“Making plans still doesn’t come naturally to me, but I wanted tonight to be special for both of us.”

“This is perfect. Thank you.”

“Now that I have you alone,” he said as he removed the comb from her hair that held her veil in place, “I want a better look at this incredible dress.”

“Let me tell you about this incredible dress and what it looked like before your mother took scissors to it an hour before the wedding.”

“Scissors?”

“Yep.” Laura told him the story of the dress, laughing at his reaction.

“Were you freaking out?”

“Not even kinda. All I cared about today was marrying you. The rest was just details.”

“My mother really cut up your dress and made it fit an hour before the wedding?”

“She really did. Thank goodness she knew what to do.” Laura patted her belly. “These two have blossomed in the last week.”

“Probably because you’re not sick all the time anymore.”

“Probably.”

“Well, I’m glad it worked out, and I never would’ve known the dress had been hacked up and put back together. I thought you looked incredible.” With a wink, he added, “Way better than the first time around.”

Laura laughed at his joke. “I hadn’t planned to wear any kind of veil, but I also hadn’t planned to have my back completely bare. Your mom found the tulle in the attic. She truly saved the day.”

“And she snuck off with Charlie tonight.”

“She did? Really? Who told you?”

“Daisy. Mom didn’t want us to worry, but she also didn’t want to make a big announcement about leaving.”

“Good for them. She’s like a teenager in the throes of first love.”

“In many ways it is her first real love. What she had with my dad could hardly be called love.”

“Well, she has it now, and that’s what counts.”

He nuzzled her neck as he wrapped his arms around her. “No more talk. I’ve been waiting forever to make love to my wife.”

“By all means,” Laura said with a bright smile. “Don’t let me stop you.”

He hooked an arm around her waist and lifted her into a passionate kiss.

She curled her arms around his neck and lost herself in his kiss, thrilled to have forever to spend with him.

A Gansett Island Short Story

Here Comes the Groom

A Gansett Island Short Story

“Tell me again why I gotta wear a tie ta this thing,” Ned Saunders said as he tried to remember how to knot the damned thing. He hadn’t worn one in years. “It’s dinner at Maddie’s house. Why’s it gotta be fancy? I ain’t fancy.”

“Because Maddie said it’s a dress-up dinner party, so we’re getting dressed up. It won’t kill you.”