The Runaways

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

"Oh Edie you look so beautiful," Penny told her sister the next morning as she dressed for the wedding with Alice, Penny and Mirabelle's help.

"I'm glad I took Mother's jewelry out of the safe before we left," Edie said as she admired her mother's choker, a triple strand of pearls with her wedding dress. She had given the single strand to Penny to wear. "Do you have Luke's ring?"

"Yes for the third time I have it right here," Penny said showing the ring to Edie that she had placed on her thumb. "I just wish Father was here to walk you down the aisle and Mother too."

"I do too I really miss his not being here," Edie replied afraid she would cry thinking once again how much she missed him and wished he had lived to see this day along with their mother.

"He's watching over both of you just as my father has been watching over me," Mirabelle told them. "I believe we were all led here to Providence for a reason."

"Yes I agree," Edie replied. "I think he's happy that I'm marrying Luke. He really liked him when he and Jim came for their visit years ago."

How attracted I was to him then, she thought. Now I'm marrying him after all these years.

At the sound of a knock on her door Alice went to see who it was and in walked Jim's wife Julie followed by the other men's wives.

"We wanted you to know Edie how much we welcome you into our lives," Julie told her. "We come with a few gifts, the something old, the something new, something barrowed and the something blue. The something old and barrowed is my Mother's lace handkerchief Edwina use it too when she married Steve, the something blue is blue garters that Luke should enjoy taking off and the something new is a pin we selected for you from our local jeweler which is our gift to you."

Julie opened the blue velvet box to reveal a beautiful emerald and pearl pin.

"Oh...oh it's just beautiful," Edie said as she took the box from Julie. "All of you have been so kind and welcoming to not only me but to Penny and Mirabelle. I am very proud to be joining such a wonderful group of women."

"Oh don't cry," Blythe told her. "You cannot have red eyes for your wedding."

"Here let me pin it on you," Julie told her.

"It looks beautiful with your dress," Sam said after Julie pinned it on.

"Jim said he would be up in about ten minutes," Alyssa told her. "Everyone is already seated except us."

"Jackie will let me know when it's time to start playing the wedding march," Julie told her. "She was very excited you selected her to be your flower girl."

Edie laughed as she remembered the young girl coming to her mentioning that the one person Edie did not have in her wedding procession was a flower girl so Edie told Jackie she could have that honor.

"We better leave you know how impatient men can be at times like these," Alyssa told the others.

* * *

"You look beautiful Edie. I know we both wish it was Matthew who could be here to walk you down the aisle but I am honored that you choose me to take his place," Jim told her.

"Mirabelle said that she thought Father was watching over Penny and I and I believe she is right. Somehow he led Penny and me here for you and the others to protect not only Penny but me as well. I could never find a better person to take my Father's place then you on this special day."