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  “Thank you Bonnie.”

  Moments later, the chime sounded again, the wall opened and Steph scurried in.

  “Hi. Sorry I’m late.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “I have the paperwork here. If Officer Branden is within the distance stated, call 911. There’s identical paperwork for each of your immediate family members, Morgan, AJ and Jessie. There is also a document for Jordan’s school, for Rory’s superiors if he wants it and for Rory’s wife and their daycare.”

  AJ started to ask a question; I gave him a look not to say a word.

  “Is there anything else I can do for you Cara?”

  “Is Jerkface in jail or not?”

  “At this time, we do not have enough evidence to charge him with a crime.”

  “We?”

  “Figure of speech.”

  “It wasn’t a crime to break into my apartment?”

  “Did you report him to the police?”

  “No. It wasn’t a crime when the chief of police showed up when he was waving a gun around in my parking lot?”

  “Cara, I appreciate your frustration, but I can’t give you all the answers that you’re looking for. I can tell you that we have put measures in place to assure the safety of you and your family. As soon as possible, I will answer every question you ask me. On an aside, the questions you asked last night were very helpful. If you happen to have any more, please give me a call.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  I looked at AJ, he stood, and we left without shaking hands or anything. Maybe not the classiest move I’ve ever made, but I don’t trust this woman, or this situation, as far as I could throw an elephant in a small room. Suffice it to say that Carmine didn’t bother to walk us back to the studio.

  As we were walking I snapped at AJ, “I know it’s stupid and immature, but I don’t trust that woman, and I don’t even want to talk out loud anywhere that she has been. I feel like every place she has been has been invaded, and probably bugged. Teagan and I were really kind of careful not to bring the whole family into this thing, and she has paperwork for everybody, and knows them well enough to list off their names? Why does she know so much about my family? There’s something going on and it’s a whole lot bigger than we know about and I don’t want anybody talking about my family any more.”

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “I know, I’m just explaining why I’m cranky. I thought I was supposed to do that so you didn’t take it personally.”

  “Good to know.”

  “I’m going to drop this paperwork off at my mom’s house, everybody can pick up their own copy from there. I’m gonna call Morgan and tell her we might be smart to pay for more security at the wedding, maybe armed guards instead of bar bouncers, and since it’s pretty much my fault, and they are on a fixed budget, I’m going to pay for it.”

  AJ was smart enough not to say a word.

  “I have to go check on Adeline.”

  I stomped into the studio. Jovana’s cheerful voice sang out from the office upstairs. “What have you two been up to? I was beginning to worry.”

  AJ ran across the street to the diner to get something for us to eat, while I filled Jovana in on the details of my totally screwed-up life. I made it all the way to the fact that I’ve had almost nothing to do with helping to plan and prepare for my own brother’s wedding, before I broke into monster tears.

  “Well, Lovely, we can take care of that. I volunteered you to help me make some centerpieces and the little gift boxes for the door prizes or whatever they call them now. I got it all set up in the studio.”

  We walked into the cavernous area, tables set up right down the center, with everything set up in assembly line fashion.

  “Your sisters and momma will be here shortly. Morgan went to pick Jordan up at school. They have some teacher thing and they have the afternoon off. Why don’t we tuck into whatever it is that handsome man of yours is fetchin' for us for lunch, then we’ll be all set. Oh, and I already checked on Adeline for the day. When we get all this done, I got about a dozen other little projects for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “And Darlin’ your momma and me, we got a bit of a surprise for Morgan. Do you want to know about it now, or do you want to be just as surprised as the rest of the family.”

  “I hate surprises, but I don’t want to know before everyone else, so I guess I’ll be surprised.”

  Jovana chuckled. “Darlin’ you are in worse shape than I thought. I know this has been scary and frustratin’ and unfair, but when you take a step back and look at the big picture, Cara, you have nothing to complain about. Everybody is healthy and happy and there is going to be a beautiful wedding in just a couple of days. You got a man that loves you, a family that supports you, and honey, whatever this is that is driving you crazy, don’t give it the power to mess up this time in your life.”

  “Yes ma’am. You sound just like my mom. Thanks.”

  I gave Jovana a big hug just as AJ walked in the door. He had two trays stacked in one hand and carried a tray in the other.

  “I promised I’d bring the trays back. Jenny said if I didn’t have them back in an hour, she’d come get them herself.”

  I tried not to sound clingy or like one of those girlfriends, “Really? Just which one is Jenny?”

  “Darlin’ Jenny is the one that drools every time that boy walks in the door over there. I’m sure she’d be more than happy to give him a double servin’ of anything he asks for.”

  AJ blushed.

  I smiled my very best smile, “Not to worry, I’ll be bringing the trays back in less than an hour. Guaranteed!”

  Jovana laughed.

  AJ blushed.

  We sat at the desks in the office, since every table space in the studio was covered with something to do with the wedding.

  It was so great to see everybody, they all showed up at pretty much the same time. Sinead, the youngest of my sisters, did something different to her hair this last trip to the salon. She looked all grownup and sophisticated, and I’m not sure I really like that, but she sure looks happy.

  My older sister showed up in scrubs, she seems to wear them at work and at home. My germaphobe side is happy to know that she doesn’t wear the germs around; she changes before and after work.

  We were all getting settled in, Mom about to tell us just which project each of us would be a part of, when Morgan showed up. She looked happy. Really happy. Jordan was more than a little excited to be included in the crafts, even if he was the only boy in attendance. AJ had taken off as soon as the girls started to arrive.

  Jordan had just started to ask about the twinkle lights and the clear glass stones, when Liam showed up. “Buddy, I know you’re excited about helping your mom, but I stopped by to see if you want to come with me. The guys are throwing me a bachelor party, and I know you are your mom’s best man and everything, but I thought maybe you would want to ride shotgun and come party with the guys.”

  “You mean it, Pa?”

  “I do!”

  “Can I Mom?”

  “I guess so. I’m not sure that a child your age has ever been to a bachelor party before.” She gave Liam a look.

  “We’re going bowling, and then to the arcade. Thought maybe after we dropped off the best man here, we would go shoot some pool.”

  Morgan smiled.

  “Ready Sport?”

  “Yeah!”

  They were out the door before Morgan could change her mind.

  Jovana laughed, “Well, isn’t that the cutest thing, the men are giving Jordan his own little bachelor party to be a part of, I just think that is the nicest thing I have ever heard of.”

  Morgan beamed. She was touched, and proud, of both her guys.

  A voice drifted in from the lobby area, “I think you just might be right.” A lovely woman, little younger than my mom, smiled. “Is it okay if I join you?”

  Morgan stood staring, “Mom? What are you doing here?�
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  “I’ve come to help with the centerpieces, if that is okay.”

  “Of course it is. I’m thrilled. I’m surprised, but I’m thrilled. Does Daddy know you’re here?”

  “Daddy will join Jordan, Liam and the other guys at the bachelor party.”

  There wasn’t a dry eye in the place.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Morgan, your mother-in-law is a very persistent woman. She called me several times, just wouldn’t let me avoid her. We met a few days ago. She said she simply wanted to tell me a story, and that if I didn’t want to see her again, she would never again darken my door.” She smiled at my mom.

  “Your mother-in-law told me of a very difficult time in her life. When her oldest daughter was quite ill. They were unsure if she would live. There was a very real possibility that she would never have the opportunity to see her to adulthood. To be blessed with a grandchild from her first born daughter. To watch her walk down the aisle.”

  Teagan interjected, “We still aren’t sure that’s ever going to happen.”

  Troya smacked her. Everyone laughed. Humor is often most important, when it is least expected.

  Morgan’s mom continued, “You are my daughter. I love you more than you know. I’m so sorry that I allowed some stranger to steal so much time away. Jordan is the best thing that has ever happened to this family, and I was so lost in the hurt of what that animal did to you, I didn’t allow myself the joy that God gave us. Please, please forgive me.”

  Oh, yeah, we lost it.

  We were boo-hooin’ all over the decorations. Jovana knew about the family reunion so she had Kleenex available, bless her ever-loving heart.

  “Mom, you’re here now, that’s what matters.”

  “With your permission, we’d like to be at the wedding as well. Your father and I, and a few family members, would that be all right Morgan?”

  I would have bet money that even if she went all the way to the ugly cry, Morgan would still be an attractive woman. I would have lost. Lost it all. That girl does not do the ugly cry well.

  After mother and daughter were done with the hugs and the tears and both gave Mom hugs and all the credit in the world, we got busy with the centerpieces.

  Morgan was concerned that they were a little too busy.

  “Darlin’ they are your centerpieces, and we will do them any way that you want, but let me just tell you something. When you take that centerpiece, and you put it on the tablecloth that you picked out, in the middle of the table, with those high backed chairs, and the dishes you picked out, just close your eyes and think about what that will look like. And you need to remember that the lighting will be very different than it is here. We got the track lighting. We got the big candle things. We got those table lights for the food. If we don’t do the centerpiece with some light, people just won’t be able to see each other once the sun travels across the sky.”

  “You’re right. Thanks.”

  “I been doin’ this for a while now. Darlin’ now that your momma is gonna be with us for the wedding, do you want to get together a little earlier for pictures. There will be more to take, cause your family will be there. Your daddy is gonna want to have some pictures with you too.”

  “Mom, do you think that Daddy would want to walk me down the aisle? I think we could get him a tux in time, but even if we can’t, I don’t care if he’s in shorts and flip flops.”

  “He would love to do that Morgan.”

  “Should we call him?”

  “He’s at the bachelor party with your young man and his family and friends. They were gracious enough to include him. Morgan, we know our daughter, we knew that you would want Daddy to walk you down the aisle. He already has his tux all ready, Baby Girl.”

  Okay, Kleenex all around again.

  It got worse.

  “Morgan, I need to say something to you, right here, in front of your new family.” She took a deep breath, teared up and said, “It was never about you. You have always been the perfect daughter for us. You did nothing wrong. I don’t want to go over everything that happened, but you have the right to know. Your father and I disagreed about your taking those extra classes and working at that library. I didn’t want it. I thought you should enjoy your youth. Your father was so proud of your accomplishments, he didn’t listen to me.”

  “But Mom, I loved everything about doing what I was doing.”

  “I understand that, I understood it at the time, but I was afraid for you.”

  “No one could have known what was going to happen.”

  “I thought something bad would happen. I thought it would be that you would meet some college boy and lose focus, or burn out, it never crossed my mind that you would go through what you went through. I told your father. He promised me he would make sure nothing bad happened.”

  “Oh, Mom, he couldn’t protect me from life.”

  “You were only a child Morgan. I might have been wrong, but I didn’t know it at the time. Then what happened happened, and your father was sitting in a parking lot, he could have heard you if the window was down, and there he sat.”

  “Momma, it wasn’t Daddy’s fault. There was no way for him to know.”

  “I see that now. But from the moment we knew what happened, through to just this week, the overpowering knowledge that we didn’t protect you, ate us both alive. We didn’t protect you on the campus that night. We didn’t protect you when the hospital gave you medication, just in case. We love Jordan, but your life was made more difficult for having him in it.”

  Morgan tensed. “Momma, I don’t want to start a fight, but Jordan is the best thing that ever happened to me, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

  “I understand that now.”

  “No, I don’t think you do. Let me ask you this Momma, if you were given the choice, that night, when I was attacked, would you prefer that the attacker killed me outright?”

  “No, of course not, Baby.”

  “The same holds true for my feelings for Jordan, Momma. He survived, even with all those medications I took; he survived and was born whole and healthy. He survived for a reason. Without him, I can’t think about life without him.”

  “I didn’t mean to disturb you Morgan. I was just trying to explain how your father and I felt at the time. We just don’t want to see you hurt, and this wedding, your choice of husbands, was another thing we thought we could not protect you from. The world is a cruel place, even today.”

  Before Morgan could say anything, her mom continued, “But your father and I were wrong. We were wrong not to trust you to heal. We were wrong not to trust ourselves to help you through it. We were wrong not to rejoice in the birth of our first grandchild, who is perfect in every way. We were wrong not to support this wonderful man who adores you, and his family that welcomes you, and us, with open arms, and loves you as their own. I am sorry Morgan. I hope you can forgive me. Us.”

  Morgan melted.

  My mom wiped her tears, and gave Troya a wink.

  Next Jovana brought out about a dozen plastic bins. “The last time these were used, the client just shoved them in the bins. I don’t know how long it is gonna take to sort them out. We may still be untangling them during the wedding. Who’s gonna volunteer to help me with this, Cara?”

  “I guess I am.”

  When I lifted off the lid, I groaned.

  The good news is, they looked like they were tied in knots but they were really pretty well stored and it took very little time to lay them out. The bad news is Jovana reappeared with some silver ribbon looking stuff, and zip ties, and my sister and I spent the next couple of hours crawling around on the floor, counting twinkle lights, following a pattern that Jovana supplied, zip-tying and tying ribbons on the lights and zip-tying lights to each other. I have no idea what she is gonna do with it all, but I’m pretty sure we got the pattern down right.

  The centerpieces were to be put together in stages. All the bits would be placed together when the table
was set. We couldn’t wait. Jovana and Morgan put one of them together for all of us to see.

  At the center of each piece was a tall, clear, glass vase. Inside the vase was a string of battery operated micro twinkle lights and clear glass stones. Morgan explained that the stones were in there to give the whole thing some weight, and the stones increased the shimmer and made the twinkle lights less twinkle-lighty.

  The vase with the lights and stones was placed inside a hurricane lamp shade that was glued to a mirror base. Morgan and Jovana had painted or maybe they did a chemical etching of traditional Celtic designs around the lampshades. Between the long tall vase, and the hurricane lamp shade, fine sand would be poured in different colors, about an inch high. The place cards would each be framed in the color to match the sand, making it easy to find your table.