Lilac Avenue (35 page)

The same year Scott and his wife divorced, Gabriel abandoned Maggie, and she was devastated. Scott did what he could to help her through, whether it meant offering a shoulder to cry on, someone on which to take out her anger, or an endlessly patient ear to listen to her worries and fears. Their friendship grew stronger, and, eventually, turned into something very precious to Scott, albeit more uncomfortable to Maggie.

Scott thought of all the nights in which Maggie was the last thing on his mind before he slept, and the first when he awoke. Even during the years when they were estranged, Scott had prayed for her forgiveness, for her understanding, and for the restoration of their friendship. When his mother became ill with cancer, and Scott was at his wits’ end, it had been Maggie he wanted, needed. Miraculously, at least it seemed to him, when he called her, she came. They hadn’t spent a night apart since.

There was no doubt in Scott’s mind that today he was doing not only the right thing, but the thing he had wanted most in his life: to be the one Maggie could count on; to protect her, to help her, to love her, and to share her life. In some ways this was only the beginning of their love story, although it had started so many years ago.

When Father Stephen pronounced them husband and wife, Scott felt the happiest he had ever felt, in his whole life. It was tempered only by the sadness that his father and mother couldn’t be there to witness it; other than that, it was a perfect moment.

As he walked back down the aisle, still holding Maggie’s hand, Sister Mary Margrethe again played, “Let’s Stay Together.” He looked at Maggie.

“They’re playing our song,” he said.

“Did you arrange that?” she asked him.

“Sure I did,” he said. “I know people.”

“You have connections,” she said.

“And now I have you,” he said.

“Good luck with that,” she said.

He had to laugh. Marriage may not change Maggie Fitzpatrick one little bit, but that was fine with him.

Clutching Ed’s arm, Claire followed Hannah, Sam, Melissa, and Patrick down the aisle.

“You did a great job,” Ed said.

Claire was barely listening. This song had played for their procession as well; why had Hannah chosen it? It seemed like an odd choice for a wedding, but then, almost everything about this wedding was odd. It was not often one featured a reluctant, contrary bride, an eager groom, and a bait-and-switch ceremony.

“Believe me,” Ed said, “none of this would’ve happened without you.”

“Thanks,” Claire said. “This must be Scott and Maggie’s special song.”

“It is,” Ed said. “What will our song be, do you think?”

Before Claire could respond they were caught up and separated by the crowd lining up to go downstairs. Although many people hugged and congratulated her on a job well done, Claire felt curiously deflated. It bothered her that the ceremony wasn’t the big secret she thought it was, and that so many people knew ahead of time. She didn’t think there was one person there who arrived thinking they were attending a christening.

“It seems like everyone knew it was
their wedding and not a christening,” she said to Melissa.

“This is Rose Hill,” Melissa said. “Ain’t nobody in this town kept a secret longer than five minutes since time began.”

“But yet no one told Maggie they knew,” Claire said.

“Folks is scared of Bonnie Fitzpatrick on account of her temper,” Melissa said. “No one wants to get on the wrong side of that one.”

Melissa seemed excited and exhilarated; Claire wondered why she didn’t.

“You seemed nervous coming up the aisle,” Claire said. “Are you okay now?”

“I was just thinking ‘bout all them folks knowing where I been the last three years,” she said. “I kinda feel like I got no right to dress up and parade in front of them.”

“You have every right,”
Claire said, giving her a side-arm hug. “You’re as much a part of this family as any of us.”

“You mean that?” Melissa said. “I been worried you was thinking I’m trying to horn in on your mama and daddy.”

Claire thought about how irritated she’d been every time Melissa showed up and her father was so glad to see her. She guessed she wasn’t that good at hiding it. Melissa hadn’t figured in her vision for herself and her parents when she had decided to stay in Rose Hill, and she had resented the intrusion of what seemed very much like her replacement. Melissa had lived in their house during many of the years Claire was gone. What must it have felt like for Melissa to come back and find the prodigal daughter back in the fold?

‘I’ve been stingy and controlling,’ Claire thought. ‘I’ve been selfish and rude.’

Claire hugged Melissa and kissed her cheek. She would have to find a way to make it up to her, to make her feel more welcome.

“No, we need you,” Claire said. “We need all the help we can get.”

“I been meanin’ to tell you I’m glad about you and Ed, there.”

“We’re just friends,” Claire said.

“I seen how he looks at you,” Melissa said. “And I think it’s a good thing. He’s a good person, and you two make a cute couple. He’s takin’ good care of Tommy, and I know you’ll be good to him, too.”

Claire thought it must have taken a lot of courage for Melissa to say what she had, and it would be rude to insist that there wasn’t the potential for that very thing to happen.

“Thanks,” Claire said instead. “I think Tommy’s a good kid. You should be proud.”

Downstairs in the fellowship hall, Bonnie was insisting that Maggie join the rest of her family in forming a reception line. Maggie put her hands on her hips and her eyebrows went way up as she squared off against her mother.

“It’s my wedding,” Maggie was saying.

“And I’m your mother,” Bonnie said. “It’s the least you could do considering all you’ve put me through.”

Scott was standing back, looking uncomfortable. Claire rushed to stand between the two women as people started to notice the fuss they were making.

“Look at the beautiful cake,” Claire said loudly. “Maggie’s mother made it.”

Maggie’s face softened as she looked at the cake, and Bonnie beamed as she looked at the expression on her daughter’s face.

“Mom, it’s beautiful,”
Maggie said. “Look at all the lilies of the valley. That must have taken you hours upon hours.”

“I was up all night,” Bonnie said. “Of course, Melissa helped, too, but I did the decorating.”

Maggie’s eyes welled up and she looked at her mother with great tenderness.

“Thank you,” she said. “I know I’ve been an aggravation to you all these years.”

“Nonsense,” Bonnie said. “You’re my only daughter, and I wanted it to be perfect.”

“It is perfect,” Maggie said.

The two women hugged, and then dabbed at their eyes and laughed at themselves. Scott winked at Claire and gave her a thumbs-up. The crises momentarily diverted, Claire quickly separated the two women before they could find something new to argue about.

“I really need you to take charge in the kitchen,” she told Bonnie. “It’s chaos in there.”

“Don’t you worry,” Bonnie said. “I’ll soon get that lot sorted out.”

Bonnie headed toward the kitchen, where the unwitting ladies who had volunteered to help serve were no doubt doing a wonderful job, not knowing they were about to be mustered by the she-devil mother of the bride.

Claire escorted Maggie and Scott to the cake table, and then directed people to get in two lines to receive plates of cake, cups of punch, or glasses of wine. She watched Ed retrieve his camera and start snapping photos.

Claire called to the ladies in the kitchen to come and watch, and then said, loudly, “Time to cut the cake.”

“If you smash that cake in my face, I’ll turn the whole thing over on your head,” Maggie told Scott.

“I wouldn’t want to start out married life that w
ay,” Scott said.

Maggie and Scott cut the cake, and even though he pretended he might not, Scott kept his word about not smashing cake in Maggie’s face. That crisis averted, Claire bustled about, making sure everyone had something to eat and drink, and guiding people to tables decorated with white table cloths and Erma’s beautiful flower arrangements.

Maggie’s brother Patrick had commandeered the reception hall sound system, and started playing the compilation of music he and Hannah had created. The first song was, of course, “Let’s Stay Together,” to which Maggie and Scott danced. When Scott twirled her around and pretended to dip her, they both stumbled and laughed.

Scott gave her a quick kiss and hug before they resumed dancing. Maggie had a genuine, wide smile on her face, and looked the happiest Claire had seen her in a long time. Because Maggie so rarely showed her softer feelings, on this day, witnessing her doing so with her mother and Scott had made those moments especially touching.

Sister Mary Margrethe approached Claire with a look of consternation on her face.

“I was not given a play list beforehand,” she said. “How can I know if the music that will be played is suitable for the occasion? This is a house of worship, after all.”

Father Stephen overheard her complaint and intervened.

“I’m sure whatever music was chosen was done so
as to increase the joy in the celebration,” he said. “Let’s have faith in the good judgment of our friends.”

Sister M-squared did not look happy, but she allowed Father Stephen to redirect her attention to some horseplay going on at the children’s table. Instantly she
adjusted her sails and bore down on the unsuspecting miscreants.

Father Stephen winked at Claire, and said, “Good job,” before he walked away.

Hannah grabbed Claire around the waist and almost knocked her over.

“Hey, chickie mama,” Hannah said. “We did it! They’re hitched!”

“About the music,” Claire said. “I hope you aren’t going to play anything that will offend anybody.”

“Don’t worry,” Hannah said. “Patrick’s more afraid of Sister M-Squared than he is of his own mother.”

“That’s probably a good thing.”

“Patrick and I used everybody’s favorite songs,” Hannah said. “
But we didn’t know what yours were and I forgot to ask.”

Claire was taken aback by Hannah’s remark, and then wondered why it hurt. Of course they didn’t know what kind of music she liked. She thought of all of them as her best friends, when really they didn’t know her all that well. They had bonded as adults while she was away.

Claire stood at the sidelines, watching Maggie and Scott dance. She envied Maggie in a way she never had before. Maggie and Scott knew each other so well, and even though they were very different in temperament, they obviously adored each other, although Maggie had certainly kept it hidden from the public up until this day.

The next song was Van Morrison singing “Brown-eyed Girl.”

“That’s my song,” Hannah told Claire.

Hannah pulled her father to his feet and they began to dance. Uncle Curtis had already imbibed a glass or two of wine, and it was clear to everyone watching from whom Hannah had inherited her silly sense of humor, as the two of them gigg
led and danced a sort of jitterbug. Claire envied Hannah.

Sam was watching with amusement from the family table, where he seemed to be patiently listening to Hannah’s mother recount what was no doubt a long litany of ailments. Patrick was dancing with Melissa, Bonnie was bossing the church ladies in the kitchen, Delia was serving guests at the cake table, and Maggie’s father’s wheelchair was placed next to Claire’s father’s chair. Her father was fidgety in his chair, and was looking around anxiously, probably for Claire’s mother.

Claire wished she had her sane father back, the one who would have been delighted to dance with her. She missed him terribly today. If she ever did get married again, this man wouldn’t be able to celebrate with her, walk her down the aisle, or dance with her at the reception. Claire realized she was feeling mightily sorry for herself and scolded herself. Her father couldn’t help what he had become.

Claire went over and put an arm around him, intent on soothing him, or maybe herself, but he looked at her with fury, pushed away her arm, and said, “What do you want?”

Claire’s face stung from her father’s harsh words, as painful as a slap. She looked around to see if anyone else had heard, but no one seemed to have. The music was pretty loud. Why did her father’s dementia cause him to hate her so much? All she wanted to do was make him feel better, to feel loved and safe. The father she remembered would never have spoken to her like that, like she was his enemy.

“Claire,” Uncle Fitz said, “Would you put some wine in a coffee cup for me? And don’t let your Aunt Bonnie see, now there’s a good girl.”

Claire was saved by Sean swooping in and saying, “Go have fun. I’ve got this.”

Hannah’s mother Alice stopped Claire as she attempted to make her escape.

“I was surprised Maggie didn’t ask you to sing at the wedding,” she said, with that sly look that meant she was feeling well enough to try to stir up some trouble. “I hope your feelings weren’t hurt.”