Page 110 (1/2)

Nelson's wedding ceremony seemed far more

elegant than mine had, perhaps because there wasn't the same expression of auests There was a very different atmosphere, erne that suited an affair in church What's e of royalty, everyone except me that is There were oohs and ahs over every aspect, froement of multicolored roses in the form of an arch at the altar When Nelson took his place with Sa and old alike, gazed at him with such adulation, even a casual observer would think so vows There was a deep hush and then a nearly si, feuests and beamed that handsome smile

An electric shudder passed through the audience after the an, on her father's arm, started her march down the aisle It was impossible not to admit she looked beautiful Not a strand of hair was out of place and her wedding dress with its long train looked as if it truly had been designed for a princess The train was held up by her older sister's twin seven-year-old girls who rese faces and peach corace and poise, a small, but beatific smile on her lips, her eyes fixed on Nelson, whose eyes were locked on hers I could almost feel the excitement they had for each other Even the small children in the audience looked like they were in awe There was a deep hush with just one h from the audience when Louise reached the altar and her father stepped to the side

The an

That should have been Nelson and I up there, I thought If only I had been ht when he and his parents had been invited to dinner, a dinner Daddy had designed to develop a relationship between Nelson and Belinda If only I had beenhi him with my sexuality Weeks later it would have been Nelson and I in the boathouse and not Nelson and Belinda Instead of that wasteful, wild assignation that a love affair that would have lit a fire so strong in both our hearts, nothing could quench it and calether

But this was not to be Soled Belinda in front of hi hiht Then, to put the icing on the bitter cake I had to s, I had to be the one to condee, the voice of conscience and decency, e hire, I feared, so Never before in my life did I hate who I was asNelson Childs pronounce his vows of love and devotion to another woman When she recited her words, I mouthed them to myself and when he spoke, I closed my eyes and dreamed

The organ began again and everyone stood as Nelson and the now Mrs Nelson Childs walked up the aisle, accepting congratulations, s to each other as they passed their loyal subjects, their doting guests

"Wasn't that aceremony, Olivia?" Samuel asked with exhilaration when he returned to my side

"Yes," I said quickly

"She looked so beautiful, didn't she? What a fine looking couple they s of Provincetown, eh?"

"I wouldn't go that far, Saet carried aith it"

He laughed and turned to Daddy

"What do you think, Winston?"

"Fine wedding, beautiful, yes," Daddy retted that that wasn't Belinda up there or even me He looked distracted and was quickly pulled away by some of his business associates

Nelson and Louise, along with their fauests attended the reception Because Sa the dance floor A full orchestra had been hired to play the big band sounds There was a fean