White Lies and Sweet Compromise( 𝐁𝐖𝐖𝐌💕)

Chapter 13

Wendy admired the scenery before her, it boasted an atmosphere of love and tranquillity.

The garden with its makeshift curved archway of daisies and baby breaths has a raised platform that had small white clay jars placed about it with calligraphic words of love written on them.

From the raised platform bordered with white sheer and silk materials interlaced with gold beads about its rim, Georgia and Adam would exchange their vows.

She felt her heart flutter with a feeling close to melancholy and she tried not to let her past or the present situation pull her into despair. She did not envy Georgia for her happy moment. She was truly happy for her but her heart longed to have a special moment like this with a special someone. She glanced down at the ring on her finger and a wave of guilt rushed over her.

What was she getting herself into? This was not the solution to dealing with her mother's desire to see her happy. She knew that Cynthia had feared that she was going to die and not see her happy and contented, and more so that she was out of the bitter depths of cancer's grip she was hell-bent on seeing that her desire was fulfilled.

If it had been left up to her mother this would have been her a long time ago. She smiled as she thought of the potential suitors that her mother placed with great effort into her life every time she came up to visit. She had ensured they were at hand ready to fit in. They had ranged from her Doctors to her schoolmate's grandsons, the new preschool teacher and a few family friends' relatives. She had even set her up with her lesbian nutritionist.

The things that Cynthia had done were at times aggravating but she knew it was done out of her wanting to see her happy, but if only happiness was that simple. Her mother's love could have been the balm to her loneliness if she had not oftentimes which to have a companion to love. She needed someone to share her life with but not just anyone.

"So what do you think?" Georgia asked with excitement pulling her from her thoughts.

"Well I was sure Mother's garden could not look more splendid but you did me wrong. I love the way you border the aisle with those miniature columns."

"Tomorrow white wrought iron chairs with padded champagne damask-covered seats will be placed in rows by each column," she informed smiling delightfully.

"It surely will look like a fairytale wedding and you'll surely be the beautiful princess," Wendy said hugging her as they continue to take in the scenery about them.

"Well you'll be a princess too and by the look of that ring Prince Charming loves you a lot," Georgia said with a broad smile.

"How did this end up to me now huh?" she asked trying not to focus on how her heart fluttered at the sound of her cousin talking about Deacon's love for her.

Georgia grinned and said with a wave of her hand "It's going to always be about you because we love you, hun"

"Just ensure you throw that bouquet to someone else and make it less about me," she warned and tried to make the statement playful with a little laugh but it came out forced to even to her own ears.

They were making it back to the house and Georgia stopped to look intently at her. She braced herself for what was to come as the thought of her cousin realizing she was faking her engagement left her feeling low.

"Listen I know over the years you have been pressured by one thing after the other," she said her eyes soft and caring. "I watch you rise and blossom through them all. I see you challenge the thought of losing Aunty Thea to cancer with determination and strength when I know deep down you were scared of all the dreaded possibilities. It's time to live up some more and don't let anything are anyone stops you."

She hugged her and Wendy hugged her back wishing she could reveal the truth but now was not the time. If she told Georgia the truth she would tell Adam and there is no telling if she could bear him knowing she was so desperate to shy away from her mother's matchmaking she would fake a relationship. She did not want them to see her as a coward.

"Thanks, babe," she smiled pulling away. "Now let's go in am rather hungry and I know Mary has something going on in that kitchen."

Georgia did not move and she paused to look at her. She figured there was something her cousin was going to say that was no doubt going to make the situation--she was not truly aware of--worse.

"What is it?"

"We're having dinner at the Brompton," she revealed in a rush.

She knew it! However, worse was an understatement. The Brompton was her ex-husband's family-owned and operated restaurant. It was one of the to-go places in Duncan Cove when you have something to celebrate.

"Wen I ---"

"Hey, don't worry about it. This is your big shindig girl I won't spoil it," she told Georgia who looked at her worried. "And besides I am going to love seeing Sonia's face when I step in with Deacon."

"To think that old crow thinks you were no good for her son," Georgia said with an angry scowl as they continue to the house.

The past was the past right? Years have numbed the pain and the bitter resentment have diminished somewhat. There was no use visiting the old wounds of the past. Her only problem now was making sure she proved to everyone she was in love with Deacon and that they had the best relationship going on.

"Water under the bridge love, water under the bridge."

Her life was her own, she knew that from losing what she had thought back then to be a part of her. Brandon had made his choice and in the end, it had benefitted her. She had left the confines of Duncan Cove and made a life for herself and still see to it that her orchard and vineyard ran to the best of her abilities and kept the Preston heritage strong.

Life in Duncan Cove was never easy and she never expected it to get that way because she wanted it to. Some things remain constant and traditions that were driven into generations that if broken you were the outcast still reigned supreme.

As they walk into the familiar confines of the Preston opulent Manor she felt the weight came more upon her shoulders. Often she had wished her parents had been lucky enough to have more children and took the pressure off her.

All her life she had known she was the lady of the Manor. The one who would continue the traditions and make the legacy strong before she bestowed it upon her heir, but look at her now as a liar and a great pretender. The very things that she had accused her ex-husband of.

"We leave at seven," Georgia told her ."Adam's Family should arrive by six or there about."

"I sure hope Uncle Fester and Wednesday pack their bombs would sure like to hand a few to Eliza," Wendy said as she slipped into the kitchen deliberately avoiding going up to the room she would be sharing with Deacon.

Georgia who got her reference laughed as she made for the stairs and then called to her retreating cousin, "I am going to go upstairs and pull a Gomez and Morticia before the rest of Adam's Family gets here."

Wendy chuckled and thought just how much she missed being home. Despite it all this place and the people here were her lifelines, the family she would never trade for anything, but with this farce, she created with Deacon what might become of her and them?

𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷

Hey, sup? Nice to still see you're here 😊

Wendy is beginning to see that her little charade is not going to be a quick act. This weekend is going to be more than just turning up flaunting a ring and a man.

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