Page 10 of Two Friends in Marriage
“Ah, I’m sorry.Evan didn’t tell me.”
“It’s okay.It was many years ago.”I curse myself after I say it.This has happened before: when someone says they’re sorry, I try to brush it off by saying it’s been a long time.But I lost my mother when I was a child, which doesn’t exactly make people feel better.
“If you’d like, we can go out to Calgary to meet your family before the wedding.”
“No, that’s not necessary,” I assure her.
“We will all meet at the rehearsal dinner, then?I don’t know much about these things because Evan is the first of my sons to get married.But I think here, traditionally, the groom’s family pays for the rehearsal dinner?We’re more than happy to do that and help with the cost of the wedding.”
“Thank you,” I say.“I’ll discuss it with Evan.”I hadn’t thought about a rehearsal dinner—is it necessary?Our ceremony will be very simple, and we’re using the officiant who married Lana and Camila.
There’s an uncomfortable pause, and I wonder if I’m already screwing up this relationship, which is the last thing I want to do.
I’m little relieved when Evan comes into the kitchen.
“There you are.”He puts his arm around me and kisses me on the cheek in a way that feels quite natural.
Evan doesn’t look much like his mother.Actually, he doesn’t look much like his father, either, but he and Max definitely have similar features.They both wear glasses, too.
He turns to me.“Are you ready to go?Did my mom give you enough food?”
On the drive back to the subway, Evan asks how I think it went.
“I’m not sure I can do this,” I say quietly.
“You don’t want to get married anymore?”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant.I just…I’m not sure how to be part of a family.And I think your mom finds it weird that we’re not living together first before buying a place.For, um, compatibility.I didn’t know how to react.”
“You did just fine,” he says.“My parents occasionally say things that surprise me as well.My dad said he thinks we’re good together, and I hadn’t expected him to actually say something like that.”
I admit I’m rather pleased.
I hesitate before asking my next question.“I’d like to tell Claudia the truth.Is that okay?I’m not sure how I’d convince her of the story we’re telling other people anyway.She’ll keep it a secret, I promise.”
I still haven’t told one of my closest friends that I’m engaged, even though it’s been almost two months.I’ve gotten away with it because we don’t have any other friends in common—and she lives in B.C.But I can’t do that much longer, especially if I want her to come to the wedding.
“Sure,” he says.“Whatever you need to do.”
“I have some news,” I say, looking at Claudia on my laptop.“I’m getting married.”
The video suddenly looks weird.I think she spit water on her screen, and I can’t help laughing as she rubs it with her sleeve.
Claudia and I first met on an ace-spec forum that no longer exists.Since we live over 3000 km apart, we’ve only seen each other in person a handful of times.She’s white and a couple of years younger than me.
“I’m sorry,” she says, “did you say you’re getting married?”
“Yeah.To Evan.”The two of them met once before.
“I didn’t know you were dating.”
“We’re not.”I explain how we made a marriage pact back in 2020, and how I like the idea of settling down.Of constant companionship with a friend.Possibly even having kids.“I feel like I’m taking control of my life.”
“What about sex?”
“If we decide to have kids the old-fashioned way, then we’ll consummate the marriage, but otherwise, we won’t have it.”
“He’s okay with that?”she asks.
