Chapter 38 - Wedding

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"Chicago, September 6th, 1903

Dear Charles,

Preparations for the wedding of Flora and Philip are going well. I feel like we're talking only about this. Don't worry, I continue to work hard on my lessons, and Marc helps us study between two decisions. High society weddings are an endless puzzle. I don't know much about it, so I just give my support.

The other day we went through the guest list. I think my jaw dropped when I saw the length of it. There were more people on it than in all of Valentine County. I don't know if we will find a church large enough to hold all these people.

I don't like that you are in Saint-Denis. This city has never brought anything but misfortune. But I guess you had no choice. Please pay attention to yourself. I don't want anything to happen to you. I tremble at the thought of someone recognizing you.

Fondly,

Anna."

---

I did not see this third year of medicine go by, it was so full. Every moment that was not dedicated to our studies was for this famous marriage. Invitations, flowers, cake, there were so many details to settle. The four of us did it together, Marc and I being best man and maid of honor.

The highlight of these preparations was undoubtedly the fitting of the wedding dress. It was tailor-made by the best seamstress in town, and we were all excited to finally see it on Flora.

Lace, pearls, gold thread, no sign of wealth had been forgotten on this sumptuous dress. My friend was radiant and laughed happily when she saw herself dressed. She was used to wearing beautiful dresses, but no doubt that it would remain the dress of her life. After long minutes of delight, she turned to me with a big smile.

"Your turn now!

- My ... My turn?

- You're my maid of honor, you can't think I'm going to let you wear an old dress!"

Without being able to reply, the seamstress drew me firmly into a fitting room. There, I saw that a dress had already been made for me. In a very pale pink, the outfit suited me perfectly. Simple, yet elegant enough for a wedding of this magnitude. I was moved to see so much attention from my friend.

Her kindness didn't stop there. As was apparently the custom, the bride gave me a gift the day before the wedding. I opened the little case she had handed me with a big smile. Inside, a thin silver ring, engraved and set with a small emerald. I looked at her, tears in my eyes. It was incredibly beautiful.

She hugged me, then we laughed. What a year we had just lived. It was a miracle that we managed to pass our exam without a hitch, as our minds were devoted to this marriage. And finally, the big day arrived.

-----

This day passed as in a dream. Arriving in a carriage, I then descended the flowered aisle of the church on the arm of Marc. Then it was the bride's turn to come in, under the delighted comments of the guests. When she got by her future husband, I took care of fixing her train, before lifting her veil. We exchanged a knowing wink. She was finally going to marry the man she loved.

The reception took place at the groom's family's house in a large estate overlooking Lake Michigan. After hours of chatting to strangers, I slipped away to watch the sunset over the water. Marc finally joined me, and I smiled at him.

"I needed a little calm. I'm not really used to this kind of event.

- I understand. You know, even when we grew up in there, it can get heavy at times.

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- And how do you do then, to escape this madness?

- You have to sneak in like you did, so congratulations, you have already learned one of the great lessons of our society."

I laughed softly. There was silence. Marc was quite talkative by nature, but he also knew how to remain silent when necessary. We stood side by side, watching the spectacle of twilight colors on the water. When the sun had completely disappeared, he turned to me.

"Ready to return to the arena?

- Since we have to."

He smiled and gave me his arm to return to the reception. I met Flora's glance full of insinuation and rolled my eyes. God, she lacked subtlety when she got started.

My friend's dearest wish was that I marry Marc. Like that, we would be all four together forever. And then, having married two brothers, we would be two sisters before the law and before God. The idea was attractive, but the man had never said or suggested anything about it. Of course, he was always very considerate of me, and we spent long hours together. Our closeness was not so innocent.

It was that day that he introduced me to his parents, and I was even seated near them at the table. I looked at Flora who replied with a mischievous smile. Of course, she had planned everything. But how to blame her. It was her marriage, and she was more radiant than ever.

-----

"Chicago, June 12th, 1904

Dear Charles,

Sorry for taking so long to send you this letter, but I was totally absorbed by Flora's wedding. Everything is so codified in this society, I never imagined that we could put so much energy and money into a wedding. But when two influential families come together, you must show that power to the world. It's so important to them that they go as far as to repeat the ceremony a few days before! And to think that I found my sister's wedding at the ranch hard to organized, I was very ignorant.

I've told you about the preparations already, so I'll tell you about the last few days before the ceremony. It all started with what they call a "farewell lunch". Flora gathered her closest friends for a social lunch, her last as a young girl. There it was only a question of the final preparations, of her honeymoon, of her future home.

The day before the wedding, I was invited to stay with the family to help with the final preparations. One of my missions was to organize the mountain of gifts received by the guests. They had to be arranged nicely so that everyone could admire them the next day. I've never seen anything like it. Silver services, lace, and diamonds everywhere. I heard Arthur's voice in my head in front of so much wealth. Really, you should have tackled high society weddings. Crowded and little supervision, it would have been easy to sneak up to the gift room. I had no idea that so much wealth could exist.

Flora keeps teasing me, she says if I married Marc, I could have all of this too. But I'm not sure his parents would be delighted with such a union, I think my friend forgets where I'm coming from. I don't even know if I want to get married. What is certain is that nothing like this will happen until I finish my studies.

The day passed terribly quickly, there was an incredible crowd, and even some journalists. We took many photos to immortalize this moment. I am attaching a picture of the four of us, so that you can see me in my princess dress and put faces on the names I have been telling you about for so long.

Fondly,

Anna."

I wasn't writing this to hurt Charles. I don't know what I was hoping for by opening up like this, talking to him so head-on about Marc. A reaction? That he tells me about a woman too?

I dared not ask him. In reality, I didn't know anything about his life. He was always vague, talking to me about the casualty or the little things in his daily life. It wasn't enough for me to reconstruct his way of life. As far as I knew, perhaps he was already married, a father. Maybe he was with a new gang. Or maybe he was wandering the countryside before returning every three weeks to the post office to find my mail.

Something serious must have prompted him to return to this dreadful Saint-Denis. It tormented me often, at the rare times I could sit down. But I tried not to think about it. Ignorance was easier to bear than imagination, or reality.

---

The rest of the summer was spent in the absence of the young couple, who went on their honeymoon on the Riviera. She sent me many postcards and long letters. It was her first time in Europe, and she hoped that one day the four of us would go. Two married couples. Really, when she had something in mind, it was impossible to take it away from her.

Every Saturday I met Marc. He used to take me to exhibitions, or we were walking by the lake. Sometimes we demonstrated for such and such a cause. That day he was supposed to pick me up at the boarding house. We had to go to the park, he wanted to teach me how to sail one of these little sailboats on the pools. I closed the door in the pension when a man called me.

"Miss Grey, it took me a while to find you back."

A shiver ran through my spine. It had been five years since I had heard that deep voice.

-----

So, who do you think is this man?

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