Lloyd gave Sarah a thumbs-up. “She’s really into gear. What do you think of this, Mrs. B?”

Before Abigail had a chance to answer, her son the politician took the question.

“I love it, man,” Chase said to Lloyd, extending a hand and a slap on the back. “Let me guess. Sarah made you wear this?”

“No! I picked it out myself! I’m going to get a lot of wear out of this suit,” Lloyd deadpanned. “My good luck suit for pitching investors for that third-round funding.”

“Tomorrow we’re wearing the clothes you want us to wear. Tonight, the real us,” Sarah said.

“Mignette!” Abigail called again.

“I’m here, Missus. Here to take the photo,” Mignette said, calmly standing in the corner taking care of business like she had been doing for the past week, as La Mariposa transformed from home to wedding venue. All the while, Mignette provided excellent care and food and beverage service for the Blakemans in her stealth-like manner.

“Of course you are!” Abigail gushed, thinking for the zillionth time how lucky people were to have good help.

“Look here, family!” Mignette instructed in her French-Canadian accent. “Say ‘Cowabunga!’”

There was joy and laughter on the faces of the Blakeman family as Mignette snapped the photos. Yes, tonight they were themselves. Tomorrow, part of the scenery.

*  *  *

“There is a lot of love in this room,” Bernadette said as she typed a few notes into her phone and then waved the server over for another margarita. Her interpretation of the dress code was a black dress with pearls, a look she assumed for every rehearsal dinner. She took in the glowing room with the glowing couple and the glowing young people and sighed. “Everyone seems to feel like this is a good match.”

“You sound surprised,” Abigail said, shaking her head when the server asked if she wanted another “maggie,” as they called the concoctions at the Padero Surf Club. Because it was too much of an effort to say a four-syllable word when there were waves to catch. The mother of the groom knew all that sugar and salt on the rims would result in a bloated face for the wedding photos, so she was sticking to champagne.

“A bit. At the engagement party, there seemed to be two separate camps, the Pro-Chase Team and the Pro-Penny Team. But now, all I see is family and friends from all over the world crowded into this charming room and celebrating those two gorgeous people,” Bernadette said as she pointed to Penny, in a white, blue, and gold flowing silk dress, and Chase, holding tight to her hand as they made the rounds.

“I love how traditional this guest list is as well,” Bernadette continued, turning her professional eye to the party. “Not every person you have to make conversation with tomorrow in the receiving line. But the small, select group of people who will support the couple.”