Call Me Kat

A continuing story. Chapter 19

It was a beautiful spring day, the blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds, and the air carried the scent of blooming lilacs and freshly cut grass—perfect for a wedding.

The small red house was abuzz with the sounds of women preparing the wedding feast, while others were upstairs assisting the bride. The four sisters were excitedly moving about, all chatting together as they fussed over the eldest sister for her big day.

She would be the last of the four young women to marry, and although she was well past the age when she would have been referred to as a girl, she was still in her prime.

Cecile, named after her mother, as was the custom earlier in the century, was lovely—the kindest, sweetest, most loving of all the siblings. She was tall, not plump, but also not thin. Her embrace was the perfect comfort for the children, who loved being held by her. She wore her dark hair in a soft curled coif, not too short, in the style of the day. It was difficult to fathom why no one had been smitten with her until now. But that didn’t matter now. Today was her day—her wedding day.

The wedding guests were all members of the extended family. Besides her two brothers and three sisters, her mother’s siblings who lived nearby were also waiting at the reception area. The old aunts—Rose, Florianna with her daughter Therese, and, not to be forgotten, Fedora.

Though Fedora was not the youngest, she was the smallest, standing not much above the heads of Cecile’s young nieces and nephews. She was so full of life and always brought laughter and joy wherever she went. The children always looked forward to her visits, as she would play with them as though she were one of the group. On this day, she was seen riding one of the older children’s bicycles up and down the normally quiet street while the children ran alongside, laughing and cheering for her.

The men of the family were there as well. Her brothers, Ted with his movie camera, and Alfred, the family photographer with his 35 mm Minolta, were ready to record the day’s events. Her two brothers-in-law, Uncle Al and Uncle Cap, were also present.  

At last, the car transporting the newly married couple was seen turning onto the side street where the small, eager crowd of well-wishers was waiting.

Lucy felt her own heart swell with happiness as she watched Cecile’s inner glow sparkle in her dark eyes, a joy that seemed to radiate to everyone around her. We had never before seen her so happy as she walked hand in hand with her new husband to greet the remaining family members, who now waited with eager anticipation to welcome them.

Outside, the children of her sisters were running and playing. Other family members were busy creating a dining area inside the newly built garage, which, for today, would serve as the reception area following the bridal service.

The bright blue garage’s construction had recently been completed by her brothers and still had the scent of fresh wood. Crepe paper streamers decorated the ceiling, and flowers in simple vases adorned the large makeshift table, now covered with a crisp white cotton cloth. The large double doors were swung wide open, and the sunshine and fresh air filled the space with the scent of lilacs from two large bushes near the entrance.

Inside the garage, her sisters were busy setting the big table, which was constructed by placing a full sheet of plywood atop two sawhorses, with dinnerware and large bowls filled with their mother’s home-cooked foods. The air was filled with the familiar aromas of fried chicken and buttered corn, mingled with the scent of fresh wood. The gleeful sounds of the women talking filled the space.

Every few minutes, one or two of the children would run inside to sneak a bit of celery stalk stuffed with cream cheese and sprinkled with fresh parsley or red paprika. No one knew where the idea for this appetizer came from, but it had always been served at every special meal.

Before long, everyone was seated, and the wedding feast was served—crispy fried chicken, potato salad, and large bowls filled with corn on the cob, still steaming and dripping with butter.

“I don’t think there’s enough cake for Uncle Ted!” someone teased, prompting laughter from the table.

To quench their thirst, pitchers of lemonade were placed on the table. On another table along the wall, the big coffee urn stood ready, filled with enough hot brew to satisfy all the adults when the bridal cake was sliced after the meal.

So much excitement was not unusual for this family, but this event was indeed one of their more special memory makers. The day proceeded with merry-making as adult voices drowned out the sounds of the four children playing outside. And as time passed, the newly married couple departed to begin their new life together, while the attendees gradually left for their homes.

As the children chased fireflies, their laughter echoed softly in the twilight. The garage grew silent as the sunlight began to soften in the early evening sky. The remaining adults sat and watched the children as they chased fireflies, catching some in old mason jars from their grandmother’s kitchen.

It had been a perfect day.