A Day to Celebrate

It was the day of the engagement. Life would never be the same again her mother said.
      "Never more will you be able to put your own needs first."
Emily wondered whether she ever had? She had escaped for one last time, before the guests arrived, to the gardn of her family home to find a quiet space of reflection amid the hustle and bustle of preparations for the big bash. The light summer rain had left crystal drops of water on the flowers and she watched their unhurried course trickling down into each flowers sweetness. The simplicity of it brought tears to her eyes and she gently patted her silk glove to her carefully made up cheek. She was painted, disguised for the benefit of the guests, a society queen unseen in her natural beauty.
       The bees buzzed hungrily from flower to flower collecting liquid gold pollen souped by the rain to take back to the hive, the great provider. Was that what Carmichael would be? She was not sure that he might not turn out to be a bully. But he was a catch and the arrangement had been made carefully by her father to the satisfaction of both families. All would be well. Carmichael's slightly baffled look, his sun bleached honey hair and muscular physique certainly appealed to her, but he could be a little brash and boorish in the company of other men and she hoped he would be more genteel in his manner towards her. She worried that her beauty, painted as it had always been would still hold his roving eye once the paint started to crack. Only time would tell and she must face this boldest day of her life come what may. Would it be so terrible to be the trophy wife of another of the boys who lived it up at his Club?
      For one fleeting moment she wished she could run from this circus, her obligation to her family and trip the light fantastic in the garden with the bees and disperse among the wilderness like a dandelion tuft singing 'Hey ho, into the botanical we go!' But the pull of expectations and corset silks grounded her. There was no escape.