Page 79 of Sweet Surprises

Maggie had just gazed at her with happy tears in her eyes for a moment, and then pulled her into a tight hug. When the others asked what was going on, Charlotte spilled the beans and they all cheered for Maggie. Soon after the holidays, a newStone’s Throw Creamerysign would be hung in place of the simpleIce Cream Shopsign by the door.

And the wonderful holiday week marched on. Last night had been New Year’s Eve, and they had all stayed up late, but not quite until midnight, cooking and eating together, playing games with the kids, and dreaming about what the new year would bring.

The first thing it would bring for Charlotte was a day spent with Allie while the rest of the family got everything ready for the wedding.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t stay and help?” she worried as Allie piled her into the car.

“Definitely not,” Allie laughed. “You’re killing two birds with one stone here—letting the moms run the show, which is all they wanted, and getting me a day of girlfriend time.”

Charlotte still wasn’t sure it was right to let her wedding be like a surprise party where she didn’t lift a finger herself. But Allie was already taking them down the tree-lined drive to the village for breakfast at the diner, and she said she had another surprise for them afterward. So Charlotte decided to just lean into it and enjoy herself.

In the late afternoon,she and Allie returned after an amazingly fun day spent exploring the village shops, eating delicious meals, and having their hair done.

Allie dragged her right into Maggie and Daniel’s room without letting her go find Tag and the kids.

“It’s time to get you dressed,” Allie said. “We can’t let them see you before the ceremony. And it looks like it’s just about time.”

Maggie had generously lent her wedding dress, which miraculously fit Charlotte almost perfectly. She slipped it on now, and Allie fastened all the tiny buttons on the back.

“I can’t believe we’re going to be sisters, Charlotte,” Allie said when she was finished. “Thank you so much for joining our family. I’m sorry you’ll have to marry grumpy old Tag to make it happen.”

But Charlotte already knew Allie was only teasing, and that she adored her older brother. The two of them laughed and embraced and then Allie yelped when she realized what time it was.

Together, they headed outside, walking carefully on the path someone must have thoughtfully shoveled for them. Which couldn’t have been easy, since it stretched all the way past the big red barn.

“Where are we going?” Charlotte asked. She had sort of suspected the wedding would be held in Maggie’s kitchen. After all, it would only be family attending.

“Hey, I kept the surprise this long,” Allie said. “Don’t make me ruin it when we’re almost there.”

A few minutes later, it was clear exactly where they were headed.

“The old goat barn?” Charlotte asked dubiously.

“Well, the house isn’t really big enough,” Allie explained. “And the big barn is too full of cows.”

“Okay,” Charlotte said.

She knew the goat barn had been empty since the Lawrences stopped raising goats in the nineties. An abandoned goat barn seemed like sort of a depressing place to start a marriage, but she had said she would marry Tag anywhere, and now that she was truly being tested, she was happy to find that she meant it. At least in the goat barn they would have shelter from the elements. And she had a feeling that once she was looking into her fiancé’s eyes, anything more than that would be wasted on her anyway.

As they got closer, she could hear happy voices coming from the structure.

She glanced over at Allie, who was smiling, and she felt a sense of warmth wash over her. They really were going to be family.

When they reached the end of the path, the big doors to the barn slid open to reveal a magically transformed space.

There wasn’t a single sign of the departed goats. Instead, the space seemed to have been swept clean and then filled with chairs, along with tables along the back that were covered with food, and handmade signs hanging from the walls that said:Congratulations Tag & Charlotte, Welcome to the Lawrence Family, and the one that brought tears to her eyes,Welcome home to our new Mama, love, Chance & Olivia.

Twinkling lights had been set up everywhere, and there were space heaters at intervals and big patio heaters in the open doorways, keeping the whole barn toasty warm inside, while still allowing a gorgeous view over the snowy hillside.

Everyone in the family must have brought over all the poinsettia plants from their respective houses. The bright flowers made a pretty contrast with the faded white paint on the walls and floors.

Soft sounds of admiration went through the gathering as they noticed Charlotte and Allie’s approach.

“Your mom will take it from here,” Allie whispered, giving Charlotte a quick hug before she joined her family on one of the chairs in the barn.

Charlotte felt a pang of loss for her father. He would have loved to be with her today. She could practically hear him whispering silly barn animal jokes in her ear, trying to make her laugh as he walked her down the aisle, and probably succeeding.

But when her mom hurried out with a huge smile on her face, and wrapped her in a warm and wonderful hug, she knew that they were both going to be okay. And as they linked arms and headed through the barn together, Charlotte was certain she could feel her father’s spirit in the boisterous crowd of Lawrences smiling and elbowing each other, the children giggling and the one or two adults sniffing back a tear.

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