After the Loving. Gwynne Forster

      He hugged her. “This is exactly what I meant.”

      “And we can be together now, you and Mummy and me?”

      “Yes. That’s what it means.”

      Her arms tightened around Telford’s neck, then she kissed his cheek. “I have to tell Grant I was right.” He set her on her feet, and she went back to Grant who immediately reached for her hand. With Tara and Grant walking ahead of them, the bride and groom smiled and waved to their guests as they walked away from the altar. Her eyes glittering with tears of happiness, Velma looked up into Russ Harrington’s face as he held out his arm to her, his smile as radiant as she knew her own had to be. She nearly tripped, but he tightened his grip.

      “It was the most moving thing I’ve ever experienced,” he said in low tones. “I’m happy for them.”

      “I am, too. It was… I can’t describe it.” She said silent thanks that he didn’t see her face, for she knew that all she felt—happiness, pain and loneliness—were mirrored in her eyes.

      I’ll be back on track as soon as I can get away from Eagle Park and this man whose arm I’m holding. I don’t want his casual friendship. I want him.

      Russ held the door of his car, seated Velma in the front passenger’s seat, and left Henry and Drake to make themselves comfortable in the back. Tara and Grant rode with the bride and groom.

      “You want to offer the first toast, Drake?” Russ asked as he moved the Mercedes away from the curb and headed for the reception.

      “That’s your job, brother,” Drake said. “I’ll do the honors when you tie the knot.”

      “If that ever happens,” Henry put in. “You both shoulda seen how happy Tel is. Now maybe you’ll figure out how to get some of that happiness for yourselves.”

      “Don’t bring that up, Henry,” Drake said. “I’m not interested in walking the remainder of the way to the reception.”

      “Would he put us out?” Velma asked with a tone of wonder in her voice.

      “Maybe not you. I’m taking no chances,” Drake said.

      Henry sucked his teeth loudly enough for all of them to hear. “He ain’t putting nobody out. I raised him to have manners. Just because he can’t stand foolishness, don’t mean he’d screw up Tel’s wedding reception.”

      “What’s going on back there, Velma?” he asked the quiet woman beside him. “After living with me for thirty-some years, you’d think they’d know what a real pussycat I am.”

      “Which feline family you talking about, brother? Surely not the house variety.”

      “Do they always meddle with you like this?” Velma asked him, and he got the impression from her tone of voice that she didn’t like it.

      He turned into the driveway leading to the Eagle Park Palace Hotel. “The three of us jostle all the time, and because Henry practically raised us, he reserves the right to say whatever appears on the tip of his tongue, but if my finger began to bleed, all of them would run to me with Band-Aids. That’s what this family is all about, Velma. We’re here for each other.”

      She looked great, and he felt good walking through the hotel lobby with her holding his arm while the crowd of onlookers waved and smiled. “You should wear this color all the time,” he told her. “And this style suits you. I like it better than your caftans. You…you look terrific.”

      “Thanks, but maybe you need glasses.”

      He stopped and looked hard at her. “You’re telling me I don’t know my own mind, that I don’t know what I like and don’t like? I’ll tell you this—I do not like those caftans you wear. Dressed like this, you look like a real woman.”

      If she was posturing for more praise, she could forget it. He wasn’t in the business of building egos with empty phrases.

      Just what I needed to keep my head straightened out. He walked on with her but didn’t offer her his arm. They joined Telford and Alexis in an anteroom, and he watched a subdued Velma embrace her sister and her brother-in-law.

      “My mummy is going off with Mr. Telford on a honeymoon. What does a honeymoon look like, Mr. Telford?”

      “I’ll…uh…find out while I’m there and explain it when we get back.”

      Russ snickered. It wasn’t often that he saw his older brother squirm and loosen his collar.

      “Time for the party to enter the reception room,” the manager told them.

      They stood around the table laden with the wedding cake, calla lilies and glowing candles. Russ stepped up and raised his glass. “It gives me the greatest pleasure to introduce to you Telford and Alexis Harrington.” After the applause, he continued. “To my brother and his wife. May you always be as deeply in love as you are this day.” He let the champagne drizzle down his throat, set his glass down and moved aside.

      Drake held up his glass. “I thank my brother for giving me such a wonderful sister and a niece who I adore as if she were my own child. Telford and Alexis, God bless you with a long and happy life.”

      It was Henry’s turn. “This is one of the happiest days of my life. Take care of each other, and grow old together in peace and love.” He took a few sips and set the glass aside.

      Russ motioned to the orchestra, and Telford waltzed onto the center of the floor with his bride in his arms. His turn, but he felt a little shaky about it. He figured it would pay him to keep his distance from Velma, though he didn’t discount his strong attraction to her. He preferred independent, self-assured women, and Velma had just showed signs of a lack of self-confidence, at least with him. He liked the company of mature people who knew who they were and where they belonged. However, as custom demanded, he stepped in front of Velma and opened his arms. “Dance with me?” he asked her, for he didn’t believe in taking anything for granted.

      She smiled, lifted the hem of her gown and rested a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks. I’d love to dance with you.” She danced well, he realized, a point in her favor, for he loved to dance.

      The manager announced that dinner was served and that dancing would continue later. After dinner, Russ said to Velma, “Drake’s car is in the hotel garage. If you wish to stay, he’ll drive you home along with Tara and Henry. I’m driving Telford and Alexis to the airport in Baltimore as soon as they change clothes. I can drop you by Harrington House, but no one will be there with you till Drake gets back.”

      She thought for a couple of seconds and quickly made up her mind. He liked that. Nothing got on his nerves faster than shilly-shallying.

      “I’ll go back with Drake,” she said. “Drive carefully. Will you come back to Eagle Park tonight?”

      “Yes, but it will be late. I’ll see you in the morning.” To his own surprise, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “It was fun. Good night.”

      He could take her with him, and maybe he should, but if he did, it would seem that she was his date, and he wasn’t ready for what that would imply. He walked over to Telford and tapped his elbow.

      “Alexis will blow a fuse if I speed, so we’d better get started. Check-in time is an hour and a half from now. Say your goodbyes, man.”

      It amused him when Alexis, who stood within hearing distance, said, “If he spoke to all these people, we’d miss the plane. Everybody thinks newlyweds are off-the-wall anyway, so why don’t we just sneak out? I’ve already prepared Tara. Let’s go.”

      “Woman after my own heart, brother. Meet you in the lobby in ten minutes.”

      Telford clapped his hands. “Unmarried ladies to the right please.” About a dozen women including Velma gathered there. Alexis tossed her bridal bouquet, and Adam Roundtree’s cousin caught it.

      As