“Hello Ryland, did you miss me?” she asked.
Ryland smiled, making his dimple stand out.
“Come with me,” Annabelle said. “You need to meet the new nanny.”
After Joan met the new nanny, a no-nonsense woman who spoke fluent British English as well as Spanish, she was relieved that they’d found someone so competent on such short notice. She had arranged a large play area for the boys in the family room off the kitchen.
The house was in an uproar. What seemed like hundreds of staff members were scurrying about getting ready for the pre-rehearsal luncheon, and the arrival of his Royal Highness, Ferdinand de la Vega, Viscount of Iberia.
“Where’s Lissa and Julio?” Joan asked her mother. She was only really concerned where Julio was - she wanted to ask if he knew where she could reach Antonio before things got too crazy.
“Lissa’s doing her final fitting in that wedding dress of hers, but she’ll be here for lunch. I don’t know about Julio. Someone said he had some urgent business to attend to last night. He should be back any minute,” Annabelle said.
“You mean he was here last night?” Joan asked?
“I don’t know. I guess. They said he left early this morning, so, yes, I suppose that meant he was here. Why, does it matter?”
“No, no reason,” Joan said, but she could tell by the way her mother looked at her that she was suspicious.
Joan decided to change the subject. “So, what’s the new nanny’s name again?”
“Miss Susan,” Abby said. She’d just come into the room. Joan held out her hand for her phone, and Abby handed it to her, but with reluctance.
Joan lifted an eyebrow.
Abby said, “Joan, could I have a word?”
Joan excused herself from her mother and followed Abby out into the hallway. “What’s up?”
“Remember, you asked me to add those two people to the list?” said Abby.
“Yes.”
“Well, I was busy, so I handed over your phone after I found that guy’s text message – but I didn’t look at the names first, because I didn’t think there would be a problem.”
“And is there a problem?” Joan asked, her voice tightening as she felt under attack.
“Not unless it’s your intention to ruin your sister’s wedding.”
“What are you talking about?”
Abby’s lips were in a thin line. “You’ve got your phone now, see for yourself.”
Joan’s opened her text messages and felt her mouth fall open as she read the names of the two people Raul had to have added to the guest list.
Tina Peters and Willa Grueber.
“Holy shit, I had no idea. It’s a mistake. I never in a million years...”
“So, who is this Raul person?”
“Just a friend. I mean, I don’t know him very well.”
“But he’s coming to the wedding as your plus one and you’re letting him invite clear enemies to your sister and brother-in-law?”
Joan crossed her arms.
“Look, Abby, I don’t have to explain things to you. I have a right to invite anyone I want as my plus one. I didn’t know he even knew those two women, let alone that he would invite them. You’ve got to believe me.”
Her phone chimed. It was a new text from Raul.
Thanks for setting up invites for my guests. They just texted me to tell me how excited they are. You’re a doll.
Joan groaned. She’d couldn’t retract the invitations now, not without hurting Raul. She owed him for helping her out the night before. She gave Abby a pleading look. “Abby, please. I swear I don’t know what this is all about, but I won’t let anything ruin Lissa’s wedding. I’ll come up with some way to fix this. Don’t do anything. And whatever you do, please don’t say anything to Lissa or Julio. I’ll promise you I’ll take care of this.”
“You better.”
Horns blasting in a revelry made them both turn around towards the front of the house.
“Oh my God, that must be him,” shouted the wedding planner. “Places everyone, places.”
Annabelle, who’d been with the boys in the playground, put Hunter down and smoothed out the wrinkles on her skirt as she let herself out of the playground.
Mamacita flew out of the kitchen, stripping off her apron and stuffing it in a drawer as she smoothed out her frizzy hair.
The French Horns sounded again.
Mamacita looked around. “Where’s Julio? Is he back yet?”
“He just drove up,” shouted one of the house men.
“Good,” said Mamacita. “Where’s Lissa? Someone get Lissa. Hurry up people, everyone get to the tent. And don’t forget to be standing when he comes inside.”
The new nanny appeared in her stiff white uniform and stood possessively next to the boy’s playpen. Joan felt put out. It bothered her that this woman, who she was supposed to be training, was acting like she was in charge when it came to the triplets.
Lissa came rushing down the steps in a lovely designer dress, that Joan had never seen before. It was powder blue and hung on her body like a glove. It was perfect for the meeting the Viscount. Joan stood there, unsure what she was supposed to do, or where if anywhere she was supposed to go.
To her relief, her mother Annabelle Edwards took Joan by the arm, propelling her out of the house, towards the back, where the luncheon was set up in the giant tent. “Come along, Joanie, let’s take our seats. The boys will be fine.”
As they walked, her mother, held tight to her arm, then leaned in and whispered, “So, darling, tell me. You weren’t impossible to wake this morning because you had another all-night drinking binge?”
“Oh, no. Nothing like that, mom. I just couldn’t fall asleep until super late, and I guess I was just catching up.”
“Good, that’s what I thought. Stand up straight, dear.”
Before Viscount de la Vega arrived, Julio showed up at the tent and kissed Lissa as he whispered apologies for being late. Side by side with his bride-to-be, they left to greet their very important relative.
The rest of the assembled - a few of Julio’s relatives, the priest, wedding planner, and Mamacita - waited excitedly for the Viscount’s grand entrance, standing behind their chairs.
While they waited, several men in uniforms with stern expressions on their faces came in to check the tent. One of them escorted a dog, which went under every table and ran the length of it, coming out at the other side before heading to the next table. After that, the dog went around to each person and gave them a sniff.
Satisfied, the dog went back to the man with the leash and sat like a sentry, ready to pounce on any threat.
The other security men took posts in the perimeter of the tent.
At the entrance, two young men appeared in colorful attire. They pulled out their trumpets and played the royal entry. Another man, dressed in a fine suit with long tails and the sash of the royal family of Spain announced in a loud, clear voice, “Presenting, His Royal Highness, Ferdinand de la Vega, Viscount of Iberia, Fourteenth in Line to the Spanish throne.”
Everyone clapped as an elderly man walking with the assistance of a gold-gilded cane stepped into the tent. He was flanked on both sides by two other men, also wearing the clothing that identified them as members of the royal family. Behind them, Julio and Lissa walked in step.
He took his seat next to Julio and Lissa who remained standing behind their seats at the head table.
“Dear Viscount de la Vega, I’m so honored that you’ve come to this most important day of my life. I cannot wait to make this beautiful woman beside me my married wife.” Julio said.
“I’m happy to be here, Julio,” said the Viscount in a gravelly voice. “But, enough of this chatter. Everyone, please sit, I’m starved.”
The meal went great as far as Joan could tell, but she couldn’t eat a bite. She was seated next to the wedding planner and the priest. She let them chatter on while she tried to think how to fix her current problem.
> Lissa would croak if spotted Tina and Willa at her wedding.