one arm as she unlocks the door with an old-fashioned brass key. “But I’m starting to see that weddings aren’t just fun and games.”
“A lot of work, eh?”
“You got that right. Makes me wonder if I really want to go through all this for myself after all.”
I set the boxes on a table and turn to face her. “Seriously, Ingrid? You’re not having actual second thoughts, are you?”
She turns away and busies herself filling cans with water from the sink in the bathroom. I open the florist boxes and help her situate the bouquets in the water, but I am still waiting for her to answer. I’ve watched Ingrid grow up right alongside Jenny, and I know her well enough to see that something’s really bothering her.
Finally she speaks. “I don’t know, Elizabeth. I guess I’m wondering if I really want to get married or not.”
“Why’s that?”
“I’m not sure. But I’m feeling kind of freaked. Like what if I’vejust gotten caught up in Jenny’s wedding excitement, you know? Jumped onto the wedding bandwagon just for the fun of it? What if I don’t really love Jason?”
“Do you?”
“Love him?” She turns and gives me a blank look. “I guess so.”
“But you’re having some doubts?”
She nods. “I’m not sure what I think about marriage right now.”
I consider this. At the moment I’m not too sure what I think about marriage myself, but in fairness to Ingrid, I decide to put my personal feelings aside. “How is your relationship with Jason? I mean, does he treat you well?”
“Oh, yeah. He’s great. He treats me like a princess.”
I consider this. “Well, that doesn’t sound too bad.”
“But we don’t agree on everything.”
“No one does.”
“Like having kids. He wants lots, and right away. I’m not so sure.”
“Hmm … That could be a fairly big thing.”
“That’s what I thought too.”
But I’m still thinking about her weak response to my question about love. “What do
you
think you should do, Ingrid?”
Her big blue eyes get slightly misty. “I don’t know exactly. I was thinking maybe I should call the whole thing off—today even. I mean, why string him along if I’m this unsure?”
“So you are unsure?”
She shrugs again. “Maybe so.”
“Okay, I’ll ask you again.
Do you love him?”
She takes a deep breath. “I
thought
I did.”
“But you don’t anymore?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, if you don’t know, that sounds like a bit of a red flag to me. Maybe you should rethink the whole thing. You know what they say—when in doubt,
don’t
. But really, Ingrid, is this a decision you must make today? You have to admit you’re feeling a little stressed right now. Maybe you should get through this wedding, give yourself a week or so to think things over, and then make a decision.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” She grins. “Anyway, Jenny always says that Aunt Elizabeth gives the best advice.”
Now this makes me laugh. “Too bad I don’t have any for myself.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, right. As if you need any.”
I want to tell her not to be so sure, but then I realize this poor young thing has enough on her mind right now. So, instead, I hug her and tell her to make sure she gives herself a little rest before it’s time for the wedding to start. “I know you’ve been running yourself ragged for this wedding, but Jenny certainly doesn’t want her maid of honor to collapse from exhaustion during the ceremony, you know.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s the bride who usually does that.”
Then she thanks me for helping her, and we go our separate ways.
“Elizabeth?” says a familiar voice. I turn to see Jenny’s grandmother, Margaret, coming my way. Laura, from our luncheon table, is with her.
“I guess this means I missed lunch,” I say as I join them.
“Well, there might be some food left,” offers Laura. “But people are starting to clear out.”
“Is Suzette all right?” asks Margaret, and I wonder
“A lot of work, eh?”
“You got that right. Makes me wonder if I really want to go through all this for myself after all.”
I set the boxes on a table and turn to face her. “Seriously, Ingrid? You’re not having actual second thoughts, are you?”
She turns away and busies herself filling cans with water from the sink in the bathroom. I open the florist boxes and help her situate the bouquets in the water, but I am still waiting for her to answer. I’ve watched Ingrid grow up right alongside Jenny, and I know her well enough to see that something’s really bothering her.
Finally she speaks. “I don’t know, Elizabeth. I guess I’m wondering if I really want to get married or not.”
“Why’s that?”
“I’m not sure. But I’m feeling kind of freaked. Like what if I’vejust gotten caught up in Jenny’s wedding excitement, you know? Jumped onto the wedding bandwagon just for the fun of it? What if I don’t really love Jason?”
“Do you?”
“Love him?” She turns and gives me a blank look. “I guess so.”
“But you’re having some doubts?”
She nods. “I’m not sure what I think about marriage right now.”
I consider this. At the moment I’m not too sure what I think about marriage myself, but in fairness to Ingrid, I decide to put my personal feelings aside. “How is your relationship with Jason? I mean, does he treat you well?”
“Oh, yeah. He’s great. He treats me like a princess.”
I consider this. “Well, that doesn’t sound too bad.”
“But we don’t agree on everything.”
“No one does.”
“Like having kids. He wants lots, and right away. I’m not so sure.”
“Hmm … That could be a fairly big thing.”
“That’s what I thought too.”
But I’m still thinking about her weak response to my question about love. “What do
you
think you should do, Ingrid?”
Her big blue eyes get slightly misty. “I don’t know exactly. I was thinking maybe I should call the whole thing off—today even. I mean, why string him along if I’m this unsure?”
“So you are unsure?”
She shrugs again. “Maybe so.”
“Okay, I’ll ask you again.
Do you love him?”
She takes a deep breath. “I
thought
I did.”
“But you don’t anymore?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, if you don’t know, that sounds like a bit of a red flag to me. Maybe you should rethink the whole thing. You know what they say—when in doubt,
don’t
. But really, Ingrid, is this a decision you must make today? You have to admit you’re feeling a little stressed right now. Maybe you should get through this wedding, give yourself a week or so to think things over, and then make a decision.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” She grins. “Anyway, Jenny always says that Aunt Elizabeth gives the best advice.”
Now this makes me laugh. “Too bad I don’t have any for myself.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, right. As if you need any.”
I want to tell her not to be so sure, but then I realize this poor young thing has enough on her mind right now. So, instead, I hug her and tell her to make sure she gives herself a little rest before it’s time for the wedding to start. “I know you’ve been running yourself ragged for this wedding, but Jenny certainly doesn’t want her maid of honor to collapse from exhaustion during the ceremony, you know.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s the bride who usually does that.”
Then she thanks me for helping her, and we go our separate ways.
“Elizabeth?” says a familiar voice. I turn to see Jenny’s grandmother, Margaret, coming my way. Laura, from our luncheon table, is with her.
“I guess this means I missed lunch,” I say as I join them.
“Well, there might be some food left,” offers Laura. “But people are starting to clear out.”
“Is Suzette all right?” asks Margaret, and I wonder
Similar Books
