Hummingbird
Copyright© 2026 by Krista*
Chapter 17
News travels fast in a small town. Again, like the reactions to hearing about Mickey and Anne, the majority of people were happy for Ryan and Yzzy. And a number of girls in the age range of 20 to 30, who had hoped that since Leona had moved away from Choteau, they would be able to console his heart and warm his bed were not. Red Wolf Ranch was not large, but it was thriving and well known. Ysabella d’Santos was seen as an outsider. An interloper and had ‘poached’ a highly sought after man.
“They never stood a chance!” Nichole laughed. “And as for the guys who were looking in her direction? The first thing they would need to do is give up that can of dip that was always in their pocket and filling their mouths with that disgusting stuff,” she shuddered, “permanently!”
The girls were sitting together at lunch, going over wedding guest lists. Anne and Yzzy both had written down who they had planned to invite. Nichole studding the lists, side by side. “Interesting,” she commented, “I see a lot of the same names here. You both have what looks like friends from Magdalena, as well as faculty and then we have Yzzy wanting to invite business colleagues and college friends. Anne has a few additional school friends that Yzzy didn’t list, but I’m thinking that is based on age and years graduated.”
The extended Grant and Packard families were obviously on the lists, respectively, along with several friends from Choteau. In fact, the lists were exactly the same!
“Strange question,” Nichole mused. “Since many people are going to need to travel a long distance, especially the folks in California, asking them to travel twice and at possible great expense, did you girls ever think of having a double wedding?”
“I did, briefly,” Yzzy replied, “but I wanted Anne to have her own special day with Mickey. Ryan and I talked about it and as far as we’re both concerned, a five minute thing at the court house with a judge to say ‘You want to be married?’ and we say ‘yes’ and he says ‘Cool Beans!’ and we’re married.”
“Cool beans?” Nichole blinked her eyes.
“One of those strange California terms,” Anne laughed. “As far as I’m concerned, Mickey and I are already married under Celtic tradition. The main reason I’m agreeing to the big production is because his mother is beside herself, making plans.”
“Francine is the same way. When you and Cameron eloped, that threw a monkey wrench in her planning for him and when Leona left, she was crushed that she couldn’t do the same for Ryan. Now she wants to have a whole ‘princess bride’ thing for us.”
“I sort of like the idea of a double wedding,” Anne said. “I see you as my sister. And one of my closest friends. Nichole has a valid point, saying that asking the Magdalena crew to come out here twice in a few months is selfish of us. I’m okay with it if you are.”
“The biggest issue I see,” Yzzy frowned slightly, “is getting Megan and Francine to adjust some of the plans they’re making alone to make it a double wedding that satisfies everyone.”
“We can always just elope!” Anne giggled.
“You will do no such thing!”
Megan Packard and Francine Grant made it perfectly clear that they were willing to work together to create a wonderful day to celebrate, and heaven help the newlyweds if they did elope, because life would be VERY unpleasant. “You need to understand,” Francine stated, “a mother starts planning their child’s wedding soon after they are born. Right Nichole?”
“We just figured we would go halfsies on the ladder with the father of any girl that Logan convinces to marry him.” Lots of giggles.
“What about names?” Megan asked.
“I have something that is like a birth certificate, since I was a ward of the state from the time I was around six,” Anne stated quietly. “Prior to that, there was no record of me. I figured I will wait for the marriage certificate and become ‘Anne Packard’ legally. I don’t have a drivers license. I have a California state identification, but that will be easy to change.”
“Ryan and I did talk about this. I will hyphenate my name, because that will be easier for my law license. ‘Ysabella d’Santos-Grant’ with a DBA of ‘Ysabella d’Santos’ works just fine. He says it doesn’t matter what the name says because he knows who he exchanged vows with.”
As for who would live where? Anne and Mickey would continue to live in the apartment above the office. When they felt that the time was right, they would look at other options. However, Ryan and Yzzy had a long talk and their solution was to have a modular home put up on the family property. It would be a few hundred yards from the main house and bunks, to allow some privacy. Drilling for a well and septic system would take place in April when the ground had started to thaw. The house would be around 1600 square feet, with four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. A large propane tank would be installed to heat the property, water tanks and emergency power generator. Alvin Packard worked out a good deal for them because he was a manager at the local propane company.
At first, Ryan had been reluctant, but Yzzy sat him down and reminded his that between her own savings and the settlement from Midwest, they could easily afford things. In fact, the majority of costs would be ‘cash payment’ and not financed through the bank. This allowed them greater options on what they could get for their home.
Francine and Megan secured the VFW hall for the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend and Reverend Smith was thrilled to perform the double ceremony after the 11:00 services. It would be an open invitation to attend so everyone in town could be there.
“I got a wonderful something in the mail this afternoon,” Howard Arden could be heard smiling through the phone connection. “So you plan to marry that young man you went out to Montana to be with? Honestly, I’m not surprised.” Even after Yzzy left the Sacramento firm, she was still in touch with her friends there.
“I would really appreciate you and Mrs. Arden being here, sir. And please let everyone know that they are welcome to join you,” Yzzy laughed. “All we need is a head count.”
“I will pass the word. Not sure how many will go out there, but I can give you an idea soon. And congratulations to the both of you.”
“Thank you, Howard.”
“Oh. My. God!” Annette squealed. “You and Ryan! That is SO GREAT!”
“It would mean so much to me if you could make it.”
“Hell yeah! But two questions,” Annette paused. “Knowing our history, will he be okay with me there? And secondly, can I bring a ‘plus 1’ with me?”
“Ryan is fine with you being here. I asked. As for you bringing someone? That’s perfectly okay. I checked with him first. Now who is the possible ‘plus 1’ that you intend to bring?”
Annette filled Yzzy in on the new person that she was seeing.