Dawsey and Juliet's Wedding, my very own epilogue

So, I finished reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The ending was wonderful! But I felt that there needed to be an epilogue. This doth not beat the great writing of the book. It is fictitious and fanmade. In fact, Lily McGreggor is an odd character I've just managed to conjure for the sake of having a third party perspective of the wedding, which was mentioned at the end.

So, um, enjoy my horrible writing,

Meli♥

22nd September, 1946

Dear diary,

As you know, I find my way around any situation to see whatever's going on in town... and I could not be stopped! Goodness no, not even for the wedding! It came as such a surprise, a good one mind you, that Miss Juliet Ashton was finally getting married with our very own Dawsey Adams! But let me tell you how I came upon hearing such news...

It was all over town. I was just catching up on my copies of Horizon that had just gotten to the post. And you know how I like to keep up with them! Had to meet up with the mail boat to see about that! And that was around morning when Miss Juliet was walking past with a very excited Isola. I've never seen her as surprised then as she was when Miss Juliet was coming! Then again, she's always energetic regardless of what goes on, but... this was different. The ladies that passed were trying to calm her down all while Miss Elizbeth's girl, Kit, grinned and walked along with Juliet, holding her hand eager to get to wherever they were going. It looked like they were on their way to the bookshop. By the way, this was a Thursday morning, not quite yet when they were going to unleash the felicitations and confetti and what have you for Sunday.

BUT all I'd kept hearing was a repetition of the word married. So, there was indeed a need to investigate!

Well, it could have been improper to do that, but I was curious. And you know how curious I get when something this interesting is happening. It took a lot of adventuring and focus to hide as they walked back out of the bookshop and back to where they lived. I followed and hid and went on that way as I heard what was going on.

"What else have we got left to do?" Isola asked. Miss Juliet replied, "Well, there are the flower arrangements, but it'll all be taken care of." "There's hardly anything... wait, Miss Juliet."

I had just calmly been following them and had to find a bush to hide behind, and I lunged to it, forgetful of my silk stockings and Sunday hat. I really should have thought over that decision before choosing to wear a hat on the wrong day. I could have followed them subsequently if it weren't for Isola, but she'd heard me and they asked me what I was doing hiding in a bush. I told them, "I-I just wanted to know..." My cheeks burned with a passion. I should've thought this through!

But Isola helped me up and dusted off my skirt. I'd dirtied myself up pretty well, so well I can understand why mother was in agony about having me get my clothes washed. If she had to pay for my copies of Horizon, then I'd have to start doing something about it. But I'm only fifteen. I've tried getting my clothes washed and I am such a failure at it. I am also a failure at trying to find my way out of situations like these, but Miss Juliet was amused at the sight of me sneaking around. I'd imagine it was the funniest sight for sore eyes. I feel pitifully embarrassed of my actions that day, I really hope they haven't talked about me enough to dig up my own grave and leave me to die there. It was just horrible!

But there I was, standing in front of them, staring at my snow white shoes and my dirtied stockings. "I'm sorry... I just wanted to know... and I..." I sighed and held my packaged copies of Horizon to my chest, and pouted.

"What's there to be sorry about? All you had to do was ask!" Juliet smiled. "What did you want to know?"

"If the stories were true," I told her. I asked if it was true if Mr. Dawsey and her were getting married and that I love weddings. And I do, mind you. I love weddings, no matter how small or how big they are. To see the reactions, the love, between the groom and the bride, and the dresses, the suits! I was in over my head and I lost track of what I was talking about.

"Do you write?" Isola asked out of nowhere.

And yes, yes I do. But they don't know that I write a diary about the goings on of the island or anything about Aunt Rose's visit from Jersey. I might never get a chance to talk about her. Ever. But I told them that I wished I could write and that I kept up with other writers, new writers. Horizon issued stories from new writers and I was in love with their theatre dramas, so full of color and feeling! They're actually very funny to read aloud, too.

Juliet grinned. "Do you write your own scripts?"

I wished I could, but there was nothing better than saying that aloud.

"You could always try, there are writers in each and every one of us. Anyway, yes, the stories are true," Juliet answered.

I nearly beamed. A wedding! There haven't been many since the occupation, but the ones I'd seen were hardly enough for this one. A wedding out in the open air! Miss Juliet told me that they would be having it in Mrs. Amelia Maugery's garden, for all friends and family to see, and that I could come if I wanted to. And well, there was not a word I could say to thank them, and I think I did something unforgivable but Miss Juliet did not mind. I hugged her and congratulated her and thanked her!

Then I went home, but I bid my time. Mother didn't see me, and goodness to God, I was glad that she was preparing the chicken in the kitchen. Too busy to see the likes of my white dress, dirtied stockings, and disheveled hair. More's the pain of wanting to make Friday and Saturday happen quickly. Waiting is the worst for a girl's nerves. But I had new Horizon editions to wait with me, so those two days went by quickly. I inclusively got a letter in the mail from Miss Juliet which told me a great deal about Shakespeare and Marlow. Romeo and Juliet? A Midsummer Night's Dream? For a moment I thought Shakespeare had stolen the idea for A Midsummer Night's Dream from someone else, but apparently it was quite the opposite. Imagine that, a person taking an original idea from someone else before them and someone who doesn't know thinking it's theirs to begin with! Thank the Lord Miss Juliet saved me from ignorance, but at least now I've got a lot to look forward to. Mr. William Shakespeare's works, for one, and maybe Marlow. I don't know what to say about Marlow. (She's even sent me a booklet of one of his comedies! I am quite fortunate, yes, yes, I am!)

And in Amelia's back garden, a blissful Sunday if there was any! I could not contain myself on hurrying out for the day. I went to church with mother and father and then raced off once we'd gotten home. I could not contain myself, as I told you for the splendidness of the occasion! Forget if splendidness is not even a word; writers can create their own words. Mr. Shakespeare sure did! But my, my, my! The wedding!!!!!

The floral arrangements were all so simple and elegant, just as I'd imagined for Miss Juliet and Mr. Dawsey! They're that kind of people, the kind of people who enjoy the coziness of simple extraordinary things. The importance of the meaning inside things rather than how many pennies and pence they cost. The memories! That's what should matter, that's what mattered here and now.

I was overjoyed to see wild flowers and baby's breath being used for centerpieces on the tables behind the rows of mismatched chairs. They were all comfortable for seating, and very cozy. The arch they'd used for the priest was white and decorated with more baby's breath, so much that it looked like pinpricks of snow above their branches. I automatically made a beeline for the seating arrangement where all the friends and family of the couple were sitting or standing up around while getting to know one another. The atmosphere was love, love, love!

Love and white tablecloths that smelled strongly of lavender. And more white flowers. I smiled when everyone sat down. Especially sweet Mrs. Amelia who came in last to sit with the others in the front rows. And then the procession started. Everyone quieted their voices, and I looked up front to where the groom was. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing their reaction.

And I swear that there had never been such a happiest sigh as that of the groom - our very own Dawsey! Getting married at long last! - when he saw the bride. He nearly cried as Juliet, our Juliet, was given away by Mr. Sidney Stark (The Horizon editorial was right! He is a handsome fellow!). I knew her dress was going to be perfect. Every single thing about the wedding in the back garden of Mrs. Amelia's house was lovely. It was lovelier when Dawsey unveiled her and even better when they continued the ceremony. They kissed three times, and I blushed and covered my eyes, never noticing that I'd been crying the whole time. They just love each other so much. There's never enough tears to shed when joy is shared among so many!

The bride and groom danced all night and left in an open carriage adorned with white ribbons, roses, and peonies. But Mrs. Juliet Adams paused before leaving and turned around. Dawsey shared a laugh with her, then. And this was when she was aiming to throw back her bouquet! That bouquet had painted pearls, peonies, roses, and baby's breath, and dreams. I joined the other young ladies and hoped to catch it. Isola joined as well, adjusting her hat with a peony sticking out the top tied with a thick white ribbon, just after letting her bird fly to sit on Mr. Will Thisbee's shoulder.

And then...

"One, two..." Juliet called as she prepared to hoist her bouquet behind her. I was all nerves and anticipation! "Three!" everyone spoke with her and she threw it.

It flew above the chaos of black and white and brown. So many dress suits, silk stockings and tights, and shoes. The dirt probably had to do with the outcome, too. Mrs. Adelaide, goodness knows why, was also trying to get the bouquet. And among the madness, Isola had hopped to and caught the bouquet in her adept hands. And I jumped for the fun of it, but it was nice. The witch of the town had caught it and there was no turning back; there'll be another bouquet some other day for me. But there was nothing more exhilarating than getting out of there alive and still managing to see the bride and groom wave and leave upon their carriage. There was also nothing as exciting as taking a big piece of the cake and taking it home to my parents.

They laughed at my story. See, I had to tell them, otherwise I would have been in big trouble! They keep suspecting that I'm going to start seeing Mr. Ramsey's boy, but I've no interests in him. Well, at least not now. Not ever... even if he's nice. What matters is that two more people have made the town happier yet, happier than it's ever been.

Yours truly and ever sincere,

Lily McGreggor