A Nantucket Wedding(92)

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Later that day, when the girls were swimming and the men were on the beach, the sisters summoned their mother to her room. They shut the door so they wouldn’t be overheard.

“Mom,” Jane said. “About Canny’s dress…”

“What about it?” Alison asked sweetly.

    “Oh, come on, Mom,” Felicity whispered angrily. “What are you doing? This is your wedding, not a carnival!”

Alison faced both daughters and softly replied, “Yes. It is a wedding. My wedding, and a celebration of my union with David. And he is accepting, with love and”—she glanced meaningfully at Felicity—“generosity, my family, my two daughters, their husbands and children. In return, I’m accepting with love and with generosity of spirit, David’s family. That includes Poppy, who is cranky and difficult, and is probably hoping I’ll drop dead before the wedding. And Ethan, who is, I’ve noticed, a, well, the best word I can think of is playboy. He certainly seemed to be playing with you, Jane. And he acted as if he was divorced, and he wasn’t. So frankly, Esmeralda, who is unusual and in your face and outrageously beautiful, is not that difficult to accept. And she has come here, and she’s brought Canny, who is David’s much-loved granddaughter, and who, I might add, has been accepted by your daughters with great pleasure. So if Canny wants to wear that sparkling dress, she should wear it. That’s definitely the most celebratory dress I’ve ever seen.”

“But, Mom,” Jane protested. “You’re the bride. You should be the most sparkling!”

Alison laughed. “Darlings, when you get to be my age, you know how to let go of the unimportant things so you have more space in your heart for what matters. My wedding is going to be beautiful, because so many people that David and I love will be here, and really, who cares what they wear.”

“Jane’s right,” Felicity said. “It’s a wedding, not just any day. It should be special.”

“Girls, it will be wonderful!” Alison promised. “Now go away. I need to take a nap. We’ve got the rehearsal dinner tonight.”

“Let’s take a walk on the beach,” Jane suggested.

Felicity nodded. “Good idea.”

They took a moment in the kitchen to blot sunblock on their noses. Out on the deck, Poppy lay as limp as a fish on the lounger, her sunhat over her face. Esmeralda was still at the hotel.

Jane and Felicity tiptoed past Poppy, not wanting to wake her as they went across the deck and down the wooden steps and through the brush to the beach. When they were near the water’s edge, they turned to each other, wide-eyed.

    “Esmeralda!” Jane shrieked.

“I know!” Felicity agreed.

“And Ethan! What a tool! He told me he was divorced and the truth is, he’s only separated!”

“Given the way he trotted right along after Esmeralda to go to her hotel last night, I wouldn’t say they’re all that separated!” Felicity kicked a pebble into the surf. “He was such a flirt!”

“I know. I totally fell for his act.”

“Are you talking about my brother?”

Jane and Felicity exchanged guilty looks. Poppy was waddling through the brush, coming toward them.

“Busted,” Jane admitted.

“Could you hear us?” Felicity asked.

Poppy grinned. “I didn’t need to hear you. Whenever I see a couple of women huddled and pissed off, I know they’re talking about Ethan.”

“Well, he did try to seduce Jane,” Felicity said defensively.

“I’m not surprised. Remember, I grew up with the guy. I’ve seen him go through women like I whip through a bag of chips.” Poppy slanted her eyes at Jane. “Did he succeed?”

“No, thank heavens. But it was close,” Jane admitted. “It wasn’t only that he’s so handsome and sexy. It was also that I was having some…issues with Scott.”

“God, marriage,” Poppy sympathized. “Could we walk? I need some exercise. My blood pressure’s shooting up with the pregnancy.”

Jane and Felicity fell into step with Poppy.

“My issues have been resolved,” Jane said.

“For now,” Poppy said. Quickly she added, “I mean, it seems to me that marriage is one long train ride of issues. Occasionally we get to sit down and eat in the dining car, but most of the time we’re stumbling from car to car, trying to keep our balance.”

    Felicity burst out laughing. “Nice metaphor.”

“That’s why I enjoy working,” Poppy admitted. “Dealing with twelve department heads arguing at full volume is easy-peasy after spending a day at home.”

“I hear you,” Felicity agreed.

The sun was warm on their shoulders, the sand hot on their feet. They stepped into the lazy waves to cool off.

“So what do you think of Esmeralda?” Poppy asked.

Jane and Felicity hesitated.

“She’s beautiful,” Jane said. “And so—energetic.”

Poppy laughed. “That’s one word for it. I’ve known her—kind of—for years, ever since Ethan married her. She and Ethan are well matched, both so gorgeous and so unable to settle down. We almost became friends after Daphne was born. We got the cousins together to play with each other, so we spent time together, too. But not for long. Esmeralda would invite me and the kids to her house, and then somehow she always got an absolutely essential phone call, state secrets and all that, so she’d disappear with her phone and I got stuck playing preschool with three children. She’s a user.”