Until Kelly by Vera Quinn
Chapter Thirty
Kelly
Last night, I slept at Haddie’s so Trask wouldn’t see me before our wedding later today. Trask may be in a hurry to get married, but he has kept up with every wedding tradition except the bachelor and bachelorette parties. He wants me to experience every tradition and have good memories.
The parties we didn’t forget all together, instead, we combined the two and just had pizza and watched a movie one night this week with Botie and Lyric. Tame but it was right for us.
On the trip to Austin, I found a simple dress and all the trimmings. I am carrying a single rose as a bouquet. Haddie made us a double-layer lemon cake, and she decorated it beautifully. The bed-and-breakfast is decorated, and it looks beautiful. Lyric is my matron of honor and Botie is standing beside Trask.
Trask and Botie are wearing starched black jeans with white dress shirts—exceptionally low-key. Trask and I both agreed that is the way we wanted it. Nick is walking me down the aisle. He asked me and said it would be an honor. I cried, and he told me to dry it up. We both laughed. I have come to love that grumpy old man. He’s just a teddy bear on the inside.
I decided last night that I wasn’t going to let Trask get married without his parents there. Trask has stood by me and given me the life that I used to only dream about. I need to make his parents understand that if they keep pushing Trask away that they will lose him forever. They may not like me, but they can agree to just get along with me for Trask’s sake. This is a bad idea, but I am used to bad ideas. Now to do it before I change my mind.
I didn’t call them or let them know I was coming to their house. I don’t want them to tell me to forget it. They will hear me out. This is as bad as the long drive back to Comfort as I drive up into their drive. I can’t stop now.
I don’t give myself a chance to second think it. I get out of the car, make my way to the front door and ring the bell. It’s only a minute or two before the door opens and I see Donald Stillman standing there with a grim look on his face.
“I don’t think we have anything to discuss,” the older man says. He starts to shut the door, but I put my foot in the way of him shutting the door.
“We have everything to talk about. My entire world, Trask.” Donald is taken aback. I can tell by the look on his face.
“Let the woman in the house or send her away. We don’t want the workers hearing our business,” Skeeter says from somewhere behind Donald. Donald steps back. Taking advantage of his move, I step inside the door.
“I didn’t come here to argue. I came here to tell the two of you that Trask and I are getting married today at Haddie’s. It’s at four this afternoon. If you two think that you can be civil, then I would like for you to attend for Trask’s sake.” Skeeter comes closer to us in the foyer.
“If our son were getting married, he would let us know. What would people think if he were to get married in this town and we weren’t invited?” Skeeter spews more of her hatred.
“Your son and I are getting married this afternoon at Haddie’s. Trask was not going to invite you because he thinks that you will use the event to cut me down again. I know that Trask loves the two of you as his parents and I don’t want him to have any regrets when we look back on our wedding day. Please attend and please respect Trask’s choice to marry me, just for today, for him. He’s your son, please, do this for him.” I stop and look at the two people that brought Trask into this world. “Please. The ball is in your court. Don’t let your son down.” I turn and leave the two alone in their house. I hope they do the right thing.