rings of daisies on their heads. Then the ring bearer, Magdalena’s little cousin. And finally Magdalena, her veil firmly in place, her eyes on the bouquet of sunflowers in her hands.
“A symbol of fertility,” Catherine whispered.
Jacinda’s son stood waiting at the altar, wearing a starched white shirt and a solemn expression. When the bride approached, a look of awe stole over his face, and Catherine gave Josh a sideways glance. He turned her hand over in his and held it tightly.
The ceremony lasted a long time, but Josh didn’t mind. There was something about the ebb and flow of the words in Spanish, the feeling of Catherine’s hand in his, the glow of candles and the scent of roses that made him want it to go on forever.
But finally the young couple turned and came down the aisle, and the bells rang out from the steeple across the countryside. The guests stood in front of the church armed with handfuls of tiny grains of wheat to throw. Josh examined the wheat in the palm of his hand.
“Another fertility symbol?” he asked.
She nodded. “Flowers, seeds, shells, horns. All the decorations are symbols of strength or fertility. Not that they need them,” she said under her breath. “Magdalena is... uh.. .expecting. It’s not a shotgun wedding,” she assured him. “It’s just with the men away it’s hard to find a time to get married. They’ve been engaged forever. Jacinda and Doña Blanca arranged it long ago, at birth probably. Jacinda’s a great believer in arranged marriages.” She sighed. “If only she’d forget about arranging mine.”
“It must be a real challenge finding someone good enough for you.”
“She was about to give up when you came along in your three-piece suit.”
“Me?”
“We’re the only North Americans she knows, so naturally she thinks it would be a great match.”
“And you don’t?”
“I don’t think it’s enough that we come from the same country. I think two people ought to have something more in common.” She looked up at him from under the brim of her hat, and suddenly the sun came out. Before he could answer the crowd oohed and ahhed. “It’s a good sign,” she explained, looking up at the sky. “Happy is the bride the sun shines on.”
Just before the couple pulled away Magdalena leaned across her new husband and threw her bouquet of sunflowers into Catherine’s arms. The women crowded around her to offer congratulations, and she blushed and looked helplessly at Josh. See, see what they’re doing to me? she asked silently.
She told the women it meant nothing, but they insisted. Magdalena had caught the bouquet at the last wedding, and look what happened. Catherine joined in the merriment, but she couldn’t believe she’d be the next to marry. How could she when she had no one to marry? It had all been planned and orchestrated, no doubt by Jacinda.
Soon the guests dispersed into carts or onto horses for the ride to Doña Blanca’s for the reception. Catherine invited as many villagers as could fit to ride with her in the truck. Old Pedro had brought his burro. Josh drove his car.
Next to Catherine sitting on the front seat was her neighbor Doña Maritza, holding Catherine’s flowers in her lap. The back was filled with men from the mine, bunched together in their Sunday suits.
The talk was of the weather. Would it rain or would it not? If so, would it spoil the party? They needn’t have worried. By the time the overloaded truck reached the large farmhouse, the skies were clearing and the sound of a brass band warming up filled the air.
Josh slowed to a stop in front of the farmhouse and got out to join the party. After jumping down from the front seat, Catherine straightened her hat. She stood for a moment, watching the bright colors of the dresses and the dark suits as the guests mingled on the patio.
From the edge of the crowd Jacinda beckoned to both of them. “Today is a day to forget about work,” she called, and ran to meet them. Taking Josh by one hand and Catherine by the other, she pulled them down the path to join the party. “It is a day to dance and eat and celebrate. You saw who caught the wedding bouquet,” she confided to Josh with a wink. “We all know who will be the next to marry.”
Josh nodded emphatically as if he agreed with her, and Catherine gave Jacinda a stern look.
“Tell her what you told