OH LAWD chapter 44

Everyone loved Linda's Sweet Little Girl
courtesy photobucket.com

 

Marly and Linda both arrived in Gulfport a week before the wedding for they wanted to visit with their parents, and to look up old friends that still lived around Gulfport.

Linda's parents were crazy about Linda's little girl and Ma was about the same as they were. Linda was almost like Ma's daughter for she spent so much time at our house.

Noonan and the gang at the restaurant were about as bad for they loved Linda and this little one held center stage at the restaurant for them.

They asked Marly when she was going to start a family, and she said in about six months.  This stopped them for a while and then they realized she was pregnant.

She hadn't told anyone, not even her mother and when Ma heard the news, she began to cry. The men got over the surprise quickly but the women had to talk about it for hours.

It must have something to do with the fact that women are more involved in giving birth than men are.

Marly was surprised at how many of her classmates had moved away from Gulfport although the population was even larger than before.

Then she thought, “I guess Linda and I have done that, for we no longer live here either.”

Still it seemed strange to go by a house, and see different people living in a place where people you knew lived there while you were growing up.  Now they have moved elsewhere or are dead.

Mille still had not met Marly and Linda, but she had been on the phone with them each day, for what seemed like hours to me just getting acquainted.

Two days before the wedding they showed up with Ma, and one of the first things they wanted to do after meeting Mille, was to go shopping for new outfits.

Hours later it looked like they had bought the stores out. They were going to be new inside and out.

I thought all I needed to do was to put on the tux I wore on occasions to formal meetings, and I would be ready for the ceremony.

The one thing we agreed on was the ceremony was to be in the church with all the trimmings in spite of my paradoxical thinking.  One other thing was the ceremony would be limited to family and very close friends.

Everyone began to arrive the day before the nuptials.  Mille's folks were there along with mine, and we had a banquet for those who were going to be at the ceremony.

Mille's father brought a case of champagne he especially liked, and Noonan brought the makings for some Gumbo.  

I was very busy but I wanted to prepare a couple “out of the ordinary” dishes for this special event.

By the time the evening was over everyone knew each other and this feast bonded us all together as an extended family. It had been a time of showing growing up pictures and telling embarrassing stories.

Finally the hour was getting late so I broke up the party even though some were still enjoying themselves.  

I wanted to spend a little time with Mille before retiring for the evening.

Tomorrow was going to be busy, and this was the last time I could talk to her before the actual ceremony.

We stressed not to bring gifts, but no one paid any attention to us. Some of our restaurant suppliers sent or brought expensive gifts, and we really appreciated their kind consideration.

While there were many small details to discuss that would need my attention in the morning; but for the next few minutes I only wanted to be with my bride to be, and quietly enjoy her sweet presence.    

 

Oh Lawd!     

 

To be continued