Page 12 of June Bride
“Oh, we’re filming a small documentary for local interests.” The way Dahlia said it made Sunny still think that there was something more to it, but that was the official statement they were handing out to the townsfolk. “I assure you this isn’t Hollywood or anything. We’re not planning to make the rounds at Cannes, if that’s what you’re wondering!”
Sunny didn’t really believe it, but what could she say? She was better off agreeing to take a look at the reservation while wondering what she would say to Anita and Leigh Ann. At least she could give Anita a small stipend for taking over for a few days. Leigh Ann might riot, however, and Sunny would need at leastoneperson on hand.
Why oh why did things have to be so complicated lately? Sunny merely wanted to plan her wedding and think of a nice life together with the woman she loved. A woman she hadn’t seen very often since the future in-laws came into town. Sunny had made the required drop-by to say hello and be fawned over, but the Meyers were often wrapped up in their own world of petty arguments and cheek kisses that made up for all the heavy words said only five minutes ago.
It explained a lot about Brandelyn, really. Enough that Sunny could appreciate the different perspective, and hope it meant the slightest bit of difference to how they related to one another in their marriage.
After thinking that, Sunny conceded it was a pipe dream. Some would say she was addicted to those pipes, anyway.
***
“You havenoidea how nice this is,” Brandy said, flopping down onto Sunny’s loveseat in her small living room. “My house became a war zone the moment everyone flew in from New York. Be grateful you don’t have to deal with your family for another week.”
Sunny finished folding her laundry by the TV. The new report from Portland meant nothing to them, but Sunny was grateful she didn’t have to drive around the city with how many bridge closures. “My family is also a lot more well-behaved than yours.”
“You can say that again,” Brandelyn muttered. “My mother attempted to barge right into one of my appointments today! Can you believe it?”
“Yes, actually.”
Brandy continued, “I had to wait for my receptionist to intervene. I was busy explaining to a patient that… well, I shouldn’t tell you. Just know that my mother didn’t understand why she doesn’t have a right to barge into my exam rooms for any reason. Doesn’t matter if I’m with a patient or not! Who does that?”
“Your mother. What did she want, anyway?”
“Something about my sister’s maid-of-honor dress. Apparently, the hem is not to her liking, and my mom was going to proudly announce that she was taking it in herself.”
Sunny rolled her eyes. How could she express how grateful she was that her mother-in-law wasn’t her responsibility?
“Sorry to dump all this on you while you’re trying to get your chores done.” Brandy dragged her hands down her face.That looks like it feels nice.Sunny would have to do it to herself when her fiancée wasn’t looking. “I’m going nuts. I knew I was going to go nuts, but it’s quite a difference between thinking about it theoretically… and, oh, boom, there they are! My stepfather has been complaining about my lack of cable or satellite ever since he sat down. He’s a channel flipper. He hates streaming, because it forces him to choose something to watch.
“Don’t ever tell him about playlists.”
“Thatstilltakes the ‘magic’ out of it, I guess.”
Sunny shook her head while folding the final towel. “Your family. I’m so glad they live on the other side of the country.”
“They’re gonna be your family soon!”
“You’re sure right, Brandy.” Sunny stood up, pile of towels in her arms. “Are you staying the night tonight? Or would that be too scandalous for your devoutly Jewish mother?”
“She’s about as devout as a Catholic priest in Miami for spring break,” Brandelyn muttered. “She wouldn’t have any room to talk about us sleeping together for one night before the wedding.”Only one?Sunny wouldn’t have it. “When Lizzie was dating her boyfriend, they totally slept together – while my mother knew about it, mind you – when home from college for Christmas break. You ask me? That’s when their oldest was conceived.”
“You know better than most how weird parents can get.”
“Even better when you make it gay, right?”
“Yup. Don’t get me started on all the snide remarks I’ve been hearing about town.”
“Hey, Bran…” Sunny stopped in front of her fiancée, still dramatically passed out on the loveseat. “You’ve told your parents you’re marryingme,right? Or are you talking about your sister, the one who said you couldn’t pay her enough to kiss another girl?”
“You want to talk about weird parents? How about them knowing and accepting that their daughter’s a lesbian, but being weirded out by a whole small town of lesbians? Then again, I think they only want to find an excuse to make fun of a small town. My mom’s dying without her precious bagels.”
“What’s wrong with the bagels around here? Safeway always has them on sale.”
“You don’t understand a New Yorker’s relationship to bagels. You just don’t.”
“Forgive me if I don’t try to understand it.” Sunny chuckled. “Have you exposed her to the wonders that is Paradise Pizza yet?”
“It’s not New York style, so you can imagine how that went.”
