Epilogue
July
Midsummer in Erie, Pennsylvania, tended to be hot and humid, but today was beautiful. There was a steady breeze blowing in from the lake, which made it feel cooler than the seventy-nine degrees showing in the thermometer.
Carly sat between Samantha and Michelle at the bridal table, Samantha in a light-blue sundress, and Michelle in her fancier white one.
Carly was wearing a pale buttercup-yellow dress. Her bouquet of summer flowers was sitting next to her.
Daniel's yard had tables and chairs scattered around it and a potluck supper laid out beneath a white canopy tent. Kids ran all over. The last time she'd seen Rhiana and Sean they'd been in one of the trees that bordered Daniel's property.
It was the perfect simple wedding.
Someone started tapping a glass with a spoon, and pretty soon, everyone—including Carly—followed suit.
As Daniel leaned over to kiss Michelle, Harry came up behind Samantha and the other set of newlyweds—barely a month since their June wedding—kissed as well.
Carly wasn't the type of woman who cried in public. And yet here she was, tearing up at Michelle's reception, just as she had at Samantha's a few weeks before.
"Here." Samantha handed her a tissue. "I came prepared."
Michelle and Daniel's kiss didn't show any signs of abating. Carly dabbed at her eyes, trying desperately not to mess up her makeup.
As Michelle and Daniel finally came up for air, Michelle turned to Carly. "Carly, I need to tell you something."
"Okay." For a woman who'd been so thoroughly kissed, Michelle suddenly looked far too serious. "What is it?"
"I need to tell you that I didn't pick out the flowers in the bouquets on my own."
Carly looked down at the arrangement in front of her dinner plate. There was every possible color in it. Bright yellow and white daisies. Purple irises. Orange daylilies. Tiny carnations dyed the same blue of Samantha's dress. Deep-red roses, and creamy roses that matched Carly's dress. Green ferns were sprinkled throughout.
It wasn't a traditional arrangement, but it was beautiful. Bright and cheery and exactly in keeping with the day's celebration.
Carly wasn't sure why Michelle felt she needed to stop her wedding festivities to tell her that she hadn't designed the bouquets. However, after living through Samantha's wedding day, Carly had formed the opinion that all brides lost their minds on their wedding days and should be humored at all costs. "Well, whoever picked them out did a lovely job."
"The arrangement has pretty much every color we could find in a flower," Michelle told her with far more seriousness than discussing bouquets required.
Confused, but willing to agree with anything Michelle said, Carly nodded her agreement. "Yes, it appears you represented all the primary colors and then some."
"Think about it, Carly," Samantha said. '"Every color."
"And they're all very nice," Carly replied, still confused about why her two friends were staring at her so intently.
Michelle shook her head, looking disappointed. She stood. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to my two bridesmaids. A maid of honor and a matron of honor, if you will. Carly and Samantha."
The audience, looking as confused as Carly felt, clapped.
"Stand up," Michelle instructed.
They both complied and Michelle continued, "The three of us met because we missed Erie Elementary's first PTA meeting last September and we were 'volunteered—'" she air-quoted the word "—for the Social Planning Committee. And though we knew each other from around school, it wasn't until those every-other-week meetings that we became true friends. The three of us stood together as Samantha learned to believe in herself . . . and once she did, she was able to allow herself to fall in love with Harry."
Samantha wiggled her ring finger, showcasing the beautiful engagement ring that sat next to a wedding band.
"We were there for her last month when she married him," Michelle continued. "And they were there for me when I learned to believe in love, that what Daniel and I had was more than a relationship of convenience, that it was something that was meant to be. And as you can see, they're both here with me today as Daniel and I sealed that love in marriage. And it seems only right, that today, we all three stand together again as . . . "
Chuck got up and walked over to Carly.
"The bouquets were my idea," he said. "I'm giving you all these colors, Carly, because I want you to know you can pick whatever color you want to be. I don't care. I just want you. Whether you're red, yellow or blue. I'm in love with you, Carly. And I think what you and I have both learned is that it's possible to stand on our own two feet . . . as long as we stand next to each other. Sometimes I'll lean on you and sometimes you'll lean on me. We both have demanding careers—you're even starting a new job in a few months."
Carly smiled at the mention of her working as a school nurse, but she was sure that's not why Chuck was making this showy presentation.
"But," he continued, "rather than feel as though our jobs take us away from our relationship, we've learned that it just makes our time together all the more treasured and sweet."
He took a deep breath. "What I'm saying is, marry me. Carly, I promise to love you for the rest of my life."
Carly felt frozen to the spot.
Things had been going so great with Chuck.
Even with all her friends' wedding arrangements, she hadn't thought of anything more permanent for herself and Chuck.
She didn't want to rock the boat.
Yet there he was, with a ring in his hand, giving her a bouquet of every color. And she knew her answer.
"Carly?" he asked, because he obviously didn't know what she was going to say.
She glanced at Rhiana and Sean. They were both nodding.
She looked at Michelle and Daniel, so wrapped up in their hours-old marriage, and Samantha and Harry, whose marriage was only a few weeks older.
Carly had learned so much this last year . . . even more these last few months with Chuck. She had as many facets as there were colors in Chuck's bouquet.
Carly the mother.
Carly the nurse.
Carly the friend.
Carly . . . Chuck's wife. Yes, that would fit in quite nicely.
"For a while now I've been looking for my color, and what I've come to realize is I'm not just one color, I'm many colors. And all of them are brighter and better with you in my life. So, yes. Yes, Chuck, I'll marry you."
Later that night, Chuck held Carly close as they danced in Daniel's yard, beneath the full July moon. "We'll have to stop at Mom and Dad's before we head home. She's going to be insane about this. Just thought I should prepare you."
The music stopped and from the band's speakers came a female voice. "Hi, I'm Heidi. Erie Elementary's PTA President. I know that Michelle and Daniel have invited a lot of our school parents here tonight. And even though it's still summer vay-kay, I want to point out, that it's never too early to volunteer. It seems last year's Social Planning Committee members have all become a bit too busy to reprise their roles, so we'll have vacancies on that committee to fill. . . . "