Edge of the Heat 4 Read online

  Craig laughed and looked at the ceiling. “You got me there Viv. Sorry, I’ve always been like that. But really, Emma’s good. She’s happy. Trust me.” He grabbed Vivian’s hand and pulled her down the corridor towards the party.

  Vivian guess that meant the conversation was over. Craig’s optimism and general level of contentment was one of the best, but also most frustrating, traits he had. She just hoped that he was right this time, for her sister’s sake.

  Chapter 3

  Emma’s eyes flew open and she sat straight up in bed. She jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to Vivian, in the guest room. The guys were staying together at Vivian and Hawk’s place. Emma didn’t know what time it was but she didn’t care. Today was her wedding day!

  Vivian had heard her coming and sat up. They wore identical smiles of giddiness as Emma rushed into the room.

  “It’s today! It’s here,” Emma cried, delighted. She ran to her sister and hugged her, Vivian laughing at her exuberance.

  “What time is it? Can we start getting ready yet?” Vivian asked, just as excited.

  Emma glanced at the clock. “Only 8:30.” She laughed. They had set alarms for 9 a.m. but of course they didn’t need them.

  “Let’s go out for breakfast. That will kill some time.”

  “Ok, go get dressed.”

  When they were both dressed and ready, Emma sampled the weather as they walked to the car. It was an early fall day, and the air was still crisp. That was good, that meant it wouldn’t be a scorcher by 4. There was no wind, and not a hint of clouds. Emma smiled and turned her face to the sun. It was her wedding day. For some reason, even though she had done this before, it all felt new to her. New and right.

  She remembered marrying Norman - a small, civil ceremony with no one in attendance but the public judge and recorder. There was none of the excitement of this event. This wedding was going to include her sister. This wedding was going to be witnessed not only by every one of her friends, but also by this huge, close family she didn’t even know she had until a year ago. In this wedding she was going to be wearing the most beautiful dress she had ever seen and she was going to have her hair and makeup done by someone else and people were bringing presents and giving speeches and - Emma broke her stream of thoughts and hugged herself at the car door, feeling like a princess.

  Emma and Vivian purposely drive as far as possible to an out-of-the-way restaurant and ate as slowly as possible, neither one of them wanting to return to the house and just sit around until it was time to get their hair and makeup done. This morning was just for them. They had decided not to meet the bridesmaids (and Jerry, who would be the ‘man of honor’, since he was Emma’s closest friend) until they arrived to the church grounds. They chatted lightly about the day and their plans, their excitement increasing with each moment that passed. Finally, it was noon, time for their appointments.

  They drove to the salon and each got their hairdo of choice. Vivian’s long brown hair was left flowing over her shoulders, gently curled, with diamond clips placed on the sides to hold the hair in place and direct it down her back. The effect was startlingly beautiful. Emma chose a loose updo, with a delicate spray of white and pink flowers holding it in place. Emma didn’t look until it was done, and then she sucked in her breath. She couldn’t believe it was her hair! She had never had anything so extravagant done to her hair.

  She glanced at her sister, who looked like a movie star, and knew Vivian was more comfortable looking like this, but she didn’t care. She liked who she was normally, and she was secretly glad that she also could pull this look off. She’d actually been a little worried.

  Next was makeup, which took another 45 minutes, and then it was time to head to the church grounds. They were getting married on the grounds of the Old North Church, which was one of the oldest buildings in the state. The large lawn overlooked the bay and had the most spectacular view of the city. And it was close to the Eller’s mansion where they were having the reception.

  When they arrived at the church, Hawk’s mom, Vivian’s mom, Craig’s mom, and Grandma Maisie, plus all the bridesmaids were already there, laughing uproariously at Grandma Maisie’s stories. Emma wondered if they were drunk. She hoped not. They still had a lot of day to get through. Her eye immediately found their dresses, which were clean, wrapped in plastic, and hanging up on hooks on the wall.

  Hawk’s mom saw them and rushed to them. “Girls, girls, oh my goodness you look beautiful. Come, we have your dresses all ready.”

  They were fussed over and oohed and aahed over by all the women. Grandma Maisie and Craig’s mom helped Emma into her dress, a fitted, basque-waist ball gown with a Queen Ann neckline. All white silk and amazing lace. Emma twirled in the mirror and couldn’t believe she was looking at herself. Even the gown she’d worn to the Senator’s mansion seemed homely compared to this amazing wedding dress.

  A cousin Emma hadn’t met yet ushered in the two photographers, one for Craig and Emma’s pictures, and one for Vivian and Hawk’s pictures. Grandma Maisie introduced Emma and Vivian to the cousin, whose name was Amanda, and explained how they were related. Cousin Amanda kissed them both on the cheek and hurried off. Grandma Maisie had taken over and obviously had things under control.

  Emma sat down and sipped some water, and watched Vivian’s mom and Hawk’s mom fuss over Vivian. Her dress was a mermaid dress with a sweetheart bodice. Emma watched Vivian’s mom, Mary Beth, zip up the back and immediately burst into tears.

  “Oh you look so beautiful, Honey!” Mary Beth exclaimed, the photographer snapping pictures of her.

  Mary Beth was right. Emma thought she’d never seen anyone look as pretty as Vivian did right at that moment. Her hair flowed down her back, the diamond clips sparkling in it. Her dress fit her form perfectly and showed it off in a very flattering way. And her makeup accentuated her prominent cheekbones and soft, full lips. Emma laughed to herself at the thought of Hawk seeing her look that way. Those two couldn’t keep their hands off each other anyway. Hawk was really going to have a hard time today.

  Emma thought of Craig and wondered what he would think when he saw her. Would he be blown away? She hoped so. Would he be able to keep his hands off her? She hoped not. Her face heated in a little blush as she thought of their honeymoon suite tonight. They hadn’t had sex in three weeks, purposely trying to ‘save themselves’ for the wedding. It had been her idea. She wanted their wedding night to be special and she had thought maybe this was one way to make it so. Now it seemed a little silly to her. Today was already the most special day of her life.

  Emma heard more and more people talking outside and went to peek out a window. The grounds looked amazing. The chairs were all done up with white ribbon. 6 colors of orchids spotted the grounds. The archway sat square in the middle of everything. It was a double size, since four of them would be standing under it, and it was wound so tightly with green leaves and pink and yellow and white flowers that she couldn’t even see the material underneath.

  Wow. She had left most of the actual planning to Vivian, not really having a preference about things like flowers and archways, and Vivian had outdone herself. Everywhere Emma looked she saw bright colors and classy decorations.

  Emma watched as people walked around the grounds, examining the flowers, picking their chairs, talking and laughing. She saw 3 of Grandma Maisie’s other children: her aunts Missie, Jacinda, and Elsa Sue. Grandma Maisie had shown her pictures of all the girls when they were little, and Elsa Sue had looked almost exactly like Vivian when she was younger.

  She watched Craig’s dad, Hawk’s dad, and Vivian’s dad greet and seat people, and in between take sips from the punch bowl and tease each other. She loved that they were getting along so well. They were all dressed identically, in black tuxedos with red ties and pocket squares.

  She thought they looked very dashing, especially Craig’s dad. She loved how much Craig looked and acted like his dad. She adored Craig’s dad from the first time she met h
im, his mom too. They were very down-to-earth and happy people. Their marriage was strong and sweet, and she hoped that when she and Craig had been married for 30 years they were just as happy together.

  “Emma!”

  Her attention was pulled from the window by Craig’s mom, Cynthia, calling her name. “Emma dear, it’s getting close. Come take pictures with Vivian.”

  Emma smiled and walked over in her bare feet, not wanting to slip on her heels yet. Her dress was long enough to cover her toes. Cousin Amanda rushed back in, bringing the flower girls. Emma sat down next to Vivian, smoothing her skirt underneath her, and smiled at the lovely, blond, identical twins, each wearing a white, poofy dress, with white socks and patent leather shoes, plus bright red and white flowers in their hair. They were Jennifer and Jessica, both 6 years old, and daughters of another of Emma and Vivian’s cousins. They had so many cousins that they couldn’t even keep track at this point.

  Grandma Maisie had pleaded for them to let the twins be flower girls. It hadn’t taken much convincing though, both Emma and Vivian loved the idea.

  Grandma Maisie led the girls over to the brides and sat them down in front of them: Jessica in front of Emma, and Jennifer in front of Vivian. All the women came and fussed over the brides and the flower girls a few times, then the pictures started. There were pictures with the flower girls, pictures with the mothers and Grandma Maisie, pictures with just Emma and Vivian, pictures with the brides and the bridesmaids, pictures with everyone, pictures with the bouquets, pictures without the bouquets, pictures sitting and pictures standing.

  “Ok, I can’t take one more picture,” Emma said, half-joking, but mostly not. “Is it time for the wedding yet?”

  Grandma Maisie brought them both a wineglass full of water. “Yes, in 15 minutes.”

  15 minutes! Anxiety spiked in Emma’s stomach. She looked at Viv, wide-eyed and saw the same deer-in-the-headlights look on her face.

  Grandma Maisie laughed. “Relax girls, It’ll be wonderful. Everything’s going perfectly.”

  “Where’s my notes?” Emma asked. All 4 of them had decided to write their own vows, and Emma suddenly thought that was the stupidest decision she’d ever made in her life. The water sloshed nauseatingly in her stomach.

  Emma saw Vivian whisper something to Cynthia, and Cynthia rush out of the room, then rush back in with Jerry, tall and handsome in his tuxedo, a red rose boutonniere setting off his jacket perfectly.

  He beamed at her, and she saw his face crumple from across the room. He walked over and knelt beside her, holding her hand in both of his. “Oh Emma, you look incredible. You are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”

  Tears brimmed and fell from her eyes immediately and every woman in the room exclaimed and searched for tissues.

  He pulled her notes from an inside pocket and showed them to her. “Do you want to look them over?”

  “Yes please,” she said. “And do we have time for a few pictures with Jerry?” she asked Grandma Maisie.

  “Of course dear, the wedding don’t start till the brides get there.”

  Emma looked over her notes as Jerry kissed Vivian on the cheek and whispered a few words in her ear.

  Jerry knelt next to her chair and rubbed her neck and shoulders. “Don’t worry Em, it’s going to go great,” he said quietly.

  She handed her notes back to him and smiled, then nodded to Grandma Maisie. She was ready.

  Chapter 4

  Emma watched the procession from the window. She heard the strains of Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s Somewhere Over the Rainbow play and the tears threatened to come again. She was an absolute wreck. But it was all so beautiful. The bridesmaids, in their cream-colored, floor-length dresses walked slowly, arm in arm with the groomsmen in their navy blue tuxedos. Emma could see the minister standing behind the archway, but not Craig and Hawk. She didn’t know where they were.

  Vivian walked over and put her arm around Emma’s waist. “Grandma Maisie wants us outside.”

  Emma smiled at her sister and grabbed her hand. This was it.

  They walked outside together. Grandma Maisie gave the flower girls final instructions and then sent Vivian off with her parents.

  She smiled up at Emma, her eyes soft and kind. “Well my dear, you were never mine to give away, but I am so honored that you asked me to walk with you down the aisle to that good, strong man of yours.”

  Emma didn’t trust herself to speak. She squeezed Grandma Maisie’s hand with her free hand. Grandma Maisie understood, and took her arm. They walked slowly around the building to the aisle. Seeing all the people, their lovely faces smiling at her from their chairs, filled her heart with gladness. Everywhere she looked was family, blood relatives she’d gotten to know and love over the last year. These were people who had grown up with her mother, and accepted her and Vivian into their hearts in an instant. Emma couldn’t help it. Even as she smiled the tears dropped down her face, running a path to her chin and probably falling on her gown. She didn’t care. Everything was how it should be.

  She looked up and saw that Vivian had made it to the archway and was standing with Hawk, who was gazing at Vivian with love in his eyes.

  And then she saw him. Craig. His smile as he watched her walk to him split his face in two. She smiled back, and he mouthed something to her. She wasn’t sure what it was; it could have been “I love you.” His traditional black tuxedo framed him perfectly, and she let her eyes wander over his muscular body, thinking she couldn’t wait to get him alone. And the next time she did, she’d be his wife. Her mind swirled with thoughts. His wife. Married. Mrs. Emma Masterson.

  They reached the last row of chairs and Grandma Maisie turned to her, hugging her and kissing her on the cheek. Craig smiled at Grandma Maisie and reached for Emma’s hand, pulling her to his side. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jerry standing behind Craig. Craig kissed her ear lightly and whispered, “God you are beautiful.” His breath tickled her hair and his words roused her passion. She felt her whole body surge towards him, and she pressed closer into his side, her whole world narrowed down to his face and the feel of her hand in his.

  The minister spoke, and Emma pulled her focus to him, with effort.

  He spoke simply and eloquently: of love and marriage, of hard work and effort, of twin sisters and best friends, of God and earth. Emma let her mind go, making no effort to pay attention. Instead, she absorbed the words, drank in the experience, lived the entire ceremony from inside her soul, where every word spoken, every sigh breathed, every tear shed, and every sunbeam shined upon them would forever be written in stone. She planned to revisit it often.

  The minister announced they had decided to write their own vows, and invited Hawk to start.

  Hawk smiled a lop-sided, nervous smile at the minister, then took both of Vivian’s hands in his own. The smile that shone out at her was full, genuine, and sweet as any Emma had ever seen. He began, his voice thick with emotion.

  “Vivian, I’ve had some things happen in my life that made me ask Why God? Why would you let that happen? How could that happen? and I never thought I would get an answer. But then I met you. And I realized…” Hawk’s voice hitched, and his mouth twisted a bit. Emma couldn’t see all of Vivian’s face, but what she could see began to contract, and a single tear winked on Vivian’s cheek in the sunshine. “I realized that the questions didn’t matter anymore. No matter what I’ve been through, if that’s what I needed to walk through to get to this moment, then I accept it all. The more I know you, the more I love you, and the more I pledge to be your answers too, if I can. When you are scared or sad or confused or lonely, you can always come to me. When you are happy and glad and excited and thrilled, I will be right by your side. I love you now and I will love you forever.”

  Craig squeezed Emma’s hand and she glanced at him. He winked at her, but looked thoughtful, solemn. She scanned the audience and saw Vivian’s mother sobbing openly in her husband’s arms, and Hawk’s mother also crying and
dabbing her face with a white cloth. Emma wiped her own eyes, thinking her makeup must already be ruined.

  Hawk’s best man gave him the ring, and he placed it on Vivian’s finger. She clutched her hands to her breast and smiled at him through the tears on her cheeks.

  The minister nodded at Vivian, giving her the go-ahead to recite her vows.

  Vivian took a few minutes to compose herself, taking deep breaths, and then she looked to her maid of honor, who handed her an index card. She glanced at it, and smiled up at Hawk, her face brilliant in the sunshine.

  “Hawk. My dear, sweet Hawk. You already are the answer to all the questions I’ve been asking my whole life too. Every morning that I wake up, I give thanks that I found you and that you are who you are. If I had gone to Heaven and molded a man who would be perfect for me in every way, I could not have done a better job than God did when He made you. I never believed in soulmates before I met you, but I do now. Although I believe that you and I are meant to be together, I will never let that be an excuse not to work hard to deserve your love. I pledge from this day on to be the best wife and friend and partner I can be for you.”

  Vivian finished speaking and gazed into Hawk’s eyes. Hawk leaned forward, as if he forgot where he was and was going to kiss her. The minister held up a finger and said “not yet.” Hawk startled and leaned back on his heels, laughing. The audience and wedding party laughed too, and Emma felt the moment lighten.

  The ring was placed into Vivian’s hands. She placed it on Hawk’s finger and smiled at the crowd of people witnessing their promises. A few people cat-called and whistled and everybody clapped.

  When the noise died down, the minister turned to look at Emma and Craig. Emma felt her anxiety level shoot skyward. This was her wedding day and she didn’t want to feel anxious. Why did she ever say she would write her own vows? Emma looked away from the minister, hoping to relax a little. She looked into the audience and saw over 200 people, all of them looking directly at her. She tore her eyes quickly from her audience and looked at Craig.