Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 11 (19 page)

The room erupted in spontaneous applause and congratulations but Luke called for quiet.
“
Aggie and I are leaving.
This is probably the only time in the next thirty years that we
’
ll have any time to ourselves
,
so we plan to disappear and enjoy the quiet for the next two weeks so this reception is over
.”

People
began standing as if
to follow Luke and Aggie out the door
,
but Luke stopped them again.
Chad glanced at Willow and shrugged.
“
I didn
’
t know
—”
he protested as she glared at him.

“
Wait, wait,
”
Luke continued.
“
No one invited you to leave.
Our reception is over but welcome
—”
Luke paused as Cheri and Marianne rushed into the room with a huge banner that read
“
Congratulations Chad and Willow
.”
“—
to Chad and Willow
’s e
ngagement party!
”

A curtain opened at the back of the reception hall and
the
band struck up a popular country tune.
Cheri and Marianne called for everyone to push their tables from the center of the room to the edges and corners and the bandleader called for dancers.
“
Come on
,
happy couple.
Lead the dance
.”

Reminiscent of
one special night that seemed like years past
, Chad held empty arms out to Willow.
“
Will you dance with me?
”

“
I forgot about Ditto!
”

“
Mom didn
’
t.
She called Lily Allen
, and Caleb took care of it
.”

Chad
’
s truck bounced a
long
Willow
’
s driveway
and skidded to a stop in his usual place
.
He hurried to open her door and let her in the house expecting a cold woodstove
,
but Caleb had packed it well and embers still burned.
“
At least it
’
s warm in here,
”
she sighed as she pulled her ruana from her shoulders.
“
I should have worn a warmer coat.
” She rolled her eyes at her reflection in the mirror.
“
Vanity thy name is Willow
.”

“
You looked great and didn
’
t want to ruin it.
We weren
’
t outside.
Don
’
t be silly
.”

They sat on opposite ends of the couch reliving the day as Willow peppered Chad with questions about what
she had seen
and why
things were done as they were
.
“
So the girls.
What is the purpose of the girls?
”

“
Bridesmaids?
”

“
Right—like in books
,
”
she agreed impatiently.
“
I mean they
’
re pretty standing there and all of that
,
but what is the purpose?
”

“
I think it
’
s about having help for all the wedding preparations and stuff.
I think the best man and maid of honor are supposed to be there for the witnesses on the marriage certificate
.”

Willow kicked her shoes off and curled her feet beneath her.
“
Well, I was about to say I wasn
’
t going to have any
,
but I
’
ll have one if I have to.
Cheri.
She can sign.
I
’
m not doing the rest
.”

“
I
’
ll have Chris
.”

“
So what was the point of all those
little
girls dropping flowers everywhere?
I mean, it was pretty
,
and outside it might have been neat if they had dropped enough to make kind of a carpet to walk on
.”

“
Well,
”
he explained feeling entirely out of his element.
“
I think that
’
s the point of it.
It
’
s a symbolic carpet
.”

“
But why all the walking and everything?
”

“
It
’
s just what you do
—”

“
No!
”
Willow argued.
In a quieter voice, she tried again.
“
I
’
m not going to do this
,
Chad.
I need a reason to do something.
I can
’
t just have a bunch of things that don
’
t mean anything to me
. What kind of wedding memory is that?
”

Chad nodded
,
trying to understand
and be sympathetic
.
“
Can you do things that don
’
t mean anything to you if they mean something to me?
”
His voice broke.
“
I don
’
t want to put you in an awkward position
,
but if we just do away with everything that means something to my family
,
you
’
re putting me in
a very awkward
one
.”

“
So petal girls?
”

“
Flower girls.
One at least, yes
,
and a ring bearer.
My mother would be heart
broken not to have pictures of two adorable children involved in our wedding
.”

“
I have to walk up or down
—”
she swallowed hard.
“
Like Aggie
—
by myself?
”

“
No.
I
’
ll walk you up the aisle
,
Willow.
I won
’
t make you walk it alone
.”

Tears of frustration splashed against her cheeks before she wiped them away impatiently.
“
I just don
’
t understand why we need the aisle in the first place!
”

Chad, in what was becoming a very familiar move, pulled Willow to him and sat with his arm draped across her shoulder, and her hand in his.
“
Describe your dream wedding day
.”
She glanced up at him, prompted him to add
,
“
One that involves a celebration of some kind
.”

“
Very funny.
Ok, well,
”
Willow pulled her feet up onto the couch and laid her head on Chad
’
s chest as she described a day
that he never would have
imagined.
“
I think people would arrive around ten o
’
clock in the morning.
We
’
d have games for the children
—
you know, gunny sack races, eggs on spoons, a May-pole maybe
—
things to keep them occupied
.”

Willow spoke of people dancing, talking, and Wes Hartfield snapping pictures of everything.
“
It sounds like a wonderful reception
,
Willow.
I don
’
t understand what the problem is.
The children
’
s things alone are a great idea
.”