another wedding

Why was it, Ellie always felt she was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Her sister was in labor. And she wasn't there for the birth of her sister's baby girl.

"When was she ever there for you?" Lon pointed out. She guessed he was right. Even so, it was almost devastating, leaving Zoe and Charlie at Lonnie and Steph's (Lon's half-brother and Lonnie's wife).

"We're closer now." Ellie felt so, about Lisa. Here they were at the big ranch wedding that Hannah's Mom had been planning for months. Everyone in Stetson hats and authentic cowboy gear. Naturally, she and Lon looked like out of towners. Lon stopped wearing a cowboy hat, some time ago. He wore a nice summer weight tan suit jacket and slacks. She guessed she dressed up enough in her summer maxie dress with her flats, but she felt out of place. It didn't help that people wondered if she were Reese's long lost little sister.

But it was Hannah that was ill willed. She didn't want to be there. Her nose started running. She had a headache. It was as if she were allergic to the place, where she grew up. Ellie made the starling revelation from Reese's mother that Hannah had been plagued with ear infections all her life. Hannah, had hardly been sick when she was staying with them.

Ellie was beginning to think Hannah belonged with them, after all. She seemed happier back in Nebraska than here. But Ellie knew she was the outsider and she didn't have a say in the matter. Reese didn't seem to have time for Hannah, either.

"Did she even get her picture taken with Reese?" Ellie knew Hannah would want a picture of the two of them on this occasion. Some day.

Lon didn't seem too worried. He got a call on his cell. It was from Lonnie.

Of course, this worried Ellie even more.

"Lonnie's at the emergency room with Charlie." Lon told her when he got off the phone.

"What?" Ellie winced. "Is he OK?" The wedding was over and really, they weren't exactly a part of the wedding party. Ellie wasn't waiting for cake or anything else, for that matter.

"Well, he fell off a pony." Lon told her. He sighed as if he didn't want to be upset, but she could tell  he was.

"What was he doing on a pony?" Ellie couldn't get in the car fast enough. She was really worried now.

"It was a Shetland pony." Lon said, as if they would make a difference. Ellie guessed it wouldn't be so far to fall to the ground, but still he was only three.

So they missed the aftermath of the wedding, leaving Hannah behind.