Ann Martin - Kristy's Big Day

After that, the members of the club (except for me) would go home, change quickly, and somehow get themselves to Watson's house. Meanwhile, the rest of us would go either to the rehearsal or to Watson's to help get ready for the dinner.

The children had shown up at my house that morning each carrying two bags. One bag waslunch, the other was clothes - a complete outfit. I had peeked in Maura's bag and seen a dress, a slip,a pair of tights, a change of underwear, party shoes, and barrettes. I hoped the other bags were as complete. Dressing fourteen kids for a fancy party had all the makings of a disaster.

But I couldn't worry about that then.

"You know," Claudia spoke up, grinning, "I just had a really funny idea. The rehearsal dinner made me think of it. Instead of putting on an ordinary show or play, how about putting on a wedding?"

"A wedding?"I exclaimed.

"Yeah.The kids can play all the different parts. Someone can be the bride, someone can be the groom. You know."

"You mean marry off a couple of the children?" said Stacey, laughing.

"Sure," replied Claudia. "The wedding is all these poor kids have heard about for the entire week. We might as well prepare them for the real thing. What do you think?"

We were all laughing by then.

"Ifs a great idea," I said.

"Do you still have those old clothes you used to play make-believe with?" asked Claudia.

"I can do better than that," I said. "Last year, out of the clear blue, Grandma - my other grandmother - sent us all these funny dress-up clothes. Some of the clothes would be perfect for our wedding. I'll go get them."

"We'll talk to the children," said Dawn.

By the time I returned to therec room with

myload of clothes, the kids were sitting on the floor talking excitedly to Mary Anne, Stacey, Dawn, and Claudia.

"Well, we just chose the bride and groom," said Claudia.

Karen couldn't contain herself."Ifs me! Me and David Michael!" she cried."Because we're the same height."

The rest of the children volunteered for other parts in the ceremony. Luke was going to be the minister. Ashley reluctantly agreed to be the bride's mother (so she could sit down most of the time). Emma and Grace were to be the maids-of-honor, and Katherine wanted to be the flower girl. Berk decided to play the bride's father and give her away, Andrew and Peter decided to be ushers, and Patrick (who was awake and eager to participate) volunteered to be the ring bearer.

We divided into our groups and went off to rehearse the various parts and find costumes. Mary Anne watched the babies and helped with costumes. (Ashley had made a miraculous recovery from her various aches and pains.)

Half an hour later, we gathered in therec room again to rehearse. The kids were dressed to the nines. David Michael had put on his best suit. (If he didn't wrinkle it, he could leave

iton and wear it to the rehearsal dinner.) Mary Anne had found a top hat for him among the antique clothes. It was too big, but my brother liked it.

Karen, who loved to dress up, had put together the most amazing costume of all. She showed it off proudly.

"Here's my veil," she said, brushing aside a garish pink piece of netting, "and my lovely, lovely hat." (On top of the lovely, lovely hat was a lovely, lovely fake bird's nest with two fake bluebirds inside.) "And I put on my best bracelets. I guess my shoes are a little big" (they were a pair of Mom's) "but that's okay. Now, my dress is the most beautiful part of all. See the jewels?"

The dress was wilder than the veil. For starters, it wasn't white; it was bright blue, withshimmery sequins sewn all over it. The waistline fell around Karen's knees.

"That's a wedding dress?" cried Ashley. "Wedding dresses are supposed to be white. Or maybe they could be yellow or something, but not that!"

Karen looked crushed. "Kristy?" she asked in a small voice.

"Well, technically," I said, "a wedding dress can be anycolor ."

Karen stuck her tongue out at Ashley. "See?"

"See?" Ashley mimicked her.

"Okay, okay, you guys," said Claudia. "Let's not spoil the wedding."

"But I'm her mother," Ashley protested. "Aren't mothers supposed to complain?"

I giggled. "Maybe," I replied, "but let's just go on, okay?"

The kids ran through their parts. When they knew them pretty well, they looked at us expectantly.

"Let me get the camera!" I said suddenly. "I'll be the wedding photographer." I found Mom's Polaroid, hoping she wouldn't mind if I borrowed it. "Into the living room, you guys. We'll have the wedding in there, if you promise to be careful."

"Oh, we will! We will!" the kids chorused.

"All right, then.Places, everyone."

Luke stood importantly in front of the fireplace. David Michael and Patrick (the ring-bearer) were next to him.

Andrew and Peter (the ushers) led Ashley and the baby-sitters with the three little children to seats on the couches and armchairs. Then they joined Luke, David Michael, and Patrick at the front of the room.

"Okay, bridesmaids," I whispered to Emma

andGrace, who were peeping into the living room.

The girls walked slowly through the room, Grace tripping over the hem of her long dress with every step.

They positioned themselves on the other side of Luke.

{Catherine camenext, wearing what looked like a ballerina's tutu, and tossing confetti out of an old Easter basket. Karen, the beautiful bride, followed with Berk at her side.

She joined David Michael, they turned to face Luke, and Berk sat down next to Ashley.

Click, click. Click, click. I was trying to record every important moment.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Luke solemnly, beginning a speech he had madeup, and which seemed to change every time he recited it, "we are gathered here today to join these two guys in ... in. . . ." He looked helplessly at Stacey. "What did you say it was called?"

"Holy matrimony," Stacey whispered.

"In ... in holymoly ."(The baby-sitters managed not to laugh.) "Weddings are very important," Luke continued. "You have to know what you're getting into. If you think you're ready, then you can take the oath. Are you ready?"

"We're ready," said Karen and David Michael.

"Okay, then. Karen, do you promise to love your husband and help him out and not hog the television?"

"I guess so," said Karen.

"Okay. And David Michael, do you promise to love your wife and help her out and show her how to ride a two-wheeler?"

"I guess."

"Okay. By the way, are you two going to have any kids?"

"Yes," said Karen.

"No," said David Michael.

"Well, if you do, be nice to them, all right?"

"Yeah," spoke up Berk. "Don't give them any bedtimes."

"And don't yell at them when they forget to feed the dog," added Luke.

"And once in a while," said Emma, "let them go into a toy store and when they say, 'Can I have this?' you say, 'Yes,' even if it costs forty dollars."

"All right," said the bride and groom.

"Great." Luke nodded to Patrick.

Patrick handed David Michael a ring, and my brother slipped it on Karen's finger.

"You may now kiss the bride!" Luke announced triumphantly.

"What?!" shrieked David Michael, and his hat fell down over his eyes. "You never said that before!"

"Ew,ew !" cried Karen.

My last photo of the wedding showed Karen and David Michael running, horror-stricken, from the living room.

It was time to get ready for the (real) rehearsal dinner.

Chapter 12.

Wedding Countdown:.Friday evening - half a day to go.

As soon as we got Karen and David Michael calmed down, it was time to begin dressing the children for the dinner at Watson's. I handed the bags containing the clothing to the baby-sitters, and they went off to various parts of the house with their groups. I took Grace, Katherine, and Andrew (who were not modest) into the playroom to change.