Of Dogs and Brides and Hurricanes

Of Dogs and Brides and Hurricanes

D. A. Ratliff

As a child, this soggy alcove under the mangroves where the sea crept in at high tide had been my favorite hiding place. My younger brother Lucas and I spent hours playing hide and go-seek, and he never found my private hideout. I hoped he didn’t find me today.

Family. I am sure the dictionary lists dysfunctional as its synonym, which applies to my situation. I am stuck on a small barrier island off the northeastern coast of Florida with my dysfunctional family—a pro-football player brother about to marry a cheerleader with half the state of Texas in attendance, my harried parents, and a neurotic dog. Not to mention a tropical storm bearing down on the coast in less than forty-eight hours. Oh, and lest I forget, I am a meteorologist, so everyone here thinks I can predict what the storm is going to do and is constantly asking me, what’s it doing? Therefore, I, Madison Parker, am in hiding.

I gazed across the cove at the Caribe Room, a Caribbean-hut-styled outdoor dining room at the Mystic Beach Hotel. Faint chatter reached me, so I knew the wedding guests had gathered for breakfast. I loved this place—usually. My parents, Daniel and Kerri, visited Florida when I was three and Lucas was ten months old. We stayed here, and when they discovered it was for sale, they impulsively bought the small but quaint hotel. Lucas and I spent our childhood playing on the beach, learning to swim and dive. We had a little sailboat that our dad taught us to sail when we were older. Mom homeschooled us until Lucas displayed tremendous athletic skills, and each morning we walked a half-mile and crossed the bridge to the school bus stop so he could play football. That got him a scholarship to college and a high draft pick in the NFL. With a penchant for the weather, I became a meteorologist and currently work as a civilian forecaster for the Air Force’s NASA weather team.

Hungry and knowing I couldn’t hide forever, I rose from my hiding place. It was time to become social and join my family. On the way, I checked the National Hurricane Center’s report, and the tropical storm remained on track to pass close to the island making landfall to our east sometime early Saturday morning. Great. The wedding was on the beach early Saturday evening, with the outdoor reception in the Caribe Bar. With the latest forecast in hand, I headed for breakfast.

The crowd hit me with a barrage of What’s the latest? the second I appeared. I gave them a brief update and headed to the buffet, where I found my dog, Cirrus, standing over a plate, licking it clean. He raised his head long enough to acknowledge me, and I saw pancake syrup covering his nose and dripping from his chin. “You are a mess, Cirrus.” He stared at me and went back to licking the plate.

I loaded my plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast and sat beside my brother and his bride-to-be, Bethany Waverly. Lucas pointed to Cirrus.

“You know, Madi, for a Border Collie, he’s not very smart.”

“Oh, he’s smart enough. Been panhandling everyone here.”

Bethany squeaked. “Oh, he’s just the cutest little thing. I told Lucas we needed to get another dog, just like Cirrus, as soon as we moved into the new house. Have you seen pictures of the house yet?”

To avoid answering, I shoved a large spoonful of eggs into my mouth so I could only nod. Not only have I seen photos of the “MacMansion” they bought more than once, but I think everyone on the planet has also seen them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for Lucas, and Bethany is a good person, but the trappings of wealth are not my thing.

I told them I was concerned about holding the wedding on the beach or the reception in the Caribe Room. Bethany smiled. “I know, but Momma and Daddy want this to be perfect, so that little ole storm needs to scurry away. I don’t want to upset them. I mean, Daddy invited all his business associates here for a big weekend, and we don’t want to disappoint them.”

“The storm’s still developing. We need to keep an eye on it, just in case.” From Bethany’s shrug, I knew she was in total denial. It would be a long forty-eight hours until the wedding.

After breakfast, I decided to take a run on the beach. South of the hotel was a long stretch of sand, and with a storm already north of the Bahamas, the breeze was a bit stronger than usual. Calling for my moocher dog, we headed down the path and onto the sand. Cirrus took off running ahead of me. I decided not to try to keep up with a quick Border Collie.

About midway down the secluded beach, Cirrus halted and ran toward the tree line. I yelled for him to stop, and thankfully, he did, just as one of the guests from Texas stepped into sight. I hurried toward Cirrus and grabbed his collar.

“I’m so sorry. We didn’t know anyone was on the beach.”

The man held a cell phone, and I noticed he pressed the red icon to end a call. He shook his head. “Just taking a walk and wanted a closer look at the mangroves. Nothing like this in Dallas. Now, you and that dog have a good run.”

He headed toward the hotel, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t being truthful. I decided to blame my anxiety on the dropping pressure of the approaching storm. Sure, it was.

Cirrus ran so much that by the time we headed back, he slowed to a walk, panting. I was a bit tired, too, so I plopped down on the sand with Cirrus beside me. Although I came home often, as Titusville was close by, this visit seemed different for some reason. It was my brother’s wedding, which should have been enough to make me anxious, but something seemed off. My job at NASA Launch Services requires me to work with the various new rocket companies launching at the Cape. Being in launch control in tense situations honed my sense of even minor stress. I felt tension now, not all of it because of the impending storm.

A catamaran sailed past, and as the boat approached the cove, it dropped sails and, under engine power, turned toward the hotel dock. Undoubtedly, another wealthy member of the Texas crowd is coming for the wedding.

I scratched Cirrus’s head. “I guess we should go back. There is a luncheon ‘do’ with the bridesmaids today.” He barked excitedly. “No, you are not invited.” He darted along the beach. “Yeah, I know you. You’ll find a way to get a treat.”

~~~

The Gardenia room, the luncheon site, overlooked my mother’s pride and joy, a tropical garden. She had scratched out every root and stone, bringing in soil and planting everything by hand. The garden's beautiful fountain and tropical plants made a gorgeous backdrop for any event. Someday for my wedding—maybe. I laughed. A groom would come in handy for that.

Bethany’s bridesmaids included her sister, Marissa, four cheerleader cohorts, and me. We sat at a table with my mom, Bethany’s mom, Delores, and two of her aunts. Looking at the tall cheerleaders made my feet hurt as I thought of the four-inch platform shoes Bethany insisted I wear so I didn’t look like a kid next to the grownups. Painful or not, I would do it for my brother.

The food was delicious, and the Bellini’s free-flowing, and from their condition when they left, I had a feeling my soon-to-be sister-in-law and her friends would be sleeping lunch off by the pool. My brother had volunteered to keep Cirrus out of trouble, and I found him, Dad, and an excited Cirrus, on the dock standing next to a tied-up boat, the catamaran I saw earlier. I presumed the man they were talking to be the catamaran’s owner.

Lucas waved me over. “Madi, meet my friend Will Benson. Will, my sister, Madison.”

“Nice to meet you, Will.” I shook his hand, and the contact took my breath away. Did you ever have one of those moments when it struck you that something significant happened? I had one of those moments.

“Madi, Will, and I have been friends for the last couple of years. Met at the gym.”

“You are a brave man, being friends with this one.”

Will laughed. “He’s not as formidable as he looks.”

“I know. I used to wrestle him and win. But then we were 3 and 5… don’t think I could now.”

My dad chuckled. “Somehow, I think she could still take him. Come on, let’s head to the bar and get this man a drink.”

Thiry minutes later, Will and I sat alone at a table overlooking the pool. An issue with a faulty shower head had called Dad away, and Bethany dragged Lucas to the parking lot to look at the rolling bar-b-que pit her Texas cousins had brought with them. They were cooking tonight’s dinner—a Texas-style bar-b-que.

I sipped what was becoming my favorite drink, London Lemonade, and enjoyed the afternoon. There was sun and afternoon heat, but in the distance, I knew what the ominous darkening clouds meant. This beautiful weather would not last long.

Will pointed to my glass. “What’s in that drink? You make a little sound after every sip. I like that.”

I felt my cheeks getting hot and hoped I wasn’t blushing, but his words reflected my total enjoyment of the drink. “It’s called London Lemonade, and it’s just my mom’s freshly made lemonade with a gin kick. It’s quite good.”

He grinned. “I can tell.”

I changed the subject, my words stumbling a bit. “Lucas said you are sailing the boat to your uncle’s home in Palm Bay?”

“He bought the catamaran from a broker in Charleston last month but didn’t have time to bring it down. I had the time since I’d be in Florida anyway for Lucas’s wedding, and I could sail it down for him.”

“I imagine he was happy for the help.”

“Yes, and it gives me time to check out the Titusville area.”

For some reason, my pulse quickened. “Why Titusville?”

“Oh, I guess we haven’t gotten to that... uh... I start a new job there in a month for a private rocket company based at the Kennedy Space Center.”

“You are moving to Titusville?” He nodded, and I continued. “Lucas told you I live there and work for the Airforce Weather team that forecasts for the Space Center?”

“He might have mentioned it. Said you could show me around.”

I forced a breath, then managed to speak. “Sure, I’d be glad to show you around.”

We chatted about Titusville for a bit before Bethany rushed to the table. She hugged Will. “So glad you made it. But I need to tear Madi away.” She turned to me. “The seamster is here to make certain the bridesmaid dresses fit. So, I need you.”

Will turned his palms out. “She is all yours. See you at the bar-b-que, Madi.”

~~~

By the time the bar-b-que started, I had disturbing news. The tropical storm had gained strength, was turning quicker than expected, and would head up the Florida coast. Meteorologists in my office suspected it would become a weak category one hurricane by tomorrow evening and pass close to the hotel.

I found my parents and told them the latest on the storm. They would let the guests, especially those not members of the wedding party, know they might wish to evacuate. I then had to tell my brother and his bride-to-be the news.

Lucas and Bethany were in the buffet line. I told them the news. Neither looked happy. “What do you think, Sis?”

“The forecast is accurate. The only good thing is that the storm should pass offshore, making landfall along the Georgia-South Carolina border. But remember, as good as we can be at times predicting these storms, they are fickle and sometimes fool us.”

Bethany clutched Lucas’s arm. “We can’t cancel the wedding. Everyone is here. This is important for my dad. Lots of oil executives who are clients of his are here.”

Lucas glanced at me. “Beth, honey, we can’t put people in danger, but I think we’ll be okay. A weak cat one should be fine, and the hotel has gone through higher winds than that.”

While I couldn’t endorse his opinion, with little time to evacuate one hundred wedding guests plus a few others and the staff, I was inclined to agree. Staying put was practical, and if it stayed on track, the storm would pass close by at low tide with less possibility of storm surge.

That settled, the aroma of bar-b-que lured me to the buffet line, where I found Cirrus waiting with anticipation for someone to toss him food. The buffet was laden with ribs, chicken, brisket, pulled pork, and numerous side dishes. I was trying to decide what to get when Will walked up.

“This is the one thing I’ll miss about Texas—the bar-b-que.”

“There is a fantastic bar-b-que joint near where I live. I think you’ll survive.”

“Only if you let me take you to dinner there.”

I laughed—a bit too girly, I might add. “You’re on.”

With plates piled high with food, we joined my parents and some of our family at their table. Cirrus followed us and was now nuzzling my dad’s arm. He knew a soft touch, which paid off, his muzzle now covered in BBQ sauce.

Two hours later and vowing never to eat again, I decided to take Cirrus for his last nature call during a lull in the rain bands that were beginning to arrive. Will joined me, and we took the excited dog to the dog walking area on the north side of the hotel.

“Nice that your family accommodates pets here.”

“Because Lucas and I brought home every stray dog and cat we could find, they had no choice. Then decided they should allow families with pets, so that’s what the hotel is known for now. But still, a fun place for adults to get away, and they attract many small conventions.” I unhooked Cirrus’s lead, and he took off down the step to the tree line to sniff. “You know when my parents bought this place, it was smaller and rustic, like a private hideaway, but they’ve worked hard and made many improvements. It’s three times bigger now and has a destination restaurant. It’s great to see what they have accomplished.”

“Why didn’t you and Lucas stay here to help run the place?”

“Mom and Dad threw us out. They followed their dream and wanted us to follow ours. I’ve loved the weather and the stars since childhood, so I found the perfect job. Lucas’s passion has always been football, and with his talent, he had to pursue a pro career. Although, he told me a while back, before he met Bethany, that he might come back and work here when he retired. Now, I don’t know.”

Will chuckled. “I know Bethany gives off the pro cheerleader vibe, but underneath the spandex and the glamor, she’s a down to Earth gal. And she loves Lucas very much. His dream might be hers as well.”

“The more I get to know her, the more I believe you are right.” It started to rain, and Cirrus came running back to the covered veranda that circled the Old Florida-style hotel and bounded up the steps.

“No, Cirrus.” But it was too late as the dog shook his wet fur with gusto. I was snapping on his lead when we heard angry voices from the covered patio below.

“Stop accusing me, Tanya. I told you I have everything under control.”

“The hell you do. If you did, he wouldn’t be calling and threatening to kill you if you didn’t go through with the deal.”

“I told you to shut up, or I’ll….”

“Or you’ll what? Hit me again. You know what? I’m done. When we get back to Dallas, I want you out of my house.”

“Your house?”

“Yeah, the house my daddy paid for, and remember, it’s in my name. I’ll go along with your charade here, and you can pull your scam on Waverly. Then, I want you out of my life.”

After we heard the entry door slam twice, Will blew a low whistle. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“No, not at all. Should we tell Mr. Waverly what we heard?”

“I think we should let Lucas know, and he can tell him. Waverly’s a good man, honest, I think. He doesn’t need to be the victim of a con.”

We went inside the hotel and, on the way to the elevators, passed by a small alcove surrounded by plants. Bethany and Lucas were sitting on the settee, and she was crying.

“I swear, Lucas, I don’t care if the cake and the flowers can’t get here. We can’t stop the storm. But Momma has been dreaming of this day all her life, and all the trappings here are her wants, not mine. I’d just as soon get married on the beach in shorts with only the family. But Momma wanted a sparkly wedding, and Daddy wanted to wine and dine his clients. So, here we are, stuck in a hurricane.” She laughed. “Maybe there are enough of those chocolate cupcakes in the vending machines to serve as wedding cake.”

“Baby, that’s why I love you. Love that sense of humor. I bet my mom and Chef Maurice can figure out the cake, and Mom has great flowers all around the hotel. It’s going to be good.”

“As long as you marry me, it’ll be good.”

Will and I snuck past, and when we got to the elevators, Will grabbed my arm. “The hotel has a van, right?”

“Yes, a few of them.”

“Okay, I have a plan. Meet me here at seven a.m. We’re going on a covert operation.”

~~~

Will’s idea was genius. We found out the name of the florist and the bakery and called them before we left the hotel. With the storm coming, both businesses were happy to accommodate us as they would close from Friday afternoon until the storm passed. We asked the florist to prepare the bouquets, boutonnieres, and whatever else they had time to finish. The bakery hurried to decorate the cake and completed it by the time we arrived. They also had extra sheet cakes and a canceled order for ten dozen chocolate cupcakes. We took those as well.

Mom and the hotel catering manager sighed with relief when we arrived with the cake and flowers. We stowed everything in the walk-in cooler, and the catering manager she they would set up the large banquet room overnight since the wedding had to be indoors.

By the time we got everything put away, it was two p.m. We were starving and headed to the Mangrove Grill inside the hotel. Dad had shut the Caribe bar down to secure it before the storm. We ordered salads, and I had taken a couple of bites when I realized I hadn’t seen Cirrus.

I texted Dad. He replied that he and Cirrus took a walk on the beach to ensure the pool attendants had collected the lawn chairs and umbrellas. Cirrus had run ahead of him just as a heavy feeder band hit, and it was raining so hard that Dad ran for the hotel. He thought Cirrus had come with him.

Panic tried to rear its head, but I reminded myself that Cirrus was a Border Collie and intelligent despite being goofy. And he would not run away. We checked all the public places in the hotel, and no Cirrus—time to look outside. Rain pelted down, so I grabbed rain ponchos from the front desk, and Will and I headed to the beach first.

We yelled for him but got no response. The wind blew across the beach toward land, muffling any sound, making it hard to hear him bark, if he could. Panic tried to win out again when I saw Will, walking ahead of me, dart into the mangroves. I started running as he stepped out and motioned for me.

Cirrus stood among the mangroves’ roots, struggling to pull his paw from the tangled roots. “He’s trapped. Looks like he’s scrapped his foot trying to get out. Come over here and see if you can pull his paw loose while I pry apart the roots.”

It took a few minutes, but with brute strength, Will managed to get the thick, tangled wood apart enough for me to pull out Cirrus’s bloody paw. I grabbed his collar to help guide him when something caught my eye. I leaned around the mangroves tree in front of me and screamed.

“Madi, what?” Will yelled out.

I pointed. “It’s a body. There’s a body back there.”

~~~

With the storm bearing down and the police short-handed, an hour passed before the county sheriff’s deputies and a Florida Bureau of Criminal Investigations detective arrived. EMTs had responded earlier and had already checked the body.

My parents, Lucas and Bethany, her parents, Will, and I sat in a small conference room waiting for Detective Starnes to join us. Cirrus lay in the corner sleeping, his cut paw bandaged but seemed otherwise fine. I checked with the forecast center on the still tropical storm. The winds had picked up, and the rain bands crossing the island increased. They expected the heaviest bands to reach us by eight p.m., and the eye would pass offshore sometime after midnight.

Mom had brought a pot of coffee and mugs and poured it for us. “Chef Maurice is preparing tonight’s rehearsal dinner, and after service, the staff will begin setting up the main banquet room for the wedding.”

Bethany responded. “We can all help. That’s a lot on your staff.”

My mom glanced at me. “No, I won’t have it. We’ll be fine. Only hope the rain lets up so I can get some flowers. If necessary, we have flowers around the interior public places—we can use those.”

“No worries about it. All we need is our families and friends at the wedding.”

We chatted about the storm until Detective Starnes joined us. “I’ve taken your statements, but I have a photo of the victim I’d like to show you to see if you can identify him.”

No one could. Eric Waverly was the last to see the photo, and as he handed it back, Will tapped me on the arm. “I need to tell them what we overheard.”

“I agree.”

“Mr. Waverly, forgive me for not telling you this earlier. I intended on telling Lucas as soon as we got back this morning, and then we found the body. Last night, we overheard a man and woman fighting.” Will then recounted what we had heard.

When he finished, Detective Starnes asked, “Any names?”

I responded. “Only the woman’s, Tanya.”

Delores Waverly gasped. “My goodness, Eric, it must be Tanya Anderson. She married that guy from Nevada two years ago, James Anderson.”

Eric Waverly slammed his fist on the desk. “I knew something was up with that man. Detective, right after they got married, Tanya invited us to dinner at their new house. Anderson had a big deal he wanted to talk to me about. I’m a loan broker, securing funding for startups and existing companies. I had him checked out—looked legit, but something didn’t feel right. I decided to tell him I was canceling the deal after we got back to Texas. Detective, it’s hard to stay ethical in my business, and I’ve lost business because of it, but I suspected he was scamming me.”

Starnes nodded. “Got a photo of him?”

Mrs. Weather held up her phone. “One from an art show we went to with a group last weekend.”

I gasped. “I know him. He was on the beach yesterday morning. He stepped out of the mangroves and startled Cirrus and me. Said he was admiring the trees, but I think he’d been on the phone.”

Starnes requested that Delores text him the photo. He turned toward a deputy. “Search the hotel and grounds. Let’s hope he didn’t get off the island.”

He added to us. “James Anderson is now a person of interest. If you see him, don’t engage—contact an officer.”

As we were exiting the room, a deputy arrived with news. “Detective, EMTs report the bridge to the mainland has washed out. They’re returning here.”

“Well, that’s great.” Starnes looked at my parents. “Going to need a cooler for the body.”

~~~

The rehearsal dinner turned into a less formal affair. The storm became a Cat One around seven p.m. We expected landfall around one a.m. on the Georgia coast. Mom requested that the guests wear casual clothes and comfortable shoes to the rehearsal dinner. At seven, Will and Cirrus, who trotted in as if he belonged, and I sat down for dinner. Despite the weather and a murder, Chef had outdone himself with Chicken Kiev and a steamship round of beef.

Dad joined us minutes as the servers arrived with the salad. “That was different. We moved items out of the walk-in cooler to make room for the body. The staff is a bit freaked out, and so am I.”

Lucas paused in mid-bite. “Any word on Anderson?”

“No, police are going room to room with Janelle, the night manager.”

Bethany shuddered. “My mother is beside herself. She has known Tanya since college. They were not close friends but saw each other often, and even invited us to their wedding. Learning Tanya told her husband she wouldn’t stand in the way of him scamming Dad has upset her tremendously.”

We were enjoying Key Lime pie when the double doors to the banquet room flew open. James Anderson ran into the room, brandishing a pistol with deputies, their guns drawn, following him. Eyes wide and his face flushed, Anderson spotted Delores Weatherly sitting behind us and grabbed her, pulling her from the chair. One arm around her waist and the other holding the gun to her head, he sneered.

“You let me out of here, or I’ll kill her. That bastard talked me into this scam and would have killed me if I didn’t do it. I killed him first. I told him it was too risky. Weatherly was catching on.”

Starnes spoke calmly. “James, you can’t get off the island. The bridge is out, and there’s a hurricane coming. You have nowhere to go.”

Anderson glared at the detective. “No, there’s a better way out.”

The gun in his hand shook, and it took a second to realize that Will had rushed him. The body blow caused Anderson to lower his gun arm, and Cirrus chomped down on his hand, causing him to drop the weapon. Within seconds, deputies had Anderson cuffed and out of the hall.

Starnes checked on Delores Waverly, then hunkered down next to Cirrus and scratched his head. “Good boy. Need you on the force.”

He stood. “Mr. Parker, we need a secure place to keep the prisoner since we can’t get him out of here.”

“I think we can find a suitable spot.”

~~~

In an abundance of caution, Dad opened the dividers between two smaller conference rooms creating ample space. The lack of windows made the location safer. Most guests chose to wait out the storm there, bringing pillows, blankets, and snacks from their rooms. I had to laugh. Dad informed everyone that the contents of the snack cabinets and refrigerators were free, and most appeared to have brought everything with them.

I left Will to keep Lucas and Bethany from wandering into the large banquet hall where we were setting up for the wedding. I joined them after we had the basics done in the room. Will had settled in a corner with pillows, blankets, and Cirrus, now sporting a purple bandage on his paw.

I sat next to Will, and Cirrus wiggled over, crawling onto my lap. “Should I even ask how he got a purple bandage?”

Will laughed. “He picked it out. One of the EMTs came in to check on everyone and noticed his bloody bandage. She had a first aid kit, cleaned the wound, added some antibiotic cream, and bandaged it again. Then she held out four colors of the sticky outer gauze and let him choose his color. He chose purple.”

I hugged my dog. “You are special and a hero.” I looked at Will. “So are you.”

“Just close enough to act.” He patted Cirrus. “And so was this guy. Remind me not to make him angry.”

Howling wind rattled the building, and torrential rains fell as the feed bands closer to the storm’s eye passed overhead. We settled in, family around us as the storm intensified. As midnight approached, the lights flickered, and the power went out, signaling the storm’s proximity. The sound of wood splintering and glass rattling reached inside the interior rooms. Quiet conversation drifted around the room, and as the wind settled, people relaxed. Feeder bands continued for most of the night, but by daylight, everyone drifted back to their rooms.

Luckily, with the big generators Dad installed, we had morning coffee. I could survive anything if I had coffee. Due to the power being out, Lucas and Bethany decided to hold the wedding at two p.m. and not six, so all the festivities would be in daylight.

Mom and the staff had worked since dawn to finish the banquet hall for the wedding, setting up the tables and chairs for the guests to sit during the ceremony and dinner. Will and I had the duty to keep Lucas and Bethany entertained until the reveal. We walked around the grounds to assess damage and check on the catamaran.

Will was relieved. “One of the deputies is a sailing enthusiast, so he helped me tie her up and batten her down. From here, looks like she’s fine.”

We headed to the loading dock area and found Bethany’s cousins firing up their huge BBQ cooker. Her cousin Timothy waved us over. “Chef Maurice asked us to help. We’re cooking salmon, chicken, steaks, and baking potatoes here. Not going to be the menu you wanted, but we’re gonna eat.”

Bethany hugged him, but I noticed she was crying when we walked on. “Hey, not the best circumstances, but the family is together and unscathed.”

“I just wish we had a wedding cake. Since I was a little girl, the cake was the centerpiece of the wedding.”

“I bet Chef comes up with something.”

We walked down the beach. There was debris strewn everywhere, and the sea still roiled from the storm, but the sun was peeking out between the feeder bands. I glanced at my phone, it was almost ten, and Mom said they would be ready for Lucas and Bethany to see the room then.

I will never forget the joy on their faces when the soon-to-be newlyweds saw the room decorated and the bouquets they had chosen. Then, we took them into the kitchen and the refrigerator holding their wedding cake.

“How did you do this?” Bethany was shocked, but the realization that we had pulled this off showed in Lucas’s eyes.

“Madi, Will…. This is why you went to town yesterday.”

“Will’s idea and the florist and bakery are the real heroes, getting this done early.”

Bethany hugged me tightly, but I pulled away. “Let’s go. We have a wedding to put on.”

~~~

The party lasted into the night. Dad lit the huge fire pit next to the pool, and guests dragged chairs and blankets outside, where we listened to music provided by a couple of guitar-playing guests. The sheriff’s office sent a boat to retrieve the body and transport the officers and EMTs to the mainland. The mayor said a temporary bridge should be in place by tomorrow.

Watching my brother and his bride take their vows was beautiful. We wore our wedding finery among guests who chose to wear shorts in the heat. Everyone had fun at the makeshift reception, especially Cirrus, who photo-bombed the cake-cutting moment begging for a bite. To the delight of all, the bride and groom fed him a sizable chunk.

The weekend didn’t turn out as expected, but it was exciting with a goofy dog, a beautiful bride, and a hurricane—not to mention a murder. Now, that’s quite a party.