A Backyard Wedding

Momma helped me into my new dark red dress for the wedding. I thought it was neat that Mrs. Smith and Mr. Brooks were going to get married in her back yard. The one big tree there was changing colors for fall and really pretty. Sara had worked all day yesterday making an arch for them to stand under with Daddy.

Momma, Daddy, and me crossed our back yard into Mrs. Smith’s. I held on to my basket filled with fall leaves to drop.

Mr. Brooks walked down the steps of the porch and waved. “Hey. Let me introduce you to my nephew, Mark.”

Daddy shook hands. “Nice to meet you.”

Mark leaned over. “And you must be Chloe.”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

“My uncle has told me about you.”

I shook his hand.

“We’re ready to start.” Sara peeked her head out the back door and whispered loudly.

Daddy waved his hand in front of him. “Shall we?”

Daddy, Mr. Brooks, and Mark strolled down toward the arch and stopped, turning around.

Momma gave me a gentle shove. I walked slowly, tossing the leaves from my basket and stopped next to Daddy.

Sara walked slowly down the porch steps in her dark red dress like mine. She looked pretty. Her hair was on top of her head with little white flowers in it. She ended up beside me.

Then Mrs. Smith stepped out onto her porch and smiled.

“Wow.”

Momma narrowed her eyes and put her finger to her lips.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

But I had never seen Mrs. Smith look so pretty. She wore a white lacy dress and her hair wasn’t in curlers. No fluffy pink bathrobe today. She joined us under the little arch.

Daddy said all of the words he had to and had them repeat things. Then he said, “Now you may kiss the bride.”

I wrinkled my nose and looked the other way. “Ew.”

Sara and Mark giggled.

I looked up at Sara. “Is it safe to look now?”

Sara nodded.

I turned back around. “Now where’s the cake?”

Mr. Brooks looked at me. “I’m taking my new bride out to dinner at her favorite place.”

“So there’s no cake? That’s the best part of weddings!”

“Didn’t quite have time to do all of that sort of thing with a reception and cake and all,” the new Mrs. Brooks said.

“You didn’t?”

“Not at my age.” She laughed and put her hand through Mr. Brooks’ offered elbow.

Mark poked out his elbow toward Sara. “Shall we? How about we grab some dinner ourselves?”

Sara chuckled and her face turned pink. “Okay.” Her eyelashes fluttered like butterflies.

“Hey, Momma, do you think those two might become boyfriend and girlfriend?”

Momma jammed her fists on her hips. “Chloe Ann Parker.”

“I know. Don’t poke my nose in their business.” I rolled my eyes. But they were cute together.

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Why did Chloe say, "Wow," when she saw Mrs. Smith? 

Do you think Chloe has learned her lesson to stay out of other people's business? Why or why not?