The all important conference having broken up and with her mind racing about all that was about to happen and all that needed to be done and done quickly, Clara hurried to the Lick Skittle, it was late afternoon now and soon the diner would be closing. Though she wasn't worried about that because Emeline would still have to be cleaning up the dishes, sweeping the floor, washing the tables, all the myriad tasks that were a daily requirement in such a business. She almost bumped into an older couple exiting the place, the man smiling at her.
"Miss Redmond," he knew her from both church and her working here as waitress.
"Mr. and Mrs. Gantry, excuse my haste," she nodded acknowledgement then entered the building before either of the couple could say anything else. Suddenly Clara wondered if Mr. Gantry would still be so friendly once he found out she was abruptly a married woman?
There was Emeline cleaning up a table, there was just one other couple in the place yet.
"Here, let me help with that," Clara picked up some of the plates and silverware and the two retreated to the kitchen.
No sooner did they set the dishes into the sink when Clara blurted out, "I have big news. Well, it is big from my point of view anyhow."
"I am going to be married! Tomorrow. The new minister, Rev. Thomas, agreed to marry us."
In her next breath she added, "Will you come?"
The two had discussed a bit of this earlier but then it was all theory, now it was for real.
"Here, let me help with that," Clara picked up some of the plates and silverware and the two retreated to the kitchen.
"Oh, Clara!" Emeline hadn't noticed the young woman come in, and since she had the day off, she hadn't expected her to show up. But she wasn't going to turn down a little help! "Thank you, I didn't expect you..."
Gathering the last of the dishes, she headed to the kitchen, along with Sarah.
"I have big news. Well, it is big from my point of view anyhow."
"I am going to be married! Tomorrow. The new minister, Rev. Thomas, agreed to marry us."
"That's wonderful!" Even though she knew the girl didn't care for physical contact, Emeline couldn't help but give her a big hug. "Congratulations!" Of course, she knew that a wedding was in the planning, but wasn't sure what the specifics were going to be.
"Will you come?"
"Of course I will! I'll close the cafe...you can have dinner here, or lunch, I can make a cake, some simple fare...how many people will there be." Then she thought of something more important. "Your father...did you tell him?" She couldn't imagine that she hadn't, but...
Rightfully Emeline was surprised by her being there, "Thank you, I didn't expect you..."
"I most certainly did not expect to be here right now either but...." Clara replied then announced her big news, she was to be married!
"That's wonderful!" Even though she knew the girl didn't care for physical contact, Emeline couldn't help but give her a big hug. "Congratulations!"
Clara had never been much for such physical contact but she did not mind the woman hugging her at this moment of joy, in fact, it wasn't so bad at all. She had once dismissed such things to her father as 'emotional baggage' but now she was beginning to feel differently about it. Besides - this was Emeline.
"Oh thank you!" Clara even smiled!
"Will you come?" came her big question.
"Of course I will! I'll close the cafe...you can have dinner here, or lunch, I can make a cake, some simple fare...how many people will there be."
"Oh I do not want to be that much bother. I already said I would make a dinner for everyone at our farm though - only if you have the time - you could possibly bake a simple wedding cake? No one bakes cake like you," Clara replied.
Clara had to think a moment about numbers in attendance.
"Your father...did you tell him?" the woman had a very fair question.
"Yes, yes I...well actually, Jacob walked right up to him man to man and asked father for permission to marry me and then even told about the upcoming baby. Father was stunned of course...and hurt more so than angry. We had the minister with us just in case but really I was confident he would never be violent. He is such a good man and a good father. I apologized but no apology can truly absolve what I did ...to him. "
"But my father is also strong, he has accepted it, I am certain with much reservation, and even offered to pay for the wedding ceremony."
"I'm glad...that Jacob was open with him and that he accepted it." Smiling kindly, she brushed a lock of hair from Clare's face. "And yes, your father is a good man, and even though he's disappointed I'm sure that will fade with time, especially as your marriage strengthens."
She knew that if something similar happened with her own child, she'd be disappointed as well, but she'd still love them and stand by them, and eventually forgive them.
"A cake, certainly!" She'd have to get started on that. "And what are you going to wear?" There wasn't time, of course, to make anything, but she'd at least have to have something fancy and pretty, if they could rustle something up.
Smiling kindly, Emeline brushed a lock of hair from Clara's face. "And yes, your father is a good man, and even though he's disappointed I'm sure that will fade with time, especially as your marriage strengthens."
"Now I just have to make certain our marriage succeeds then, " Clara hoped aloud.
"A cake, certainly!" Emeline was quite willing.
"Oh thank you. I am making a large ham and serve it with potatoes and perhaps...honeyed cooked carrots?" Clara was already deep in the planning process.
Emeline beat her to the next issue, "And what are you going to wear?"
Clara took a deep breath, "Well, I was hopeful I could wear that wonderful blue dress that I wore for the barn dance. It is so much nicer than anything I have. As for finding something white...no, I am not going to be a hypocrite."
"I need to tell you something else. I wanted to pick you for the bride's Maid but Jacob wanted it to be Arabella. So I reluctantly gave in because marriage is all about compromise," Clara announced.
"The minister also gave us options for the vows. I wanted to just repeat them after Rev. Thomas but Jacob wants to say them by memory. So I gave in...again. But there is a method to my madness to use the old quote. I am saving up getting my way for something I will not compromise on. If our baby is a girl I want to name it after you," she announced.
"Of course you can use the dress...you may have it. And white was just something that Queen Victoria decided white would seem prudent, and besides, white is impractical! And we'll do your hair up with flowers, the asters and borage are blooming, and some small white fleabane. It'll look so nice."
This was going to be impromptu, but they could do the best with what they had. But she had to chuckle at the comment about being a bridesmaid. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure no one could dissuade Miss Arabella once she gets a notion in her head. And you are right about compromise...it's been said that you need to pick your fights, and that is so true, there will be plenty of important things to argue about!"
Then Clara said that she wanted to name a child after her, and for a moment, Emeline wasn't sure what to say. "Oh...well...I'd be honored!" Her eyes got a bit misty as she blinked rapidly. "That would be wonderful! Thank you so much!"
"Oh my goodness, keep it? I really should not, it must have cost you a pretty penny," Clara was surprised, she had never owned such a fine garment and for the lady to simply give it away to her, amazing example of Emeline's kindness.
"Yes, the flowers....that is an amazing idea. Let us do that then," Clara would prefer such a thing to some heavy veil.
She had to confess to Emeline though that Arabella was going to be bride's maid thanks to Jacob's wish. The woman was nonplussed about it though.
"Don't worry about it, I'm sure no one could dissuade Miss Arabella once she gets a notion in her head. And you are right about compromise...it's been said that you need to pick your fights, and that is so true, there will be plenty of important things to argue about!"
Then Clara said that she wanted to name a child after her, and for a moment, Emeline wasn't sure what to say. "Oh...well...I'd be honored!" Her eyes got a bit misty as she blinked rapidly. "That would be wonderful! Thank you so much!"
"You are welcome and besides, once the baby comes, I may request your advice and help with how to deal with it," Clara knew she had lost her child but still there was some experience there that Clara certainly did not have.
"Oh and please invite Mr. Pike to the wedding or if he would prefer not to attend that, at least the dinner afterward," she added.
The pair then went about diner business and later finalized some wedding details. It was decided Clara would show up early at the diner and then Emeline would get her ready for the ceremony up in her quarters on the second floor.
"I think you actually have an advantage in having your wedding be last-minute like this," Emeline commented with a grin, "so youcan't plan too many things, and then change your mind a dozen times. Our wedding wasn't too elaborate, but sometimes the planning was just daunting and I wanted us to just run to the Justice of the Peace!"
As Emeline walked her to the door, she couldn't help but think about holding an infant again, how it would be, if she could handle it...guess she'd find out.
"And I'd be happy to help with the baby, and to mind her on occasion so you and Jacob can have some time together."
Well, they had several months before the baby was here to start learning about each other, but after the baby came, it was good to have a break now and then.
"I'd better get started on that cake if it's going to be ready." She didn't have much experience with decorating, so she'd have to practice that, too.
Again, she gave Clara a quick hug. "I'm so happy for you, I think this will work out just fine, and with luck, our children will grow up together."