Read The Double Wedding Ring for Free Online

financials,” she said. “We’ll all do what we can, but you can’t neglect your duties as maid of honor.”
    â€œMost of it is under control. I have to check on the order for the flowers and make sure that I have the decorations. There are lots of little details that need to be dealt with. I want the wedding to be perfect.”
    â€œWell, it won’t be. Nor should it be. It will be lovely though. God knows we’ve all worked our thimbles off trying to get this ready.”
    We had. It was Eleanor’s quilt group, but the rest of us—Natalie, Carrie, Maggie, Natalie’s mother, Susanne, the local pharmacist, Bernie, and I—had formed our own sub–quilt group for the purpose of making Eleanor and her fiancé, Oliver, a wedding quilt. Oliver was a well-known painter, and he saw in my grandmother a fellow artist and soul mate. Their love story was unexpected, but it was inspiring and joyful.
    Our secret sub–quilt group was making its wedding quilt of twelve-inch square blocks. Most of the blocks were appliquéd with roses, but each of us had taken two to decorate as we pleased. Mine had appliqués of Barney in one, and Oliver’s easel in another, as symbols of things that each loved nearly as much as they loved each other. The blocks were assembled, but the quilt needed to be quilted, the binding sewn on, and a label made, signed, and attached. Each task had been assigned to a person, so I didn’t worry that it would be done on time. Besides, not getting a quilt done on time was something of a tradition. There were women I knew still working on baby quilts for kids entering high school.
    We were also making small pillows for each of the fifty guests, with appliquéd roses on them, and we’d decided to sew tablecloths for each of the five small tables that we would have to fit into Eleanor’s living room for the reception. All of the work was going on behind Eleanor’s back, but she’d have to be a fool to not know what we were up to. And my grandmother was no fool.
    â€œIf it can’t be perfect,” I said, “it will be close.”
    â€œI’m sure the ceremony will go off without a hitch,” Maggie agreed, “but we have to focus our energies on the bachelorette party.”
    I laughed, my first of the day. It felt good. “I don’t really think Grandma would want strippers and lingerie. And if she does, I don’t want to know about it.”
    â€œI wasn’t talking about that sort of thing. I was talking about getting all the women together to celebrate our dear friend and this exciting new adventure she’s embarking on. We may not see much of her once the wedding is behind us and they’ve left town.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œOliver’s bought that big house in South Carolina.”
    I sat up. “When? Eleanor didn’t say anything to me about it.”
    â€œI suppose she’s waiting to tell you, dear,” Maggie said. “It will be good for her to retire and enjoy Oliver for as long as they’ve left.”
    â€œRetire?” That was another piece of news I hadn’t heard. “But even if Eleanor would retire, why couldn’t she do that here?”
    â€œThis has already been a long hard winter and we have a long way to go. If you think it’s cold for you, wait until your bones creak. I imagine they’re both looking for a little sunshine and mild weather. Oliver said the house is near the ocean, so can you imagine how lovely it must be? We’ll all have to go visit, of course, but it won’t be the same. Which is why we need a party to celebrate dear Eleanor.”
    Maggie kept talking. Something about having people to her house for the bachelorette party, or maybe doing it at the shop would be better. A big dinner, lots of wine . . . I wasn’t listening. My grandmother was telling people she planned to retire