My Fairy Tale Wedding

I was right; everyone’s love life was put on the spot. Jennifer Livingston told us of how her beau had called on her and had brought her the newest Swedish chocolates that just came in- an expensive gift. She smiled dreamily with stars in her eyes.

The Fitzgerald family was well known and suited to Jennifer’s tastes- William was a good catch. They, too, were set up by the village matchmaker over a year ago. Their own wedding will be come winter- on Jennifer’s birthday.

I wasn’t really close with Jennifer- but it was the common bond of being girls in the same circle that had us getting along with each other.

Darling little Shirley with blond curls, fair skin and sapphire colored eyes had gotten the most attractive of all of the boys-turning-into-men. Her sweet, shy nature and heart on her sleeve had drawn her to Jonathan Wells. Jonathan himself was an honest man and a favorite of all the older women of the small town. They were engaged and the wedding was set two weeks after Bonita’s.

Shirley was naturally shy and all of us had prodded her into visiting the matchmaker. I think I am the only one who hasn’t yet visited her.

Next was Destiny. Her parents had wanted to name her something different, and that was what they came up with- it had become a subject of town gossip, just as everything eventually does, at the time of her birth. But Destiny had won them all over with her apples for cheeks and sweet heart shaped face framed with brown ringlets.

Her husband’s name was just as normal as hers was different- Mason. He’d told Destiny that when he went to the matchmaker, he’d asked for someone different and had gotten her. She had a streak of temper that he was soon privy to after their honeymoon- and he’d said he didn’t mind it at all.

After Destiny, Isabel went. She had been promised to Edward, her neighbor from back in the day. We all thought it was a horrible match, because Edward was a timid person, and Isabel’s force of nature type of personality would have ended in him being walked all over.

A quick visit to the matchmaker had fixed that problem- she had immediately said no to it and matched her to Stratton instead, who was as stubborn as she was but had clear thinking on his side- as Isabel often didn’t.

Felicity was an almost look alike of me from the back- we both had the same hair, but hers was tamed. Her pretty features and spunky personality had the matchmaker put her with Danny Finch. They were engaged and had a wedding set for next spring, so that they could put Felicity’s beautiful backyard to good use. They had an outside banquet and dance floor planned. Her wedding was going to be the hype of the town for the year afterwards.

She was a headstrong girl that knew how to act and when to do something. Alongside Bonita, she was my best friend.

There were a couple others- Katherine, Ramona, Elizabeth and some more.

And finally, the circle came to a close, with me as the bridge. Bonita’s mischievous eyes turned to me with a knowing look- a grin on her face because she knew I would have nothing to say.

It seemed everyone else knew as well because the talking immediately turned to the family who had just moved in yesterday- to the empty house next to mine.

I had been ignored. How much better was that then having nothing to say?

…

I guess time just drifted along and we were all lost in talking because I felt something prick my finger. My no focusing act had caused my finger to slip, which revealed a couple of drops of blood.

Quickly hiding my hand, hoping to escape the notice of the hostess, I excused myself to the powder room. Only to have Jennifer follow me. Putting my hand under the cool steady stream from the faucet, she stood to the side, as if waiting for me to talk. I inwardly sighed- I highly disliked having to begin unnecessary conversations. I already knew why she was here- she wanted to accompany me to the housewarming party the new family, the Stewarts, would inevitably throw.

I almost regretted having to tell her no- it would have been nice to have someone my own age there- but mother had been adamant about telling me not to hand out invitations to a party not mine.

Almost rushing through the small talk we got to the meat of the matter where I would have to tell her no- just as I expected. I rejected her attempts to invite herself and headed back to the main room.  

Looking back, I realized that my bleeding finger was also a result of my bad luck.

...

I didn’t want to go home in the dark, nor did I want to meet Mother’s question as to whether or not I embarrassed myself. The answer almost always leaned to the affirmative, and they were one of the worst conversations.

But I ended up going home anyways. It wasn’t like I could stay. That would be called imposing and that is bad manners.

Even though it was after dark, the distance was short and I ended up walking alone. I grimaced; it would cost another lecture from mother not asking for an escort.