To Have and to Hold (22 page)

Madison read the last line of the poem slowly. “
So long lives this
,
and this gives life to thee.
”

Everyone let out a collective sigh. Tiffany tossed her hair. Kirk stuck out his tongue as if he were going to throw up. But Madison didn’t mind. That was exactly like what Egg would have done.

Madison turned toward Dad again. He was looking in her direction. She bit her lip as if to say, “So?” and Dad nodded proudly.

“Great job,” Dad said softly, mouthing the words to Madison.

Madison returned to her seat. The sweat kept trickling, but she didn’t mind. The worst part was way over. And her hair still looked great.

The minister asked everyone to rise for a blessing and then to be seated once again for the final vows. The bride and groom each recited their vows after the minister prompted them.

“I, Stephanie Mae Wolfe, take thee, Jeffrey Peter Finn, to be my wedded husband….”

Stephanie didn’t say anything else for a split second. The entire crowd in the backyard seemed to hold its breath in unison. Madison leaned forward and grabbed the chair in front of her.

What was wrong
?
Had Stephanie forgotten the words
?
Was she about to run away and leave Dad
?

All at once, Stephanie spoke.

“To have and to hold, from this day forward …” Stephanie continued. “For better or for worse … for richer or for poorer … in sickness and in health … to love and to cherish … till death do us part.”

The minister turned to Dad and asked him to repeat the same vows. Dad looked more nervous than Madison had ever seen him.

Behind the area where Dad and Stephanie stood, the sun shone brightly over the wide ranch, like a picture postcard. Madison reached into her bag for the digital camera and snapped a photo.

“I, Jeffrey Peter Finn …” Dad said slowly, “take thee, Stephanie Mae Wolfe, to be my lawful wedded husband … I mean, awful wedded wife … I mean …”

Madison’s eyes bugged out.

What was Dad doing
?

The minister just smiled. “Take your time,” he said gently.

Madison saw Stephanie squeeze Dad’s hand in reassurance.

Dad wiped his brow. “To be my lawful … wedded … wife …”

The entire wedding party started to clap. The minister held up his hand for everyone to hush. Dad continued.

“To have and to hold, from this day forward … for better or for worse … for richer or for poorer … in sickening health …”

Dad threw his hands up into the air.

“In sickness … and … in … health!” he corrected himself. “To love and to cherish … till death do us part.”

Stephanie’s shoulders shook. At first Madison thought she might be crying, but then she knew for sure that her new stepmother was laughing—hysterically.

“Is she okay?” someone behind Madison mumbled.

Of course, Madison knew Stephanie was just fine.

This was love, that was all. Love of the kind Dad had described to Madison the night before.

“By the power vested in me by the state of Texas, I now pronounce you husband and wife….” the minister said.

Someone in the crowd yelled “
Yahoo
!” Madison’s heart thumped. This really was romantic. She snapped another picture.

“You may kiss the bride!” another person yelled from the back of the crowd.

“Yeah, kiss her!”

A loud cheer arose from the guests. Everyone jumped to his or her feet, stomping and yelling. Madison swallowed hard. She wasn’t too crazy about watching Dad kiss anyone.

Madison had spent so many hours worrying about the dress, the poem, and, most of all—Dad. Yet it had taken only twenty minutes for everything to change.

Everything.

As soon as the music started up for Dad and Stephanie’s walk back down the aisle, Madison pushed her way through a cluster of people. She wanted to catch Dad and congratulate him. She wanted to see for herself what was different about him, now that he was married again. Madison needed to make sure Dad was still the same old Dad who loved her and considered
her
his one and only. After all, that was what he’d said just last night.

But the crowd of people blocked Madison’s view and she couldn’t wave high enough or yell loud enough to grab Dad’s attention. She watched helplessly as he whisked his new bride back down the makeshift aisle. Madison couldn’t even reach her uncle and aunt.

“Can you see, darlin’?” a woman in a bright, yellow hat asked Madison.

Madison nodded. “Uh-huh.” But she couldn’t really see anything at all. How could Dad just
dash
? Madison wondered. She wanted to run away, too. She would have run, if she hadn’t been in Texas.

“You did such a fine, fine job at that poem,” the woman said. “Your daddy must be as pleased as punch.”

“I guess so,” Madison said, her eyes still searching for Dad.

She looked around for Kirk and Tiffany, too, but they seemed to have vanished permanently.

“Madison!”

Madison heard Wanda call out from a few rows back, where she’d been chatting up some other guests. “What are you doing all by yourself?” Wanda asked. “Come here, and meet Stephanie’s cousin from Albuquerque.”

Madison smiled meekly and pushed her way through a couple of rows of chairs to reach Wanda. She shook the cousin’s hand (just how many cousins did Stephanie have, anyhow?) and tried to pay attention as he spoke.

Then someone else shouted her name.

“Madison!”

Madison turned quickly when she realized that Kirk was the one who was calling her. He beckoned Madison over to where he was standing. She excused herself from Wanda and the other cousin and made her way to him.

“Where did you disappear?” Madison asked.

“Tiff wanted to see Aunt Steph for a sec. Did you talk to your dad? He was looking for you.”

“He was?” Madison said. She grinned. “I thought he forgot I was even here.”

“No way,” Kirk said. “Your dad and your uncle Rick were looking everywhere for you. I guess they wanted to get some photos or something.”

“Photos? I have to find them,” Madison said.

“Yeah, sure,” Kirk said. “I’ll see you at the tables, okay? Aunt Wanda told me that she made sure we all sat near each other. Should be cool.”

“Thanks so much, Kirk,” Madison said sweetly. “I mean … Cousin.” She threw her arms around him.

“Um … sure. No problemo,” Kirk said, not really hugging back. The dumbstruck look on his face said it all. He didn’t know what to do.

Madison backed off with a smile. “See ya,” she said, disappearing to look for Dad. She didn’t know what had inspired her to hug her cute new cousin, but she had. Madison chuckled to herself as she walked away. If only she had had the guts to reach out and hug someone else she really liked—like Hart.

Now
that
would have been something.

“I can’t believe this was ever considered a small wedding,” Dad said, squeezing Madison around the waist. “Look at this crazy mess!”

“I know,” Madison said. “I couldn’t find you for ages.”

Dad kissed her on the top of her head. “I will never be very far away, honey bear,” Dad said. “I promise.”

This time, Madison believed his promise.

Madison marveled at the display of food. Stephanie’s family had outdone themselves. This was a real, live hoedown, complete with every Texas dish imaginable. The plates were all marked with clever names that tied in to the wedding theme, from Hoedown Hickory-smoked Bison Sausage and Texas Two-pot Beef Chili to Wedding Bells Chicken Fried Steak and Stephanie Mae Jambalaya. There were pinto beans, okra, corn bread, coleslaw, cobbler, and about twelve different kinds of hot sauce to put on top on top of things.

Madison stood over the buffet table, plate in hand, and inhaled deeply. She’d been to plenty of barbecues before, but nothing like this. It was a far cry from the BBQ celebrations Drew Maxwell had at his house.

“So, what do you think?” Dad asked.

“I thought this would be some fancy party,” Madison said. “But it’s more like a rodeo or something. I mean, Kirk told me there are games and pony rides.”

“Stephanie wanted this to be fun for all the kids,” Dad explained. “Isn’t that great?” His eyes danced when he pronounced Stephanie’s name.

“You look really happy, Dad,” Madison said.

“I am happy,” Dad said. “I’m happy you’re here, Maddie.”

“No, I mean about being married again. I understand now why you wanted to marry Stephanie. Things are different now—but in a good way,” Madison said.

“In a VERY good way,” Dad said with a wink. “Look, honey bear, I hate to run off on you again today, but I have to go around and visit with some other guests. Will you be okay?”

Madison nodded. “Sure, Dad. I understand.”

“Save me a square dance, okay?” Dad said.

Madison’s jaw dropped. “Um … I don’t think so, Dad,” she said with a giggle. “I am not dancing.”

“We’ll see about that,” Dad said. He hustled off to another table, where Stephanie was waiting to introduce him to another crowd of family friends.

Someone clinked a glass, and the whole room stopped to watch Dad and Stephanie kiss again.

“Is that really necessary?” Kirk said, coming up behind Madison with Tiffany.

“You are totally unromantic, Kirk,” Tiffany said.

“And that’s a
good
thing!” Kirk cracked himself up with his remark.

The band played a string of country tunes and then broke into a set of old-time rock and roll. Dad and Stephanie bounced onto the dance floor together while everyone watched.

Madison stared at her new stepmother and her new dad as they moved across the dance floor together, arms interlocked, legs moving in perfect rhythm.

Tiffany stood next to Madison, knees bouncing as if she were dying to dance, too.

“This is so awesome,” Tiffany observed. “I have never seen my Aunt Steph so happy.”

“Really?” Madison asked.

“My mom always told me Aunt Steph was way into her job and traveling, and that she never dated that many guys, except for this one guy Bob. She was supposed to get married to him, I think. But they called it off. I’m glad they did. Your dad is way nicer than Bob ever was.”

“Thanks,” Madison said.

Tiffany nodded. “Well, that’s what my mom says.”

Madison glanced back at Stephanie and Dad again. Her stepmother pulled a part of the train off the back of her dress—it was detachable for dancing! She kicked off her white shoes, too. The band played a few more dance tunes.

Another one of Tiffany’s cousins came over and asked Tiffany to dance. Without a moment’s hesitation, she wiggled away in her lavender dress, leaving Madison alone.

Madison got herself a cup of punch from the table.

“Fiona!” someone called out across the dance floor.

Instinctively, Madison turned to see who had uttered the cry. She saw two people she didn’t know. She wondered where
her
Fiona was right now.

Was Fiona asleep in a chair at the hospital or seated by Mr. Waters’s bedside, patiently waiting for word on his condition? Madison felt guilty, standing there among the two-steppers and the cowboy cooks, playing wedding guest. As soon as the party was over, Madison would send Fiona an e-mail to see what was happening back home.

Another clink sounded.

Dad waved his arms into the air and raised his own glass to the crowd.

“Thank you, everyone, for being here!” Dad cheered.

Stephanie seconded his remark. “From the bottom of our hearts.”

“Here, here!” a few guests shouted.

“Stephanie Mae finally gets her man!” a woman called out from one of the side tables. That comment had Stephanie laughing. Then Dad leaned in to kiss her once again.

Madison sat down on one of the folding chairs at her table.

“Well, don’t you look gorgeous!”

Aunt Violet slid into the chair next to Madison with a drink in her hand.

“Where’s Uncle Rick?” Madison asked.

“Off requesting some song he wants to dance to,” Aunt Violet said cheerily. “Are you having a good time?”

Madison nodded. “Sure,” she said.

From across the dance floor, Uncle Rick motioned to Aunt Violet to come and dance. She stood up with a twirl and moved toward him. No sooner had she disappeared than Kirk came over and parked himself next to Madison.

“Well, you look bored,” he commented.

“No way,” Madison said, a bit defensively. “I’m not bored. I was just thinking.”

“What about?” Kirk asked.

“Oh, you don’t want to know,” Madison said with a smile. “I guess, in a way, I’m relieved that this is over.”

The band ended a slow song and started up with a faster, twangy, guitar number.

Kirk jumped up. “Do you want to dance?” he asked Madison.

“Me?” Madison asked. “Um … not exactly …”

“Come on,” Kirk said. “You have to dance. I can’t go out there alone. What’s your prob? We don’t have to do a slow dance or anything.”

Madison giggled. “I know
that
,” she said.

Kirk just shrugged. He put his hand out again. “Come on,” he urged.

Madison stood up and took her cousin’s hand. “I am the worst dancer on the planet, I swear,” Madison said.

Kirk didn’t seem to care. He wasn’t really that good a dancer, either. He shook his hips a little and moved stiffly from side to side. Madison was grateful that he didn’t move too much. She was having a little trouble keeping her balance in the Creamsicle-colored shoes.

The best part about dancing with Kirk was that the dance floor proved to be a
much
better place to see the wedding “action.”

On the other side of the party, Tiffany was talking to a group of girls dressed in pale purple and pink dresses similar to her own. Madison guessed that the girls were probably some of her other new cousins.

Her eyes quickly searched the crowd for Dad and Stephanie. Over by one of the Texas steer ice sculptures, Madison spotted Stephanie dishing some food onto a plate and talking to four different people at once. Uncle Rick and Aunt Violet were still dancing nearby. On the other side of the room, Wally was smoking a cigar with a bunch of men in cowboy hats.

As the song ended, Madison turned to Kirk. “This is my first hoedown,” she said.