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. "Nobody, 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 assume 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 shelled out over thirty thousand
-~dollars for her wedding last year. Actually, it was her parents
who did the shelling. 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