Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [116]
Beautiful white candles lined the aisles and the altar of the church. The sultry sound of Whitney Houston floated through the building as she enchanted and dazzled the wedding guests by singing a song. Senator Lansing, who was a close friend of the Houston family, had made the arrangements for Whitney’s special appearance.
When Whitney’s song ended, Syneda watched her six bridesmaids drift down the aisle dressed in tea-length peach gowns. Lorren and Caitlin were her matrons of honor. Lorren handed her her floral bouquet while Caitlin was busy straightening her train.
Caitlin had given birth to another girl, Ashley Reneé, and Lorren had presented Justin with another son, Christopher Stuart.
Lorren gave her best friend’s hand a little squeeze. “I’m so happy. I’ve always wanted this for you. You deserve to be happy.”
Syneda smiled as tears misted her eyes. “Thanks for always being there for me.”
Lorren returned her smile. “And thanks for always being there for me. I have something for you. It’s something borrowed.” She placed on Syneda’s wrist a beautiful pearl bracelet.
“Oh, Lorren. It’s your mom’s bracelet.” She hugged her friend. “Thanks.”
When the wedding coordinator took the two flower girls off to the side to give them last-minute instructions, Syneda found herself alone with her father.
The past five months had been somewhat stressful for both of them. After her initial shock had worn off, Syneda went through a few weeks of resentment at Syntel Remington’s appearance in her life. As if she had told him in the beginning, she had had eighteen years of hurt and anger to deal with. But through it all, he had been understanding and refused to let her put distance between them or deny him a place in her life as her father. He had braved, tolerated and survived her overwrought and, at times, pushed-to-the-limit emotions. Now she was grateful he had not taken her behavior personally.
Once she had gotten beyond the frenzy of the media’s headlines labeling her Syntel Remington’s love child, and their constant encampment on her doorstep and place of employment in their search for the entire story, she had discovered something. She and Syntel shared more than just physical resemblance. They were alike in quite a number of ways. They were both outspoken, neither believed in sugar-coating anything and they both didn’t mind standing up for what they believed in.
Somehow they had gotten close over the past few months, regretting but accepting Syntel’s father’s and Clara Boyd’s deceit. In the end, father and daughter had forged a strong bond between the two of them. Last month, as he’d done every year for the past fifteen years, Syntel had gone to visit her mother’s grave. But this time she had gone with him. Somehow she believed her mother was now truly resting in peace knowing father and daughter were finally united as she had wanted.
After the graveside visit, they had returned to the ranch and had been joined by Senator Lansing and Clayton. With the three of them there, Syntel had not indulged in his two-day drinking spree to drown out his pain. Instead, over iced tea, Syneda and Clayton had sat and listened to the two college friends share fond memories of the time they had spent with her mother, and how difficult it had been trying to keep Syntel and Janeda’s relationship a secret. Syntel even shared photographs with her that he and Janeda had taken together. Tears had formed in Syneda’s eyes when she had looked at the photos and had seen her parents, young and very much in love. She was thankful to Syntel for sharing that part of his and her mother’s past with her.
She had had something to share with him, too: a photo album her mother had kept during Syneda’s growing years. The very first picture in the album had been her newborn baby picture that had been taken in the hospital nursery. Following that picture had been others that Syneda had taken each year for the first ten years.