Second Chance at Love(66)
Maneuvering her Honda into a tight space, she turned the engine off. She picked up her gloves on the passenger seat and she slid her hands into them before picking up her purse. Stepping out of the vehicle, she made her way to the marble steps leading to the front door. Just as she was about to ring the bell, the heavy wooden door swung open.
“Well hello there!” Dominic greeted Karen, pulling her into a tight bear hug. “How’s my favorite soon-to-be daughter-in-law?” he teased as he released her and stepped aside so she could come in out the cold.
Karen laughed, dramatically rolling her eyes. Taking off her coat, she sassed back, “Mr. Dominic, I’m you’re only soon-to-be daughter-in-law.”
Reaching for her coat, Dominic’s thick salt and pepper eyebrows bunched in a frown. “I wish you would stop this Mr. Dominic stuff. We’re family now. If the kids can call me Grandpop, you can call me Pops.”
Karen didn’t pay Dominic’s gruff fussing any attention. The place he was coming from was a place of love. Standing on her tippy-toes, she planted a soft kiss on his check. “Okay, Pops it is.”
He firmly nodded his head. “That’s more like it.”
Breezing into the room, Janet’s face lit up. She was just as excited about the upcoming nuptials as the bride and groom. “Oh there you are, sweetheart.” The women exchanged a warm hug. “Come on, everyone’s waiting for you,” she sang as she ushered Karen into the kitchen.
Following Janet, Karen was a bit curious as to who else was here. She’d only been aware of the wedding planner meeting with her and Janet.
“Oh my God!” Karen squealed in delight. Rushing to the kitchen table where the two other women sat, she nearly tripped over her booted feet.
Donna stood, opening her arms. “Hi baby,” she smiled as she embraced her daughter.
Breaking the embrace, Karen kissed her mother’s soft cheek. “I thought you couldn’t make it until the wedding.”
Donna sat back down, as did Karen. “Patrick and I came back from New Orleans a little earlier than expected.” Winking at Janet, she teased, “Besides, your mother-in-law insisted I get my fanny up here.”
Janet laughed, taking a seat. “I certainly did. I didn’t want to be the only one having fun.” Karen’s heart melted when her mother and Janet reached across the table to take the other’s hand.
It was Donna who said, “This is the last time we’ll be planning a wedding for our children.” She couldn’t help the tear that slid down her cheek. She was happy for her daughter, yet a twinge of guilt tugged at her. Wallowing in her own self pity, she hadn’t been there the first time Karen got married. Though she apologized for her absence in her daughters’ lives, she couldn’t help thinking that if she had been there, been a mother, she could have kept them from making the same mistake in loving the wrong man as she had done.
Just as she was about to open her mouth again to apologize, Janet gently squeezed her hand. Though Donna had become friends and trusted the other women, Janet was the one she was the closest to. She had shared things with Janet she hadn’t shared with the others. Janet hadn’t judged her, she simply held her as she cried and encouraged her to let the past go and embrace her new life with her children and grandchildren. The tender look in Janet’s eyes was a reminder that this was a new day.
Donna read the message in her friend’s eyes. Nodding her head, she returned the squeeze. Disengaging their hands, she cleared her throat. “Karen, baby, this is Gayle Jackson, the wedding planner.”
Karen and Gayle both reached across the table to shake hands. “Hi Gayle. Thank you so much for taking on this job at the last minute.”
Flipping open a writing pad, Gayle smiled. “Don’t worry about it, hon. Trust me, your momma and Ms. Janet are paying me very well. So tell me everything you ladies have done so far.”
The ladies deferred to Karen to fill Gayle in on the other details that needed to be taken care of for her upcoming nuptials. The entire time she listened to the wedding planner give her recommendations and suggestions, Karen’s mind drifted back to the interaction between her mom and Janet. She wondered what she had done right in this life to be blessed with marrying into such a loving and caring family.
“Daddy, why that lady keep looking at you like that?” Kyle queried as he colored the picture on the kid’s menu.
Ashley rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath. “Because she’s a home wrecker.” The barely eighteen year old waitress had shamelessly flirted with Dom. She hadn’t seemed a bit fazed that the children were present, nor did it faze her that they kept calling him daddy.