Page 89 of Monster's Edge

We pull up to the chapel and Eduardo looks from Georgetta to me.

“Are you ready to get married?”

“That’s a loaded question,” I smile.

Georgetta frowns. She reaches across the space between us and takes my hand. “Don’t say that when we’re in there. Once we step out of this limo, you’re all smiles and happiness, okay?”

“Okay,” I nod.

“She’s right,” Eduardo says firmly. “Don’t let anyone doubt that this is what you want.”

I nod. I know that there will be people who don’t think this wedding is a good idea. I’m sure there will be people who think I’m being coerced into it, which I am. It’s just that I don’t really mind. In my view, it’s not like I really had a lot of other things going on in my life.

It’s like, I might as well get married, you know?

Once Georgetta and Eduardo are both satisfied that I’ll play my part correctly and beautifully, they climb out of the limo first and then they help me out, too. The dress isn’t the puffiest wedding gown I’ve ever seen, but it’s still kind of tricky to move in. Hopefully I won’t have to go to the bathroom today.

Once we’re on the sidewalk in front of the church, I actually take a minute to admire it. Westvale Chapel has been around for at least a hundred years – maybe two. It’s a small place where a lot of mafia dudes get married. I’m pretty sure my uncle got married here, or maybe it was a cousin. My parents didn’t, though. The two of them eloped, according to my mother. I can’t really remember much about her, though, so I don’t really know what it was like for her.

“Time to shine,” Georgetta says. There are two men in suits standing outside of the double doors. They don’t look at me or acknowledge me as I approach, but one of them steps over and opens the door right before I can reach for the handle.

“Thank you,” I tell him.

I receive a curt nod in response.

Together, Georgetta, Eduardo, and I step into the chapel. There’s already music playing. The lobby is empty, but when I look at a second set of doors that lead to the sanctuary, I feel like I can hear voices. Am I imagining that?

“Is everyone here but us?” I ask.

“They waited on us,” Eduardo says.

“Are we late?”

“We’re right on time,” Georgetta says.

“You know what to do,” Eduardo says to Georgetta. She nods and smiles. Then she opens the door and steps inside. It closes before I get a very good glimpse of what’s happening inside. The voices disappear and the music changes. I realize that the ceremony is beginning already. I’m not going to have a chance to peek at the congregation and see who has gathered to watch me exchange vows with Ian.

Will the crowd be filled with faces I know?

Or is everyone here a stranger?

I look over sharply at Eduardo, but he’s not watching me. He’s silently counting to himself. I realize that he’s paying attention to the beats of the song so that he knows exactly when it’s time for the two of us to enter the sanctuary.

While Georgetta opened one of the heavy wooden doors on her own, Eduardo and I don’t have the same experience. Someone inside of the sanctuary seems to know when it’s time to open the doors because they both open at the same time. Eduardo steps beside me and takes my arm.

That’s when I realize my dad really isn’t coming to the wedding.

He’s not going to walk me down the aisle.

He’s not going to give me away.

Nope.

It will be Eduardo taking my father’s place. My entire body tenses as I get my first real glimpse at the sanctuary. It’s not half-empty, as I expected. Instead, it’s completely packed. I shouldn’t be surprised that people in town want to see the great Ian Salucci getting married, but I am. I’m even more surprised at how many faces I personally recognize.

Ian has arranged for my coworkers from the animal shelter to come see me, as well as many of my classmates from the dance studio I’ve been dancing at for the past few years. There are even a couple of my former teachers here.

How the hell did he make this happen?

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