SCOTT AND MARY Beth’s wedding day dawned bright and clear. Beulah sat outside where she could breathe in the crisp morning air and enjoy the fall color. A wisp of steam drifted up from her coffee. She watched as Annie walked out of the chicken house door in her jeans and boots and waved before heading over to the Wilder farm.
It was a sight how Annie had taken to Jake’s goats. When it was time for Jake to move them into the pasture next week to start doing their job, she had a feeling Annie might take one for a pet. Woody said goats need a companion, so that would make at least two or maybe even a horse and a goat. Either way, she could tell Annie was itching for some animals.
Holding the coffee close to her face, she enjoyed the warmth it gave before she took a sip. Today they celebrated Scott and Mary Beth’s love for each other. Jake and Annie might be next and what about Evelyn and Tom? Or Woody and Stella? Well, she was happy for them all if it’s what God saw fit to do in their lives. As for this old nanny goat, she was quite content alone.
The truth was, she didn’t feel alone. Beulah felt God’s presence around her and she still was married to Fred in her heart. It was not hard to imagine Fred’s comments on daily happenings, the things he would shake his head over, and the things he would chuckle about.
Inside, the heated kitchen warmed her cold bones. Easing down into a chair at the table, her mind went again to her nephew Benito, and when he and Angelina might visit. Spring and summer were such beautiful times, yet she was so hungry to see him it really didn’t matter to her, as long as he came soon.
When the time for the wedding finally arrived and Annie came down the stairs, Beulah was nearly knocked over at how beautiful she looked. Her dark hair hung down past her shoulders, a striking contrast against the bright salmon-colored dress she had bought for the occasion.
“My, you are pretty as a picture,” she said.
Annie smiled. “Grandpa always said that. He would say the same about you. We need to take pictures tonight.”
Annie had fixed Beulah’s hair in a style she copied from a magazine where the hair was combed back off her face. Why not, she had thought, it’s only for a night. Annie had also helped her pick out her outfit, a light brown dress with a cream-colored jacket.
Evelyn’s driveway was lined with chrysanthemums in wine red and sunset gold and was highlighted by the wash of the setting sun, hanging low in the sky.
“Didn’t Lindy do a good job,” Beulah said, driving past them to the parking area. Even though they had watched the transformation take place, seeing it now, finished and ready for the wedding, made it look almost magical.
Chairs lined both sides of the sidewalk leading to the front porch. Candlelight glowed from glass globes, guiding guests from the parking area to the seats. Greenery adorned an arch in front of the porch where the ceremony would take place. One of Scott’s friends from his church strummed on an acoustic guitar to the side of the arch as the ushers seated early arrivals.
Jake was dressed in a black tuxedo. He looks like an actor from a Hollywood movie, she thought. And when he saw Annie, he looked like a man in love.
Another usher took Beulah by the arm and Jake followed with Annie, seating them on Mary Beth’s side. The wedding party was small with only Mary Beth’s sister as her maid of honor and Mary Beth’s two children serving as the ring bearer and the flower girl. The little boy had a mischievous look on his face, and she sensed Scott might have his hands full with that one.
Scott’s brother was his best man, and Scott’s father, also a minister, was going to conduct the ceremony. The groom grinned with pride when his new young son came down the aisle bearing the pillow that carried the ring. He beamed again when his new daughter scattered rose petals here and there.
Cued by the music, the crowd stood for Mary Beth, who was escorted by her older brother, and looked lovely in an understated beige gown. Beulah’s eyes welled up and stayed that way through most of the ceremony.
After the wedding, everyone meandered over to the reception tent while the wedding party took pictures. Jake found Annie and led her to a table where they sat down together.
Tom had his hand on Evelyn’s back and led her to a table. Evelyn looked at Beulah and waved her over. Betty and Joe Gibson joined them.
“Wasn’t it lovely?” Evelyn said.
“Your place was a beautiful setting,” Beulah said.
“Beulah, can I get you some punch?” Tom asked.
“How nice, thank you,” Beulah said, sitting down next to Evelyn.
“Law, law, what a beautiful day. Did you ever dream it would be this nice?” Betty Gibson was showing a little cleavage in a new dress. Beulah fought to hide her indignation.
Woody pointed to the empty seats.
“Are these taken?” he asked, Stella by his side, her fingers nearly white with clutching the small beaded bag in front of her satin green dress.
“Sit on down here,” Joe said, pulling out a chair.
The Master of Ceremonies introduced Scott and Mary Beth as Mr. and Mrs. Scott Southerland when they entered the party tent to everyone’s applause. Scott was used to handling attention, him being the pastor of a church. Mary Beth blushed, the color accenting the auburn curls that hung delicately around her face.
The food line was open and Joe hightailed it over with Betty in tow as the rest of the wedding guests lined up to go down both sides of the buffet. Cake-and-punch weddings were all she had known, but nowadays the trend leaned toward full meals. Pity for the bride’s parents who have to provide it, she thought. Beulah hoped surely-to-goodness Annie knew not to count on her if she wanted a big shindig like this. Beulah and Fred had put her through college with Jo Anne’s social security. No, if she wanted a big party, Eddie Taylor, Annie’s absent father, would have to step up and take his medicine.
Beulah took her plate and was just about to get a crispy fried chicken leg when she felt something nudge her skirt and root its way between her and Evelyn. When she looked down, a furry white face looked back, a tuft of hair trailing from its chin.
“Baaaaa.”
“Land’s sakes!” Beulah said, looking around for Joe Gibson or Jake. In the minute she hesitated, the goat nudged her arm and her plate dropped to the floor with a crash. A lady in front of her screamed and over the ensuing gasps and clatters, Beulah yelled for Joe. To his credit, he was by her side in a second, scooping up the goat in his arms.
Another scream came from across the room and she watched with horror as a goat pronged from chair to table as wedding guests jumped back. Scott’s aunt flew out of her seat, a red shoe flung in the air, as she made her escape. The goat strutted on the table, as if playing king of the mountain, and then twisted in the air like a gymnast before landing on the ground.
Mary Beth’s little girl ran in front of Beulah crying, another goat nibbling on the long ribbon trailing behind her dress. In the chaos, she saw Annie, frozen to the dance floor, the color drained from her face. In that brief moment, she knew Annie must have forgotten to latch back the gate. It had taken the goats all day, but they had found her mistake.
“The cake!” somebody cried, and Mary Beth scrambled over the folds of her cream-colored dress toward the two-tiered wedding cake. On the opposite side of the room, two goats stood on their hind legs, nibbling on the groom’s confection, until Woody Patterson shooed them away.
When the chaos seemed impossible to control, Jake appeared with a bucket of feed, shaking it to get their attention. The cake-eating goats with chocolate noses followed first, and then the other six trailed along behind him, out of the tent and back to the pasture.
Annie was now on her hands and knees, cleaning goat urine off the dance floor with paper towels. Lindy knelt down to help. When they got it cleaned up, Annie stood, and Beulah saw her granddaughter’s dress had a big wet stain near the hemline. Apparently the paper towels weren’t the only things that helped clean up the mess.
Chairs were uprighted and Jake was applauded when he came back into the tent. The surprise and tension released into laughter led by Scott and Mary Beth. Scott’s aunt was reunited with her red shoe and Mary Beth’s little girl was smiling. All in all, no harm was done other than nibbles off the groom’s cake.
Beulah looked for Annie and saw Lindy talking to Scott’s brother from Alabama. Jake was talking to Scott, but Annie was nowhere in sight.