"Now that that's over, we can start the real party," said B as he and Ivy joined the guests as they made their way to the reception beneath the veranda. Like a school of very well-dressed fish, the wedding guests descended the stairway that led downstairs.
When the guests reached the bottom of the stairs they were greeted by a small blonde girl that looked like a walking smile. Based on the portfolio she held to her chest, and the directions she provided for each guest, Ivy assumed she must be the wedding planner. Next to her stood an antique-looking dresser, which contained several tiny drawers. Once the two reached the planner, they were told to find their seat placement in one of the drawers. Walking up to the dresser, Ivy saw that each mini drawer had a name on it. As she scanned the cabinet, she discovered the name "Witherby" written in calligraphy. Tentatively, Ivy pulled out the drawer and discovered an old brass key with a piece of paper and a small plank of wood attached to it. Moving out of the way so others could find their keys, Ivy looked over the key in her hand. Written on the attached piece of paper were the words "East of Eden by John Steinbeck." As for the small plank of wood, Ivy soon realized, after turning it over, that it was a wooden bookmark. Along with the bride and groom's names, the bookmark also had the day's date, and a heart with an arrow through it.
Ivy was about to ask B where they were supposed to sit when she heard the wedding planner calmly address the guests waiting outside the reception area. She now realized that all of the guests were currently gathered in the hallway, like students during the last five minutes of class on a Friday. Whether it was the anticipation for the party or just the vibe of the evening, Ivy could feel the exciting energy vibrate throughout those waiting.
"Good evening, everyone," greeted the wedding planner as she stepped to the doorway located in front of the crowd. Still, she maintained her contagious grin as she explained tonight's festivities. "As you may have noticed on the keys in your hand, you do not have a table number. Well, the lovely couple," she emphasized lovely like it was a codeword for their notoriety, "decided to go with a book theme for this evening. Therefore, your table is the one with the same book title found on the paper attached to your key." A quiet bubbling of whispers proceeded as guests proceeded to look over their placements. As guests discussed the novels in hush tones, the wedding planner added joyfully, "Fun fact: all of the books the couples have chosen for this evening are some of their favorite works of literature."
Slowly the curiosity of the guests subsided, and like a producer on the opening day of a performance, the planner stood before the reception room doors. Her voice beaming with anticipation, she announced "Now, Ladies, and Gentlemen, I invite you to Mr. Turner's and Mrs. Prescott's reception." Opening both doors wide, the planner revealed the beauty hidden within.
It was like stepping into an enchanted forest. The guests' eyes were instantly drawn to the large chandelier of greenery that hung from the center of the room and expanded out to the sides. From there, the greenery crawled down the walls and framed the various archways that housed several bars. In the twilight lighting of the room, one could see various twinkle lights sprinkled throughout the leaves creating the feel of canopy at midnight.
Taking in her surroundings, and impeding B's race to the table, Ivy slowly maneuvered through the several round tables scattered about the room. On each table, Ivy saw a tree surrounded by various glowing candles acting as the centerpiece. It was only after a closer look that Ivy realized each tree also had an antique-looking book propped against the trunk. As she walked down the aisle of tables, Ivy noticed that the center table was long and rectangular. At the front of the table, closest to the stage, two seats had a gold bow tied to the back of them. It quickly became apparent to Ivy that this table must be for the married couple and their bridal party. This can't be real Ivy thought, I must be dreaming. There is no way this is happening.
YOU ARE READING
Looking Through the Cracks
Teen Fiction**How do you win a battle against yourself?** Meet Ivy Fitzgerald, a teenage girl from a small town in New Hampshire who attends an even smaller high school. While her classmates focus on gossip and grades, Ivy only cares about two things: taking ca...
