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Shandra Higheagle finished poking white baby’s breath into her friend Ruthie Kerby’s hair. The large tube curls in her usual afro and the flapper style white wedding dress, gave the bride the look of a gangster’s songbird from a 1920s movie.
“Maxwell is going to faint when he sees you,” Shandra said, hugging her friend. “I still can’t believe you two are finally getting married and I get to be your maid of honor.” Shandra swung her hips, making the fringe on her red flapper dress swing.
Ruthie laughed. “Maxwell was beginning to wonder if this would ever happen as well.” She peered at a spot above the floor length mirror in Shandra’s bedroom. “I’ve only told Maxwell this, but I never intended to marry and have kids.” Her gaze landed on Shandra. “You can’t trust a man to stay when the going gets tough.”
Shandra shook her head. “There are many men who do stick around. Look at Ryan, and Dr. Porter, and even Maxwell. He’s hung out a lot of years waiting for you to finally give in. I think that means a lot.”
A soft smile tipped Ruthie’s full lips and her eyes sparkled. “Yeah, he has proven he’s not going anywhere.”
A soft knock and the door opened. Naomi Norton, another close friend, stuck her head in. “There’s someone here who wants to see the bride.”
“Not Maxwell!” Ruthie cried, ducking behind the full-length mirror. “That’s bad luck.”
Naomi shook her head. “It’s your mother.”
Ruthie’s eyes narrowed. “My mother? I didn’t tell her—”
A thin, crinkle skinned, African American woman with more gray than black in her short dreadlocks, stepped in the door. “Your wonderful young man invited me.” The woman’s voice was stronger than her appearance.
“He had no right. If I wanted you here, I would have invited you myself.” Ruthie didn’t budge from her spot behind the mirror as if she needed it to shield her from the woman.
“You are beautiful. I always knew you would grow up to be a beauty like your grandmother.” Mrs. Kerby didn’t appear to take the hint she wasn’t wanted.
“Why don’t you wait to reminisce until after the wedding,” Shandra said, steering the older woman back toward the door.
For a woman who looked so frail, she dug her feet in and wouldn’t be budged. “I came to tell my daughter I’m sorry for the years I lost to drinking. I’m sorry for the years I wasn’t there for you.”
“You left me on Nattie’s doorstep. You didn’t want to be there for me after Daddy left. You abandoned me just like he did.” Ruthie’s voice no longer sounded grownup.
Shandra had never seen her always cheerful, upbeat friend look so sad and lost.
“Mrs. Kerby, you’ll have to leave.” Shandra physically grabbed the woman by the arm, led her to the door, shoved her out, and closed her away from Ruthie.
She crossed the room and put an arm around her friend’s shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“What was he thinking inviting her?” The lost little girl was now a fuming woman. “How could he invite someone I told him I didn’t want here?”
“I’m sure it was a loving gesture on Maxwell’s part.” Shandra tried to soothe her friend.
Naomi stuck her head in the door. “Ten minutes.” She peered at them and entered the room. “What’s wrong?”
“It wasn’t a warm reunion,” Shandra said, handing Ruthie tissues to keep her tears from ruining her make-up.
“Oh! I’m sorry! If I’d know that I wouldn’t have allowed her to come see you.” Now Naomi had tears glistening in her eyes. She plucked tissue from the box and dabbed.
“Take a deep breath. Maxwell didn’t bring your mother here to upset you or the wedding. He’s been waiting a long time to make you Mrs. Maxwell Treat,” Shandra said, picking up the small bridal bouquet of red and white roses. She was glad that while Ruthie and Maxwell had picked the 1920s for the theme of their wedding, they hadn’t gone with a gruesome Halloween theme to go with the holiday coming up in four days.
Ruthie breathed in deep and took the bouquet.
Naomi smiled. “Come on, Maid of Honor, you need to take your place.” Her eyes sparkled. “You are going to make Ryan’s pinstripes stand up and take notice.”
Shandra grinned. Ryan had reluctantly agreed to be Maxwell’s best man, only because Ruthie had insisted he wouldn’t want any other man being paired with Shandra once he got an eyeful of her dress.
“I’ll see you in the barn.” Shandra gave Ruthie a hug. “Maxwell’s eyes are going to pop when he sees you.”
Naomi led the way out of the bedroom and walked with Shandra across the area from her house to the barn. A wedding planner had arrived the day before and set up chairs, tables, and an altar in the barn. Maxwell’s family was small and Ruthie only had Nattie, the Indian woman who took her in and her daughter, Chea, whom she’d invited. Her mother also sat on the bride’s side, looking fidgety.
Naomi stood to the side as Ryan stepped up and took Shandra’s arm.
“You are stunning,” he whispered as they walked down the aisle together.
“You’re not too bad yourself, gangster,” she retorted. She glanced up at Maxwell waiting nervously beside the preacher.
She gave him a smile and a thumbs up.
He nodded back and stared down the aisle.
The song At Last by Etta James began. The two had picked this over the traditional wedding march.
Everyone stood and faced the open barn doors.
The song played on, but the bride didn’t arrive. Shandra caught a glimpse of the back of a man ducking behind the studio as Naomi hurried as fast as she could in heels to the house.
The song ended.
No Ruthie in her white flapper dress.
Maxwell strode down the aisle, his head pivoted toward Mrs. Kerby before he took out of the barn at a lope.
Shandra kicked off her heels and ran after him. The pounding of feet behind her told her Ryan was right behind.
Shandra hurried through the front door.
Naomi stood at the bedroom doorway looking overwrought.
“Where’s Ruthie?” Shandra asked as Maxwell charged out of the bedroom.
“Where did she go?” Maxwell shouted.
His shout caused Naomi to burst into tears. “I don’t know.”
“Yelling at Naomi isn’t going to tell us anything,” Ryan said, putting an arm around Maxwell’s shoulders and leading him to a dining room chair.
“Did you see the man?” Shandra asked Naomi.
Maxwell’s head popped up. “What man?”
“When Naomi was headed to the house to get Ruthie, I spotted a man ducking down the side of the studio.”
Ryan jumped to his feet. “I’ll check it out.”
Maxwell surged to his feet. “I’m coming.”
“No, you’re not. You stay here and see if you and Shandra can figure out what happened. She was with Ruthie up until she walked to the barn.” Ryan kissed her temple and whispered, “Keep him calm.”
She nodded. “Naomi, why don’t you go let the guests know there is a bit of a delay.”
Her friend nodded, and dabbing her eyes, walked out of the house.
“Why did you invite Ruthie’s mother against her wishes?” Shandra decided to start in with what had upset her friend.
Maxwell had the decency to give her a sheepish glance. “I thought her mother should be at her wedding. We talked about it. I told her family should be at weddings. She said her only family was invited. Meaning Nattie and Chea.”
“Her mother came into the house before the wedding to try and talk with Ruthie.”
His eyes widened, making a stark white contrast to his mahogany skin. “You think that’s why she didn’t show up? She’s mad at me for inviting her mother?”
“I don’t know. I had her talked out of being mad at you when I left the room.” She wandered into the kitchen and brought them both back a glass of water.
He took the glass and downed half in one gulp. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and peered at her. “Do you think I ruined my own wedding?”
She shook her head. “We won’t know until we find Ruthie and know what she’s thinking.” Shandra sat on the couch next to Maxwell. “What I gathered from Ruthie’s conversation with her mother, Mrs. Kerby abandoned her after her father left.”
“Yeah. She’s felt like no one could love her. I know she kept putting the wedding off, thinking I’d leave her, too.” His eyes sparkled and his voice went warm. “I’ll never leave her. She makes me happy just thinking about her. I like that I can chase her doldrums away and make her laugh.” He sighed. “She has the best laugh.”
Shandra smiled. This man would never do anything to lose Ruthie. His need to have family at the wedding had pushed him to invite the unwanted mother.
Ryan came through the still open front door. “I can’t find any sign of the man or Ruthie.”
Shandra stood. “I guess I better tell the guests there won’t be a wedding today.”