Legacy of the Dreams

Chapter 41 - The Wedding

June 25th, Neil and Rosemary's wedding day, came more quickly than anyone who the date set aside on their calendar more than a year ago, expected it to. For the betrothed couple that particular Saturday was, of course, a very special day. But it was also special for members of the bride and groom's families and many of their friends too. Various members of the Abernathy family qualified as both. Greg planned to take on the role of Neil's family, on behalf of his late second wife, Madeline. Susan, Matt, and Zack were attending primarily as friends. And Jessie and Melody, who were going to be flower girls, were actually in the wedding party and would be more involved than most.

All the Abernathy family, with the exception of Matthew, planned to attend Sabbath services at the temple in Los Angeles extra early that morning, as a way of supporting the bride and groom.

"Do you know where to go for the wedding?" Susan asked Matt as they prepared to leave home very early that morning.

"Yes. I have the address. Ashley and I will be there on time, don't worry Mom," Matt told her. "Do you have everything?"

"Yes," Susan said. "We have our dresses, Greg and Zack's suits, Bobby's clothes, and our wedding present. Bobby is going to stay with Ruth and Reuben before the wedding. We going to a hotel near the gardens where the wedding will be during the middle of the day, so the girls can rest before we get dressed. Rosemary asked us to have them there an hour before the ceremony for pictures."

"Will you be in them?" Matt asked curiously.

"I don't think so," Susan said looking questioningly at Greg.

"I wouldn't expect so," Greg told Susan. "I may be asked to participate, but aside from looking after the girls, I don't expect you to be involved."

Susan nodded.

"What time do you need to be there?" Matt asked.

"By two," Susan told him.

"Then why are you going to services so early?" Matt wondered.

"There will be a special reading of the Torah by the bride and groom at this particular service," Greg told him. "We will be there to celebrate the reading with them."

"You mean they get to see each other before the wedding today?" Matt asked in surprise.

"Only at Temple and only for the reading; otherwise, they will be kept separated from one another during the service, after which they will be sequestered until the ceremony," Greg explained. "Afterwards the service, we will be joining the extended family, minus Neil and Rosemary, for brunch."

"Cool. Is that when you're going to Pasadena? Instead of coming home again before the wedding?" Matt asked.

"Yes. We are going early because your mother wants Melody to nap between brunch and the wedding, and she won't have time to if we spend the day running around. She needs to be rested for the ceremony. By spending time at the hotel first, we'll all have more time to relax. We'll also be able to dress in our hotel room before the wedding, which is quite convenient to the venue for the ceremony," Greg said.

"That's what Mom was saying. What are you going to do while Melody is sleeping?" Matt asked Zack.

Zack shrugged. "Hang out with Mom ... do stuff at the hotel ... I don't know. What I do know is I don't want to come home again if the rest of the family is going to be there. I'd rather spend the time hanging out rather than driving around all day."

"Are you taking something to occupy yourself with?" Susan wondered.

"I'm taking the computer I got from Grandma. I've been meaning to go through all her files some time when you're around. I've looked at them some of them. I'm not sure if I should back them up or what before I wipe the hard drive," Zack explained. "I was going to do it as soon as school got out for the summer, but Mr. Keenan has me working so many hours, I haven't gotten around to it."