elaborate wedding plans that she and her fiance' had a huge
-fight and ended up ~alling the whole thing off just three days
before the wedding. She returned gifts for weeks.''
--"Yes," said Abigail. "My great-niece was so nervous that
she broke out in hives the night before her wedding. She had
to layer on so much makeup just to cover them up that I was
afraid her face was going to crack when she smiled."
"But weddings are supposed to be a happy occasion for
everyone," said Rosa, "including the bride and groom. I
really do like the idea of a simple celebration. After all, it's
4.
not so much about the wedding but the marriage."
"You're exactly right," said Audrey. "I don't know how
--many times I've had to counsel unhappy newlyweds who
had spent months, sometimes years, pulling off some huge, Looking for You All My Life227
fantasy wedding but had invested literally nothing into
preparing for their actual marriage."
They planned and chatted happily for a couple of hours.
Scott's brother, Max, was to be best man, and Chloe had
asked Sierra to be her maid of honor. The banister of the
staircase would be wrapped in evergreen garlands, white
lights, and white satin ribbons. All the flowers would be
varying shades of white, and only white candles would be
used for light. The whole thing sounded very lovely and
romantic. Just the sort of wedding Maggie might have,
maybe someday... When the women were finally satisfied
that everything from mints to napkins had been covered,
they cheerfully parted ways.
Outside on the porch, after the others had left, Rosa
pulled Maggie aside. "Don't tell Scott or Chloe this, but Sam
has arranged for a horse and carriage-or sleigh, if we have
snow-to be used to take the couple away. Then he'll have
their car parked a mile or so down the road. Do you mind if
we use your barn?"
"Not at all. What a wonderful idea!"
"Oh, and I almost forgot," said Rosa. "Would you and
Spencer and Audrey want to join us after church tomorrow?
We're going to cut our Christmas tree-it's sort of a tradi-
tion. We traipse around in the woods for about an hour and
then drink lots of hot cocoa."
"I know I'd love to tag along," said Maggie. "I'm sure
Spencer and Mom would enjoy it too.
She waved from the porch as Rosa's car pulled away, and
then looked over toward the mountains. A heavy bank of
white clouds hung right over their tops. Perhaps not the kind
that bring snow, but it was enough to give her hope as she
quietly breathed another prayer for the weather to change.
Only yesterday she'd received several more angry letters
from agitated businessowners who felt like she was putting