Tina was laughing hard.

Tina: I had to do the same thing. Thank goodness they were loose on that particular finger and just slid right off and maybe all those flowers hid that pointing finger from the audience. I was at a loss as to what to do with all those flowers and give Jeanette the rings too. And there were three of them.

Bette was laughing as well.

Tina: Well, are we ready for our toast?

Bette:  Oh god, I forgot about that? Are you ready?

Tina:  I think so… I’ll make do.

Bette: Yeah, maybe it will come back to me by the time you are finished.  I’ll do what I can.

Tina: Are you ready to join the others. They should be about ready to seat us for dinner.

Bette: Sure, I’m better now. Thanks for being here with me.  So, let’s go toast the brides.

Bette and Tina entered the reception area and James was announcing that everyone was to proceed to dinner and find your place. The tables were in a horseshoe style, with Paris and Jeanette seated at the center of the head table and Bette was on Paris’s right and Tina was on Jeanette’s left.  Mary and Margaret were on the right side of Bette and Sonny and Kit were on the left side of Tina. The other guests were seated on the other two tables as Paris and Jeanette had determined.

Paris and Jeanette came in after all the other guest were seated. They were both dressed in white pants suits with slightly different blouses but obviously symbolic that they were the brides. The champaign had been poured and Paris indicated that the toast should proceed. Tina stood up.

Tina:  Ladies and Gentlemen. On behalf of Paris and Jeanette, thank you for coming to their wedding ceremony.  Before we are served our dinner, I would like to purpose a toast to this lovely couple. For full disclosure purposes, I am Tina Kennard Porter, the sister-in-law to Paris Southerland and now to Jeanette Miller Southerland. I met Paris some eight years ago at a dinner party in some respects much like this one. It became evident that night that Paris was Bette’s sister and that Mary was the mother to both Bette and Paris. And so, our family was instantly expanded. Paris was hired by Bette to become the curator manager of this lovely gallery we are about to have dinner in. A year or so later, we had our family Christmas gathering in Arizona where Paris brought Jeanette to meet the family. Jeanette was an instant hit with the family. She was a talented musician; she had a wonderful sense of humor and we all could see that she and Paris were falling in love if not already in love. The fact is that our family fell in love with Jeanette as well. For us, it was never a matter of if they would get married but when they would get married. To Jeanette, we welcome you to our family and to our extended family and to Paris, you my dear girl have found your mate and the one who will balance your life. We love both of you.  I must warn you Jeanette, that those with Porter blood have certain traits which you need to be aware of.  They have a certain trait which is sometimes described as stubbornness. I like to characterize that as determination with a purpose. They also have this trait of loyalty and kindness and caring which is immeasurable. And they have a streak of wildness or adventurousness. And that can have its good and its not so good points to it. But you my dear Jeanette are aware of all of this. And you love Paris anyway. And she loves you more than you will ever know. I would like to quote my dearly departed father-in-law Melvin William Porter.  For I believe Melvin he would approve of this union here today. He would recognize the family traits in Paris and would see the spark which Jeanette has. He would have said that you too have what it takes to be a spouse to a Porter. Melvin said “It takes a special someone to corral and domesticate a Porter.” And my dear sister-in-law, you have that special something in spades. And my dear Paris… you have that special something as well to make you and your lovely bride a happy and fulfilled life. Our best wishes to both of you.  To: Jeanette and Paris.