Forever Wild(35)

Jonah’s mouth falls open, in that dramatic way that tells me he’s about to be a royal pain in my ass.

I groan. “Thanks, Mom.”

“You forgot that I needed a ring?”

Here we go. I climb off the couch and start collecting wrapping paper. “It’s not easy planning a wedding in a week. Over Christmas. In Alaska.”

Jonah plucks the trash bag from his mother and trails behind me. He’s still wearing the wedding band. “You didn’t forget your dress.”

“Well, no! It’s my wedding dress.”

“And the matching shoes?”

“There was a shoe store next door.” He obviously saw the box in the back of the Jeep.

“Do you even need me at the wedding, or will I be in the way?”

“You’re being ridiculous.” I laugh and toss a ball of paper at his face.

Knuckles rap on the glass to the side entrance a second before a deep male voice hollers, “Ho! Ho! Ho!” Bells jingle as Teddy strolls down the narrow hallway followed closely by Muriel and Toby, who carry several wrapped boxes.

“Merry Christmas!” Muriel greets, a genuinely happy grin filling her face. “I see you’ve already been out, plowing your driveway.” She nods at Jonah with approval.

“Because he’s a psycho—oh!” Jonah wraps an arm around my waist and effortlessly lifts me off my feet, earning my squeal.

“I know we’re a bit early, but we were just sittin’ around, killin’ time, so we decided to drive over.”

“She decided we should drive over. Hope you don’t mind,” Teddy corrects, shucking his heavy winter coat. Beneath it, he’s in head-to-toe red—red button-down shirt, red trousers, red suspenders, red socks.

“You been to the hangar yet today?” Toby asks, feigning indifference.

Jonah chuckles and sets me down. “Yeah, man.”

Toby grins. “It’s a nice truck! I had a bit of fun, getting that in last night through the snow.”

“Here, Calla. This is for you.” Muriel thrusts the box she’s carrying into my hands before discarding her outer things. “I wore it on my wedding day and it’s something you can wear on your wedding day. You know, something old and something borrowed.”

“Oh. I …” I eye the box, wariness settling in. By the size of the box, I’m guessing it’s not a subtle addition to my wedding attire. I force a smile as I carry it to the dining room table and begin gingerly unwrapping the packaging, a mixture of curiosity and dread swirling inside me. This is a woman who once told me she’s happiest wearing her husband’s coveralls. She prides herself on not caring about such “frivolous things” as clothes.

“You plannin’ on reusing that paper? Come on and rip it!” Muriel exclaims, wringing her hands with anticipation.

With a deep breath, I tear a sizeable strip off and lift the box’s lid. A mass of fur sits nestled inside tissue paper.

“Now, I know wearing fur is a big taboo these days, but those mink have been dead for almost forty years, so you may as well take ’em out for a walk.”

I pull out the stole, its texture luxuriously soft beneath my fingertips.

“And if it makes you feel any better, my father caught ’em tryin’ to murder our chickens.”

“Oh, Muriel! It’s beautiful!” My mother fawns as I drape it over my shoulders. It fits as if custom made for me.

Astrid joins her, stroking the fur. “Look at those colors! Is that a hint of blue I see?”

“Cerulean silver, they called it,” Muriel says proudly. “I guess that’s your ‘something blue,’ too? And see the ivory striations?”

There’s a chorus of oohs and aahs as I slip it off and hold it up to the light.

“It’s gorgeous, Muriel,” I admit, a touch of guilt stirring that I doubted her. “I was just saying I needed something like this to go with my dress.”

“Well, now you have it. And I know I said ‘something borrowed,’ but it’s yours to keep.”

My eyebrows pop with surprise. “Are you sure? I mean, this seems like something you should pass down to family.” Her first gun, and now this?

“That’s what I’m doin’.” She drops an arm around my shoulders to give me an awkward but firm squeeze. “Listen, Deacon’s gone, and I’ve given up on Toby givin’ me a daughter-in-law—”

“Are you kidding me?” Toby moans with exasperation. “I’m only thirty-five!”

“Yeah, a thirty-five-year-old who’s afraid of asking a gal like Emily out to dinner,” she retorts before turning her attention back to me. “So, you’re it, Calla. You’re the closest thing I’ve got to a daughter. You can wear it for your wedding, and then maybe one day your daughter will wear it to hers.”

“All five of them will wear it,” Jonah chirps from next to the fridge while inhaling a bowl of his mother’s pudding.

I spare him an eye roll before smiling at Muriel. “Thank you. I love it.”

“You’re welcome.” She pats my shoulder. “Now, have you decided on your menu yet?”

“Not yet—”

“Good, because I have an idea.” She turns to my mother. “You didn’t seem too keen on the moose, Susan, but how do you feel about grouse?”