ystyleoflife.SoIthinkourpobemodified…Sincepreparationsfortheweddilypleteandtheweddingdateset,thatandotbeged.NovelandMr.O’Brianwillgetmarriedaspnned.roupwedding,however,willbepostpoilfteralltheguestshaveleftthechurch.Wewilskthatmuchrespectedaigiouspastortostaybehindandofficiateasedshortbutsolemnceremonyforus.Itdoesnotmatteriftherearespresent.Sedly,becausewehavenogroom,Idon’tthinkweshouldtakepartintheweddingdiher.Itwillonlysaddenustobeinthathappy,celebratoryfeast.Also,thepresenceofsixteenofuswillbesuretoovershadowNovelanddiverteveryotentiontousinstead.Weshouldstepasideahestaratherwedding,theterofalttention.Itisagreatdayforher,whensheshouldshine,glimmer,charmandfasate.It’shtthatweleavethestagetoher.Butoherhand,hefirstofustomarry.ItwillbeunjusttoherifIdonotattendandalltherestofyouareabsenttoo.Thebridewillfeesenseoflossandunbance.Iwillfindacetoexpinourpredittoher.ElinaisNovel’scousin,sosheshouldgo.Samanthahasalwaysbeenresponsibleforthep.r.oftheKingdom,soitishtthatsherepresentusattheweddingdinner.WhatdoyouthinkaboutthesegesIhavemade?AlthoughIdonotioattendthedinner,ifanyoneofyouwouldliketogo,Ihavenoobjesatall.Youarealtlibertytodowhateveryouwish,justsoyoudonotattendasagroupofbrides!ButyoumustallkeepthesecretsoftheKingdomandsidersknowaboutus.”Aisha’sdecisionwassosteadyandwell-bandhadtakeneveryaspetosideration,thatnoonehadanythingfurthertoadd.Soeveryoeofinishtheirbreakfast.

    “Wemustmakethebestuseofourtimetogetthingsdone”saidSamantha.ThenturningtoChariinued,“Youewithmenowtotheweddinggownshopsotheytakeyourmeasurementsandstartonmakingyourdresswithoutdey.”

    “Megginn’scarhadbrokendown,soIwilltakeherhome,”saidAngelica.“ThenIwillgotoLotus’pdseeifsheneedshelp.”

    “Allyoudiesgoaboutyourownbusiness”saidAishaIwilldriveMegginherearestillsomethingsIalktoherabout.”DornalookedatCharinaandsaid,

    “Charina,wouldyouliketogotothedress-maker’swithSamanthaandleaveyourlovelyandcleverlittledogwithme?It’satoogloriousadaytospendindoors.Itakeitoutonanexcursion.”CharinalookedatherpetMaureen,whichbarked‘bo’asifsaying,“ThatjustwhatIwouldliketodo;onlyIdidn’twanttobetheoosuggestit…”Soeveryoilystoodupaabouthelpingtoup.Somecarriedtheusedptes,cups,dishesandutensilstothesinkandmoppedthekittable,whileothersscrapedthemandputthemintothedishwasher,stillothersweretakingcareoftheleft-overs…Dornawalkedoverandmadetwesandwicheswiththefoodthathadouchedandputthemintoziplockbagsandthehebagsintoabox.

    “Heynaughtygirl,”saidAngelicacuriously,“Whyhaveyoumadetwomoresandwiches?Areyoustillhungry?”

    16

    “No,Iamquitefull,”repliedDorna.I’mmakingthesesothatIputthemwherehomelesspeopleoftenshowup.Whoknoillpickthemup?PerhapsohemwillbeKingDimitriindisguise.”SheghenatCharinaandeveryohatthenaughtygirl,wholovedtopypracticaljokes,wasmakingfunofthemember.Nobodypaidmuchattentiontoherandeveryonehurriedtoleaveandgoabouttheirownbusiness.Dornaquicklygedintopinkshortsandsocks,whiteshort-sleevedshirtandwhitetennisshoes.Thenshepushedherbelovedbicycleoutofthegarage,putMaureenintothebasketinfrontofhe

ystyleoflife.SoIthinkourpobemodified…Sincepreparationsfortheweddilypleteandtheweddingdateset,thatandotbeged.NovelandMr.O’Brianwillgetmarriedaspnned.roupwedding,however,willbepostpoilfteralltheguestshaveleftthechurch.Wewilskthatmuchrespectedaigiouspastortostaybehindandofficiateasedshortbutsolemnceremonyforus.Itdoesnotmatteriftherearespresent.Sedly,becausewehavenogroom,Idon’tthinkweshouldtakepartintheweddingdiher.Itwillonlysaddenustobeinthathappy,celebratoryfeast.Also,thepresenceofsixteenofuswillbesuretoovershadowNovelanddiverteveryotentiontousinstead.Weshouldstepasideahestaratherwedding,theterofalttention.Itisagreatdayforher,whensheshouldshine,glimmer,charmandfasate.It’shtthatweleavethestagetoher.Butoherhand,hefirstofustomarry.ItwillbeunjusttoherifIdonotattendandalltherestofyouareabsenttoo.Thebridewillfeesenseoflossandunbance.Iwillfindacetoexpinourpredittoher.ElinaisNovel’scousin,sosheshouldgo.Samanthahasalwaysbeenresponsibleforthep.r.oftheKingdom,soitishtthatsherepresentusattheweddingdinner.WhatdoyouthinkaboutthesegesIhavemade?AlthoughIdonotioattendthedinner,ifanyoneofyouwouldliketogo,Ihavenoobjesatall.Youarealtlibertytodowhateveryouwish,justsoyoudonotattendasagroupofbrides!ButyoumustallkeepthesecretsoftheKingdomandsidersknowaboutus.”Aisha’sdecisionwassosteadyandwell-bandhadtakeneveryaspetosideration,thatnoonehadanythingfurthertoadd.Soeveryoeofinishtheirbreakfast.

    “Wemustmakethebestuseofourtimetogetthingsdone”saidSamantha.ThenturningtoChariinued,“Youewithmenowtotheweddinggownshopsotheytakeyourmeasurementsandstartonmakingyourdresswithoutdey.”

    “Megginn’scarhadbrokendown,soIwilltakeherhome,”saidAngelica.“ThenIwillgotoLotus’pdseeifsheneedshelp.”

    “Allyoudiesgoaboutyourownbusiness”saidAishaIwilldriveMegginherearestillsomethingsIalktoherabout.”DornalookedatCharinaandsaid,

    “Charina,wouldyouliketogotothedress-maker’swithSamanthaandleaveyourlovelyandcleverlittledogwithme?It’satoogloriousadaytospendindoors.Itakeitoutonanexcursion.”CharinalookedatherpetMaureen,whichbarked‘bo’asifsaying,“ThatjustwhatIwouldliketodo;onlyIdidn’twanttobetheoosuggestit…”Soeveryoilystoodupaabouthelpingtoup.Somecarriedtheusedptes,cups,dishesandutensilstothesinkandmoppedthekittable,whileothersscrapedthemandputthemintothedishwasher,stillothersweretakingcareoftheleft-overs…Dornawalkedoverandmadetwesandwicheswiththefoodthathadouchedandputthemintoziplockbagsandthehebagsintoabox.

    “Heynaughtygirl,”saidAngelicacuriously,“Whyhaveyoumadetwomoresandwiches?Areyoustillhungry?”

    16

    “No,Iamquitefull,”repliedDorna.I’mmakingthesesothatIputthemwherehomelesspeopleoftenshowup.Whoknoillpickthemup?PerhapsohemwillbeKingDimitriindisguise.”SheghenatCharinaandeveryohatthenaughtygirl,wholovedtopypracticaljokes,wasmakingfunofthemember.Nobodypaidmuchattentiontoherandeveryonehurriedtoleaveandgoabouttheirownbusiness.Dornaquicklygedintopinkshortsandsocks,whiteshort-sleevedshirtandwhitetennisshoes.Thenshepushedherbelovedbicycleoutofthegarage,putMaureenintothebasketinfrontofhe