The Groom Said Maybe!

“Don’t give me any of that Southern compone,” Annie had said firmly, and then her voice had softened. “You have to come to the wedding, Steffie,” she’d said. “After all, you introduced Dawn and Nicholas. The kids and I will be heartbroken if you don’t attend.”

Stephanie smiled, put her hands to her hair and smoothed back a couple of errant strands. It had been a generous thing to say, even if it was an overstatement. She hadn’t really introduced the bride and groom, she’d just happened to be driving through Connecticut on her way home after a week on Cape Cod—a week when she’d walked the lonely, out-of-season beach and tried to sort out her life. A drenching rain was falling as she’d crossed the state line from Massachusetts to Connecticut and, in the middle of it, she’d gotten a flat. She’d been standing on the side of the road, miserable and wet and cold, staring glumly at the tire, when Dawn pulled over to offer assistance. Nick had come by next. He’d shooed Dawn away from the tire and knelt down in the mud to do the job, but his eyes had been all for Dawn. As luck would have it, Annie had driven by just as Nick finished. She’d stopped, they’d all ended up introducing themselves and laughing in the downpour, and Annie had invited everyone for an impromptu cup of hot cocoa.

Stephanie’s smile faded. Avery would never have understood that a friendship could be forged out of such a tenuous series of coincidences, but then, he’d never understood anything about her, not from the day they’d married until the day he’d died....

“Mrs. Willingham?”

Stephanie blinked and stared into the mirror. Dawn Cooper—the former Dawn Cooper—radiant in her white lace and satin gown, smiled at her from the doorway.

“Dawn.” Stephanie swung toward the girl and embraced her. “Congratulations, darlin’. Or is it good luck?” She smiled. “I never can remember.”

“It’s luck, I think.” The door swung shut as Dawn moved toward the mirror. “I hope it is, anyway, because I think I’m going to need it.”

“You’ve already got all the luck you’ll need,” Stephanie said. “That handsome young man of yours looks as if he—Dawn? Are you all right?”

Dawn nodded. “Fine,” she said brightly. “It’s just, I don’t know...it’s just, I’ve been waiting and waiting for this day and now it’s here, and—and—” She took a deep breath. “Mrs. Willingham?”

“Stephanie, please. Otherwise, you’ll make me feel even older than I already am.”

“Stephanie. I know I shouldn’t ask, but—but... Did you feel, well, a little bit nervous on your wedding day?”

Stephanie stared at the girl. “Nervous?”

“Yes. You know. Sort of edgy.”

“Nervous,” Stephanie repeated, fixing a smile to her lips. “Well, I don’t—I can’t recall...”

“Not scared. I don’t mean it that way. I just mean... Worried.”

“Worried,” Stephanie said, working hard to maintain the smile.

“Uh-huh.” Dawn licked her lips. “That you might not always be as happy as you were that day, you know?”

Stephanie leaned back against the vanity table. “Well,” she said, “well...”

“Oh, wow!” Dawn’s eyes widened. “Oh, Mrs....oh, Stephanie. Gosh, I’m so sorry. That was such a dumb thing to ask you.”

“No. Not at all. I’m just trying to think of...” Of what lie will sound best. “Of what to tell you.”

She hadn’t been nervous the day she’d married Avery, or even scared. Terrified was more accurate, terrified and desperate and almost frantic with fear...but, of course, she could never tell that to this innocent child, never tell it to anyone, and the fact she was even thinking about the possibility only proved how frazzled her nerves really were.

Stephanie smiled brightly. “Because, you understand, it was such a long time ago. Seven years, you know? Seven—”

Dawn grasped Stephanie’s hands. “Forgive me, please. I’m so wrapped up in myself today that I forgot that Mr. Willingham‘s—that he’s—that you’re a widow. I didn’t mean to remind you of your loss.”

“No. No, really, that’s all right. I’m not—”

“I am such an idiot! Talking without thinking, I mean. It’s my absolutely worst trait. Even Nicky says so. Sometimes, I just babble something before I’ve thought it through and I get myself, everybody, in all kinds of trouble! Oh, I am so sorry, Stephanie! Can you forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Stephanie said gently, smiling at the girl.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“No wonder you looked so sad when I came into the room. It must be so awful, losing the man you love.”

Stephanie hesitated. “I suppose it is,” she said after a minute.

“I can just imagine. Why, if anything ever happened to Nicky...if anything were to separate us...” Dawn’s eyes grew suspiciously bright. She laughed, swung toward the mirror, yanked a tissue from the container on top of the vanity table and dabbed at her lashes. “Just listen to me! I am turning into the most maudlin creature in the whole wide world!”

“It’s understandable,” Stephanie said. “Today’s a very special one for you.”

“Yes.” Dawn blew her nose. “I feel like I’m on a roller coaster. Up one minute, down the next.” She smiled. “Thanks, Stephanie.”

“For what?”

“For putting up with me. I suppose all brides are basket cases on their wedding days.”

“Indeed,” Stephanie said with another bright, artificial smile. “Well, if you’re sure you’re okay...”

“I’m fine.”

“Would you like me to look for your mother and send her in?”

“No, don’t do that. Mom’s got enough to deal with today. You go on and have fun. Did you pick up your table card yet?”

Stephanie paused at the door and shook her head. “No. No, I didn’t.”

“Ah.” Dawn grinned. “Well, if I remember right, Mom and I put you at a terrific table.”

“Did you?” Stephanie said with what she hoped sounded like interest.

“Uh-huh. You’re sitting with a couple from New York, old friends of Mom’s and Dad’s. You know, from when they were still married.”

“That sounds nice.”

“And my cousin and her husband. Nice guys, both of them. He’s an engineer, she’s a teacher.”

“Well,” Stephanie said, still smiling, “they all sound—”

“And with my uncle David. Well, he’s not really my uncle. I mean, he’s Mr. Chambers, but I’ve known him forever. He’s a friend of my parents’. He’s this really cool guy. Really cool. And handsome.” Dawn giggled. “He’s a bachelor, and very sexy for an older man, you know?”

“Yes. Well, he sounds—”

The door swung open and two of Dawn’s bridesmaids sailed into the room on a strain of music and a gust of laughter. Stephanie saw her opportunity and took it. She blew a kiss at Dawn, smoothed down the skirt of her suit, and stepped into the corridor.

Her smile faded.