To Have and to Hold Read Online Free PDF

out for the wedding. It’s by William Shakespeare. We’d like you to read it at the ceremony.”
    Madison’s heart began to thump.
    “You want me to read a poem by Shakespeare?” Madison said.
    Stephanie grinned. “I know that you’ll do an excellent job.”
    “I’m not really good in front of large groups,” Madison mumbled. “I get kind of nervous…. and sometimes I get all sweaty and …”
    Madison bowed her head, embarrassed. Even though the sweaty part was true…. what had she said that for? It sounded gross.
    “Oh, honey bear!” Dad chimed in. “You’ll be the best. I know it.”
    “Come on, open the book,” Stephanie said.
    Madison cracked the spine as she opened the front cover. The leather smelled new. On the inside front page, Madison saw some handwritten words:
    For Madison Francesca
    Bright light, shining star —
    We love you.
    Dad and Stephanie
    She glanced up at Stephanie, whose eyes looked a little wet. It was if everything had slowed down to slow motion with fuzzy filters.
    “Maddie,” Stephanie said. “I am so happy to be a part of your life.”
    Madison looked over at Dad, but his eyes had also glazed over.
    What was going on here ? She felt as though she’d been shoved into the center of some late-night, T.V. melodrama.
    This was too much of a love-fest even for Madison. Her stomach heaved. It felt hot inside the restaurant, and she was reeling from the smell of garlic at the next table. Of course, Madison wanted to be nice and polite about the poetry book Stephanie and Dad had given to her, but, at the same time, she wanted to run away.
    Meanwhile, Dad and Stephanie intertwined their arms and leaned in toward Madison. Dad kissed Stephanie’s cheek, and she let out a little sigh. It was enough PDA (Public Display of Affection) to make anyone sick to her stomach, especially Madison.
    Luckily, the waiter showed up with appetizers. Madison used the plates of salad as an excuse to set the leather-bound poetry book aside—at least for the moment. She didn’t want to get any salad dressing on it.
    “Maddie, in addition to the poem, I wanted to ask you if you would … oh … How do I say this? Jeff, help me out here,” Stephanie stammered. She couldn’t spit out the words she needed most of all.
    Dad smiled at his fiancée. “What Stephanie is trying to say, Maddie, is will you stand up for her at the wedding?”
    Madison nodded. “I know, I just said I would stand up for her. I’ll read the poem. I assumed that I would be standing up to do it….”
    “Oh, no!” Stephanie gasped, giggling a little in response. “I mean ‘stand up’ for me as a bridesmaid—as my junior maid of honor, actually.”
    Madison could barely breathe. No words came out of her mouth.
    “Maid of honor?” she finally said.
    “My sister Wanda will be my matron of honor, but I thought it would be nice to have you right up there with us, too,” Stephanie added. “Jeff has his brother Rick as his best man, plus my nephew as junior best man.”
    “Don’t I have to be older to stand up for you at the wedding?” Madison asked, her voice shaking a little bit. “I’m only in junior high, remember? I’m supposed to be a flower girl, aren’t I?”
    “Actually, I think people can plan their weddings any way they want,” Dad said.
    “And this is how we want it,” Stephanie said.
    Madison felt a surge of emotion from her belly right up to her neck. She had more than a lump in her throat now. This was a brick.
    “Just how many bridesmaids are you having?” Madison asked.
    Stephanie turned to Dad. “How many is it, hon?” she asked him. “Six?”
    Dad rolled his eyes. “Some small wedding,” he said with a little cough.
    “Let me see…. I think there are fifteen girls and guys in the wedding party,” Stephanie explained. “That includes four bridesmaids, a junior maid of honor, a maid of honor, four groomsmen, a best man, and a junior best man. Plus two flower girls and a ring