Page 149 of Just Like Starting Over
EPILOGUE
SYLVIA
Our wedding is in October.
We actually tied the knot in August, at City Hall in Havelock, on the last day of Una’s final chemo treatment. I know that Sierra has been teased at school for not having a dad before and wanted her to be spared that at her new school. Once Mike heard about that, he made the arrangements and all four of us went to City Hall on a Friday afternoon. It was simple and sweet to make it official. Sierra decided to hyphenate her surname, and now she has two parents on her contact list. Mike and I saved our rings for this more public celebration of our union.
The crops are in, the fields tilled for the winter. Most of the vines have been pulled at the greenhouses to clean up and start the cycle all over again. The seasonal workers have gone home and it’s a moment to catch our collective breath before launching in plans for the next season.
Jake’s prediction came true – or he made it so – and Mike is back at Cavendish Greenhouses. Although Jake is in Toronto most of the time, the two brothers confer constantly. Mike saysthat Jake runs meetings with an iron fist and a schedule that is carved in stone. I know he appreciates the efficiency. Ethan realized within two weeks that he was in over his head. It was long enough for him to develop an interest, though. I’m glad he’s stayed on as an assistant under Mike.
There hasn’t been a service for Patrick yet. There will be a celebration of life in December, when Austin can take a break from filming and fly home.
Rupert has been our guest since we closed on the farm in September, but is heading back to Sarnia with Annette on Monday. She helped him find a little bungalow there that is close to her place and a seniors’ center, and he says he’s looking forward to the move.
I think he’s also looking forward to his visits back here. Mike took him down yesterday to the little church so he could say his farewells, for the moment, to Annie.
Una has had a good report from the oncologist, so that’s a relief.
Sierra and Mike have transitioned the little greenhouse to its winter mode, and have plans to make some improvements there for next season. Noah did another article on it and on Sierra, which got her some new business. She has a little display at The Carpe Diem Café of bundles of herbs that she refreshes every day.Bee Happyhad a good launch year, and Sierra’s going to help Pat Henderson with the planting at her greenhouses over her Christmas break. I’m still getting used to Sierra’s smile with those new braces.
Mike and Sierra also did a presentation at her school on greenhouse growing, a project they planned together. They were so cute together that my heart nearly burst with pride – and yes, they do finish each other’s sentences now. Sierra is already tutoring two other kids in math at her new school. She’s absolutely blossoming here.
And she adores Mike. (I can’t blame her for that.)
Merrie and I hosted the annual greenhouse growers’ association luncheon last week, but now traffic is slowing down at the bistro. We had a great first season and have done well enough to carry on. The Wednesday women, as Merrie calls them, have a regular booking at the bistro. They arrive at eight and at nine, we close, Merrie and I grabbing a drink to join them for a few hours. They’re becoming good friends.
I started to go to that life drawing class in Havelock, too. It’s on Saturday afternoons, which means I go into town with Mike. He plays the game of the season with his friends while I draw, then we all meet up for dinner. They’re good people, nice guys, some with wives and girlfriends, and I feel welcomed by them all.
That’s the unexpected gift of coming home to Empire. For years, it’s been me and Sierra, Merrie and Una. Our world has been a small one. Now, we have an enormous and supportive circle of friends and acquaintances, old and new, and I’m honoured that so many of them are coming to celebrate with us today. We tease Mike that he always knows who can solve any given problem, but I’m starting to have a similar list of connections. I have been an island and I have been a fortress. I like being part of a community a whole lot more. I never would have known it without Mike.
Which brings us to today. It’s a clear sunny day, a perfect autumn day. The air is crisp. The sky is flawless blue and the wind from the lake is a little chilly. The trees have changed colour and the fields are more golden than green. Big Red is glorious this week, its leaves all turned crimson.
Muriel Jackson arrived earlier with Una, and Merrie brought Colin with her – as well as an enormous amount of food. Until this morning, I thought the kitchen in this farmhouse was huge. Now Merrie has covered every surface, filledthe fridge, and stacked more on the table. It’s going to be a picnic lunch and there are tables set out under the trees in the side yard, with gingham tablecloths and ribbon roses. Colin and Merrie lay it all out in record time and it looks beautiful.
Lila and her parents have come down for the weekend and are staying at the Maple Leaf Motel. Abbie has flown in from Vancouver, as well, and her second trip east in four months is encouraging her family to tease her about making a more permanent move.
Daphne and Luke drive out from Empire, as do Willow and Cameron. Mackenzie gets a ride with them. I think people are still talking about Luke’s proposal to Daphne onstage at the tribute concert. They married at the end of August and are living in Daphne’s house, near Una’s place. (The trailer is still there, by the way, a place for us to crash in town. It’s only a matter of time before Sierra claims it as her own.)
Some of the foremen from Cavendish Enterprises have brought their wives and most of Mike’s friends from Havelock are in attendance. Rupert is in his Sunday best, of course, and Annette is here with her three boys, too. Elke sent her best wishes with roses, and Sierra is FaceTiming with her during the service so she can attend virtually.
I’m wearing Una’s wedding dress, an elegant gown in ivory silk with a thousand buttons down the back. The hem had to be taken up a bit, but Muriel did such a good job that you’d never know. I feel like a princess as the two of them fuss over me and Sierra fiddles with my bouquet of yellow roses. She insisted that the bouquet be traditional.
When I come downstairs with Una, Muriel and Sierra, Jake is waiting for us in the hallway. I’ve started a little picture gallery there, and he’s standing in front of one photograph, his hands shoved in the pockets of his trousers. I’m going to saysomething about his pose ruining the line of the suit, but he turns to me and quickly blinks back tears.
I look again and I could have imagined his emotional response. He’s as cool as ever.
“I didn’t think there were any of these left,” he says, his voice a little husky. I realize he was looking at a picture of Dianne that Mike brought from the house. Their mom is laughing in the picture, which must have been taken at Christmas, given the decorations and the sparkles of her sequinned top. Two little boys are looking up at her adoringly.
Una sniffs. “Candace did have a scorched earth policy when she moved into that house.”
“Do you want me to get a copy made of it?” I ask but Jake shakes his head.
“No need.” He brandishes his phone then drops it into his pocket again. “I took a picture. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course.”
He nods and composes himself, then smiles at me. “Ready?”
