Read Online Born Under a Lucky Moon by Dana Precious - Free Book Online Page A

out? It’s really bad for you, in case you didn’t know. And it’s really bad for us, if you care,” Lucy stated flatly.
    Mom rolled down the window and flicked the butt out. Since she gave no response, I knew she was still thinking.
    â€œLucy, your father and I have always wanted the very best for you. We were startled to learn of your marriage. But we wanted you to have happy memories, shared with your family, memories that you could always look back on. So we’re giving you a beautiful white wedding on Sunday. It’s because we love you, honey.”
    Lucy didn’t look like someone who had just found out how loved she was. Her blue eyes seemed bigger than normal and her mouth was slightly open. “This Sunday?”
    â€œYes, sweetheart. But if it’s not what you want we don’t have to do it. It’s nothing that can’t be undone.”
    â€œExcept for the invitations being out. But I suppose we could just call everybody,” Sammie muttered.
    â€œEverybody?”
    â€œJust all of your high school friends and their parents. And your old teachers, people like that,” Mom said.
    Lucy was ramrod stiff in her seat, speechless for the first time since I’d known her.
    â€œWhen did you find out that we were married?” Chuck asked.
    â€œOn Sunday. We’ve been working on the wedding ever since. It will be beautiful.” I could tell Mom desperately wanted a smoke.
    â€œWhy didn’t you call me?” Lucy demanded. “You know, pick up a phone and communicate with me and ask if it was okay for you to marry me off!”
    â€œI tried to, honey. I did. But you were out on maneuvers.”
    â€œDrills,” Lucy corrected her sharply.
    â€œI picked out your patterns, Lucy. They’re really pretty. And I’m going to be your maid of honor,” I volunteered.
    â€œIs everyone coming?”
    â€œPretty much everybody said yes,” Mom said. “We just, uh, have to stop by the church so Father Whippet can meet Chuck.” We drove the rest of the way to the church in silence.
    When we pulled up, the foreboding finger of some religious figure was pointing down at all of us threatening hell and damnation if we were bad. A sculptor aptly named Mr. Love had made it for the church. He’d been married so many times it was hard to keep track. Once when I came home, I ran into an acquaintance of mine. I jokingly said that I hadn’t been home for so long that I had no idea who Mr. Love was married to now. With a frown she told me that the man was currently married to her mother. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up.
    But that was the beauty of being an Episcopalian instead of a Catholic. I call Episcopalianism “Catholic Lite.” We have all of the pomp with none of the consequences. We can get divorced, our ministers can get married and have sex, and birth control isn’t a sin.
    Mom prepped Chuck in the church hallway, telling him, “Don’t lie, but you’re an Episcopalian.”
    â€œEpisca-what?” Chuck looked confused, but before Mom could answer, Father Whippet came out into the hall from his office and smiled, showing us his crooked yellow teeth. He gave me the creeps. Father Whippet shook hands with Chuck and then gestured for us to enter his office. He took a seat behind his enormous desk.
    â€œLucy, this is a very happy day for me.” Father Whippet beamed at me. I flicked my head toward the right sister and Father Whippet redirected his gaze. “As I’m sure you know, we usually take our couples through several weeks of marriage counseling in order to prep them for what is in store for them. But since this is an unusual situation and as you are both Episcopalians”—he now beamed at Chuck—“we’ll do this in an hour. Lucy, I’ve known you since you were a baby and I’ve always found you to have good judgment.”
    Sammie nudged me from her place next