Page 57 of A Dead End Wedding

“Tess told me I have to keep you sober enough that you won’t end up at her house in the middle of the night singing sea shanties,” Dave said, looking intrigued. “That’s a very specific request. Is there anything you want to sing for us?”

After we handed the outraged criminals off to Susan, and after a few large glasses of whiskey, I may have taught a few sea shanties to some of the fine, upstanding men of Dead End.

But I admit nothing.

22

Tess

Saturday: Wedding day!

The day flew by in a frenzy of friends and family and excitement. Before I knew it, we were on our way to the church in a limo Carlos had provided. I would have protested the expense, but he said it was a wedding gift. And I really didn’t want to mess up my beautiful dress climbing into Uncle Mike’s old truck.

I hadn’t eaten much all day, only nibbled, but my stomach was full of butterflies when we lined up in the vestibule while old Mrs. Quindlen began to play her quirky version of a wedding processional song. It sounded vaguely like a cross between a hymn and a Billy Joel song.

“Catchy,” Molly said, wincing.

I hadn’t wanted to ask my talented musician friend to play at the wedding or reception because I wanted her next to me all the way. I impulsively hugged her, and then I hugged Eleanor, Aunt Ruby, Lorraine, and Shelley. My magical sister wiggledher fingers, and blush pink rose petals danced through the air down the aisle in a lovely—andorderly—delight for the senses. The aroma was gorgeous, and the flowers matched the long-stemmed pink roses in my bouquet.

My flower “girls” started down the aisle to general merriment and applause. Nobody in Dead End had done it this way before, but we may have started a new trend. Then Shelley and Molly set forth, walking hand in hand, and Uncle Mike turned to me.

“You’re so beautiful, Tess.” His voice was husky. “It has been the greatest joy of our life to raise you and love you and watch you grow into this amazing person. We are so proud of you.”

“Don’t make me cry,” I threatened, because Molly had spent an hour on my makeup. But then I hugged him and kissed his cheek. “You are my family, and I’m so lucky to have you. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful life.”

“There, there,” he said, brushing at his eyes. “Let’s not get emotional.”

He held out his arm. I took it, and we started down the aisle to a tune that sounded roughly likeRock Around the Clock,but I forgot the music and the flowers and the Fae and everything else when I saw Jack waiting for me, so unbelievably handsome in his tuxedo.

When he saw me, his eyes filled with wonder and so much love that I suddenly wanted to dance down the aisle to him. But I kept a sedate pace, smiling at all our guests, who stood and applauded as we walked past them. When we reached Jack, Uncle Mike bent and kissed my cheek.

Then he turned to Jack. “Take care of our treasure, young man.”

“Always,” Jack promised.

“And I’ll take care of Jack,” I said.

Pastor Nash conducted the ceremony beautifully, and the vows Jack and I spoke made me tear up all over again.

“You are the joy and the luck and the love I never hoped to find in this life, Tess. I will love and cherish you always.”

“Jack. I never believed I’d find my happily ever after, because of my gift. And then you walked into my life, and my world has never been the same. I love you, and I always will.”

“You may kiss your bride, Jack,” the pastor said with a huge smile.

And so he did.

“May I present the happy couple! What God and Dead End joined together, let no one eventryto tear asunder,” Pastor Nash said, a hint of steel in his voice.

When Mrs. Q played us out with a jazzy version ofSilent Night,I got a case of the giggles and could barely keep it together.

“Maybe she needs Alaric to fix her eyes so she can read the music,” Jack whispered.

“I don’t think she actually knows how to read music. But it would have hurt her feelings to be left out.”

“Gotta love Dead End,” he said, squeezing my hand.

When I looked out over the crowd, I was shocked and delighted to see that my grandmother and her boyfriend had made it, after all. They’d been set to speak today at an important meeting of the International Banshees Organization that had been planned for more than a year. I’d told them I understood.

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