Certainly Sensible (29 page)

“I’d still like to know what he’s doing here,” Susan said as the four of them watched Mark disappear into the crowd.

Caroline walked over with Emily and Sara, and put her hand on Allie’s shoulder. “Was that Mark Townsend? Surely you’re not…”

Allie firmly shook her head. “No way, Car. Besides,” Allie smiled at Brandon, “I have new friends.”

Brandon blushed.

“Hi, Dad.” Caroline greeted her father and Sharlene as they sauntered over arm-in-arm.

Now it was Susan’s turn to squirm. She’d like to just pay her respects to the hosts as quickly as possible and go to their seats. But Daniel was hugging both Allie and Caroline, so she stood aside with Patrick.

That’s when it struck her: Sharlene was the perfect wife for Daniel. Susan had never felt she fit in with his social crowd, and Daniel frequently seemed embarrassed by her down-to-earth approach to life. Sharlene was dressed in an expensive polished linen suit with pearls at her neck and a diamond tennis bracelet on her wrist, which accentuated the large five-carat diamond in her wedding ring. Her young, curvy figure, all the bling, the whole package, were exactly what Daniel needed to make himself stand out among his peers.

“Caroline, Allie, you both look very pretty,” Daniel said.

Sharlene looked down her nose at the group. “Hello, Benedicts and friends. Who do we have here?”

Susan made introductions. “This is Patrick Williams, a professor at Bradley University, Allie’s friend Brandon Phillips, also a music professor there, and I believe you know Emily Martin and Sara Whetstone from Chicago.”

“Oh, yes, I remember seeing your names on the guest list.” Sharlene dismissed them all with a wave of her hand. “It’s lovely to see you all.”

“Lovely day for a wedding,” Emily said.

“It certainly is,” Sharlene muttered as she scanned through the crowd.

Susan assumed Sharlene was looking for someone better to talk to. She sighed and said politely, “The decorations look beautiful, Sharlene. Patrick, shall we…?”

“Well, of course they do, Susan, after all my hard work. Don’t you agree, darling?” Sharlene dug her nails into Daniel’s arm and he winced.

Sara casually reached into her handbag, pulled out one of her business cards, and offered it to Sharlene. “I handle divorce cases, Mrs. Meadows-Benedict, if you should know of anyone needing my services.”

Sharlene gasped in indignation, stomped her foot, and dragged Daniel away.

****

The chamber orchestra started playing and those guests not already seated moved toward the tent where the ceremony would be held. Richard’s groomsmen, Eric, Scott, Greg and Gary, also doubling as ushers, offered their arms to escort women to their seats on either the bride’s side or the groom’s. Susan, Allie, Caroline, Emily and Sara were each deposited on the groom’s side, with Patrick and Brandon following behind.

Once seated, Allie whispered to Caroline, “Do you see Mark anywhere? Why isn’t he seated on the bride’s side?”

“Shh. It’s starting.” Caroline felt that familiar wave of nausea as the musicians began playing Pachebel’s
Canon in D Major
. All the guests were now seated and awaiting the arrival of the families of the bride and groom. Eric escorted Adele Meadows to her front-row seat. Caroline almost laughed aloud when she saw Adele festively adorned for a meeting of the Red Hat Society, and knew Sharlene must have been beside herself over that. But then Caroline noticed Mrs. Meadows’ grim expression and remembered how hard Adele had tried to get her and Richard together. She let out a slow, defeated breath. She couldn’t see Merrill Peterson from where she sat, but that was probably because he was preparing to walk his daughter down the aisle. Sharlene was escorted by Greg to her place next to Adele, followed by Daniel who sat down next to his wife. Lastly, Tildie Peterson was ushered down the aisle by Gary, clinging tightly to his arm as if she might stumble. As soon as the mother of the bride was seated, Eric, Greg, and Gary rejoined the wedding party at the top of the aisle.

The groomsmen and bridesmaids came down the aisle two by two. First came Megan on Gary’s arm, each peeling off to opposite ends of the makeshift altar inside the wedding tent. Megan caught sight of her mother and sisters and winked at them on the way to her place. Megan was followed in even-paced succession by three more pairs of attendants, and lastly by the matron of honor Krystal and best man Jack. Once the bridal party was in position on either side of the altar, the minister, dressed in a black suit with clerical collar, entered discreetly from the left, followed by a nervous-looking Richard. Caroline thought he looked as nauseous as she felt, and her heart went out to him.
Please let him be happy
she prayed.

The orchestra paused once the wedding party was in place, and transitioned to the traditional wedding march. Reverend Roberts said in a booming voice, “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and greet the bride.”

Here comes—my lunch.
Caroline turned with all the other guests to watch for Misty. The wedding march played through, started over, played again…

“Has anyone seen my daughter?” Mr. Peterson poked his head in and did a visual search of the tent. A murmur went through the crowd when the guests realized something was wrong. “Where’s Misty?” Caroline whispered to her mom. Susan lifted her shoulders imperceptibly.

Reverend Roberts leaned over and quietly said something to Richard, who nodded. “Ladies and gentlemen, I believe the bride has been delayed. If you’ll take your seats for a moment, I’ll go check on her.” Richard ran off toward the house.

What had been quiet whispering among the guests turned into loud conversations and speculations, and a few people even stood up to leave. Richard had been gone for several minutes when Sharlene stormed over to the musicians. “Play something, you fools! Anything!” They quickly took up their instruments and began playing a lively aria.

Allie hugged Caroline. “Could we be so lucky?”

Because her throat was choked and tears of hope were coming to her eyes, Caroline just nodded and breathed deeply.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Caroline had been holding her breath, but now she exhaled as a combination of panic and relief overtook her. Panic that Misty might still appear and relief when she didn’t, because Richard rushed back outside alone to rejoin his confused guests. He had a piece of paper clutched tightly in his hand.

“Hey, folks,” Jack called out as he waved his arms to get attention, “let Richard speak.”

Richard walked to the front of the tent. His brow furrowed and moist with sweat, his expression pained, he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Richard took a deep breath, cleared his throat and tried again. “Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to inform you that the wedding’s off. Misty has left town, but she asked me to invite all of you to stay for the party that’s been planned. I apologize for the inconvenience and urge you to take your gifts with you when you leave. I hope you’ll feel free to enjoy the buffet and dancing first, though.”

The crowd buzzed with the news. Tildie Peterson stood up and seemed close to fainting, but her husband caught her and helped her to the house. She cried out, “My baby!” as Merrill had to practically carry her away.

Caroline turned to Allie in shock, and Susan came over to hug both her daughters. Megan danced out of the bridesmaid formation and joined her mother and sisters in a group hug. All of them jumped up and down, laughing and crying at the same time.

“Yes!” said an exuberant voice in the front row. Adele adjusted her red hat and walked out, heading straight for the champagne table set up for the reception.

Murmuring guests slowly stood. A few of them followed Richard’s suggestion that they move to the waiting reception tent, while others headed for their cars.

Richard pulled his sister aside. “Sharlene, could you help the guests…”

“Richard, how
could
you?” She was shouting at him, oblivious to the fact that people were staring. “What did you do to Misty? I’m so embarrassed! I’ll never be able to show my face in public again!”

A well-dressed young man stepped out of the crowd and stuck a recorder in Sharlene’s face. “Mrs. Meadows-Benedict, may I ask you…”

“No!” she shouted at him.

“Sharlene…” Richard watched in confusion as his sister ran off toward the house.

Without Sharlene to take charge, no one seemed to know what to do. Finally Krystal stepped forward. Taking her husband’s arm, she said loudly, “Folks, there’s a buffet supper waiting for us, champagne and cake, music, a party! Let’s go!”

“Mom, should we…?” Caroline glanced around at all the commotion, wondering if she should go to Richard, take her family and quietly leave, or what?

The other bridesmaids and groomsmen followed Krystal’s lead and headed to the reception. The chamber orchestra gathered their instruments and moved into the reception tent to join the larger band, reset and started playing again, this time contemporary dance music. Gradually the remaining guests dispersed. Richard grabbed Caroline’s arm, dragged her away from her mother and sisters, and hurried her off in the opposite direction to the deserted gazebo.

“Richard, what happened?” Caroline tried to catch her breath as they stepped onto the gazebo. “What happened when you went to the house? Misty left town?”

Richard ran a hand through his hair, nervously mussing it up. “I got to her room and found the door ajar. Misty’s wedding dress, with the ten thousand dollar price tag attached, was still in its bag on her bed, untouched. Her dresser drawers were empty and hanging open, and there was nothing in the closet either. Everything was gone, even in the bathroom.”

Caroline was bewildered. “But how do you know she left town? Maybe she just got cold feet, and she’s waiting for you to come find her someplace.” Caroline hoped that wasn’t true, but this was Misty, so who knew what she’d do?

Richard shook his head. “There was an envelope with my name sitting on the nightstand, propped up against the lamp. Inside were these.” Richard pulled Misty’s engagement ring out of his pocket and waved the letter at Caroline. “Dumped by a
Dear John
letter,” he said with a huff.

“Dumped?” Caroline had never trusted Misty, but this was out of character even for her. “Why would she dump you?”

Richard shrugged. “Here, read it for yourself.” He thrust Misty’s letter into Caroline’s shaking hands.

Dear Richard,

Sorry about the short notice, but I had to be sure all my plans would work out first. I don’t love you, and I’m pretty sure you feel the same about me, so neither of us will cry if we don’t get married. I’ve fallen in love with another man. In order to get my hands on Grandmother Peterson’s trust fund, I have to be married to a man who is my social equal for at least a year. You did just fine until
he
came along, so we’re eloping. I’m sure you’ll be happy with that insipid Caroline, because you two bores deserve each other. Give my engagement ring back to Daddy, since he paid for it, and ask our guests to stay for the party that my parents paid for. As for me, I’m off to Chicago to start my new life with Mark Townsend.

XOXOX Misty

Caroline gasped as she read and reread the letter. “Mark Townsend?” She looked up at Richard, who seemed just as stunned. “Misty ran away with Mark?”

Richard shoved the hair out of his face. “Wasn’t he the guy dating your sister earlier this summer?”

“Yeah, and Mark dumped Allie because she was broke, saying he needed an infusion of cash from somewhere.” Caroline looked up from the letter. “I guess he found it.”

Richard looked bewildered. “When did all this happen?”

Caroline hesitated. Should she tell him? It didn’t seem like it would make a difference, now that he and Misty had broken up. The words came tumbling out of her mouth, explaining how she’d seen Misty and Mark together last June, and then saw them dancing in a Chicago bar right before he dumped Allie. “And Mark was here this very afternoon, claiming he was a guest of the bride,” she finished.

Richard looked stunned. “You saw Misty and Mark together this summer? Why didn’t tell you me?”

Caroline sat down on a bench. “I tried, but I just couldn’t get the words out. I thought maybe you really loved her. The first time I saw them, they were in a group of people just talking, but in Chicago it was obvious something was going on between them, judging by the way he was holding Misty in his arms.”

Richard sat down on the bench next to her. “So Misty and Mark have been carrying on all summer.” He was quiet a moment, staring down at his feet. “I guess that makes me a clueless idiot.”

“You trusted her.” Caroline felt devastated for Richard, who had been taken in by Misty’s con, but shook her head, still dismayed at the quirky turn of events. “Your grandmother was right, you know. Misty never loved you at all.”

Richard took her hand and brought it to his lips. “I’m sure Grandmother is dying to say ‘I told you so.’”

Caroline smiled when she felt his light kiss on her trembling hand.

“But what I don’t understand is why Misty didn’t put a stop to all this,” Richard waved his arms around, indicating all the wedding preparations, “if she was so in love with Townsend the whole time. It would’ve saved everyone a lot of trouble.”

Caroline’s heart broke for Richard. She reached for his hand and held it tight. “I’m sorry she hurt you.”

Richard shook his head. “I’m not hurt, I’m angry, mostly at myself. I should’ve listened to you,
and
to my grandmother,
and
Jack. I knew I didn’t love her, but I thought I had to follow through with the promises I’d made.” He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. His shoulders rose, making him appear inches taller, and then the tension left his face. “I feel like a weight’s been lifted off me.”

Caroline smiled. “I think it has.”

Richard looked into Caroline’s eyes as he held both her hands. “That quirky dinner date we had made me realize I’d fallen in love with you, but I found myself in an impossible situation, trapped between Sharlene and Misty. Can you ever forgive me?”

Caroline blinked in surprise. “Wait. You love me?”