Page 52 of One Night Only
“Be grand,” she says loudly, patting my hand. “Give it a few minutes and it will be nothing but background noise.”
I help her move the fans to where they’ll cause the least amount of damage and by the time I finally slip away, the restrooms are full of women furiously patting their faces and other body parts dry. The ballroom fills quickly with people wanting to escape the sun, some faces already tinged a little pink, while the rest of us wait in the hall to lead the bride and groom inside.
Annie has had the benefit of a professional makeup team to help her but she’s frowning when she reaches me.
“Sarah?”
“Everything’s fine,” I say. “We’re turning the fans off for the speeches.”
“No, not that.” Her nose crinkles. “What’s that smell?”
“What smell?” I usher them toward the doors as Paul sniffs the air. And that’s when I catch it too, a cloying rotten odor almost like…
“There’s definitely a—”
“I can’t smell anything.” I give her a push and stand back as the room bursts into applause.
I slip in behind them as they move slowly through the center of the room, greeting their guests as they head to the banquet table.
“What’s that smell?” I ask Mary as I take my seat beside her.
“That would be the cheese table,” Mary says cheerfully.
“Oh God.”
“We’ve wheeled it out. And the fans will help.”
I don’t know whether they actually do help or if everyone in the room just collectively decides to ignore it. The next part of the day begins. Annie’s dad stumbles his way through a heartfelt speech about wanting her to see the world, and Annie and Paul do a joint toast thanking everyone for coming. We break for some much-needed food and I’m two (or three) glasses of champagne in when Mary taps me on my shoulder.
“Time for your speech,” she says. “We’ve got to keep this thing moving if the fish course is going to survive the weather.”
I grimace at the thought of even more smelly food joining the party. “I’m next?” I feel a sudden bout of nerves. “Can’t Declan go next?”
“He’s not making one. He’s not comfortable in front of crowds. Paul’s godfather is going to do one instead.”
“Then maybe he could—”
“You’ll be fine dear,” Mary says, patting my hand. “Up you get now. The sooner we get them done the sooner we can save the fish.”
“Right.” I take my notecards out from my purse. It’s not like I didn’t know this was coming but I’d forgotten about it with everything else going on. Now, it’s hard not to feel anxious. Most of these people are still strangers to me. And again, I find myself wanting to make a good impression for Annie.
I stand, clinking a teaspoon against my glass. The guests nearest the table notice the movement and turn expectantly but the rest of the room is oblivious, even when I say my firsthellointo the microphone handed to me by a beaming staff member.
Great start.
I clear my throat, trying to get the attention of the man standing by the fans. After several requests they’d turned them back on for the appetizers, but now no one can hear anyone beyond the person next to them. “Could we maybe…”
“Sean!” Declan bellows down the room and a moment later the noise cuts out, trailing off with a stutter.
“Thanks,” I mumble and he nods, not looking at me. The room falls silent.
Okay.
“For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Sarah Anderson and I have the great privilege of being Annie’s maid of honor today.”
Pause. Turn to A. Everyone smiles.
I follow the instructions on my cards to the letter. So far so good.
