Page 56 of Very Special Forces

"I likebeing a part of this."

"Whendoes Anastasia get here?" I asked. Solomon's sister stayed for afew days after Solomon got home from the hospital before headingback to her life in New York. We remained in touch, of course, andI was looking forward to seeing her again. Plus, she would be theonly representative of Solomon's family to attend. His brother wasstill concealed in witness protection pending the trial he had totestify in so it was quite unlikely he could attend. I wasn't sureeither Solomon or I would want him to come even if he could. Someactions were very hard to forget.

"Yourface went dark for a moment. Are you okay?" askedSolomon.

Ireached for him and squeezed his hand. "All okay."

"I alsogot a call from the restaurant regarding the rehearsal dinner toconfirm the numbers and Francesca says she'll finalize the seatingplan with us tomorrow. Apparently, there's a small issue with theflorist but she doesn't think it's anything to worryabout."

"I feelbad that you've been handling all this stuff."

"Don'tbe. A few minutes of phone calls, nothing more. So long as we'reboth at the meeting tomorrow, I think everything will be signedoff. Did you get your dress?" he asked.

"Not yetbut they will call as soon as it's ready."

"So youmade a decision," said Solomon, looking pleased. "Will I likeit?"

It wasmy turn to smile and say nothing.

"Are youtalking about the wedding?" asked Mom. She pulled a chair over andsat next to me, leaning in so she could talk to Solomon too. "I betyou two are so excited."

"We werereally excited for our wedding," chipped in Serena from a fewmeters away. How she'd overheard our quiet conversation, I didn'tknow.

"Ofcourse you were, darling," said Mom. "And now Lexi is excited abouthers. Have you written your vows?"

I darteda panicked glance at Solomon. "Am I supposed to?"

"You canbe traditional if you prefer. Traditional is fine," said Momquickly.

"Can youimagine Lexi offering to obey anyone?" snickered Jord and mysiblings joined in.

"Thatwon't be happening," I told them. "But I like the rest ofit."

"Justdon't write poetry. Your cousins' wedding had poetry for vows.Everything rhymed. It was very strange," said Mom.

"Strangewasn't the word," muttered Dad.

"GrandmaO'Shaughnessy took back her gift," said Mom. "She didn't like thevows." At the mention of my maternal grandmother, the airstilled.

"Such ashame she can't make it," I said, doing my best to sound sad. Itwas hard work, and I didn't think I pulled it off, but the thoughtwas there. Unlike Grandma O'Shaughnessy who rarely had a nicethought and even less nice things to say to anyone. Fortunately,she was somewhere in rural Ireland. As soon as my mother turnedeighteen, my Irish grandmother packed for the airport and refusedto return to the States for anything longer than a brief vacationto see her children and their children. "We'll send aphoto."

"Noneed," said Mom. "She called earlier and said she's going to comeafter all. She's looking forward to seeing you, Lexi."

"Isshe?" I frowned hard. Grandma never expressed that before. HerChristmas cards were invariably full of admonishments and promisesto pray for me every day even though she "wasn't sure I deservedit, being a heathen and all."

"Shedidn't come to my wedding," pouted Serena.

"Shewent to the first one," said Dad. "Count your blessings she didn'tmake it two."

"Shesent a nice card," said Delgado. "It had a picture of Jesus on itand a nice message inside."

"Didit?" asked Dad incredulously.

"Well,she asked what was the world coming to and said being married twicewas better than being divorced once," said Delgado. "And at least Iwas a man."

"That isnice for Grandma," snorted Garrett. "She's still cross we only havethree children and thinks it's some kind of divine interventionrather than actual family planning."

"Threeis quite enough," said Traci.

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