A TOK family wedding
Richard Young sighed upon reading the evening paper half expecting more bad news. A month and half ago, there had been a big gun battle in the middle of LA. Not gangs with pistols, but police and hardened criminals with machine guns in a battle that sent bullets shooting three blocks away and left 18 people dead and 12 more wounded. Although much of what happened was still 'under investigation', a reporter got a picture of men and women leaving the scene toting some heavy duty looking weapons. In the middle of the pack was Eddie. One arm curled up on his shoulder holding a few large rifles, his other arm around that girl Mary. It figured, there was a war in the city, and Eddie was right in the middle of it.
How embarassing it was to be related to such a looser.
A knock sounded at the door. Richard folded the paper up to put it down as if to ensure whoever that was, would not see it was his brother on the front page carrying rifles. He went to the door and opened it. "Yes?" he asked.
A pretty and busty redhead in a light gray suit stood beside a hispanic man. "Richard Young?" she asked.
"That's me," Richard agreed.
"This is for you," she said and handed him an envelope.
Richard took the envelope and opened it. he card inside was a wedding invitation. Inside, the invitation read : Edward Young and Mary Tok invite you to join them ...
Richard stopped reading and looked up at the woman. He handed her the invitation back. "I'm sorry, I'm not interested," he told her.
She tipped her head slightly to the side. "Richard, this is your brother," she explained.
Remembering the day Edward came into HIS home with a gun and scared his wife with unbelievable stories, Richard shook his head and said, "Not any more..." He moved to shut the door. The door burst open, shoving him back hard enough that he fell. The woman strode in.
"You would ignore your own brother?" she asked as she stared at him.
"Elanore, NO!" The Hispanic man cried as grabbed her arm.
Elanore turned to Carlos and pointed at a stunned Richard staring up at her. "Carlos, this is Eddie's brother!"
"Si, and you have not been invited inside, Come on, we have to go," Carlos said firmly.
"But ... how can he ignore Eddie?" Elanore asked, looking confused.
Casting her a sympathetic look, Carlos told her, "Some poeple are just ... Lacucaracha. Come on out, let's go."
As the man got Elanore back outside, Richard got up and became angry. "You ... I'm calling the cops!"
Carlos pulled his wallet out and flipped it open. "Already here. Why do you think I came?" Putting a hand on Elanore's back, he walked her back to the car.
"I expect she will be in jail!" Richard yelled at them.
"Si, si," Carlos said and flipped a hand up to dismiss him. He opned the door for Elanore. Once she was in, he went round and got in the driver's seat.
Elanore cast Carlos a stricken look. "It's hard to beleive. The happiest day in Eddie and Mary's lives, and he didn't even want to know? What kind of brother is he?"
Carlos put a hand over Elanore's. "Some poeple are just like that. It can't be helped. Be lucky you have a good family who care for each other."
Looking back at the house, Elanore said, "I feel sorry for Eddie."
Carlos started the car. Cracking a grin, he said, "Don't feel too sorry for Eddie. Mary is one HOT Tamale."
"Hot tamale?" Elanore asked. "Do you think her skin will melt off too?"
.
Cameron and Sarah sat in the bridal shop sipping their complimentary drinks as Mary tried on yet another dress. "John and I should have a real wedding too," Cameron said in a musing tone.
Sarah swore life was meant to be mean to her. They finally got rid of Skynet, so what happens? There were more terminators than ever in the house. Worse yet, Cameron was pregnant, and one of her Tin kids was getting married. Sarah eyed Cameron and said, "Sometimes I wonder if I am being punished."
"You are not," Cameron stated.
Mary came out of the dressing room in another full wedding dress. the light veil came down to her chin. The high necked collar allowed only her face to show. Semi-form fitting, the dress did look good on her. "Pretty," Sarah noted.
Cameron scrutinized the dress. "The sides need to be taken in, the length also. The arms are a bit too wrinkled."
"We can make any minor adjustment," the attendant told her sweetly. "Right now, Mary is still working on the style she likes." Being an older woman in a crisp business suit, she had been pointing Mary to the most traditional dresses.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Mary frowned slightly. "It's rather plain," she said.
"Plain?" the attendant asked.
"Yes, it's all white."
"Wedding dresses are white," Sarah stated.
"But, Eddie deserves something spectacular!" Mary complained. "Maybe something brighter, or with sparkles."
"White is the brightest color," the attendent said.
"Incorrect, the brightest color is the lime green on firetrucks," Cameron stated.
"Yes, like that!" Mary beamed.
Sarah face planted.
"Ahh, Mary," the attendant said slowly. "No wedding gowns are made lime green."
"Darn, I want to look my very best for Eddie," Mary said in a pout.
"If I may," the attendant asked. "With your features, Mary, we make up your face to higlight your features and try a lower necked dress with more sheers. Then your face will look like you are floating on clouds!" she said with a grand gesture.
"Let's try that," Mary agreed.
Ten minutes later, Mary stared at herself in the full length triple mirror.
"You look like a ball of two day old cotton candy," Cameron said tonelessly.
"I feel like one too," Mary grumbled.
Noting they had been here most of the day, Sarah got up and said, "OK, my turn. Mary, go to the dressing room. I'll be there shortly. Cameron, follow me."
Sarah deduced by now that the long, traditional wedding gown was not for Mary. Mary was by no means a traditional bride. In fact, she probably belonged in the Guiness book of world records as the first Terminator to ever bee married. Using Camron as a template, since they were of similar build, Sarah chose a knee length gown with a sheer trail descenting below the bottom hem. The neckline wasn't tight, but 'v'd slightly to show some collar bone.
Moving on, Sarah found a halo type veil. Searching through trinkets, Sarah picked out a silver necklace with a heart on the end and silver rimmed light blue teardrop earrings. She also grabbed a pair of fake diamond earrings.
Sarah and Cameorn helped Mary get dressed this time. The blue teardrop earrings were for people with ear holes, which Mary didn't have. Mary poked them through anyway, which made the attendant wince. The diamond earrings, Sarah aaded to the front of the dress, placing them carefully so only the diamonds showed.
This time when Mary stood in front of the triple full length mirror, she smiled. "Thank you Gramma Sarah, This dress is really pretty!"
"I'm not you grandmother," Sarah grumbled.
Cameron eyed the dress and said, "It needs to be dyed. We are going to have the ceremony out back. The sun will be shining. If we dye the dress a very pale blue, it should glow in the sunshine."
Wearing a glowing dress for Eddie. "Yes!" Mary heartily agreed. Spinning around, she announced, "Let's go show Eddie!"
"No!" Sarah admonished. "Mary, Eddie can't see your dress before you get married."
"That's not fair."
"The word is 'Bummer," Cameron explained.
.
John and Eddie stood looking at the suits. Eddie cringing slightly. "So, does it matter which one?" he asked.
John shrugged. "Well we know Mary's wedding dress will be white, so pick a black one," he said.
Eddie looked at the suits, lifting the backs. He frowned and finally picked out a suit. Seeing John watching him, he explained, "Room for my back holster."
"Ah, right." John then realised that was a good idea. There could still be Skynet cronies creeping around.
.
Denise had heard Richard drive the red head out. Once she was gone, Denise came out to see Richard plop down in his chair, holding his head. "Hon, are you sure you don't want to go to Eddie's wedding?" she asked.
Casting her a sarcastic grin, he said, "I don't have a gun to take."
Denise left out a huff. "Richard, dear. I know you don't approve of Edward, but he is doing his best at what he does, the same as you..."
"Edward is nothing like me!" Richard cried at her. "I teach school, I do my best to enlighten and teach wisdom. Edward only shoots things or blows them up!"
"I talked with Mary when they were here, and after," Demise said, unmoved by his rant. Richard looked up at her bearing a shocked look. "Yes, Richard. I've been in contact with Mary. There are things they deal with that we just can't comprehend," she explained. "Did you know Mary got
hit by a rocket propelled grenade? Not a near miss, Richard. It HIT her and blew her into the foxhole Eddie was in. That was why her leg was bare metal." Gazing at her husband intently, she continued. "Mary told me one of her happiest times was when Eddie got her up and walked her to
get help. Eddie patched her up and stayed by her. Never before had someone been so kind to her."
Denise gave Richard a moment to let that settle in, then continued. "You said they fought a war in mid-town LA. You're probably right," she agreed. "But have you asked yourself why they left with all those guns? Richard, if Eddie and Mary were fighting the police, they wouldn't have been able to do that. They were fighting with the police, as in on the same side. Your brother and his girlfriend put themselves in danger to save people who can't fight. Like it or not, your brother Eddie is a hero, and so is Mary. Now, you may not be going, but I do want to go to their wedding. I think it is the least we can do for those who stand up and protect us from danger."
"What danger?" Richard asked with a flail of his arms. "Denise, they cause these gun battles! If no one had guns, there wouldn't BE any battles!"
"No, then there would be slaughter and slavery," Demise said in a musing tone. "If Mary and her family were not here, if we had nothing to defend ourselves with, we would be nothing but sheep and forced to obey whoever had power." Shaking her head, she said, "Enough about that. I'm going to their wedding. Are you coming with me?"
"Demise, it is better we do not get involved with them," Richard said firmly.
"I'm sorry you believe so. Cameron is Mary's mother. I'm going to call her and tell her I'm coming. I wish you would come with me and Allson."
"I can't go and support such behavior," Richard said firmly.
Demise shook her head sadly. Brightening up she said, "Well I'm going. I found this program that takes a baby's features and ages them so you can see what they will look like when they get older. Mary's mother is pregnant, I'm going to share it with her. Just a fun thing bewteen mothers."
.
Sarah and Cameron made the wedding arraingements. Deciding on, buy then getting Mary's dress tailored to her took the whole day. Sarah then made the hair stylist and makeup appointments at the beauty parlor. Cameron let Sarah take Mary, and stayed home to coordinate the props and catering
for tomorrow. A white arbor laced with flowers was set out in the back where Eddie and Mary would be taking their vows. Leading to it from the house was a low, rope lined path, the ropes made of flowers. She also set up cameras so John Henry could watchthe ceremony.
Since John Henry could not walk Mary down the path, the task of givng Mary away fell to John. John was glad he got his suit the same day Eddie got his.
The night before the wedding, Eddie was kicked off to his survival group camp with his buddies. John went with him, and was glad he did. that night they had a fire pit and ate burgers dogs and beer. It was a fun night out with the boys. Like Eddie and everyone else there, John carried his 1911.
As the night went on, Eddie stared into the fire and said, "I can't believe it. I'm getting married tomorrow to the most beautiful, tough and sweetest girl I've ever seen."
John and his friends laughed.
"Looks like it's sinking in," John said with a smirk.
"Yeah," Eddie agreed. "And now I'm wondering, am I good enough for her."
"I think that's up to Mary," John said, and elbowed Eddie. "If you weren't special to her, she would not be marrying you. You know that."
"Can't help but think she should be ... I dunno, a princess or something," Eddie said to the fire.
"She's certainly a princess on the battlefield, gittin right down there in the action," Tom said. "Never heard of anyone surviving a direct hit from a rocket before, either."
"Yeah, she was tore up, but still got up and walked back to the bunker."
"Well, Eddie," John announced, "As long as you treat her well and do your best for her, I'm sure she'll be happy with you."
"I gotta know, Ed," George said and waved a beer at him. "How's yer kids gonna turn out? I mean, with Mary being all metal on the inside."
"That even possible?" Tom asked.
"Cameron's pregnant now, so yeah," Eddie said as he jerked a thumb at John.
"We don't know," John told them. "All we know right now, is the fetus has what looks like a human muscles and organs, but it also has metal bones and an extra organ for nanites. Those are the machine version of white blood cells."
"So, a bit of both of ya?" George asked.
"As far as we know. We're waiting to be sure the baby comes out healthy," John told him. "As long as everything is all right, then we'll give Mary and Elanore the program structure to have their own kids."
"Wow man, this could change the human race," Tom said thoughtfully.
"It sure blurs the line between human and machine," Eddie agreed. "Not that I'm against it. Mary, Jake, Elanore, Cameron, all of 'em are the most loyal family people I ever met."
"You're pretty good yourself, Ed," John told him. Cracking a grin, he said, "Walkin into that brothel all by yourself and not thinkin about gittin any."
"What's this?" Tom asked, perking up.
"Can we forget about that?" Eddie asked with a wince.
"I'm just saying you are loyal," John said with a grin. "I mean, you could have had any of those women."
"Ed? you went to a brothel and you didn't get any?" George asked, wide eyed.
"Wasn't lookin for any," Eddie stated. "I was looking for something else. Good thing too, Mary was listening to the radio and got kinda ... unhinged when that girl told me to get my pants off."
"She was," John agreed. "Mary burst out of Eddie's jeep, jumped a 15 foot fence, kicked the steel security door down and went in looking for blood."
"Damn. I take it she got her blood?" Tom asked.
"Sure did," Eddie said with a wince. "Wasn't much left of that girl when Mary got done with her. Emtpied the fifty cal she had into that girl. What a mess."
"Holy shit. Ed, buddie, don't even think about cheating on her!"
"That's some major jealousy there," George agreed.
"How about Mary's leg, that ever heal?"
"Good as new," Eddie said, showing a thumbs up. "Never know nothing happened to it. Even Elanore healed up."
"Elanore didn't get shot, did she?" Tom asked.
"Not shot," Eddie explained. "She went to this resteraunt and ate a bunch of those super hot peppers. next morning, all her skin an stuff came off."
"The peppers poinsoned her system," John told them. "Took everything right down to her metal bones."
"She lived?"
"Yeah, just wasn't very happy for a while," Eddie told him. "Course I got to see all the plating she's got inside. Build like a tank, Mary and her sister are."
John looked at his watch,. Well, guys we gotta get up eaary, so I'm turning in. Catch you in the morning."
.
Cameron didn't sleep. Neither did Mary. Mary was checking her makeup for the third time that hour when Cameron came in. Nervous about being ready on time, Mary was fully dressed for the cerimony. "Good morning, Mother," she said pleasantly.
"Good Morning, Mary. You stayed up and dressed all night?" Cameron asked.
"Yes. There was no point in lying in bed. Eddie's not here."
Cameron nodded. She didn't bother using the bed when John wasn't here. This was also the first time in a long time she had not laid down with John. "You missed Eddie being with you last night."
"I did. How did you know?"
"I missed John."
"It feels like I'm not all here when Eddie is gone," Mary said. "Why did Eddie have to stay someplace else last night?"
"It is a marriage tradition. The bride and groom cannot see each other until the cerimony on their wedding day," Cameron explained.
"It is a silly tradition," Mary stated. "I was not comfortable, and I am sure Eddie wasn't either."
"Ask your Grandmother Sarah, I am sure there is a reason behind it," Cameron told her. She then quickly added, "After she gets up this morning."
Sarah had gotten up and was in the kitchen when the boys returned home. Blocked from going into the main enrnce, John and Eddie took the side stairs up to John and Cameron's room to get cleaned up and ready. They took their time, knowing when they were set to go, they'd be kicked to the back yard.
Catherine and Savannah were ready to go. Mr. Ellion arrived, followed by Carlos. Elanore directed them around the house to the back, where the 'groom's party was gathering.
A Jeep Wagonner full of Eddie's buddies arrived, and although they offered to, Elanore told them there was no parking in the back. They had to walk around the house.
Demise had tried her best to get Richard to come. Getting to know Mary over the phone, Demise also wanted to meet her mother. By what Denise knew, they had time travelled back from the future to save the world. Mary spoke highly of her mother Cameron. Danise didn't know much, but Mary had instilled on her Cameron was the first sentient 'terminator', and this terminator from the future was married now and going to have a child.
Heading to the place, Denise had to check the number on the wall to be sude it was right. The gate had a guard posted at it. Pulling up to the gate, Denise announced herself. The man nodded and said, "Wife of Richard Young, Eddie's brother. Yes, please go on in."
The red haired man didn't have a clipboard. Very proffesional that he knew everyone's names, Denise thought. As she went around the drive, the size of the house made her think Eddie had gotten in with millionaires. She parked beside the other cars and went to the front door, Allison in her carrier under her arm.
A Redheaded young woman answered the door. "Yes, you must be Denise Young!" The woman said happily. "Where's Richard?"
"He decided not to come," Denise said feeling bad about that fact.
"At least you are here. I'm Elanore. Mary is inside, first room off the foyer to the right. Come on, I'll introduce you."
The first person Denise was introduced to was Elanore's Grandmother, Sarah Tok. Sarah was not happly about the grandmother part, and to Denise, the brunette didn't look old enough to be a grandmother either. Instead of dewlling on what Elanore named her, Sarah turned to the cute little baby.
"So precious! What's her name?" Sarah asked, all smiles.
"Allison," Denise beamed. "I got a program to see what she will look like when she grows up." Denise was about to reach in her bag when she noticed Sarah's smile had dimmed to a look of shock as she stared at Allison. "Something wrong?" Denise asked.
"You're from Palmdale," Sarah said blankly.
"We are."
Sarah blinked and forced a smile, "I see, I just remembered something. Please excuse me."
Denise watched Sarah hurry off. Elanore got her attention by saying, "Please excuse Grandmother Sarah. She does strange things at times."
"I see that. I take it you help watch out for her?"
"We all do. Sarah has had a very stressful life, we do our best to make sure she is comfortable," Elanore explained. In a change of topic, Elanore said, "Wait until you see Mary, she looks so pretty!"
Denise went into the 'bridal waiting room'. Upon entering, she did see Mary. Mary was the picture of beauty in her wedding dress. Especally since she had two whole legs. That was amazing enough, then Denise saw the woman adjusting a fold out of Mary's veil. Denise had the picture made of what Allison would look like when she grew up. Facial structure, hair and eye color, the details had astounded her. Even more astounding was the fact that the woman Allison would become, was standing right before her, tending to Mary.
"Mother, Denise Young is here," Elanore announced.
Denise and Cameron looked at each other,which turned into a mutual stare.
Demise's eyes widdened as she stared at Cameron. Elanore and Mary's mother looked exactly like the picture genrated from tiny Allison's face. Not similar, exact. Right down to the small mole on the edge of her left eyebrow. Time stopped, Denise forgot to breathe as her mind worked overtime. This wasn't possible! Cameron didn't even look any older than the young women who were her daughters. How could this be?
"Hello, please, make yourself at home. I must talk to John now," Cameron said and walked quickly out of the room.
Denise watched Cameron go, almost as if she was fleeing.
"Denise?" Mary asked.
Pulling her wits together, Denise looked back at Mary. "You look very pretty," she said, and noticed Mary's legs. "Did you get another prostetic? That leg looks real."
"It is real, all my flesh grew back," Mary said with a smile. She picked her foot up and wiggled it. "I am back to 100 percent."
Denise had never heard of something like this before. "You regrew your entire leg?"
"Not the entire leg, the metal edoskeleton was still there."
"Your skeleton is made of metal?" Denise asked.
"Yes, you did see it at your house," Mary reminded her.
"That was real," Denise said in a whisper. "That metal, it's still there on the inside?"
"It is. Does that disturb you?"Mary asked carefully.
Denise shook her head. "No, I just ... " She then got it. "You really are cyborgs, from the future?"
"Yes, we came back in time to help stop Skynet," Elanore told her.
So then. "Your mother Cameron is from the future too."
"Yes, we all came back together," Mary said.
Denise's mind was churning. "Did you know my Allison? Cameron looks just like her."
"We did!" Mary said. "We were on our way to see Mother, and we found Allison half buried in rubble. We pulled her out and got her medical help. Later on she was being chased by terminators, but Mother killed the ones chasing her and Jake picked Allison up and got her to safety."
Denise cringed at the thought of these things happening to her daughter. "So, Cameron is not Allison?"
"Not from our time line," Elanore said.
"Mother was not from the timeline we came from either," Mary told her. "Remember, Mother is from a different future. She and Father came foreward to make us then bring us back."
Denise eyed Mary. "A different future?" she asked.
"Yes, you see, in the original future, Mother was with future John. Future John send her back to his youger self. Every time something in the past changes, the future does also." Mary explained.
"Mary, remember back when we were learning," Elanore coaxed. "Mother did reference an Allison from Palmdale."
"Yes, the Allison Mother was made from," Mary agreed.
Denise unconciously held Allison's basket a bit tighter. "What do you mean, made from?"
"Mother is a cyborg also," Mary said, not skipping a beat. "In the oiginal timeline, Mother was made from Allison, and parts of Allison are in Mother."
"What?" Denise asked weakly.
"We do not know the details, for Mother does not have full knowledge and could not pass it to us," Elanore explained. "But essentially, Allison the human became Cameron the cyborg."
"Yes, and Mother came back in time to help defeat Skynet so it could not destroy the world," Mary agreed.
"Which we have done," Elanore finished with a smile.
Denise felt staggered by what she was being told.
Catherine Weaver came in. "Oh my. Mary, don't you look pretty!"
"Thank you, Mrs. Weaver," Mary beamed.
"We will be starting soon, so places," Catherine told them. "Mary, John is waiting at the back door for you, the rest of us go out and find seats."
Denise left with Mrs. Weaver and Elanore. As she walked along, the conversation she'd had with the girls spun in her head. Her tiny daughter Allison had grown up in a world fighting this Skynet. She had shed her humanity to come back and stop the destruction from happening. Following the girls out, she saw Cameron sitting in the folding chairs by the arbor, waiting for ther cerimony to begin.
A thousand questions filled Denise's mind. The stare Cameron had looked at her with, her sudden exit. Did Cameron remember who she was? Was she embarrassed to admit what she had done to herself? That strange call before Allison was born, was that Cameron, desperate for help and trying to reconnect with her?
Denise found herself fighting back tears. At the same time, her mind spun at the thougth of Allison being here with her, and sitting in the front row as a cyborg who had most likely gone through hell and fought a war to save humanity while loosing her own in the process.
The groom and his best man were standing by the arbor. Denise took a seat behind Cameron to one side so she could watch the cyborg. Once everyone was seated, the weddinng march began to play from a box.
"Aww wow!" Eddie whispered in a reverent tone.
Like Denise, everyone turned around to see Mary coming on John's arm. In the sunlight, her gown glowed a brilliant white, the diamonds on her dress sparkled in the light. Radiating a smile as bright as her gown, Mary looked like an angel.
John passed Mary's hand to a stunned Eddie, who was gaping speechless at his bride. Clasping hands, neither noticed John move back to the side and give a nod to the hispanic priest.
The priest began the cerimony, Denise watched Cameorn, who was fixed on the proceedings. A comment from John, "Eddie, breathe!" caused a few chuckles. Eddie found his voice and recited his vows. At the end,when the priest announced, "I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride," Eddie and Mary locked their arms around each other and shared a deep, long kiss. Cameron, wore a satisfied smile and pumped a fist in the air as if in victory.
Eddie and Mary kept on kissing.
"Guys! Cerimony is over, get a room!" Carlos called, which caused laughter.
Wearing her own smile, Cameron got up and called out, "Refreshments are on the back patio."
"You did the cooking, right?" Carlos asked.
Cameron frowned at him. "Of course!" she said, which brought a few appriciative claps and cheers.
.
Allison woke up and was hungry as Denise went to the tables. Getting seated, she held Allison as she looked for her bottle in her bag.
"Let me help," Cameron said and appeared from the side. She got the bottle out. Looking at it, she said, "It needs warming," then stared at the bottle for amoment before handing it over.
Taking the bottle, Denise noted the bottle was inded warm now. A squirt on her wrist proved it was the perfect temperature. She fed the bottle to Allison and asked, "How did you do that?"
"I can change my body teperature," Cameron explained as she watched Allison.
This close, Denise knew in some form, Cameron was her Allison. "Cameron, there is a picture in my bag, could you look at it, please?" she asked.
Cameron kept looking at Allison. "The answer is yes. Allison will grow up to look just like that," Cameron stated.
Asking her most pressing question, Denise asked, "Are you her?"
Cameron was silent for a moment, then said, "Allison is safe. The future has been changed. You need not worry about her."
"Thank you for that, but are you her?" Denise asked again.
Another pause, then, "No. I am Cameron. Please accept that answer."
Denise stongly felt that Cameron wasn't telling the whole truth. Then again, a hero shouldn't have to explain every sordid detail of what they had to do to save the world. "Cameron, I am very proud of you. You are going to have a baby so I hear?"
Cameron nodded. Sitting up farther, Cameron showed her the belly pouch that was beginning to form."John's child and mine. John made it possible for me to bear children," she explained.
"So, even if you are not human, you are very close?"
"I have become more than I was meant to be," Cameron replied.
"Possibly, everything you should be?" Denise coaxed.
Cameron met her eyes and said, "I don't know. John says I am still evolving."
"Then you keep right on evolving and be the best you can be," Denise said firmly. "I don't know what your life has been like, and frankly, I would probably weep endlessly if I did know. I do insist you stay here until I finish feeding Allison."
Cameron did stay seated by Denise as she fed, then burped Allison. Denise placed the satisfied baby back in her basket, then turned to Cameron and enfolded her in her arms. Whispering in Cameron's ear, Denise said, "Your mother or not, I am very proud of you. If you need anything, even someone just to talk to, you can count on me. OK?"
Denise pulled back. Her own eyes were teary. She saw Cameron's were also.
Cameron nodded and said, "I must go talk to John now."
"Of course," Denise said with a sad smile. "It has been nice meeting you."
"You also," Cameron said in monotone.
Denise watched Cameorn go, very glad she had decided to come to this wedding.
The End