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Thanksgiving Weekend
It was a beautiful day for a wedding and a spectacular day for two.
Sienna and Mason exchanged their vows at a one o’clock ceremony in Rory’s church, followed by a second ceremony late afternoon, Leela and Kiefer’s. Kiefer proposed to Leela on her birthday which happened to be the Saturday before Labor Day. When Sienna and Mason returned from Maine after the holiday weekend announcing their engagement, the couples decided since they’d both become engaged at the same time, they would get married together. Both event planners had their fill of planning events for others enough to want simple events for themselves, and their family and close friends. Leela’s father traveled from Florida to give his daughter and niece away.
A caravan of limousines moved down the winding road of the Forest Hills Country Club coming to a stop one at a time in front of the entrance for the ballroom. Drivers opened doors, men stepped out, taking the hands of their lady loves. Women shrugged into fur wraps and pulled shawls together while moving across the marble-tiled entrance into the main event. The last cars held the newly married couples, wedding party, and photographer. They’d taken photos at the church, but completed a second set at the club, while their guests were served hors d’oeuvres.
The doorway was wide enough to allow both couples to walk in together. Applause from everyone filled the space. The four had never been happier than they were at this moment.
Leela looked at Sienna and she smiled back at her. Leela’s mind circled around the fact that her cousin’s generosity had saved her life. That single text brought her to Forest Hills where she’d found a career and the man of her dreams. She mouthed, “I love you.”
Sienna mouthed back, “I love you too.”
They enjoyed greeting guests, eating, and dancing. Mason’s sister Ryan served as his best person during the ceremony. She raised a glass and said her speech, followed by Ethan’s speech for Kiefer, Lauren for Sienna, and Chelsea for Leela. Avery also raised a toast as Kiefer’s favorite cousin and Mason’s new sister.
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm golden hue across the ballroom, the laughter and joy of the guests filled the air. Leela and Kiefer glided gracefully across the dance floor, their smiles never fading, lost in each other’s eyes. Sienna and Mason did the same. It was a day of love, unity, and new beginnings.
Amidst the joyful chatter and clinking of glasses, Addison, radiant and very pregnant, stood by Stone’s side admiring her sister Harper’s bravery at having left her son, Lincoln, home with the nanny for the first time since he’d been born.
Suddenly, as if nature itself had decided to join in the celebration, a soft, distant rumble of thunder echoed through the room, its timbre low and soothing. Addison’s eyes widened, and she gently placed a hand on her swollen belly, feeling a subtle shift within her. As if on cue, a stream of water splashed onto the elegant marble floor beneath her.
The room fell into a hushed silence as everyone turned to witness the extraordinary moment. Time seemed to stand still as Addison’s expression changed from surprise to realization.
Her water had broken.
Gasps of astonishment and excitement filled the room, and the evening’s event took an unexpected turn. In the midst of love-filled celebration, a new Bennett was about to join their tightly knit family in the most unexpected and beautiful way. The room, once filled with laughter and music, now buzzed with the thrilling anticipation of a new arrival.
As Addison was carefully led away, she glanced back, her eyes meeting Sienna’s and then Leela’s. There was no fear, only an unspoken understanding that life’s most precious moments often arrive when we least expect them.
And in that moment, as the universe wove its magic through joy, love, and an impending birth, the bonds of family and friendship grew even stronger, forever sealing their fates together.
As the party resumed, an air of celebration mixed with awe enveloped the room. It was a day they would all remember—the day two couples began their journeys as one family, and the day a new life entered the world, a testament to the enduring power of love and togetherness.
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I HOPE YOU ENJOYED Leela and Kiefer’s story. Please leave a review or stars for me and tell a friend about my books. Thank you!
The last book in the Bennett Family series will arrive shortly after the New Year.