Eliza had a bridal shower for me at her house last Saturday. It was a pleasant day. My girlfriends from school were there and Eliza's sister-in-law, Suzanne, who is pregnant. Two of Avery's cousins, Rebecca and Fern, and my own sisters of course. Eliza had decorated the house in lavender and yellow and had fresh cut flowers everywhere. We ate chicken salad sandwiches, potato soup and fresh vegetables. She made a beautiful cake and wrote on it with frosting, "Best Wishes Rachel." It was almost too pretty to cut.
We played games and talked about what it means to be a wife. They teased me about what my life would be like. I received many beautiful presents. I will never forget any of my friends. Amanda Wilson was one of my closest friends when I was in lower grades. She is a shy girl with a talent for doing any kind of needlework. She works quickly and can easily make something in an afternoon. She gave me a beautiful bedspread that she made, and she worked hard on it. It is an embroidery with horses running across a field and a girl riding one of the horses bareback. I loved it!
Eliza gave me a nightgown she had sewn. It was light pink with roses on it. I will save it for my wedding night. The others all gave me gifts they had made and a couple of them gave me a box of canned fruits and vegetables to take to my new home. I can hardly believe it will be really happening, and soon too. I am beginning to feel like a grown woman already.
Suzanne, being the only one of us who is married, and pregnant too, gave me some ideas of what married life is like. She said she likes it most of the time. She is very excited about having her first baby. She said it makes her feel tired during the day. Being pregnant that is. She said she tries to take a nap in the afternoon so she has the energy to finish making dinner and other chores. She said her husband, Nathan is very considerate of her, and treats her good. Nathan, of course, is Eliza's brother, and I have known him my whole life. I think of him as a boy who always picked on us. Now I see him in a new light.
Rebecca, who is Avery's cousin said Avery has been busy building our house. She said it is very nice, and has a big barn with a paddock, and a huge garden. I am so curious about it. I would love to see it now. I wanted to ask her more questions about Avery since I know little about him. She did say he has his own business. Now my parents never told me that! What kind of business I wonder. I started to ask her when her sister, Fern spoke up, and said, "Rebecca! You are not supposed to tell her anything about Avery! Remember what Ma said!"
Rebecca made a face at her younger sister and said to me, "She's right. Ma said we are not to gossip or tell anything about Avery to you today at the shower, or else we could not come. She made us promise. Sorry."
I replied back a little disappointed, "That's okay."
She answered, "I know you are curious. We really don't know a lot about Avery himself. He has always been busy, and we never saw much of him anyway."
After the shower was over and everyone helped me load up my buggy, they hugged and kissed me good bye. I knew the next time I saw some of them would be the day of my wedding to Avery Longworth.
Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016
Updated 2016
