From This Day Forward
Chapter Nine
Stephanie parked her car in front of her parents' house at two-thirty on the dot. Thursdays were usually light work days at Rangeman, so with most of her searches completed; she informed her husband that she was leaving work to join the reception coordinator in a final walk through of the banquet hall.
Leaving most of the planning to her mother and mother-in-law, Stephanie had agreed to just about every idea they'd come up with, apart from the wedding cake. Because her wedding had been nontraditional, Stephanie didn't want a customary wedding cake. She'd been there and done that. Instead, she chose a nice array of gourmet cupcakes that would be stacked on an extra large, three-tiered tower. Each tier would hold a different array of flavored cupcakes, and Stephanie had chosen all her favorites, including pineapple, red velvet and peanut butter cream.
Valerie had actually recommended the cupcake tower. Apparently, cupcake towers were becoming a popular replacement for wedding cakes in California, a state in which Valerie had lived during her first marriage. Trenton had yet to catch on to the Golden State's trend, but Stephanie was happy to be one of the Burg's trailblazers.
Wearing a light blue pantsuit, Grandma Mazur was standing at the front door waiting for Stephanie. "Well, look at you," she said to her granddaughter, pushing open the screen door. "How does it feel to be a married woman again?"
"This time around it feels great."
Your mother is putting on her face. We'll be ready to go in about 10 minutes. There's coffee cake in the kitchen."
Following her grandmother to the kitchen, Stephanie asked, "Where's dad?"
"He's out with the cab today."
Stephanie helped herself to a chunk of coffee cake while Grandma Mazur poured a steaming cup of coffee, setting it down on the table.
"Armena's going to meet us at the hall. She's a hoot. I really like her."
"Armena is a very lovely lady," Stephanie agreed. "All the Manoso siblings will be at the reception."
"Even the one in the military?"
Stephanie nodded as she washed down the Entenmanns cake with a sip of hot coffee. "Yes, according to Carlos, his baby sister will be in attendance. Cora is the only sibling I haven't met."
"You're calling Ranger by his name now?" Stephanie's grandmother asked. "Should we call him Carlos instead of Ranger, too?"
"Honestly, I don't think he has a preference on what you call him now. Ranger was my work associate, mentor and protector. Carlos is my husband. For my part, using his given name feels more intimate and personal."
"That's a fine sentiment," Grandma Mazur said, pinching off a piece of coffee cake. "You called your first husband dickhead most of the time. You've definitely evolved."
Wiping crumbs off the table, Grandma Mazur asked, "Do you spend a lot of time with the Ranger's family?"
"We don't get to see his family often. But Armena tries to get all the kids together once a month, and some holidays."
"What are you going to do on holidays now?"
Stephanie let the question hang in the air for a beat. With the holiday's quickly approaching, her grandmother had brought up a good question. Stephanie had always spent the holidays with her parents'. But now that she was a married again, she'd have to share her holidays with Ranger's family as well.
"I'm not sure, but we'll figure it out."
"When I married your grandfather, we'd take turns between families. One holiday we'd go visit his family, and the next holiday we'd visit my family. Compromising kept the arguments at a minimum."
"That sounds fair," Stephanie agreed. "I guess Carlos and I can host a few holidays, too."
"Now you're getting it," Grandma Mazur said. "And you might want to perfect a few more recipes. You don't want the maid taking your place in the kitchen."
Stephanie winced at the remark. Her mother and grandmother had made it very clear that they were not crazy about Ella taking care of the Manoso household. So this was Grandma Mazur's not so subtle way of broaching the subject again.
"Ella's not exactly a maid," Stephanie clarified. "And she's not interested in taking my place in the kitchen. Ella and her husband Louis manage the building that houses Rangeman. Ella prepares the meals, launders the uniforms, and cleans the apartments for all the employees, not just me and Carlos. The penthouse belongs to Rangeman and is included in Ella's housekeeping duties."
Grandma Mazur shifted her teeth around in her mouth as Stephanie explained Ella's true role at Rangeman.
"So she's not your private maid?"
"No, Ella works for Rangeman. I inherited Ella through my relationship with Carlos. Ella and Louis are a part of Rangemen, so they won't be going anywhere."
"Young people have it so easy these days," Helen said, breezing into the kitchen, catching the tail end of the conversation. She was dressed in gray slacks, a red cardigan sweater, and black pumps.
"When you were my age, you didn't have to work," Stephanie reminded her mother. "We're living in a different era, and there's nothing wrong with having a housekeeper. Besides, I'm not sitting around filing my nails while Ella lifts my feet to vacuum the floor."
"Of course not," Helen said. "You're a career woman. I get it."
"I always wanted to be a career woman," Grandma Mazur interjected, taking her hand bag off the table. "But back in my day, it was taboo for a woman to take on a job. It just wasn't done. I wanted to build them bombers in the 1940's, but I was too young to work back then."
"Small blessings," Helen said under her breath. "Let's get to the hall."
The Tea Garden Banquet Hall was a cream colored, stucco building located on East Franklin, just a few miles from the Franklin National Park. Outside of the complex stood a beautiful fountain that was framed inside of a rose garden. There were two paths leading into the building, separated by two large archways. One path led to the entrance of a huge party room, and the other led to a space built for smaller events. The Manoso reception was going to be held in the smaller hall.
"Mrs. Manoso, I presume," a thin, wiry woman asked as Stephanie walked through the glass doors with her mother and grandmother in tow.
"Yes, that's me."
Smiling and shaking Stephanie's hand, the woman said, "I'm Betsy Mallory, the Tea Garden's events coordinator. Congratulations!"
"Thank you," Stephanie said, smiling back at the woman.
"Mrs. Plum, Mrs. Mazur, it's nice to see you again," Betsy said to Stephanie's mother and grandmother. "Please follow me. The tables and chairs are already set up. I just wanted to go over some last minute logistics with you all."
Wearing a professional navy blue pantsuit over a white silk blouse, Betsy led the women into the small banquet hall.
Using her hands for emphasis, Betsy said, "As you can see, we have six large tables set up around the room. Each table can hold up to ten guests."
Stephanie studied the intimate space. The set up was identical to the photo on the Tea Garden's website page. She'd requested the round tables so the guests could easily converse with one another.
"Each table will be covered with a white table cloth," Betsy continued. "And the centerpieces will be crystal bowls filled with flowers and floating candles, just as you requested"
"I think this is perfect," Helen said, admiring the room.
"You bet it is," Grandma Mazur agreed, looking at Stephanie for confirmation.
"Yes. This space is perfect for our guests. Where will the DJ set up his equipment?"
Betsy pointed to the far corner of the room. "The DJ can set up over there, right in front of the dance floor. And there will be a table set up over here," Betsy said, pointing to a cozy space on the left hand side of the room. "That is where you, your husband and the wedding party will be sitting."
"I didn't have a traditional wedding," Stephanie explained. "There was no wedding party. Our parents' will be joining us at the table."
"That's all right. We'll set up a smaller table, one big enough to hold up to eight people," Betsy said. "Behind the bride and groom's table, just off to the right, we'll set up the buffet table for dinner, and a smaller table next to it will hold your cupcake tower."
"Sounds like a plan," Stephanie said, completely satisfied with the set up.
This reception was not going be a lavish, five hour affair. Instead, the event would be an intimate celebration between two merging families and a few close friends. And in a couple of days all the hoopla would be over, and everyone could move on with their regular daily routines.
"So sorry I'm late," Armena said, blasting into the room, waving a manila folder over her head. "I was typing up the schedule and menu for Saturday."
"No problem," Stephanie said to Armena, giving her mother-in-law a warm hug. "We were just checking out the set up of the room."
Wearing brown slacks and a beige and black sweater, Armena exchanged hugs with Helen and Grandma Mazur, set her brown leather purse on a table, and then looked at Stephanie again.
"Is everything to your liking so far?"
"Everything's excellent. But I'm no really picky about these kinds of things. That's why I let you all handle most of the planning. And you've done a fine job."
Gently patting Stephanie's stomach, Armena said, "I hope you and Carlos cooked me up a grandson on your honeymoon."
"You'll probably have to wait a while for that grandson, Armena."
Betsy smiled politely and looked toward the door. "Ladies, I'll be in the vestibule if you need me."
All the women smiled at Betsy as she turned to leave the room, and then they pulled chairs from under a table, sitting down to talk.
"You never know," Armena said, pulling a typed document from the folder, placing it in the center of the table so everyone could view the contents. "Surprises happen. I was surprised four times after Lupe and Celia were born. Ernesto and I had only planned for a boy and a girl."
"That's a lot of surprises!" Grandma Mazur said to Armena.
"Tell me about it!" Armena chuckled. "I wouldn't trade any of them, though. Well, maybe Lupe and Carlos. But that's just when they're getting on my last nerve, picking on each other."
"Valerie and Stephanie argued non stop when they were young girls," Helen complained. "One time, Frank threatened to lock both of them in a room together until they stopped their bickering."
Recalling the constant bickering in the Plum household, Stephanie made a mental note to refill her birth control prescription, and then she looked at the schedule on the table.
"Are we ready to go over the agenda?"
"Of course, dear," Armena answered, focusing on the schedule. "We cut out a lot of the traditional activities from the reception, keeping the evening as simple as possible."
Stephanie scanned the list of activities, her eyes reading each typed line on the paper:
Arrival of guests
Introduction of bride and groom
Toast to bride and groom
Dinner served
Bride and groom mingle w/family
Cupcakes served
Bride and groom's first dance
Open dance floor for family/friends
The list of activities was short and sweet, and Stephanie was pleased. "This looks great," she said looking around the table at the women. "Carlos and I wanted a nice, intimate celebration, and this is perfect."
"Are you okay with Lupe and Valerie giving the toasts?"
"I think it's great. Carlos can't believe Lupe agreed to do it."
"Lupe and Carlos love each other," Armena stressed to the women at the table. "They just don't see eye to eye on a lot of things. That's why they can't be around each other for too long without having a pissing contest. But at the end of the day, whether he shows it or not, Lupe wants the best for his little brother. And he's very fond of you, too, Stephanie."
"That's nice to know," Stephanie said optimistically. "I'm sure Carlos and Lupe will be fine for one night."
"After you and Carlos complete your first dance, the DJ will start the party and the Soul Train line," Grandma Mazur reminded Stephanie."
Helen rolled her eyes, and Armena smiled patiently at Grandma Mazur.
"The Soul Train line should be fun," Stephanie said, appeasing her Grandmother. She just wanted everybody to have a good time.
"I believe the menu is next on the list," Helen said, changing the subject.
Armena pulled a typed menu from the folder and passed it to Stephanie, and Helen explained the dinner arrangement.
"The food will be set up buffet style on the table, so everyone can serve themselves. There will be an assortment of cheeses, vegetables and fruit, along with a garden salad to start the meal. And then we'll have grilled lemon chicken, roast beef, pasta shells, and sautéed vegetables. Dinner rolls, coffee, tea, and champagne will also be served."
"That sounds like a delicious spread," Stephanie said. Her mouth was watering just thinking about it. "I'm so grateful for what you all have done. You've worked very hard on this reception."
"We're so glad you like the set up, sweetie," Armena said proudly, looking at Helen and Grandma Mazur. "As long as you're happy, we're happy."
Nodding her head at the women at the table, Stephanie said, "I'm very happy with everything." And then she glanced at her watch. "I have to get out of here. I need to get home and get dinner in the oven."
Stephanie's mother smiled proudly at her daughter, as if she'd just announced her decision to run for President of the United States. In Helen's mind, she finally had a normal daughter.
