I hadn't slept much the night before the wedding. I was incredibly nervous and I could admit that I was too excited to finally marry my wild woman.
I yawned and stretched as I walked down the hall of my family's home. It was my final night of staying there. I slept in late. It was my last chance of sleeping like that for quite some time since I would be taking over the farm immediately after the wedding.
My mother was still there to my surprise. I thought she would have left to help Charlotte early that morning.
"Shouldn't you be helping Charlotte?" I asked her, unsure of what women really did on a wedding day but I knew my mother had been offering Charlotte to help her all week.
She shook her head and placed an early lunch on the table for six people. It was odd, but it wasn't as soon as I heard the front door open only seconds after my father sat at the table with me, I knew who was joining us.
Alster and his two eldest sons as well as my good friend Jeremy came in and sat with us and had early lunch while my mother began to clean up from lunch.
They all were excited that someone would be tying down Charlotte. Bob and Will made it clear that they had never thought she would get married.
It only made me worry more about the wedding.
"Is someone helping Charlotte? Mildred and Margaret?" I asked nervously, hoping someone would at least just make sure she would get to the chapel.
My mother shook her head though and smiled small as she rested against the counter with a dish rag on her hip. "Margaret and Mildred are getting the children ready and making sure that the church is perfect. I shooed Diana and Phillip off there this morning."
My stomach churned. "How is she getting to the chapel then?" I asked as the men around the table chuckled at me.
"I am heading out just after noon to fetch her. Don't you worry. She rested her foot all night last night and was fine to walk this morning. Must have just pinched something yesterday."
I was relieved.
"Is she really alright by herself?" They all thought it was funny of me to be so worried over her.
My mom nodded and smiled. "She asked to have a quiet morning all to herself. She is just fine without you worrying."
I felt refreshed to have finished the surprise I had been spinning for my Tommy. I had a lovely bath, had breakfast and even read a little bit before I began to do my hair for the wedding.
I took my time doing my braid, placing wildflowers within the loops just as Thomas liked it.
I felt nervous for what was to come. I was nervous that I might feel my ankle becoming sore in the middle of the wedding or possibly I would embarrass myself in some other way. I was nervous that Thomas could very well hate my dress or the wedding all together.
I was nervous he would truly realize how unruly I was on the morning of our wedding and flee.
But I promised him I would meet him at the altar. I would follow through on my promise, hoping he would do the same.
I had been so excited yet nervous about the wedding that I felt jittery. I felt shaken. I just wanted the day to go without a hitch.
I dressed in my suit, my mother fiddling with my tie and even my boutonnière. I kept wondering what Charlotte would look like. I wondered if she would cry tears of joy. I wondered if her dress was the one she had told me her mother had made for her.
