"Una? Una, are you okay?"
Una opened her eyes. Everett was leaning over her, looking concerned. Una's face felt wet, and she realized she'd been crying in her sleep. As Everett came into focus, she threw her arms around him.
Everett held her and patted her on the back. "It's okay, Una."
Una nodded. "I - I know." She pulled back from Everett and gave him a watery smile. "It's just - I missed my father. I kept wishing he could be there to walk me down the aisle."
"Oh." Everett was sympathetic. "Is that what's been bothering you?" Una nodded. "I'm so sorry. I should have noticed...."
Una shook her head. "I was kind of hoping no one would. But now I know Father will always be with me, no matter what. And - and he likes you. He thinks you're good for me." She smiled up at Everett. "No matter who walks me down the aisle on our wedding day, I know Father will be there too."
Everett gave her a squeeze. Just then, the phone rang.
Everett picked it up.
"Hello?... You did? That's - that's terrific! Thank you for thinking of us! Yes, we do want it - just let me check." He covered the mouthpiece and turned to Una. "That was one of the venues we were looking at. They just had a cancellation. This couple decided a big wedding was too much trouble and they were just going to elope."
Una's breath caught. "And so they called us...?"
Everett grinned. "Should I tell them we'll take it?"
"Yes!" Una clapped her hands, grinning wide. Hearing from her father, finding the perfect venue right afterwards... it was just like something out of a movie.
Una opened her eyes. Everett was leaning over her, looking concerned. Una's face felt wet, and she realized she'd been crying in her sleep. As Everett came into focus, she threw her arms around him.
Everett held her and patted her on the back. "It's okay, Una."
Una nodded. "I - I know." She pulled back from Everett and gave him a watery smile. "It's just - I missed my father. I kept wishing he could be there to walk me down the aisle."
"Oh." Everett was sympathetic. "Is that what's been bothering you?" Una nodded. "I'm so sorry. I should have noticed...."
Una shook her head. "I was kind of hoping no one would. But now I know Father will always be with me, no matter what. And - and he likes you. He thinks you're good for me." She smiled up at Everett. "No matter who walks me down the aisle on our wedding day, I know Father will be there too."
Everett gave her a squeeze. Just then, the phone rang.
Everett picked it up.
"Hello?... You did? That's - that's terrific! Thank you for thinking of us! Yes, we do want it - just let me check." He covered the mouthpiece and turned to Una. "That was one of the venues we were looking at. They just had a cancellation. This couple decided a big wedding was too much trouble and they were just going to elope."
Una's breath caught. "And so they called us...?"
Everett grinned. "Should I tell them we'll take it?"
"Yes!" Una clapped her hands, grinning wide. Hearing from her father, finding the perfect venue right afterwards... it was just like something out of a movie.
Some time later, Una and Everett were settled in a cozy small cafe eating sandwiches and sipping abóbora spice lattes while foil cutouts of cute ghosts and pumpkins hung from the walls around them.
"Thanks again, Una," Everett said after a time. "I just... I don't like small spaces very much."
Una smiled at him and reached across the mesa, tabela to touch his hand. "Hey, you saved my life once. It's time I saved yours."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying this much calmer stage of their Dia das bruxas celebrations. Una was first to break it.
"I can't believe we solved a real mystery! I can't wait to go início and tell Mother what the secret of the haunted house is."
"Yes," Everett smiled at her. "The secret is my talented actress and her ghost impression."
Una beamed.
"Thanks again, Una," Everett said after a time. "I just... I don't like small spaces very much."
Una smiled at him and reached across the mesa, tabela to touch his hand. "Hey, you saved my life once. It's time I saved yours."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying this much calmer stage of their Dia das bruxas celebrations. Una was first to break it.
"I can't believe we solved a real mystery! I can't wait to go início and tell Mother what the secret of the haunted house is."
"Yes," Everett smiled at her. "The secret is my talented actress and her ghost impression."
Una beamed.
"What lead you to the club where you first saw us, Henry?" Les asked. Henry replied, "One of my neighbors told me that a rock band called A Wave Tossed in the Ocean was going to perform at the club that had opened the anterior week. I thought that the name sounded interesting, so I asked him what kind of rock music, and he said, 'I think it's stuff from the sixties and seventies.' I was eager to hear the songs from my youth. When I saw you perform, I knew you were the right fit. Of course, you know how we met backstage." Jimmy said, "And the rest is history." Everyone laughed. "Yes," Henry said. "The rest is history." Just then, Felix looked at his cellphone and said, "It's 10:00, guys." Henry said, "We better go to bed. We've got a big dia tomorrow." The boys all said, "Okay. Good night, Henry." Henry smiled and said, "Good night, boys. Pleasant dreams." With that, they retired to their beds for the night.
THE END
THE END