CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
"Mr. Ryland are you going to take Miss O'Malley's arm?" Reverend Sanders asked. It was the day before Samantha's wedding and everybody was at the rehearsal. Eddie and Nellie had been avoiding glances for the entire rehearsal, but now they had to recess down the aisle arm in arm, except only Eddie refused to take Nellie's arm and they started to shuffle down the aisle side by side totally oblivious to each other.
"She is not going to bite you," the Reverend laughed.
"Nellie used to be Samantha's servant," Edith Edelton announced from the pew she was sitting in. "He is probably afraid that he will catch her dust mites. Perhaps Samantha has started a new trend of having servant girls as maid-of-honors."
"Peyton," Samantha exclaimed. "I am not going to have your fiancée ruining my wedding!"
"She isn't hurting anything," Peyton replied.
"Just tell her to keep her mouth shut," Samantha ordered. "Remember that I have to attend your wedding in a month."
The issue over inviting Edith to the wedding had been of great controversy between Samantha and Grandmary. Since Peyton Denardo was a close friend to Eugene even if their relationship at the moment was strained, he was still standing up for him in the wedding. Peyton would be invited no matter what.
"Why do I have to invite Edith Edelton as well?" Samantha had argued. "It's my wedding and I do not want her there."
"Edith is engaged to Mr. Denardo," Grandmary had told her. "Since they are engaged it is only polite to include her. Since Eugene will be invited to Peyton and Edith's wedding you as Eugene's wife will be invited as well."
Samantha had protested this but even Aunt Cornelia had told her that there was no way around it, Edith would have to be invited, but she certainly did not have to be a bridesmaid. However, Edith did make herself rather annoying and had attended the rehearsal because Peyton was in it.
Eddie sighed and without giving Nellie a glance, limply took her arm. Having Eddie touch her gave her goose bumps all the way down her neck, back, and to her toes. That strong grip of his had once made her feel safe, now she felt awkward and nervous, almost sick to her stomach. It would be worse tomorrow. Tomorrow not only would she have to recess down the aisle with Eddie but she would have to pose for a picture with him, eat with him, and have a dance with him. It all came with him being the best man, and her maid of honor. Plus tomorrow instead of a nearly empty church, the church would be filled with 300 guests. Between Gard's connections, Grandmary's friends, the extremely wealthy Denardos, and Admiral's navy friends, Samantha and Eugene's wedding was to be the social event of the year, a grand meeting of many influential people.
Edith Edelton and Peyton Denardo would have a challenge at their hands trying to top Samantha's wedding. Between Samantha, Nellie, Grandmary, and Aunt Cornelia, every detail had been perfected right down to the kind of lace that trimmed the wedding programs. Even their planned honeymoon would be difficult to top. Samantha and Eugene had decided on renting an apartment in Paris for a month. Both Samantha and Eugene enjoyed Parisian art and culture. They would be free to attend concerts of the music that they loved, without having to be teased by anyone. They would return back to the States in time for Peyton and Edith's wedding.
Samantha's gown was lovely. She chose to wear her mother's veil, but she wanted her very own dress and the dress was fantastic. It was timeless, and handmade from silk, and had a long train that Nellie had had to spend hours learning how to bustle up for her sister come the reception.
At the end of the ceremony Eddie like a consummate gentleman took Nellie's arm to recess down the aisle. He didn't look at her, or speak to her, but he held her arm more firmly than he had at the rehearsal. He towered over her, and Nellie felt so small, physically as well as emotionally.
At the reception it came time for Nellie to propose a toast to the wedding couple. Nellie stood up holding her glass of champagne high.
"Eugene, Samantha, I wish you all the best. I am so happy for the both of you. Eugene, last summer when you would give me those little presents and notes to give to Samantha I wanted to do anything in my power to make sure you ended up with her. I have seen Samantha with many boys, but no one ever shown her the love that you show, I can tell by the way that you look at her. Also I have never, ever, seen Samantha so happy and so in love as she is with you. I would also like to thank Eddie Ryland." Nellie gave Eddie a quick glance. Eddie who had been drowning Nellie's speech out suddenly did perk up.
"If it weren't for the Ryland family I never would have met Samantha, and we never would have had our beautiful friendship. I thank you."
Everyone applauded as Nellie sat down, relieved that her speech in front of high society was over. Now it was Eddie's turn. Eddie stood up and his booming, burly, voice he said.
"Eugene. You are like a brother to me, you really are. At first I thought you had gone cuckoo marrying Samantha Parkington, but I can see how happy she makes you, and how she loves you, you love her, and that is a beautiful thing. Though Eugene and I have only known each other for one year we have already been through many highs and lows together. I wish the both of you well. Samantha, Nellie, I thank you two because without you Eugene and I would never have started our friendship that night at the Independence Ball."
Having to sit at the bridal party table together was awkward for Eddie and Nellie. They avoided speaking directly to each other.
"Pass the rolls," Eddie barked.
Nellie did nothing.
"Pass the rolls," Eddie said again.
"I think you should ask Nellie instead of order her," Bridgette said.
Eddie glared at her. Nellie glared back and then hatefully took a roll from the basket and thrust it at Eddie.
The most uncomfortable moment yet for them was to come at their dance. First Samantha and Eugene shared a dance, and then Samantha danced half a dance with Gard, and half with the Admiral. Then it was time for the best man and maid-of-honor to have a dance. Any other time Nellie would have enjoyed a dance with Eddie, her shortness next to his tall beefy frame. Eddie was supposed to be like a big teddy bear, instead he was a grizzly bear, and she was ashamed to have to face him like this. They danced stiffly, Eddie making it very clear in his lead that this was just business, and they were not mutal friends. Nellie began to focus on the cake. When would they cut the cake? The cake would be fabulous.
"Now just because we made that smoltzy speech about being thankful for each other when we gave the toasts doesn't mean that I am fine with how you and Samantha treated me last summer," Eddie finally said to her as they mechanically waltzed together. "If Samantha didn't make Eugene so happy I would declare her a spoiled, despicable, unfeeling woman."
"Eddie it was just a joke," Nellie said. "Like when you put the salt in her birthday ice cream."
"I almost married you," Eddie retorted hotly. "I almost put a ring, a ring that I chose very carefully and put a lot of thought and research into on your finger! I didn't take our love or that commitment I was about to make to you as a joke."
Nellie had no comment. He was absolutely right. Nellie was extremely relieved when the waltz ended. She downed a whole flute of champagne.
After an hour later Nellie had had her fill of waltzing and talk of weddings and romance. She danced with Gard, The Admiral, and some cousin of Cornelia's named Arthur. She stayed around just so she could have her piece of that elaborate wedding cake that she had painstakingly chose, and then left the ballroom to have a seat on the little fainting couch that was in the foyer. It was heavenly to be away from the noise of music and laughter. She had already been asked by seven people when she was going to have her wedding. The combination of food, champagne, and sugar had actually made her feel sleepy, sleep would be good tonight.
Eddie on his way back from the men's room walked by her. He had also had his share food and drink.
He nodded.
"Eddie I have to speak with you," Nellie said without thought. She grabbed his coattail.
"I don't trust you," he stammered.
"Eddie please," said Nellie. "Just listen to me this once. If I had introduced myself to you as Nellie O'Malley that day that you met me in the lilac bush, do you think for a minute you would have pursued getting to know me? I don't think you would have for a moment. I would have had that servant girl stigma attached to me, no matter how finely dressed I was. Perhaps I had to pretend to be someone else so you could get to know the real me."
"I suppose you are right," Eddie admitted. "But you could have told me before I tried to purpose to you. You had plenty of opportunity to explain yourself."
"I really did try to at the Independence Ball," said Nellie. "But we had that spectacle with Samantha and Edith, I never could get you alone. I miss you Eddie. I really do."
"I wrote that Ladies Journal of yours about your pen name and story," Eddie said changing the subject. "They said they would publish it in the September issue, and pay you then."
Nellie's eyes went wide.
"Really?"
"Yes," said Eddie.
"Why did you decide to send it?" She asked.
"Would you have rather that I didn't?" Snapped Eddie and he sunk down next to her on the couch.
"No," said Nellie.
They sat in silence.
"Eugene speaks highly of you," Eddie finally said.
"I like Eugene very much," replied Nellie. "He truly loves and respects Samantha."
"He's crazy," said Eddie.
"So am I," said Nellie.
"You got that right. We all are crazy. The whole lot of us."
"How is your mother?" Asked Nellie.
"Crazy too," said Eddie. "She had been invited to the wedding but she couldn't come. She's not in the mind to."
"I'm sorry," said Nellie. "I lived with a crazy uncle."
"I best get going," Eddie said. He got up and began to walk away, but then he turned around, ran to Nellie, and gave her a quick kiss.
"Look I don't care who you are, Nellie or Helene, or hoo-ha. I have been miserable ever since I stopped seeing you. I see Eugene so happy with Samantha and I know what that kind of happiness is like. I want it back, I want to be back with you."
"Eddie that sounds wonderful," Nellie said not sure if perhaps she was hallucinating due to too much champagne and sugar.
Eddie reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ring box.
"Nellie O'Malley, shall we try this again?" He asked. "Would you marry me?"
Nellie nodded and slipped the ring back onto her finger.
"I can't believe you still kept it," she said as she admired the Claddagh ring on her finger.
"Of course I did," said Eddie. "Actually I gave it to Eugene to keep for a while, and then while we were dressing for the wedding the weasel slipped it into my pocket. I felt it was there right before the ceremony. I don't know why he put it in my pocket."
"Because Eugene could tell that you still loved me," Nellie replied. "And I am very happy that he did. I love you Eddie."
"I love you too Nellie. I am the luckiest man alive. You are not only the woman that I love but my best friend as well. I know I have quite a bit of schooling to go through before I get my law degree, and I understand that you are going to school as well."
"Yes," replied Nellie. "But it is in New York City."
"Well then perhaps we could get married next summer, and we could still go to school. Or if you want to wait until we finish, it is really up to you. I don't mind you going to school or becoming a teacher. It is one of the things I love about you."
"I think a wedding next summer sounds grand to me," laughed Nellie. "Let's announce our engagement tomorrow. I don't want to step on Samantha and Eugene's day."
"Perfect my love," said Eddie. "Want to go back in there and dance?"
"Very much so," Nellie replied. Eddie took Nellie's hand and gently helped her off of the couch. He took her arm, the right way, the way it was always meant to be.
"I guess Samantha Pig Face Parkington well O'Reilly, actually did something right when she concocted her little scheme to get the both of us together."
THE END