Amanda Weds a Good Man by Naomi King Page A

end,” he murmured. “This day will live forever in my heart, Amanda. I’m so happy that you’re finally mine.”
    Their friends and family members spilled out into the large yard, soaking up the warm October sunshine. Children raced around the trees, glad to be making noise and moving after the double church service. As Wyman introduced many friends and family from out of town, Amanda got lost in the blur of faces and names. Out of habit she glanced around to check on her kids. Lizzie and Vera had their little sisters with them as they clustered with other teenage girls, while the boys gathered near the white plank fence to look out over Matt Lambright’s flock of sheep. Two Border collies were allowing Simon to pat their black and white heads. . . .
    â€œAll ready for the big move?” Eunice Graber adjusted her thick glasses, peering up at Amanda as she stood beside Emma. “How’s your nephew going to fare in Bloomingdale all by himself?”
    Amanda detected Emma’s impatience with her mother’s question, but it deserved an answer. “We’re leaving Jerome with plenty of food and furniture and what-not,” she replied loudly, sensing Eunice didn’t hear very well. “He’s a busy fellow these days. He’ll have his mules—”
    â€œAnd once I finish training this team I’m working with now,” Jerome cut in as he joined them, “I can spend the winter finding somebody to court. Emma, shall we make our way to the greenhouse? I can smell the roast and I’m ready to eat!”
    â€œJah, you young folks go along now,” Eunice insisted, shooing them with her hands. “And you newlyweds, too! They won’t serve the rest of us until you’re at the eck with your plates loaded!”
    Amanda shared a smile with Wyman. He wasn’t used to being told where to go, or having an older woman give him instructions . . . but he’d be putting up with that when Jemima joined them, too, wouldn’t he? They made their way across the green lawn, now strewn with colorful autumn leaves.
    As they stepped inside the greenhouse, the helpers’ applause and congratulations rang around the high glass walls. “Oh, but this room looks like something from a storybook,” Amanda murmured as Wyman pulled out her chair. “Such a pretty cake . . . and Treva’s potted mums . . . and all these folks seeing to the food . . .”
    â€œThe Lambrights have done us a huge favor,” Wyman agreed. “All of these Cedar Creek folks have gotten us off to a gut start, and I believe it’s a sign of our life to come.”
    Once again Amanda met her new husband’s gaze, praying he was right. Her fondest wish was that this affection between them would blossom into the kind of marriage that—
    â€œHah, hah! Can’t catch
me
!” a familiar voice rang out.
    Amanda looked across the room to see Simon ducking behind one of the long, set tables, hidden by its white tablecloth. Cora, Dora, and Rosemary’s Katie entered the greenhouse in his wake, giggling. As Wyman rose to reprimand his son, Amanda cringed in anticipation: the boy had grabbed the tablecloth’s corner, and when he took out running again, he didn’t think to let go of it. Simon had darted about ten feet down the narrow aisle between tables before the loud crash of china and the horrified cries of the servers made him realize what he’d done.
    â€œ
Simon!
Stop!” Wyman ordered as he hurried from the eck.
    The boy froze, but the damage was done. Water glasses and celery centerpieces lay shattered on the concrete floor while plates of pie were cascading down the side of the tablecloth. Amid the clatter of falling silverware and the toppling of potted mums, Abby and Barbara Lambright ran for brooms. Rosemary snatched up her little girl while Emma herded Cora and Dora away from the shattered