Page 81 of Four Weddings to Fall in Love
When I arrive at the subway station, Kim and Evan are already there, chatting and laughing.I’m not late; they’re both early.I’m pleased to see them getting along but not terribly surprised, since Evan is the friendliest of my brothers.
He opens the passenger’s door and gestures for her to take a seat, then climbs into the back.Before I head to the church, I take a moment to admire Kim.She’s wearing a light pink dress with a black ribbon around the waist, and I swear she gets more beautiful every time I see her.I don’t know how that’s possible, but it’s true.
The image of her naked and filthy in bed pops into my mind.I push it aside—now isn’t the time for such thoughts.
“You know where you’re going?”she asks.“Need me to navigate?”
“No, I’m good.”
I start driving.It’s a hot, sunny day, rather like Mirabel’s wedding; no hint of rain, unlike last time.
“According to Isobel,” Evan says, “the rehearsal was a bit of a mess.”
“In what way?”I ask.
“People kept missing cues, Auntie Gladys and Yvonne’s mother almost came to blows…I don’t know.I didn’t ask for all the details.Then some of the food at dinner was improperly cooked and had to be sent back.Nolan nearly swallowed a bone then threw up, narrowly missing Yvonne.”
Well, that certainly doesn’t sound pleasant.
“Is he okay now?”I ask.
“Yep, apparently he’s excited about his ring bearer duties, though he’s confused at the lack of bears.”
When the three of us walk up to the church, Nolan runs down the steps, his mothers just behind him, and grabs my leg.“Uncle Max!Can we play hide and seek?Please?”
“Not now, pumpkin,” Daisy says.“You can play later.”
For a split second, I worry Nolan won’t take this well, but he swiftly moves on.
“I almost swallowed a chicken bone yesterday.”He speaks proudly.“Has that ever happened to you?”
“I can’t say it has.”
“Max!Kim!”Auntie Gladys hurries toward us.“I knew it would work out between you two.Good thing I made you sit at the same table last time.I bet you never would have—how do you say it?—made a move if it hadn’t been for my interference.”She beams at me.“Perhaps next year, we can celebrate your marriage?”
Nolan sticks his hand in the air and jumps up and down.“I’ll be your ring bear!Or flower boy!I have lots of practice.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I say.
I put my arm around Kim.I suspect she doesn’t enjoy this discussion of our marriage.It doesn’t bother me, but I can’t blame her.
Fortunately, my aunt soon runs off, saying she needs to help the bride, whose mother, apparently, cannot be trusted.Not surprising that they got in a fight last night.
When we step inside the church, we’re immediately greeted by Kim’s parents.
“Will you two be next?”her mom asks.
“It’s too soon to think about that,” Kim replies.
“Just because it’s soon doesn’t mean it can’t happen.I have a colleague whose husband proposed six weeks after they met.They’re still married twenty-five years later.”She looks meaningfully at me.
“I’ll take that into consideration,” I say.“Nice to see you again.”
“You must sit with us.”She touches Kim’s arm.“No—maybe you should sit with Max’s family.Get to know them better.”
“Uh, yes,” Kim says.“We’ll do that.See you later, Mom.”
I steer Kim away from her family.I’m a little overwhelmed by all the people—this is a bigger wedding than any of the others I’ve attended this year—but I’m most concerned about my date.I hope this wedding is more enjoyable for her than the last one, which featured that painful dinner.I don’t know what might happen, but something can always go wrong, and our new relationship feels fragile; I don’t know what it can withstand.
