Rigg had mailed his letter to Patrick Donovan in Hawaii first thing Saturday morning. On Monday, Kate sat down and wrote to her father, as well as to her aunt. Aunt Maureen was in Santa Rosa a week later, on the first of four such trips she would make before the wedding.
Maureen Kent was a welcome surprise to the Taylors. She genuinely desired to help yet did not take over. And she wanted to pay for everything!
After two days, Kate stopped arguing with her because Aunt Maureen’s response was always the same: “This is the way your father would want it.”
On Aunt Maureen’s third trip to Santa Rosa, three weeks before the wedding, she brought her niece a sizable box of nighties and feminine apparel. Maureen watched as Kate took the clothing from the box and exclaimed in delight over each one.
“Thank you Aunt Maureen,” Kate breathed when the box was empty. “They’re all so lovely and I’ve never had anything like these before.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Katie,” the older woman assured her warmly. “Katie,” Maureen spoke again and something in her voice immediately snagged Kate’s attention.
“I can’t help but think that you must miss your mother more at a time like this. Am I right?”
“Yes,” Kate replied softly.
“I know you and Theresa were very close and I’m assuming she has talked to you about the intimate side of marriage.”
“When I was fifteen.”
“I’m glad to hear that, honey, but your mother isn’t here now and I want you to come to me if anything is bothering you. But I want to tell you something, Kate, that not many women practice. After you’re married, the best person you can talk to is your husband.
“Rigg adores you; I can see that every time he looks at you. If anything is bothering you be sure you go to him. He might suggest you see May or contact me and that’s fine, but I’m in my second happy marriage and I’ve found that men want their wives to enjoy every aspect of married life. And they’ll go to any length to see that we’re happy and cared for. I’m quite certain Rigg is no different.”
The words were spoken so tenderly that Kaitlin felt for the first time that she’d missed something precious and dear by not being able to be closer to this woman.
Kate thanked her aunt with a hug and they talked for a while longer.
“Kaitlin,” Aunt Maureen spoke almost hesitantly. “Have you ever forgiven my son?”
“Oh, Aunt Maureen,” Kaitlin said with deep feeling, sensing that her aunt had agonized over this issue. “I can’t tell you that it didn’t bother me, but I’m all right. Sean and I have talked about it and so have Rigg and I. Percy has been forgiven and blame is not being cast on anyone, including myself, as I once did.”
“You don’t know how happy that makes me, Katie,” her aunt spoke tearfully. The women embraced again and, because it was Saturday, Kaitlin had to excuse herself soon after to work on her school lessons.
School had gotten off to a good start for everyone but Sean. Kate had worried when they’d arrived in Santa Rosa that Sean would want to quit school and work full time. Kaitlin’s suspicions had been correct, but it happened in the fall.
Rigg promised him as many hours as he could handle, but Kate could see he was still unhappy. He did his schoolwork, but with no extra effort. Two other boys who sat near him were able to distract Sean with barely a word or glance, and Kate was just sick each time she had to reprimand him in front of the class. She finally told him one day after school that he should write to Father.
“You’re angry because he hasn’t come and I think I understand. What I don’t understand is why you’re taking it out on the rest of us. If you’ve got some anger to vent toward Father, then do so. But when you’re in my school, you’ll show proper respect to me and the other students.”
Sean had slumped low in his seat and looked at the empty desks around him. It took Kate a moment to realize he wasn’t going to say anything. Her sigh was almost one of defeat.
“Just think about it, please, Sean.” The surly 14-year-old finally nodded, acknowledging this time that he’d at least heard her.
The problem with Sean was not the only ripple on the surface for Kaitlin. She had cried for a solid hour after she and Rigg met with Pastor Keller to discuss the ceremony.
“My father should be here, Rigg. I feel like I’m betraying him. He should be here to marry us.”
Rigg had been tender with his distraught fiancée but also adamant that they were making the right move. He reminded her that her father had encouraged them to go ahead with their plans.
“Katie, we don’t know when he’s coming, you said so yourself. If I thought it would be soon after Christmas, I’d say let’s wait. But it could be months and I don’t think I’m being selfish in wanting us to start our life together now.
“Like I said, we could set a date sometime in January and let your father know. But that only pressures him to come here even if the time is all wrong. I believe he was sincere when he said don’t hesitate and follow your heart.”
Kate was comforted by Rigg’s words and admitted to him that she hadn’t really wanted to delay the wedding. She also told him he was going to have to be patient when she missed her father so much that all she could do was cry.
The ever present handkerchief appeared from Rigg’s pocket and he informed Kate that she could cry on him anytime she wanted.
May had the wedding dress done in record time and Kate couldn’t believe how beautiful it was, especially considering it was made of cotton.
“You’ll thank me Katie,” May had told her when they’d decided on a pattern and fabric. “We always have Indian summer in October and your wedding day is sure to be a scorcher.”
Kate stared in awe at her reflection in the mirror. The dress was snow white with a high neck and three quarter sleeves, the cuffs of which were trimmed with valenciennes lace. The skirt fell straight to the knees and then flared to the floor with a deep flounce.
Kate fingered the intricate embroidery on the bodice and wondered in amazement how May had accomplished such a feat in so short a time.
“Oh May,” Kaitlin whispered.
“Don’t hug me, Katie,” May said with a smile, “you’ll wrinkle.”
“But where did you get this lace and how could you have embroidered this so quickly?”
May was grinning at her with an impish light in her eyes, when someone knocked on the door.
“Come in, unless you’re Rigg and then you’d better not open that door!” May called in a loud voice.
Jeff’s head appeared through the crack and the rest of him emerged when he spotted Kate. He whistled appreciatively at the sight of her.
“It’s not too late to change your mind and marry me,” Jeff teased as he plopped in a chair.
“What would Sylvia say?” Kate asked, her brows raised in censor.
“Did you need something Jeffrey?” his mother wanted to know. She was somewhat immune to his charm.
Jeff hemmed and hawed a bit and Kate had the distinct feeling that he didn’t want her to know what he’d come to say. She excused herself without giving anymore thought to Jeff’s actions and headed to “her” bedroom at the Taylors’.
After the wedding dress was hung on the wardrobe door and Kate was once again dressed in her calico skirt and simple blouse, she stood and stared at the dress.
Can you see my dress, Mother? Has God let you peek down and see how happy I am and what a wonderful husband Rigg will be? Can you feel how much I miss you Mother, or would that make you sad? Kate was not even aware of the tears that streaked her cheeks.
There wasn’t a day that passed when she didn’t think of her mother and had to face the fact all over again that she really was gone. Today was no different. The fact that Aunt Maureen was coming and had been so valuable in the past weeks was a balm to Kaitlin’s pained heart.
Kate’s mood lifted when she remembered that Aunt Maureen was scheduled to arrive on October second. When that happened, Kate had only five days to wait until she became Mrs. Marshall Riggs.