I’m sorry for the delay with this, but perhaps I have taken on a bit too much. Time will tell.

More of Chapter 14

The family had given millions to the church, local and state politicians and even to some former presidents. They hadn’t reached out to the new president as of yet. His decisions on certain issues would help decide just how much they would donate to and help in in time of need, when it came. They knew that in time it would come.

The groom stood at the alter waiting for the bride to walk down that long, narrow isle. The priest stodd at attention ready to fulfill his duties. The priest had done this a thousand times. His piercing blue eyes scanned the crowd of family and friends with curiosity. This wedding was different and was costing a ton of money. He was waiting for the crowd to settle down. He was wondering just how long it might take. Fai ally a moment of quiet arrived and he looked at the large orchestra and nodded. The Bride’s March began.

Susan looked radiant. Her dress was a one off and her makeup and hair was prefect. Chad’s miother had broiught in a couple of professionals to do her hair and makeup.

There were six grooms men and six maids of honor. Their dresses were all made in the city by a famous designer. The ring was a five karat solitaire with emeralds set all around it. It was a very nice ring, or so Chad’s mother thought. It cost over fifty thousand dollars. A drop in the bucket for Chad at the moment. Work was going very well. Chad and Susan had looked very long and hard for the ring. The diamond was an emerald cut and was as bright as the sun at noon, or so Chad’s mother had said more than once. It had taken some time to find the ring but it had been worth every minute of it or so Susan now thought.

This had come together so quickly that neither one of them had much time to think about the honeymoon until all other matters at had had been taken care of. Chad’s mother and sister had made the process more survivable for Susan with their kindness. If it hadn’t been for those two, Susan would never have made it. She mentioned that to them each time she saw them and she saw them often through the process.

Every other weekend was spent with Chad’s parents in either their apartment hear Chad’s or or out in the country side at their home. susan loved spending time with her future in-laws and was learning a good geal about the history of the family. There was plenty if that to talk about.

The family had owned the house for over three decades. Chad grew up there learning to swim and play tennis right there on the grounds. His private school was nearby. His life was not unlike many of the royals in Europe but he managed to remain grounded and modest in his behavior. He had many friends and two trusted confidants. One of them was Laura. they had gone to high school and some college together.

The priest opened his book as Susan began walking down the isle between the hundreds of people sitting in the white, wooden, folding chairs in front of him. Music played behind him.

The service was intended to be short. No one in the family wanted them or their friends to be sitting out under the hot sun too long, even on a perfect day such as this turned out to be. It was longer than the family had wanted but shorter than most of the guests expected.

When the service was finished, the couple strode away with pride and the crowd was ushered off to the large tent set up in the grass in the center of the circular drive. Many had hoped to be invited into the home, but that would be the case for only a small, select group of guests.

The food was laid out on several long tables covered in white linen table cloths. Several old friends met and chatted in the long lines waiting to make their choices for lunch. Others made new friends in the same two lines. It was a very special day for everyone. The party ran into the night long after the best man had finished his speech. It was too long and disjointed, but most wedding speeches are, after all.

A dance floor had been set up and the band played for hours to a large group of energetic dancers of various ages. Even the older folks only known by Chad’s parents seemed fit and full of energy. It is interesting to see those with money and few apparent worries age gracefully while the rest fall into less grand states as time wrecks havoc upon them.

It was a grand reception without the unsettling fights and rampant drunkenness one might see in other social settings.

Those in attendance were from the finest families from near and far. They knew how to behave out in public, at least. Their private actions were known only by a few and they were sworn to secrecy.

The limousines and town cars took many away at the end of the night. A few of the younger people in the crowd used Ubers, a confusing and unknown practice to many of the older set. The house staff worked long into the night to return the grounds to their normal state. Chad’s mother was uncomfortable with with the mess and disorder of the day.

No one saw the drone up in the trees.

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Don’t forget to purchase, “The House on the Cliff” now on Amazon. I think it is my best novel so far. It is my latest and perhaps practice is a factor in the results.