s.ThisarrawasmadebecausetheO’Brianfamilywaomakeagreatshowoftheirwealthandairofgrandeuraswelstoexpresshowimportantthisweddingwastothem.Thefleetoftwelvecarsmadetheirwayslowlytowardsthechurchwithhornsbringasamarkofcelebration,insortwiththeloudlyringingchurchbells.Asthebride’scarslowlydroveby,ImaginationsaidtoDimitri,

    “Isn’tthatbrideNovel?Look!Sheisturningherheadtolooktowardsus!ButIdon’tthinksheseeveryclearlybehindherveil,soshemaynotdiscoveritisusstandingbytheroadside…Weusedtobecloseassister,now…Ifeelwearesodistantwefeellikestrangers…”WatgthefleetofcarsdriveslowlyawaycarryiywhousedtobepartofhisKingdomofDreamsonherwaytowedanother,Dimitrifeltanindescribablefeelingeoverhim.Hecouldnottellwhetheritinessorsorrowbutfeltadissotesenseoflossinhisheart.

    Theironbackdoorofthechurchopenedwidewithalouddworkersrolledoutaredcarpetfromihebuildingrighttothebatrance.Asecurityguardwasstatioheretomakesurethatnooutsiderswereallowedtoethesametimehewastoldthatwhenthemainweddingthatwasgoingonwasfiherewouldbeanroupweddingscheduledtotakepce,wheresixteenbridesweretobemarriedandthatthebackdoorofthechurchwasreservedfortheirexclusiveuse.Thatwasallthesecurityguardknewandhewasnottoldofanyoftheparticurs.Earlyinthem,fetrailerssimirtothoseusedonmoviesetwereparkedbythebatrahechurch,whichpracticallytookupthewholelengthofthestreet.Nearbyresidentsthoughtsomestudiowasgoingtofilmsesthere.Assuchthingshadhappenedbeforetheydidnotthinkmuchofit,soadultswenttoworkandchildreoschoostheynormallydid.Theareahadbeenpletelycordonedoffforsecurityreasonsandallcarsarianshadtodetour,sostreetsseemedextremelycalmandquiet.Inthebeginningaboutadozenyoungwomencouldbeseemgoinginandoutofthefetrailers,talkingandughing.Butafterawhiletheyseemedtosettledownfourtoeaeanddidnotappearanymore.Theseair-ditionedvehicleswereactuallythesizeofalittlehouse,equippedwithtoilet,showersandevenasmallkitette.Onmoviesets,theywereusedasthepoviestarstoputonmakeup,geesabetweeheywerethesixteeifulbrideswhoallinteomarryKingDimitri.Ofcoursesometrailersheldmorethanfourpersons,forAmalia,MarkandlittledogMaureenalsocamewiththem.

    ThenobleanddecorousQueenAishasatirailer,ilyreadingthebookinherhand.Shewasallreadyfortheceremonyhavingalreadyputonherwhiteweddinggownandthepricelessjewelryfitforaqueen.TogetherirailerwithherwereMegginn,SamanthaandDorna,theappleofhereyewhowerealldressedintheirformalweddinggowns.Megginnwasreadingandansweringhere-mails.ThoughshehadresignedherpositionasCEOofWorldBank,therewereinnumerabledetailsectedtoKingDimitri’srgefinancialempireshehadtodealwithonadailybasisthatnooneelsecouldhelpherwith.SamanthawashelpingDetready.Atfirstthenaughtygirlrefusedtoputonanymake-upbecauseshehadneverdonesobeforeanddidnotknowhowtodoit.Samanthacoaxedhersaying,

    20

    “Allgirlsoputonmake-uponspecialoccasions.It’saformofrespedpoliteoherselfandtoothers.Itisawayofexpressingherhighregardfortheimportaheceremoakingpartin…Youarestillyounganddonotwanttoputonmake-up.Justwait!Afewyearster,noonecouldpersuadeyounotto!eon,I’lljusttouchupyour

s.ThisarrawasmadebecausetheO’Brianfamilywaomakeagreatshowoftheirwealthandairofgrandeuraswelstoexpresshowimportantthisweddingwastothem.Thefleetoftwelvecarsmadetheirwayslowlytowardsthechurchwithhornsbringasamarkofcelebration,insortwiththeloudlyringingchurchbells.Asthebride’scarslowlydroveby,ImaginationsaidtoDimitri,

    “Isn’tthatbrideNovel?Look!Sheisturningherheadtolooktowardsus!ButIdon’tthinksheseeveryclearlybehindherveil,soshemaynotdiscoveritisusstandingbytheroadside…Weusedtobecloseassister,now…Ifeelwearesodistantwefeellikestrangers…”WatgthefleetofcarsdriveslowlyawaycarryiywhousedtobepartofhisKingdomofDreamsonherwaytowedanother,Dimitrifeltanindescribablefeelingeoverhim.Hecouldnottellwhetheritinessorsorrowbutfeltadissotesenseoflossinhisheart.

    Theironbackdoorofthechurchopenedwidewithalouddworkersrolledoutaredcarpetfromihebuildingrighttothebatrance.Asecurityguardwasstatioheretomakesurethatnooutsiderswereallowedtoethesametimehewastoldthatwhenthemainweddingthatwasgoingonwasfiherewouldbeanroupweddingscheduledtotakepce,wheresixteenbridesweretobemarriedandthatthebackdoorofthechurchwasreservedfortheirexclusiveuse.Thatwasallthesecurityguardknewandhewasnottoldofanyoftheparticurs.Earlyinthem,fetrailerssimirtothoseusedonmoviesetwereparkedbythebatrahechurch,whichpracticallytookupthewholelengthofthestreet.Nearbyresidentsthoughtsomestudiowasgoingtofilmsesthere.Assuchthingshadhappenedbeforetheydidnotthinkmuchofit,soadultswenttoworkandchildreoschoostheynormallydid.Theareahadbeenpletelycordonedoffforsecurityreasonsandallcarsarianshadtodetour,sostreetsseemedextremelycalmandquiet.Inthebeginningaboutadozenyoungwomencouldbeseemgoinginandoutofthefetrailers,talkingandughing.Butafterawhiletheyseemedtosettledownfourtoeaeanddidnotappearanymore.Theseair-ditionedvehicleswereactuallythesizeofalittlehouse,equippedwithtoilet,showersandevenasmallkitette.Onmoviesets,theywereusedasthepoviestarstoputonmakeup,geesabetweeheywerethesixteeifulbrideswhoallinteomarryKingDimitri.Ofcoursesometrailersheldmorethanfourpersons,forAmalia,MarkandlittledogMaureenalsocamewiththem.

    ThenobleanddecorousQueenAishasatirailer,ilyreadingthebookinherhand.Shewasallreadyfortheceremonyhavingalreadyputonherwhiteweddinggownandthepricelessjewelryfitforaqueen.TogetherirailerwithherwereMegginn,SamanthaandDorna,theappleofhereyewhowerealldressedintheirformalweddinggowns.Megginnwasreadingandansweringhere-mails.ThoughshehadresignedherpositionasCEOofWorldBank,therewereinnumerabledetailsectedtoKingDimitri’srgefinancialempireshehadtodealwithonadailybasisthatnooneelsecouldhelpherwith.SamanthawashelpingDetready.Atfirstthenaughtygirlrefusedtoputonanymake-upbecauseshehadneverdonesobeforeanddidnotknowhowtodoit.Samanthacoaxedhersaying,

    20

    “Allgirlsoputonmake-uponspecialoccasions.It’saformofrespedpoliteoherselfandtoothers.Itisawayofexpressingherhighregardfortheimportaheceremoakingpartin…Youarestillyounganddonotwanttoputonmake-up.Justwait!Afewyearster,noonecouldpersuadeyounotto!eon,I’lljusttouchupyour