A Day at the Races

At the Campbell Farm

"And by the power vested in me. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The minister smiled and the guests erupted in applause.  I had once thought Veronica was the most beautiful bride I had ever seen...until I saw Chrissie standing there under the blooming Bartlett pear, with the man she loved so dearly.

 Brian looked so very handsome in his black and gray pin-striped suit. And this new bearded version of him made him ooze distinguished charm. It was very sexy. I couldn’t hide my enthusiasm as I watched Chrissie melt into him. God, they looked so damn happy.

 “Ladies and gentlemen it is with great pride and sincerest honor, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Brian and Christine May.” The minister introduced them and motioned for everyone in their seats to stand. The applause only grew louder. Ruth May cried as her husband put an arm around her shoulders. Chrissie turned to me, absolutely glowing all over. She reached her arms out to me for a hug.

 I couldn’t believe that the girl I had known for seven years, the one that had once resented me when we first met, the one whom I had briefly lived and ultimately introduced to Brian that fateful Autumn night; would end up not only marrying the guy but also asking me to stand with her to bear witness. How the hell did I end up in all these weddings anyway? Furthermore, how the hell did I become the maid of honor…again!? I don’t know…maybe I meant more to my friends than I knew. Chrissie’s bridesmaids were the most boring ladies I’d ever met. I had no idea she had such lame friends. They couldn’t hold a conversation and I’m convinced they thought I was the devil reincarnated. Thank god there were only three of them. You light a cigarette in front of this crew and they cower as if you’ve just pulled a gun on them.

 For me, this wedding brought back a flood of memories and not necessarily happy ones either. But hey, remember the happy times and grow from the not-so-happy ones, yeah? Many things were the same, a white dress, a black dress, doting over the bride and making her feel like her day was special…and it was.

 Chrissie deserved every moment of this and she relished it. If anyone was designed to be the perfect bride, it was Chrissie Mullen. I still was a firm believer that wedding fuss was a load if bullshit, but when it came to my friends...I did it up right. From the time I threw together their first pre-wedding party, Brian and Chrissie soaked up every bit of the spotlight. And for two people that were typically awkward as sin when it came to being the centers of attention, they lived up every minute of it. Even now, watching them stand before all these people here to celebrate their day; they were what an ideal wedding couple looked like: angelic, innocent, virginal, and radiant.

 The similarities of this wedding ended with my black dress.. The budget exceeded John and Veronica's by a landslide. The location was outdoors, risky in late spring yes, but so very breathtaking. The venue was none other than my family farm. It's historical name was the Sheffling-Ellismere Estates, then under new ownership, it became the Herringmeyer Equestrian Centre. The land came under ownership of my parents in 1947, two years before I was born. Since then, it had been known simply as The Campbell Farm, though technically my parents restored the original historic register of Sheffling-Ellismere.

 My parents and groundskeepers kept this place immaculate and modernized. Brian had made the comment that it put Ridge Farm to shame, making it look like a cottage in the weeds. The truth was, he was mostly right. Our property spanned approximately five kilometers. We had four barns, forty-eight thoroughbreds and so much black painted fencing that not even I knew how the groundskeepers kept up with it. The property had six ponds of various sizes, seven riding rings, and it's showcase, the fourteen bedroom estate with beautifully manicured outdoor landscaping.

 It made the springs and summers here so very divine that even the least outdoorsy person was converted. My father considered it a good business move to hold the May-Mullen wedding on our farm. It was would be good publicity when the venue location was leaked to the newspapers after the fact. Not to mention how gracious it was to Chrissie as Brian since they didn't pay even a sixpence. My father was generous and as far as he was concerned, friends of mine were friends of his and this was a small favor.