Madeline

Chapter 29

When we finished with our picnic and began heading back, I assumed that Reed would walk me to Anne's house since I told him that we had some last minute planning to do as well as some preparation to get started, but he led me to William and Keira's home. I was surprised but I didn't mind seeing them, so I didn't complain.

Once we stood at the door, Reed knocked and then reached for the knob without waiting for an answer. I looked at him curiously. He was letting himself in?

"They're expecting us," he explained. "William said to just go in since he might be out back and Keira shouldn't be rushing to the door." He pushed the door open and gestured for me to go first.

It made sense, but I still felt strange as I cautiously moved into the house. "Keira?" I called, unsure whether she would have heard Reed's knock.

"In the sitting room," she called back.

Feeling silly for thinking that Keira would care, I shook my head and walked quickly toward the sound of her voice. When I came through the doorway of the sitting room, I froze, my eyes going wide. Keira wasn't alone. Far from it. Looking around, my vision blurred as I took in the scene. Everyone I loved was here. Keira and William were present of course, as were Anne and Michael and the children. But Rebecca and all four of my sisters were here too! I assumed that the four little girls that I didn't recognize were my nieces.

I couldn't move other than to swipe at my eyes so I wouldn't lose sight of them all.

"Didn't I say yelling 'surprise' wouldn't have been a good idea?" Keira joked. "Look at her. She's ready to pass out."

I laughed along with the others and opened my arms as Viola crossed the room to hug me. Jocelyn followed, then Delia and Elise, and finally Rebecca. I felt like I must be dreaming. I'd been hoping they would be able to come to the wedding, but I hadn't heard for sure. Even if I had, that wouldn't explain why they were here now.

"What are you all doing here?" I asked, still astonished.

Apparently my question struck everyone as funny because they all laughed again.

"It's three days till your wedding," Viola said. "You didn't think we'd forget your bridal shower, did you?"

As a matter of fact, I had. A bridal shower hadn't even occurred to me.

"And on that note," Michael said, making his way over to give me a hug. "Happy as I am for you, I'm not sticking around for a bridal shower." When he slipped from the room, William, closely shadowed by Will Jr., followed his lead. They both made a quick escape after giving me hugs and I turned to Reed, sure he wanted to leave too.

"Guess that's my cue," he said.

"You knew!" The thought just struck me.

He grinned but didn't answer. "Have a good time." He bent to kiss me and then left.

When I turned to face the room, there was a round of squealing and other noises of general approval as well as exclamations of how cute we were. Of course my face felt a little red from all the attention.

As everyone resumed conversations they'd been having before I arrived, Viola turned to me. "I was just teasing. Bridal showers aren't really done in the upper class, though I wish they were. Not that we'd have had them anyway, with Fath-" She stopped herself and shook her head, understanding that he was the last person in the world I wanted to be thinking about today. "Anyway, they're so much fun. You should have seen how excited we all were." She nodded at our sisters. "Delia has been impossible."

"Can you blame me?" Delia said, sidling up beside me and hugging me from the side. "I get away from home for the day to see my sister after so many years, for the purpose of attending her bridal shower. My girls finally get to meet their aunt, and that's not even factoring in the shopping or the novelty of the whole event!"