The two young people turned around and walked back down the isle as a married couple. They were ushered off for photos as the large crowd was slowly moving over finely tended, short grass in the direction of the large tent that had been set up in the middle of the nearly circular drive at the front of the grand house.
This area had been a horse pasture just a few days ago. It had been cleaned and cut for the festivities by two men after the horses had been moved to a pasture in the rear of the house.
Many of those invited had hoped to go into the house, but that was only for a select few. Mostly family and the best clients of the brokerage house were allowed in.
The food was laid out on long tables covered in white cotton table cloths with blue and red runners lying in the center of the tables. That was the color chosen for the runners by Suzan.
The food was laid out with ample space between stops so as to allow visiting and not to cause the line to be stalled too long while the guests were waiting to grab their food and find their seats. It was all very civilized.
Several old friends were invited who hadn’t been seen for years. Some arrived to view the ceremony to the parents of the groom’s surprise and delight. Many new friends were made while waiting to grab a plate and a set of silverware. Perhaps a few marriages might spring from this event as well. The numbers made that seem entirely possible.
The food was expected to be excellent. It was and more. Freshly cooked seafood, ribs and chicken nearly overflowed from the tables. There were three long tables set up for the main courses, salads and deserts.
A few quests looked around and walked over to the desert table first instead of fighting the long line for ribs and the like. They ate desert first as many have suggested to their closest friends for years. They were the brave souls in life, no doubt. They slowly ate their desert and then went to the center tables where the lines were soon nearly empty.
The party ran into the late evening long after the bridegroom’s speech about Chad. It was a good speech and some believed most of it. All of it seemed to good to be true, and that was how Chad liked to run his life story by others. It had become a habit early in life and had served him well. His ease with a lie made him well liked by many men of wealth and a desire for more. It made him perfect for his family business.
There were some true parts there somewhere. However the main crux of the story was to gain customers trust of a seemingly worldly young man like Chad who had apparently done everything from jumping out of planes for no good reason to fighting on the battle fields of America’s enemies as his four bearers had. His father had the same gift and it served him and his thriving company well.
A dance floor had been set up and the band played for hours to a large group of energetic dancers and even some older folks known only to Chad’s parents. Many danced the night away while others were quietly ushered into the main house with some ceremony to be given the opportunity to talk privately with Chad’s father.
Some were well dressed men who were offered a cigar as they entered and had a few moments in private business discussions. Some were other stockbrokers looking to move to their firm and some were contractors looking for help with a military contract with one senator or the other and special ways of being paid that might skirt tax laws of one place or another. Most knew of those family skills and connections in these matters.
Talking to Chad’s father about business was a rare instance as of late. Chad was being groomed to lead the company as his parents slowly aged out and traveled more than in the past. “What good is all this money if one doesn’t have a chance to enjoy it,” his father had been repeating lately.
Those in attendance were from the finest and wealthiest families and for the most part knew how to behave in public. There were few scuffles or disturbances noted. However, their private lives may have been something quite different if looked closely into and known only by a few.
Many limousines and town cars were seen leaving the home well after the wedding and the party was over. Most were heading back into the city. A few of the more trendy and young used their Uber apps to find their way home after too much drinking or other activities not to be understood or mentioned by the older set.
The house staff worked late into the night with the company providing tables and chairs to return the grounds to their normal state. Chad’s mother was uncomfortable with the mess and the disorder of the day. She had a great time and was thrilled to have her eldest son married, but she couldn’t completely control here compulsions, under any set of circumstances. Her husband had mentioned a certain medicine to her but she was reluctant to try it. “It has so many side effects dear. It scares me to even think about it.” Chad was humored by the irony that one of his clients manufactured the drug.
In the morning when the car arrived at Chad’s apartment for the ride to the airport to leave on their honeymoon, there was a drone flying unnoticed high above their car. It followed them to the airport rising and falling as the power lines and architecture dictated.
Suzan had returned to Chad’s apartment after the wedding. It was their wedding night after all and his apartment was much closer to the airport. Her bags were already at Chad’s apartment.
It was a misty morning with steam pouring out of the manholes and rising slowly around the city as usual. The locals seldom notice the thin steam clouds while the tourists seem fascinated by them. “Hey Marge, what the heck is this steam all about?” one midwesterner could be heard saying as he and his wife left the lobby of some hotel to find a waiting cab as Chad’s limo passed by. “I haven’t a clue dear, ask the cabby or the doorman when we come back,” was his wife’s quick reply.
Leaves were still falling as the breeze quickly turned into a gusty wind. “We were so lucky with the weather yesterday Chad.” “Yes, my love, it couldn’t have been a nicer day. It was a wonderful ceremony and I am the happiest man on earth, thanks to you.” This is just the beginning of a wonderful life together Chad,” Suzan added.
More later today.
Don’t forget to go to Cowboyproductions52 on Facebook to see the videos of my book characters and plots.
I will be reading from the first chapters of my novels there soon.
I working on “Dreams of Costa Rica” right now to add a little more worry, dread and fear into it.