Three Weddings and a Dress by Mary Martinez Page B

allowed to move some things.
    Somehow, she didn’t see Broderick allowing that.
    Distress tightened her already shaky tummy. She’d miss her mother, though they weren’t close. Her father she didn’t know. A short laugh bounded around the room. She saw her father every day at the office, yet he was still a stranger. How sad was that?
    The minute hand tripped toward the thirty-minute mark. Fanny was going to shoot her. Did she dare leave the bags to retrieve later?
    No. With her luck, Chandler would pick them up before the dinner. Blowing her bangs out of her eyes with a sigh, she wondered where to take them?
    Her phone jingled the theme song to Friends , indicating one of the BFFs. She needed to finish throwing stuff in her case, she pushed speaker, “Hello?”   
      “Where the hell are you?” Fanny’s frustrated shout ripped out over the room. “How can I watch your back if you’re not here?”
    “I’m running late.”
    “No shit. Come on you have a schedule to keep.”
    “I know. I’m finishing my packing. I don’t dare leave my bags…”
    A swift bump on the door, and it opened with a squeak. She’d forgotten to lock the damn thing. “Hello, Mother.”
    “Who are you talking too?” Her mother looked around the room in bewilderment.
    “Fanny, she’s on the phone.”
    “Hi, Mrs. Wilson.” Fanny’s voice had turned to sugar.
    Finally spotting Cecelia’s cell on the bed, her mother’s expression cleared. Her old-fashioned mother went to bend over the device and practically shouted at the phone. “Hello, Fanny.”
    Then she straightened and smiled at Cecelia. “Father Oliver would like to meet with you and Chandler this afternoon before the dinner.”
    A soft ‘shit’ echoed from the position of the still opened 3G lying on the bed. Her mother frowned for a split second in its direction.
    “Why?” She stifled the shout that wanted to erupt and prayed the panic that crawled over her scalp didn’t show on her face.
    Her mother’s attention switched from the phone to Cecelia. “What do you mean? Why? You’re getting married tomorrow, it’s normal for the priest to want to talk to both of you.”
    “Father Oliver has talked to us several times. What more is there to say? He’s not going to give us the talk of the birds and the bees is he?”
    She heard a soft snicker from Fanny, reminding her, her friend was listening. She didn’t care, in fact it was probably good. Fanny could help her get out of it.
    “Cecie, I thought we were meeting with Skye at five about that surprise. You know?” Bless Fanny’s heart.
    “What is she talking about?”
    What? Glancing around her room for inspiration, the sun twinkled off Bella’s beads. “I have a surprise for you, Mother. You know a gift for both mothers?”
    Now she’d have to stop one more place to pick something up. Her mother’s eyes had actually filled with tears. Something Cecelia hadn’t witnessed in a long time.
    Guilt socked her smack in the mid-section.
    Her mother sniffed. “You don’t need to do that. But it is thoughtful.”
    “It’s already done.” Please let her work with me here .
    “Couldn’t you do that earlier?”
    “Sorry, I have an appointment set for when the surprise will be ready. And I have a full list of things to do before the dinner tonight.” She paused, filled her lungs with much needed air. She forced as much enthusiasm into her words as possible. “Have you forgotten, I’m getting married tomorrow and then we’re off on our honeymoon?”
    Her mother didn’t answer for so long, Cecelia swore she could feel a streak of perspiration form on her upper lip. “Okay dear, I’ll tell Father Oliver that he’ll need to talk to you both after the dinner.”
    Relief rushed over her, her knees lost strength and her bottom dropped on to the edge of the bed. “Thank you, Mom.”
    At the door, her mother paused to turn, nodding toward the bags. “I’ll have Gordon put these by the front door, and Chandler