Let me back track to May 15, rehearsal day. After getting
acclimated with the site, a beautiful vineyard and a beautiful sunny day, I
felt comfortable with my out-of-the-way spot with the keyboard and my music
partner for the wedding, Mike Gregory. I had prayed for sunshine, but maybe not
THIS much sunshine? Anyway, as practice began Vivi laid like her usual sweet
self right beside the keyboard. Suddenly I heard her crunching something that
sounded like something very hard to crunch. Still, before I could reach down
and grab it out of her mouth, it disappeared and rehearsal continued. All went
well until the bride started her little practice walk down the aisle. Suddenly
Vivi saw her and bolted like a hound dog going after a coon, wearing harness
and leash and totally ignoring our own well-rehearsed command “Vivi come!” and
crashing right into the middle of the wedding party. The bride is one of her
favorite people.
May 16, 6 AM. Vivi is
doing the fox trot on my bed … then, whatever she swallowed yesterday bounces
right onto the blanket. Could have been
worse, could have been me. We’re up now and I’m getting ready to get my hair
did with Christi, the mother of the bride.
We laugh and talk about the wedding day.
Today I made arrangements for my friend, Teresa, to drop by before leaving for Angier, NC, in order to assure me the dress looks fine and I have no broccoli or something on my teeth. Then Mike and his lovely Lisa wife pick me up and we’re off. About twenty miles we ride, talking and laughing, then it’s almost time. This time I take Vivi to see Brittany BEFORE the wedding begins so she won’t be surprised. Brittany let’s me feel the dress, touching the bodice, the skirt, the train and veil. My mind tears up but my lips smile. Then I take my comfortable place behind the keyboard. Today I put Vivi’s leash around the leg of the bench I am sitting on. If she bolts today, the bench, the keyboard, the microphone and me will go with her. I hear the covered wagon letting people off who ride from the reception room to the outdoor spot in front of a lake which Brittany has chosen for her wedding. There’s a faint smell of grapes in the air and a slight breeze.
It’s 5:30 PM and the sun is thinking about setting in a few hours as it blazes a trail around the lake. I hear the sound of horses’ hoofs and the slight rattling of carriage wheels. Even though I see nothing, I know Brittany is in a white carriage being pulled by white horses around part of the perimeter of the lake. The sun is so hot but my arms fill up with little spirit bumps as a picture forms in my mind of exactly what a beautiful scene it makes. Then it’s time for her wedding entrance. “Oh dear God!” and that’s a prayer, not an expletive. The keyboard sound disappears. For about four seconds the venue is quiet as Barry, the D.J. realizes I changed settings and it killed the sound. Now, sound restored, Brittany walks down the short distance before I want to stop playing. I stop anyway. After her dad sits down Mike and I sing the song I wrote for her wedding day, perfectly until the very last note which gets lost in my heart and won’t come back like the sound of the keyboard did. I did hit it enough to get the word out and say a silent thank you prayer that Mike carried the note to its full count.
Then, as the service progresses, I am lost in my flashbacks:
Today I made arrangements for my friend, Teresa, to drop by before leaving for Angier, NC, in order to assure me the dress looks fine and I have no broccoli or something on my teeth. Then Mike and his lovely Lisa wife pick me up and we’re off. About twenty miles we ride, talking and laughing, then it’s almost time. This time I take Vivi to see Brittany BEFORE the wedding begins so she won’t be surprised. Brittany let’s me feel the dress, touching the bodice, the skirt, the train and veil. My mind tears up but my lips smile. Then I take my comfortable place behind the keyboard. Today I put Vivi’s leash around the leg of the bench I am sitting on. If she bolts today, the bench, the keyboard, the microphone and me will go with her. I hear the covered wagon letting people off who ride from the reception room to the outdoor spot in front of a lake which Brittany has chosen for her wedding. There’s a faint smell of grapes in the air and a slight breeze.
It’s 5:30 PM and the sun is thinking about setting in a few hours as it blazes a trail around the lake. I hear the sound of horses’ hoofs and the slight rattling of carriage wheels. Even though I see nothing, I know Brittany is in a white carriage being pulled by white horses around part of the perimeter of the lake. The sun is so hot but my arms fill up with little spirit bumps as a picture forms in my mind of exactly what a beautiful scene it makes. Then it’s time for her wedding entrance. “Oh dear God!” and that’s a prayer, not an expletive. The keyboard sound disappears. For about four seconds the venue is quiet as Barry, the D.J. realizes I changed settings and it killed the sound. Now, sound restored, Brittany walks down the short distance before I want to stop playing. I stop anyway. After her dad sits down Mike and I sing the song I wrote for her wedding day, perfectly until the very last note which gets lost in my heart and won’t come back like the sound of the keyboard did. I did hit it enough to get the word out and say a silent thank you prayer that Mike carried the note to its full count.
Then, as the service progresses, I am lost in my flashbacks:
Brittany and I sit at Ruby Tuesdays over two years ago. She
is planning her wedding, spring, summer, winter, or fall. She is so excited.
The waiter comes over and congratulates her, only to learn she isn’t even
engaged yet, only dreaming.
Back to earth. The service is over. Brittany and Zac get
into the white carriage as eyes are glued on the bride and groom, now husband
and wife. I hear the horses hoofs.
After the wedding party has exited the venue I learn that my former husband, Jim, was sitting on the front row with his own guide dog, Chloe. When the horses came around close to the seats on that side, Chloe bolts just like Vivi did yesterday, only her leash was wrapped around Jim’s wrist at least three times. Jim leaves his chair as if it were a slip&slide and lands, in his new suit, in the dirt. Where are the cameras? He didn’t get hurt, so it’s okay if you want to laugh. He laughs about it now.
After the wedding party has exited the venue I learn that my former husband, Jim, was sitting on the front row with his own guide dog, Chloe. When the horses came around close to the seats on that side, Chloe bolts just like Vivi did yesterday, only her leash was wrapped around Jim’s wrist at least three times. Jim leaves his chair as if it were a slip&slide and lands, in his new suit, in the dirt. Where are the cameras? He didn’t get hurt, so it’s okay if you want to laugh. He laughs about it now.
I ride the covered wagon with the others back to the
reception area. The room is beautiful inside, but the colored lights have a
great time turning my light vision into a circus. It’s all good as I enjoy a
glass of wine made at the vineyard, enjoy the announcement by the DJ as the
bridal party enters, hear a strong and purposeful blessing on the wedding and
the future given by my son, Kevin, have a meal fit for a king, listen to toasts
made by Taylor, the bride’s sister, and Ken, Zac’s father.
Let the dancing begin! Vivi lies quietly like a little angel under the table. I wait for an old tune, something maybe like the “Twist.” It never happens.
As the evening continues my heart is overflowing as I watch Brittany, knowing that she had no idea of the joy she would feel this night as she planned her wedding over two years ago in Ruby Tuesdays. Her dream has come true. After the cutting of the cake, the throwing of the bridal bouquet, the "put in a dollar to dance with the bride" session, a shower of bubbles usher her and Zac out the door at 10 PM as they get into the limousine to begin their future together.
Let the dancing begin! Vivi lies quietly like a little angel under the table. I wait for an old tune, something maybe like the “Twist.” It never happens.
As the evening continues my heart is overflowing as I watch Brittany, knowing that she had no idea of the joy she would feel this night as she planned her wedding over two years ago in Ruby Tuesdays. Her dream has come true. After the cutting of the cake, the throwing of the bridal bouquet, the "put in a dollar to dance with the bride" session, a shower of bubbles usher her and Zac out the door at 10 PM as they get into the limousine to begin their future together.
The year of practicing wedding music is over. Time to see
what happens next in my life, hoping for even more beautiful visions.
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