what mere words could express.

“Thank you all for coming,” I managed. “Chuck has obviously
been delayed so I think that we should change the order of things around a bit.
We’ll start with cake, have some lunch, and then hold the ceremony at the end.”

No one spoke, but I saw a mix of concern and pity in their
dear faces.

“Thomas, your fingers are going to get a workout today,” I
said.

“My pleasure,” Thomas assured me.

“Please, everyone, give the ladies a moment to lay out the
food. Perhaps some of the men could pull the tables out from the walls?”

Everyone jumped to their feet and began working to transform
the hall from chapel to dining room. I did my best to smile and look happy and
confident that everything would be fine.

Fiddling Thomas had played the first note of a reel when Big
John, who was struggling with one of the tables, turned bright red and
collapsed on the altar.

“Dad!”
The Flowers got to him first
but I was close behind her.

“Is it his heart?” I asked, dropping to my knees, my skirts
billowing.

“His appendix, I think,” the Flowers said. “The Bones has
had him on antibiotics, but I don’t think
it’s
working.”

I looked around frantically but the doctor and his wife were
missing.

“Where’s the doc?” I asked blankly.

“Still at the
rez
,” Wendell said.
His face was pale. “Maybe we can raise him on the radio.”

“I’m on it,” the Braids said, rushing away.

“Okay,” I
said,
a terrible calm
descending. “Let’s get him to the store. We need to be near the radio. Sasha,
Wendell, help him up. Madge, I need you. Horace, please look after Max and
Ricky.”

*
 
*
 
*

“Doc?”

The Bones looked up, annoyed at being
interrupted during surgery.