Dolly (Part three-Max Mitchell series)

THIRTY ONE

"Max--wake--up--its--your--wedding--day!!"

I awoke to find my sister jumping on the bed, jostling me out of sleep. I grabbed her legs, quicker than she expected and she came toppling down in a giddy pile of laughter.

"I can't believe you're getting married." She marveled, as she flopped her head down on the pillow next to me.
"I can't either, Tab. I seriously can't believe how lucky I am." My first waking moment of the day, filled with a flood of contentment and happiness.

"It's six o'clock Max, time to get up and get moving."
"Tab, the wedding isn't until six tonight."
"You need lots of time, six pm will come before you know it hit you."
"Fine. Where is Tom?"
"He's about to be off with Dad and Ben. They're having breakfast and then they're going to see Grandpa's barber."
"Grandpa! Tab, we haven't gone to see Grandma and Grandpa yet! We have to go today.....right now."
"Sheesh, good thing I got you up early."

***

Tiny droplets of morning dew splashed my feet as my sister and I ambled up the side of the hill where our Grandparents were buried. The day they of the funeral was cold, damp and dreary and it was the last day I'd been to the Rose Hill cemetery. The day my sister and I returned there was bright, sunny and warm with the Summer air. We sat together leaned against the massive trunk of a Norway maple, plush with its burgundy leaves.
"Do you think they know we're here?" Tab asked.
"I'm sure they do. They have to."

I stood up and crossed the small patch of grass, and sat down cross-legged in between their headstones. Tab stayed behind, rested against the tree. My eyes started to burn from tears, as I tried to find the right words to say.
"I miss you both so much. I'm sorry I haven't been here in a long time--"

"I'm getting married today, guys. Grandma, I found my prince, just like you said I would. He loves your coconut cake even more than I do, if that's possible--"

"Grandpa he's just as kind as you, and makes me feel like I'm the most important person in the world. You would have really liked him...both of you--"

"I wish I could spend this day with you two, but hopefully you're up there, watching down on all of us. I love you." I swiped the tears off of my cheeks, and Tab came to my side and sat with me. We stayed right there under the purple tree, talking to our Grandparents until we couldn't stay any longer.

"We'd better go, or Tom's going to think you've run off."
I stood up, kissed their granite headstones and walked back down the hill, hand in hand with my sister.

***

My room at the Tree was full up with people in various stages of readiness for the ceremony. Ellen was like a fly on the wall, there but not really there, snapping pictures all the while. When my sister and I had returned, the rest of the group presented me with a beautiful, floral printed, silk dressing gown to wear while we all got ready. I was sitting at the vanity, having my hair rolled and set when there was a knock at the door.
"Max, it's Ben. Should I let him in?" Stef asked.
"Sure." I said, as I stood up from my chair.

Ben leaned down to give me a hug, and then held me out at arms length, smiling warmly.
"You're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen. Tom's going to flip his lid."
"Thanks, Ben. How is he?"
"So nervous. I've never seen him so blasted nervous." He shook his head, making his dark curls flop around.
"That makes two of us, then." I hadn't realized how nervous I was, until I verbalized it. It wasn't ominous nerves I felt, but happy ones. I felt nerves like the time Tom and I first kissed. I felt nerves like the night he proposed, or when we found out we were having a baby. The memory of our romance, and all that we'd been through gave me the happiest butterflies I'd ever felt.