A Newport Christmas Wedding (8 page)

 

Chapter 10

M
ERI W
OKE TO
hammering. At first she thought it was a hangover; she'd had two glasses of wine with Carlyn. Over her limit. She looked around, realized she was still in her apartment in Newport. Someone next door must be renovating or hanging pictures.

Newport
. She grabbed for her phone. It past nine o'clock. She'd overslept.

And there was no message from Alden.

Maybe he didn't want to talk to her. She had really blown it.

She should have driven back last night. Except between the wine and the catharsis, Carlyn had convinced her it wouldn't be safe. That's when she'd had the second glass.

The hammering started up again.

“Oh, finish already,” she said to no one in particular, and flopped back on her bed.

Why hadn't he called? He'd said it was her move. So she'd made it. Called and said she wanted to talk. Finished with “I love you. Call me.” And hung up to wait.

She'd stayed up late waiting for Alden to return her call. She'd fallen asleep sometime during the night. She'd meant to get up early and drive home, and now she'd overslept.

She was a little worried that he hadn't called her back.

Her phone rang. And she exhaled in enormous relief.

She swiped her finger across the screen twice before it activated.

“Alden?”

“Uh, no.”

“Who is this?” she asked.

“Lucas.”

“Lucas?”

“Yeah, Lucas Corrigan.”

“Where are you?” Had something happened to Alden?

“I'm outside your apartment. Where are you?”

“I'm inside my apartment. Have you been knocking?”

“Yes, persistently. I was afraid I'd missed you.”

“I thought that was next door. Wait a minute, I'll let you in.”

She dragged on the jeans she'd worn last night, exchanged her night shirt for a sweatshirt, shoved her feet into fur-­lined moccasins, and hurried to let Lucas in.

It was a shock to see him. He'd been about her height at Thanksgiving, but now he looked even taller. Dark hair like his father's. Though cut short because of the school regulations. With the same pale complexion. He was so much like his dad, and for a moment she just looked at him, thinking of the boy not much younger than this who had saved her mother—­and her—­from a watery death.

“Come in; you must be freezing. How did you get here? Does your dad know? Did he send you?”

Lucas came in, slipped a heavy backpack from his shoulders and let it drop to the floor. “It's pretty cold out there. I got a ride from a kid and his parents who dropped me off on their way to Portsmouth. Dad doesn't know and he didn't send me.”

Meri grinned. “I've missed you.”

Lucas looked uncomfortable.

“Come on in. I don't have any food, are you hungry?”

“Yeah, but it can wait.”

“That sounds serious. What's up? Why did you come here instead of going home? Did you get off a day early?”

Lucas unzipped his jacket, pulled it off, looked around for a place to put it. Meri took it from him and hugged it. It was very cold.

“How long were you waiting?”

“A few minutes. Listen.” He turned to face her. “Nora called and said you and Dad were breaking it off.”

“She did?”

“Yes. She seems to think it's her fault. Just because I told her about some stupid statistics. Sometimes she can be such a butthead.”

“What kind of statistics?”

“The usual. The longevity of second marriages, but since it's your first—­or I guess it is—­the statistics will be skewed. And about the need to start a new family right away.”

Enlightenment dawned. “And Nora was afraid she'd be replaced with a—­ What did she call Jennifer's new baby?”

“The little worm.”

“Right. So she decided to go back to your mother before that happened? Honestly, did she think she could ever be replaced by someone else. Or you?” Meri added.

Lucas shrugged. But a slash of pink grew across his pale cheeks.

“Lucas, we would never do that. Even if—­you know—­we started—­ If we had—­”

Lucas waved her aside. “Whatever.”

Meri blushed. She had no idea how to talk about sex to a teenage boy. So they both stood looking at the floor until Lucas said, “So do you love my dad or not?”

“With all my heart.”

“Then—­”

“Lucas, I love your dad more than anything. But I don't have to marry him, if it makes you and Nora unhappy. We can just go along being the way we are now. It's fine. I understand. Besides, I'm not sure I can be helpful if you and Nora need to talk about anything.”

“Talk about what?”

“You know, things you talk about with parents. I'm not sure I'd be all that good at it.”

Lucas frowned. “Jeez, Meri. After our mother? You wouldn't have to be too good.”

Meri's heart broke for both these neglected children, and she promised herself that even if she made a million mistakes, she would always make the time for them.

“What else?”

Meri frowned. “What do you mean?”

Lucas sighed. “You love my dad, you don't have to be a good mother, and Nora and I both want you to marry him, and—­oh yeah—­Nora wants to know if she can stay after all.”

“Of course she can. You, too, if you decide you don't like boarding school.”

“So we're solid?”

Meri nodded. “Yeah. We are.”

“In that case . . .” Lucas knelt on one knee. “Will you, Meri Calder-­Hollis, marry us, all of us, even when we're buttheads?”

Meri looked into that earnest face and nodded, though she found herself very close to tears. “I do. As long as you take me when I'm a butthead, too.”

“I do. We all do.” He stood. “Now can we eat? I didn't have time for breakfast before I left.”

“Of course. Give me a second to get dressed. We'll have to go out. I don't have anything in the fridge. Then we'll drive out to the farm.

“Oh! I forgot. I have a dress fitting.” She looked at the wall clock. “In less that an hour.” She began looking for her purse. “Can you make do with a bagel from the deli? I'm sure Gran will make you a gigantic breakfast once we get home.”

N
ORA LO
OKED FROM
Gran to Edie Linscott. Meri's wedding dress was hanging from the doortop, ready to be tried on.

But there was no Meri. And Nora hadn't heard from Lucas.

Gran glanced out the window. “I'm sure she'll be here any minute. She probably hit traffic getting out of Newport. Big tourist season at Christmas.”

Gran sounded awfully sure that Meri would come.

They'd had breakfast earlier, though none of them ate very much. Her dad had tried to leave afterward, but Gran put him to work, chopping wood. She already had plenty of wood. Dad always made sure the woodpile was stocked.

But Nora thought she knew what Gran was doing. Giving him something to do until Meri came.

If she came. What if she never came back? Lucas said he would fix it. But he was only thirteen, and barely thirteen at that.

She'd have to go into Newport herself and ask Meri to come back. Explain to her why she'd said she was moving back with her mother. Ask Meri to give her a second chance, and then somehow she'd make Meri marry her dad.

She'd promised Lucas she wouldn't run away. She'd done that before. But she hadn't said she wouldn't drive away. She had her restricted license. She was pretty good with the SUV even though it was kind of big. She'd just drive to Newport.

Except that she didn't know how to park. She'd go to Gilbert House; they had a lot in back. But no one would be working there.

She'd go there and call Meri to pick her up. She wouldn't say no, would she? Except Meri was probably mad at her. Mad? She probably hated her for wrecking her wedding.

Nora bit her lip really hard so she wouldn't cry. She pulled out her cell. Still nothing from Lucas.

Mrs. Linscott lifted her eyebrows at Gran and they went into the other room.

Nora followed them to the door, heard Edie say, “Trouble in paradise?”

“A bit,” Gran said. “Let's have a cup of coffee while we wait.”

Nora went to the window. She'd looked out every few minutes since breakfast was over. She could hear her dad chopping wood like he wanted to kill it. He probably wished he could kill her.

She had to do something. They'd walked over and the SUV was in the garage. She could probably get home without him seeing her. And get the SUV started and onto the road before he could run after her. Of course there was the truck.

Though he'd probably just call the cops. Maybe even say she stole his car. They'd put her in jail. Fine. It couldn't be much worse than going back to New Haven.

“Oh stop exaggerating,” she told herself. Why couldn't she be more like Lucas and not get into trouble all the time.

And then she saw it. Blinked. It was still there. The chopping outside had stopped. Her dad had seen it, too.

Meri had come back. That meant she'd come home for good. That the wedding would take place and then . . . It didn't matter as long as Meri and her dad got married.

She ran down the hall to the kitchen. Burst into the room. Gran and Mrs. Linscott looked up from the table where they were drinking coffee.

“She's here,” Nora said, and kept going through the mudroom and out the back door.

Meri's car got closer and closer but it seemed to be going in slo-­mo. Finally it turned into the drive and came to a stop at the farmhouse. Nora felt Gran and Mrs. Linscott come out behind her. She could see her dad at the corner of the house.

He just stood waiting. And Nora got it. He wasn't sure if she'd come back for real.
Please don't give up. Make her marry you.

Slowly he came forward.

Two car doors opened. Two?

Meri got out of the driver's side and Lucas got out of the other one. He reached back in and hauled out his backpack.

He'd done it! He'd gotten her to come back. She could kiss him. If he weren't her brother.

Lucas and Meri walked toward the group side by side. Gran, Nora, and Alden moved closer together. Even Mrs. Linscott waited expectantly.

Lucas and Meri slowed a little as they got to the group.

Lucas stepped forward. Looked at his dad.

“Lucas? Where did you come from?” Alden asked.

“From school. Got a ride.”

“Wha—­”

“Dad, it's okay. It's a done deal. She said yes. To all of us.” He shifted his backpack. “Gran, do you have time to make me some breakfast? I only had a bagel on the way out here.”

“All the time in the world.” Gran held out both arms. He allowed her to give him a quick hug and they went into the kitchen. Mrs. Linscott followed them in.

Nora started to go, too, but Meri called her back. Nora turned and hung her head. If it meant she had to go back to New Haven, she'd go. And she wouldn't cause any trouble there as penance. Well, not much.

“Look at me.” Meri sounded stern. Nora looked at her.

“Don't even think about living anywhere else but with us. If I have to lock you in your room and shove a plate of old bread under the door for you to eat, you're staying with us.”

Nora stared at her. She was going to stay. She couldn't believe it. They were getting married and she was going to stay. “I love old bread.” She gave them both a quick hug, then ran after Gran and Lucas, calling, “Make extra for me. I'm starving.”

“Whew,” Alden said.

“I've been such a butthead,” Meri said.

Alden raised both eyebrows.

“Lucas called us the butthead family. It was music to my ears.”

“Well, you did give me a few sleepless nights.”

“I called you last night. Why didn't you call me back?”

He shrugged. His arms had slipped around her. “I was afraid of what you were going to say.”

“I told you I loved you.”

“I know, but that was after you said we needed to talk.”

“Well, we do. There are so many things to think about.”

“ ‘We need to talk' is usually what women say when they're dumping you.”

“Oh, Alden, you're—­”

“Such a butthead.”

She laughed, and he kissed her and they walked into the house to tell Gran to add more eggs to the pan. They were all starving this morning.

 

Chapter 11

F
OR T
HE NEXT
week, Corrigan House was overrun with decorators, caterers, and cleaning staff. Mrs. Miller turned out to be not only a good cook, who actually liked teenagers, but also a good organizer. And after a few days the household was running as smoothly as if she'd been there for years.

The Corrigans spent a good part of the days at the farmhouse, especially after Alden's drafting table had been moved to a storage room to make room for the buffet tables.

“We should have eloped,” Alden groused, but nobody paid him any attention.

“They talk about a bride glowing,” Gran said while she and Mrs. Linscott made the final adjustments to Meri's dress. “I don't think I've ever seen Alden so happy. Finally,” she added under her breath.

Happy maybe, but nervous, Meri thought. She pushed the thought away. No more waffling. She was getting married.

Nora went off to school every day, but not until she tried to finagle another sick day. Alden held firm and Meri backed him up. Even Gran told her to stop whining and get it done.

On Tuesday, Alden drove Lucas back to school to pick up some clothes and books since he'd only had time to shove some things into his backpack for his early morning trip to Meri's apartment.

On Thursday, Dan Hollis arrived, and so did Meri's three half brothers, one sister-­in-­law, and a baby. They all crammed into Gran's farmhouse like the old days.

Only one was missing.

On the day before the wedding, Meri asked Gran to take her to the cemetery. It was early morning when they carefully picked their way over the frozen snow toward the Calder plot. Meri held Gran tightly by the arm. Not just giving her support over the uneven ground, but receiving it in turn.

It was an old cemetery next to the church. Many of the graves were old, well-­tended by the church but forgotten by their ancestors, if indeed there were any left.

The large granite monument of the first Calder was flanked by two fir trees, planted several years before and decorated with red ribbons and tiny silver bells. To either side, the markers of Calders from several generations were covered in blankets of pine.

“Gran, you did all this?”

Gran nodded. She'd stopped at the marker of her husband, Cyrus, and Meri stepped away to give her time alone with her love.

Meri continued on to the three graves that sat side by side. Her mother, Laura Calder-­Hollis, the woman who had raised her and loved her for her entire life. Her mother, Riley, the young teenage girl who had left Meri in Laura's care.

And between them the baby that was not to grow up and reap the wonders of being part of such a loving family. Meri took a moment to acknowledge them all, then stood at her mother's feet. Felt Gran come up beside her.

“She always hoped you and Alden would build a life together.”

“She never said anything.”

“What we hope for and what we get isn't always the same thing. We all knew that if it was meant to be, the two of you would figure it out.”

“I wish she could be here.”

“Oh, she'll be there,” Gran said. “Have no doubt about that. They'll all be there. Because you're a Calder first and foremost, and a Hollis, and soon to be a Corrigan. Now let's get back home, before the boys ransack the kitchen in search of sustenance.”

The “boys” had left a note. They'd gone out for breakfast. Penny and baby Laura were still asleep.

“Well, a little peace and quiet,” Gran said, though Meri knew she'd enjoyed every loud bustling minute of having her entire family under her roof, as well as the Corrigans, for most of their waking hours.

“Nope,” came a voice from the kitchen door. “You got me.”

“Nora,” Gran said. “Are you playing hooky?”

“No. Dad and the school gave me a dispensation because of the wedding. Besides, Carlyn is coming out and we're trying on our dresses and accessorizing. Oh, and Geordie asked if it was okay if she came and got some candid day-­before shots.” Nora grinned. “I said sure.”

“The more the merrier,” Gran said. “Though I'd better check the pantry.”

Meri made more coffee. The back door opened. Alden walked in and tossed his coat on a hook.

“I've been thrown out of my house. I guess I was taking up too much room. One more poinsettia and I'll go off to bedlam and you and Nora can sell them on the street corner to pay for my room and board.”

“The Little Match Girl?” Meri asked.

Nora laughed. “La Belle et Le Bête. And we know which one beauty is.” She strutted around, casting saucy looks back at her father.

Meri marveled at how fast she had rebounded from miserable unloved teenager to Madame Provocateur.

“Well, it's a toss-­up between you and Meri. And Gran,” he added as she come out of the pantry.

“Gran what?” she asked.

“Is a beauty.” Nora gave her a big hug.

“Watch the pasta,” Gran said.

Nora pulled back. “Pasta? What are we making?”

“Lasagna. It's easy and I have pans big enough to feed this whole crowd.”

“Oh good, I've never made lasagna before.”

Alden took the opportunity to pull Meri into the mudroom. Took a quick look into the kitchen to make sure Nora and Gran were busy and kissed her. “Want to go make out in the back seat of my SUV?”

“What?” Meri asked, laughing.

“It's the only place where there aren't ­people.”

“I know, but you have to admit, it's pretty cool.”

He sighed. “Yeah, and the kids are really liking it. Dan came by and asked Lucas to go with them to the deli, and Lucas actually closed his book and went. Wonder of wonders. Though I wouldn't mind a little quiet time.”

“Me too, but don't hold your breath. Look who just drove up.”

Carlyn's old sports car pulled up to the back door. Carlyn jumped out and ran around the side to open the passenger door. She began to lug out equipment, which was finally followed by Geordie Holt, karaoke partner and dynamite photographer, who would be taking photos of the wedding. They lugged the equipment inside.

“Better put all that stuff upstairs in my room,” Meri said. “We're wall-­to-­wall ­people here. But try to be quiet; mama and baby are still sleeping.”

“Baby is, mama is not.” Penny Hollis yawned from the doorway then padded over to Gran and gave her a kiss. “Is there coffee?” She ended the question with a big yawn. “Sorry, the baby got overexcited last night with all the attention; she kept waking up all night long. Tonight we both go to bed early.”

Gran left the lasagna preparations and moved to the coffeepot. “You sit down and I'll make you breakfast. Meri and I haven't had a proper breakfast, and I bet you haven't either, Nora.”

“Mrs. Miller wanted to make me oatmeal but I wanted to get over here.”

“Don't you dare let Mrs. Miller think you like Gran's cooking better than hers,” Alden said, then shrugged at Gran. “We do. But we don't want to hurt her feelings and we don't want her to quit.”

Meri sighed happily. She'd never seen Alden so playful, well, not in a long, long time. She knew it wouldn't always be this way, he was “deep,” as Gran would say. He could be moody and distant. But Meri knew all his moods and he knew hers. She was ready. She knew that now. She was really ready.

Alden and Carlyn pulled extra chairs around the kitchen table while Meri got eggs and Canadian bacon out of the fridge. Gran laid a towel over the lasagna preparations and got two cast-­iron pans out of the cupboard and placed them on the stove. Meri made more coffee while Geordie took photos.

Breakfast was a rowdy affair, with baby Laura, awaken by all the commotion, adding her voice to theirs, and Alden took off as soon as he finished.

“Poor man,” Gran said. “I do believe his solitary days are over.”

“Okay, everybody squeeze in,” Geordie said. “We'll do a three generation shot of Calder Hollis Corrigan women.”

“Cool.” Nora looked around. She was beaming.

It was pretty special, Meri thought, proud and humble and so happy that this family had made her theirs. Only Gran seemed a little subdued, and Meri guessed she was thinking of her daughter and husband gone and still missed. Meri put her arm around her.

“Love you, Gran.”

“Love you, too.” And the faraway look receded and she smiled with the others.

“Can I hold baby Laura?” Nora asked Penny.

“Absolutely.” Penny handed the squirming infant to Nora, who held her up before settling her on her lap. Laura gurgled and Nora laughed.

Her eye caught Meri's. “It might be fun to have a little sister.”

Everyone looked at Meri.

Meri laughed. “But what if you got a brother instead?”

Nora shrugged. “I would be okay, I guess.” She tickled Laura's chin and the baby laughed.

Meri breathed out a sigh of relief. There was plenty of time to think about a bigger family down the road. For now, she planned to enjoy the one she would be joining tomorrow.