Looking For You All My Life Part 144

time being. We don't want Greg and Rick getting wind of

any of this yet."

"My lips are sealed."

-i

udrey brought over a plate of cookies to share at the

wedding planning meeting the next morning. Soon

all the women were settled around Maggie's dining

room table with Chloe as moderator, Rosa as the note-taking

secretary, and Maggie as hostess.

"My mother thinks I've totally lost my marbles," said

Chloe, then she dramatically imitated what must have been

her mother's intonation. "n.o.body, and I mean absolutely

no body, throws a wedding like this at -the very last moment.

Just think what people will say! Surely they'll a.s.sume that

you're pregnant, Chloe, or just terribly desperate, or that

you've simply lost your mind altogether." The women all

laughed and Chloe bowed theatrically.

"Well, I have to admit I was a little surprised too," said

Maggie as she refilled the plate of cookies on the table. "But

I do think it's a charming idea to have a small, intimate wed-

ding, and I'm happy to be a conspirator in the whole thing.

Do you think your parents are going to come?"

"Mom keeps telling me to forget it, but I know my dad

will give in and come-even if it's at the last minute. And my

brother told me 'off the record' that he and his girlfriend will -[

be here with bells on." She produced a piece of paper. "This

225.

226Melody Carlson

is our guest list. Right now there are about a hundred names

on it, but we figure only about half or less will show because

of the holiday. We figure fifty people shouldn't be too many

for your house, Maggie. I already called a motel in Byron to

reserve rooms for the overnighters, although I don't expect

there'll be all that many from out of town."

"And it's all worked out that Michael will officiate the

ceremony," said Rosa. "He told me that he even has a suit."

"I've offered to handle all the flowers," said Abigail hap-

pily. "Chloe gave me some magazine pictures of the sort of

things she likes. And Clara is going to loan me some of her

antique vases and help with the arranging."

-"Sierra and I will do most of the food," said Rosa, nod-

ding to Audrey. "And Audrey has offered to coordinate

everything."

--"I wonder if this is how they did weddings back in the old

days," said Chloe dreamily. "With family and friends all

-pitching in, and not all the craziness and expense-I can't

believe that my friend Susan sh.e.l.led out over thirty thousand

-~dollars for her wedding last year. Actually, it was her parents

who did the sh.e.l.ling. I think my parents should thank me."

Maggie nodded. "I know what you mean, I remember a

coworker down in L.A. who became so stressed Out over her