Page 37 of Four Weddings to Fall in Love
My next attempt at a knot is better, but I’m still not satisfied, so I remove the tie and decide to throw caution to the wind by wearing a purple one.
Yes, that’s right.Purple.I don’t know what the world has come to.
It takes me three attempts to get the knot right.Then I put on my shoes, grab an umbrella, and ride the elevator down to the garage.
My heart is thumping quickly, and I know it’s because of Kim.I’ll see her for the first time since Mirabel’s wedding.
When I leave my building, it’s nearly an hour before the ceremony starts, and it’s only a twenty-minute drive.I expect delays due to the heavy rain, and indeed, traffic is a little slow, but I still get to the United church half an hour early.
Not many people are here yet.Gladys and Gilbert, of course, and a few members of the wedding party—including Evan—stand at the front of the church and talk amongst themselves.
There’s a loud crack of thunder, and all the chatter stops.The lights go out.Not a brief power flicker—no, once we get to ten seconds, I start to worry, but then the lights come back on.Someone cheers.
“Is that for me?”My dad bows before entering room, arm in arm with my mom.
A giggling Nolan scurries in behind my parents, Auntie Gladys in hot pursuit.My aunt is wearing heels, and she’s no match for a three-year-old, who squeezes between my parents and continues to the front of the church.Isobel, who’s in a three-piece suit, scoops him up in her arms.
“I’m so sorry,” Gladys says.“I know I’m supposed to watch him so you can focus on your wedding day, but he’s just so fast.”
By five minutes to three, the lights have flickered two more times, but it looks like nearly everyone has made it.
Except Kim.
I pull out my phone—which is already set to silent—and DM her on Instagram because that’s the only way I know to reach her.
I’m not surprised when she doesn’t reply.She could be driving, but I can’t help being concerned for her.I’m pretty sure I saw her parents, as well as a man I think is her brother, but she wasn’t with them.
I head to the entrance of the church, open the door…and there she is, climbing up the steps.The only thing that stops me from swearing under my breath is the fact that I’m in a church.
Kim looks absolutely stunning.She’s wearing a floral dress with coral flowers and green leaves.On someone else, it might look demure, but on her, it’s extremely sexy.She’s paired it with strappy heels.
Because I’m too distracted by how incredible she looks, it takes a few seconds before I realize what she’s carrying above her head.
A small blue shark umbrella.
There are fins and a tail protruding from the umbrella, plus a set of triangular teeth.
She holds up a hand before I have a chance to speak.“Don’t say anything.”
Kim’s mother hurries over and screams.
“I know you’re afraid of sharks,” Kim says as she steps into the church and closes the umbrella.“I’ve heard in extreme detail about the nightmares you got fromJaws, but this is just an umbrella.”
“Butwhy?”Kim’s mom asks.
“I couldn’t find my black one.My friend’s daughter left this at my apartment the other day.Normally I’d just skip the umbrella, but…” She gestures toward the door.“It really is raining.”
Her gaze meets mine, and my skin prickles.It’s a cool summer’s day, but right now, it feels as hot as it did at Mirabel’s wedding.
Since I figure Kim will stay with her family, I don’t attempt to sit with her, instead returning to the pew where I left my umbrella, next to my parents and Leo.
The organ music begins a few minutes later.Nolan—in black pants, red suspenders, white shirt, and a black bowtie—walks down the aisle with a basket of rose petals.I believe he’s supposed to be tossing the petals, but he doesn’t, just enjoys the attention.When he gets to the front of the church, he seems to remember the tossing-the-rose-petals part and upends the basket.All the pink petals land in one place on the floor.
“I did it!”he says, and laughter echoes through the church.
Nolan is followed by three bridesmaids, and then Daisy enters in a svelte white dress.
The minister—a woman—begins speaking as Daisy and Isobel stand before her.I try to focus on the ceremony, I really do, but my mind keeps straying to Kim, huddled under the shark umbrella.I imagine her saying “fuck it,” tossing the umbrella aside, and letting the rain wash over her, the wet dress clinging to her skin.And I imagine stepping into the rain myself and kissing her…
