V.C. Andrews - Hudson 03 by Eye of the Storm

Author:Eye of the Storm
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2012-01-17T01:00:13+00:00

Epilogue

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My wedding was a great success, in a large part due to Austin's mother's enthusiasm. She was, as he described, a real Southern lady who in many ways reminded me of Grandmother Hudson. Her name was Belva Ann Clarke and her attention to detail was impressive. She had an arch of white and pink roses created for us in the church and one of Austin's little nieces was the most adorable flower girl. Belva Ann took care of the printing of the cards and arranged for the ushers at the church.

My mother helped me choose my wedding

dress and then decided she wanted to work with the caterers to do the reception. There was such a storm of excitement around me because of the speed with which everything had to be done that I found myself spinning with new information and decisions every day.

Mother and Belva Ann got along famously.

They both possessed a reverence for those small details that made an occasion like this extra special.

They marched up and down the hallways together, thinking of things to do to dress up the house for the reception. On and on it went, a discussion about forks and spoons, napkins, colors, ribbons and even festive balloons to be hung on the trees and bushes. Austin and I soon felt like outsiders, observing someone else's marriage. When they were gone for the day, he performed imitations of both of them.

"Now let's see, should we use the hand-painted imported porcelain dishes or the everyday china, and what about the champagne Glasses? Isn't it uncouth to use those plastic things, even though more and more people today are doing so for receptions like this? Do you favor bright red napkins? I just hate paper napkins. We need at least cotton ones, don't you agree?"

Sometimes, he was so accurate, he had me bent over with laughter.

"Now you see why we should have eloped." I teased Austin.

"But they're having so much fun," he said. "Of course, we could let them do it all and then not show up. We'll get on a cruise or something and leave a note behind."

"And be responsible for a two suicides? No thank you." I said.

The only sour note in all this was my half sister Alison. My mother finally had told her all there was to tell about me. and Alison had a predictable reaction.

She went from denial to anger and then to indifference and rebellion. My mother told me she didn't think Alison would attend the wedding.

"We've been having a lot of problems with her even before all this." my mother said. "I don't want to get into depressing things at this time, but she's being quite a handful, hanging around with the wrong people, drinking— even, we fear, doing drugs. Grant's very concerned and is trying to do everything possible, including private counseling."

"I'm sorry," I said. "Maybe some day we can be friends," I added, but that was about as realistic in my mind as walking again.

My mother nodded without any confidence in her eyes and we stopped talking about her.

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