Beautifully dressed wedding guests milled around the immaculate grounds of the Carter estate. The already perfectly manicured green lawns and lush gardens had received even more special treatment in preparation for the reception, and the result was glorious. Gorgeous blossoms seemed to seep from every corner, soaking up the sunlight of the beautiful day. The sky was a brilliant blue, almost as if Gamma and her wedding coordinator had ordered it especially for the event. Gamma had been true to her word...Abby and Carter did not have much hand in planning the details of the wedding and the reception, which had been their preference. They had made a few suggestions here and there, but Gamma had kept her promise: as their limo pulled up to the estate and they stepped out into the enchanting scene, Abby and Carter had done their part by simply showing up for the party.
The guests cheered as the newly married couple arrived.
"Are you ready for this?" Abby asked through clenched teeth, a wide smile glued to her face.
"Oh, it won't be that bad. Just smile and nod and thank everyone for coming, and they'll love you," Carter replied though his own toothy grin. Almost immediately, the crowd swallowed them in, and Abby and Carter rode the wave gracefully, bobbing and weaving from one group of guests to another.
After about an hour of mingling, Abby's feet were starting to protest. Maggie had adjusted the train of Abby's dress at the church after the ceremony, bustling it so that it wouldn't drag the ground during the reception. That took care of the dress, but neither Maggie nor Abby had thought ahead to the problems that were arising due to Abby's shoes. Her elegant high-heels were sinking into the ground with each step, poking deep holes into the perfect lawn. Not to mention that they were squeezing the hell out of her feet. Abby finally gave up, excused herself, and clicked across the patio and into the house to rummage for something more practical. In her suitcase, which was packed and ready for their all-too-brief weekend honeymoon, she found a pair of plastic flip flops. She kicked off the stylish heels and with a sigh of relief, slid into the soft, rubbery shoes.
As she flopped noisily back into the reception, plastic soles hitting the patio and then resonating with a smack against the bottoms of Abby's feet, Eleanor shot her a look of dismay. Truth be told, however, Eleanor felt a secret twinge of jealousy; she wished desperately that she could follow Abby's suit and replace her own uncomfortable high-heels with her bedroom slippers. She made her way over to Abby, her face frozen in a pleasant smile, but her voice dripping with disdain.
"Really, Abby, was it necessary to change into those shoes? Surely you could have waited until the end of the reception," she said through her teeth, smiling all the while. Abby turned her own phony smile up a degree or two.
"Actually, Eleanor, you should just be glad that I didn't take the dress off and put on some jeans," she answered in a sugary tone. Eleanor clucked her tongue in disapproval, but left Abby alone to inflict her phoniness on one of the guests. Abby shrugged off the chilliness and flopped over to Eric, who was tearing through the hors de oeuvres like he hadn't eaten in weeks.
"Take it easy, big guy," Abby said jokingly, elbowing him in the ribs. Eric jumped back from the tray, a bit embarrassed, and wiped crumbs from his face.
"Hey, how are you holding up?" Eric asked around a mouthful of food.
"Okay, I guess. This sort of party really isn't my thing, though. I'm more..."
"Low key," Eric finished for her. Abby beamed at him. Years living apart, in different states even, and they still hadn't lost their sibling rapport, their sixth sense that gave them such clear insight into what the other was thinking. She leaned against her little brother, and he slung an arm over her shoulders.
"I'm happy for you, Abby. I couldn't ask for you to be with a better guy than John."
"Yeah," Abby grinned. "I'm pretty happy for myself, too."
"He's smart, he's fun, and best of all, he's rich," Eric joked. Abby smacked him playfully.
"Eric! Stop! That's tacky," Abby reprimanded.
"Okay, but you better float me a loan if I ever need it," he continued. Abby gave him another playful jab and blushed a little at this uncomfortable money conversation.
"And I'm expecting better Christmas and birthday presents now, too. Just sending me a card isn't going to cut it anymore. I'm talking TVs, stereo equipment..." he trailed off. Abby rolled her eyes at him and made her way over to Carter, who was standing and chatting with their group of friends from County.
"Abby, you look simply lovely," Corday complimented, giving Abby a hug.
"Absolutely," Weaver and Sandy agreed, beaming at her. Halleh, Lydia, and the rest of the nurses enveloped her in a big group hug.
"Okay, step back ladies, it's my turn to congratulate the bride," Pratt smirked, and sauntered over to Abby.
"Cool it, Greg," Chen warned, and the rest of the group laughed. Pratt gave Abby a very respectable hug and quick peck on the cheek. Abby and Carter spent a minute chatting with their friends, who looked so beautiful and polished in their "real" clothes. It was amazing to see how everyone's features came to life when they weren't being camouflaged by baggy cotton scrubs and long, billowing lab coats.
"Hey, where's Gallant?" Carter asked suddenly. He hadn't seen the young resident since he had arrived at the reception.
"Oh, you mean the ladies man?" Pratt answered. "Over there," he pointed. Gallant, stunningly attractive in his dress military uniform, was surrounded by a flock of women, most of whom were gazing at him adoringly.
"Hey, that's my cousin!" Carter exclaimed, spotting an attractive, dark-haired young woman who had her arm around Gallant's waist.
"So what? Gallant can't hit on your cousin?" Pratt asked, amused.
"She's married!" Carter responded, shaking his head and laughing. "It's gotta be the uniform. Those things have hypnotic powers over women or something."
"Of course they do," Eric chimed in, joining the group. "Why else do you think I joined the military?" Everyone laughed, and the rest of the crowd seemed to disappear into the background as the friends from County enjoyed the beautiful afternoon together.
Meanwhile, Maggie was busy flitting from one group to the next, charming everyone she met. Well, almost everyone. She had yet to win over Eleanor and her group of snobby friends. Maggie spotted them chatting by the rose garden. She took a deep breath and approached them, which to her seemed the equivalent of approaching a hornet's nest. She smiled and interrupted their hushed conversation as politely as she knew how.
"Hi, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to introduce myself. Maggie Wyczenski. I'm Abby's mother. Thank you so much for coming today, it means so much to me and my daughter. I'm just delighted to meet the Carters' friends and family..."
"Yes, Maggie, and we've all been delighted to meet you," Eleanor said in a bit of a dismissive tone, and turned back toward her friends. After several cocktails, Eleanor's manners had somewhat escaped her. Maggie looked deflated and prepared to leave the group alone, but Eleanor's friends proved to be more cordial.
"Your daughter looks absolutely beautiful," one of the women complimented. "You must be so proud of her." Maggie beamed warmly, her smile lighting up her entire face.
"Thank you, I am," she said, grateful for the pleasantry. Another one of Eleanor's friends chimed in,
"Her dress is gorgeous. It looks like it was made for her." Maggie blushed slightly.
"Actually," she offered, "it was. Abby couldn't find anything she liked in any of the bridal shops, so I designed the dress and made it for her."
The women gasped and praised Maggie's talent. One of them even asked Maggie if she would be interested in designing a gown for her for an upcoming charity ball. As Maggie basked in their praise, Eleanor had to smile in spite of herself. Maggie's warmth was pretty irresistible, she admitted inwardly. And then, perhaps because the alcohol in her system had loosened her reserve a bit, she allowed herself to sneak a proud glance over at her radiant new daughter-in-law. Eleanor finally admitted to herself what she had probably known deep down all along–she genuinely admired Abby's spirit. Like mother, like daughter, she thought to herself, realizing that like Maggie, Abby was pretty irresistible herself. She smiled softly and turned her attention back to her friends.
As dusk fell on the festive reception and the guests made their way home, Abby and Carter prepared to leave for their brief weekend honeymoon. They made their way to one of the bedrooms to change out of their wedding gear and into their traveling clothes.
"Can you help me with this?" Abby asked, pointing to the zipper of her gown.
"Gladly," Carter grinned, and gently tugged the zipper downward, kissing the back of her neck softly as he did. Abby sunk back against him and smiled wearily.
"Tired?" Carter asked.
"Exhausted," Abby murmured in response, and slipped out of her dress. Carter threw off his tuxedo jacket and was fiddling with the bow tie, all too eager to be rid of it.
"Is Eve all set for the weekend?" Carter asked. While the newlyweds spent the weekend honeymooning , Maggie, Eric, Eleanor, and Jack were going to take turns spoiling Eve rotten.
"Yup. She's sleeping in one of the guest rooms as we speak. Emily did a great job looking after her today," Abby said. Carter smiled.
"I'm going to miss her this weekend, but I can't wait to have you all to myself," he whispered seductively. Abby wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed up at him.
"I have a confession to make...I couldn't have imagined a more perfect wedding. I loved it. I love you. I love being your wife."
"Abby, you have no idea how much I love being your husband. I love you and Eve more than anything in the world." He leaned down and softly kissed Abby's lips. They finished changing clothes, kissed Eve and the rest of their family good-bye, and climbed into the waiting limo. Before they had even reached the end of the driveway, Abby rested her head on her husband's chest and was lulled to sleep by the gentle rise and fall of his breathing.
****************
Thank you, everyone, for your wonderfully kind reviews. I really appreciate them! I apologize for the extreme delay in updating the story. What can I say...my schedule, being out of town, and writer's block all got in the way. I promise to be a little quicker with the updates next time! Thanks again, and if you have any suggestions of where Carter and Abby can go for a quick weekend honeymoon, I'd love to hear them!!! Thanks again.
The guests cheered as the newly married couple arrived.
"Are you ready for this?" Abby asked through clenched teeth, a wide smile glued to her face.
"Oh, it won't be that bad. Just smile and nod and thank everyone for coming, and they'll love you," Carter replied though his own toothy grin. Almost immediately, the crowd swallowed them in, and Abby and Carter rode the wave gracefully, bobbing and weaving from one group of guests to another.
After about an hour of mingling, Abby's feet were starting to protest. Maggie had adjusted the train of Abby's dress at the church after the ceremony, bustling it so that it wouldn't drag the ground during the reception. That took care of the dress, but neither Maggie nor Abby had thought ahead to the problems that were arising due to Abby's shoes. Her elegant high-heels were sinking into the ground with each step, poking deep holes into the perfect lawn. Not to mention that they were squeezing the hell out of her feet. Abby finally gave up, excused herself, and clicked across the patio and into the house to rummage for something more practical. In her suitcase, which was packed and ready for their all-too-brief weekend honeymoon, she found a pair of plastic flip flops. She kicked off the stylish heels and with a sigh of relief, slid into the soft, rubbery shoes.
As she flopped noisily back into the reception, plastic soles hitting the patio and then resonating with a smack against the bottoms of Abby's feet, Eleanor shot her a look of dismay. Truth be told, however, Eleanor felt a secret twinge of jealousy; she wished desperately that she could follow Abby's suit and replace her own uncomfortable high-heels with her bedroom slippers. She made her way over to Abby, her face frozen in a pleasant smile, but her voice dripping with disdain.
"Really, Abby, was it necessary to change into those shoes? Surely you could have waited until the end of the reception," she said through her teeth, smiling all the while. Abby turned her own phony smile up a degree or two.
"Actually, Eleanor, you should just be glad that I didn't take the dress off and put on some jeans," she answered in a sugary tone. Eleanor clucked her tongue in disapproval, but left Abby alone to inflict her phoniness on one of the guests. Abby shrugged off the chilliness and flopped over to Eric, who was tearing through the hors de oeuvres like he hadn't eaten in weeks.
"Take it easy, big guy," Abby said jokingly, elbowing him in the ribs. Eric jumped back from the tray, a bit embarrassed, and wiped crumbs from his face.
"Hey, how are you holding up?" Eric asked around a mouthful of food.
"Okay, I guess. This sort of party really isn't my thing, though. I'm more..."
"Low key," Eric finished for her. Abby beamed at him. Years living apart, in different states even, and they still hadn't lost their sibling rapport, their sixth sense that gave them such clear insight into what the other was thinking. She leaned against her little brother, and he slung an arm over her shoulders.
"I'm happy for you, Abby. I couldn't ask for you to be with a better guy than John."
"Yeah," Abby grinned. "I'm pretty happy for myself, too."
"He's smart, he's fun, and best of all, he's rich," Eric joked. Abby smacked him playfully.
"Eric! Stop! That's tacky," Abby reprimanded.
"Okay, but you better float me a loan if I ever need it," he continued. Abby gave him another playful jab and blushed a little at this uncomfortable money conversation.
"And I'm expecting better Christmas and birthday presents now, too. Just sending me a card isn't going to cut it anymore. I'm talking TVs, stereo equipment..." he trailed off. Abby rolled her eyes at him and made her way over to Carter, who was standing and chatting with their group of friends from County.
"Abby, you look simply lovely," Corday complimented, giving Abby a hug.
"Absolutely," Weaver and Sandy agreed, beaming at her. Halleh, Lydia, and the rest of the nurses enveloped her in a big group hug.
"Okay, step back ladies, it's my turn to congratulate the bride," Pratt smirked, and sauntered over to Abby.
"Cool it, Greg," Chen warned, and the rest of the group laughed. Pratt gave Abby a very respectable hug and quick peck on the cheek. Abby and Carter spent a minute chatting with their friends, who looked so beautiful and polished in their "real" clothes. It was amazing to see how everyone's features came to life when they weren't being camouflaged by baggy cotton scrubs and long, billowing lab coats.
"Hey, where's Gallant?" Carter asked suddenly. He hadn't seen the young resident since he had arrived at the reception.
"Oh, you mean the ladies man?" Pratt answered. "Over there," he pointed. Gallant, stunningly attractive in his dress military uniform, was surrounded by a flock of women, most of whom were gazing at him adoringly.
"Hey, that's my cousin!" Carter exclaimed, spotting an attractive, dark-haired young woman who had her arm around Gallant's waist.
"So what? Gallant can't hit on your cousin?" Pratt asked, amused.
"She's married!" Carter responded, shaking his head and laughing. "It's gotta be the uniform. Those things have hypnotic powers over women or something."
"Of course they do," Eric chimed in, joining the group. "Why else do you think I joined the military?" Everyone laughed, and the rest of the crowd seemed to disappear into the background as the friends from County enjoyed the beautiful afternoon together.
Meanwhile, Maggie was busy flitting from one group to the next, charming everyone she met. Well, almost everyone. She had yet to win over Eleanor and her group of snobby friends. Maggie spotted them chatting by the rose garden. She took a deep breath and approached them, which to her seemed the equivalent of approaching a hornet's nest. She smiled and interrupted their hushed conversation as politely as she knew how.
"Hi, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to introduce myself. Maggie Wyczenski. I'm Abby's mother. Thank you so much for coming today, it means so much to me and my daughter. I'm just delighted to meet the Carters' friends and family..."
"Yes, Maggie, and we've all been delighted to meet you," Eleanor said in a bit of a dismissive tone, and turned back toward her friends. After several cocktails, Eleanor's manners had somewhat escaped her. Maggie looked deflated and prepared to leave the group alone, but Eleanor's friends proved to be more cordial.
"Your daughter looks absolutely beautiful," one of the women complimented. "You must be so proud of her." Maggie beamed warmly, her smile lighting up her entire face.
"Thank you, I am," she said, grateful for the pleasantry. Another one of Eleanor's friends chimed in,
"Her dress is gorgeous. It looks like it was made for her." Maggie blushed slightly.
"Actually," she offered, "it was. Abby couldn't find anything she liked in any of the bridal shops, so I designed the dress and made it for her."
The women gasped and praised Maggie's talent. One of them even asked Maggie if she would be interested in designing a gown for her for an upcoming charity ball. As Maggie basked in their praise, Eleanor had to smile in spite of herself. Maggie's warmth was pretty irresistible, she admitted inwardly. And then, perhaps because the alcohol in her system had loosened her reserve a bit, she allowed herself to sneak a proud glance over at her radiant new daughter-in-law. Eleanor finally admitted to herself what she had probably known deep down all along–she genuinely admired Abby's spirit. Like mother, like daughter, she thought to herself, realizing that like Maggie, Abby was pretty irresistible herself. She smiled softly and turned her attention back to her friends.
As dusk fell on the festive reception and the guests made their way home, Abby and Carter prepared to leave for their brief weekend honeymoon. They made their way to one of the bedrooms to change out of their wedding gear and into their traveling clothes.
"Can you help me with this?" Abby asked, pointing to the zipper of her gown.
"Gladly," Carter grinned, and gently tugged the zipper downward, kissing the back of her neck softly as he did. Abby sunk back against him and smiled wearily.
"Tired?" Carter asked.
"Exhausted," Abby murmured in response, and slipped out of her dress. Carter threw off his tuxedo jacket and was fiddling with the bow tie, all too eager to be rid of it.
"Is Eve all set for the weekend?" Carter asked. While the newlyweds spent the weekend honeymooning , Maggie, Eric, Eleanor, and Jack were going to take turns spoiling Eve rotten.
"Yup. She's sleeping in one of the guest rooms as we speak. Emily did a great job looking after her today," Abby said. Carter smiled.
"I'm going to miss her this weekend, but I can't wait to have you all to myself," he whispered seductively. Abby wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed up at him.
"I have a confession to make...I couldn't have imagined a more perfect wedding. I loved it. I love you. I love being your wife."
"Abby, you have no idea how much I love being your husband. I love you and Eve more than anything in the world." He leaned down and softly kissed Abby's lips. They finished changing clothes, kissed Eve and the rest of their family good-bye, and climbed into the waiting limo. Before they had even reached the end of the driveway, Abby rested her head on her husband's chest and was lulled to sleep by the gentle rise and fall of his breathing.
****************
Thank you, everyone, for your wonderfully kind reviews. I really appreciate them! I apologize for the extreme delay in updating the story. What can I say...my schedule, being out of town, and writer's block all got in the way. I promise to be a little quicker with the updates next time! Thanks again, and if you have any suggestions of where Carter and Abby can go for a quick weekend honeymoon, I'd love to hear them!!! Thanks again.