AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m okay. I’ve been busy.”
My father scowls at me and sits next to her. “Doing what? Are you working?”
“Richard, I’m working. I bought a portion of a software company.”
My brother and I rarely called our father by anything but his given name, even when we were children. My mother was always mom or mother. For a few minutes, he peppers me with questions until I’m thoroughly annoyed. During the entire conversation, I notice Olivia sneaking glances at me.
“Software, though?” he repeats. “You know nothing about software.”
“I’m an owner, and I get to work with the financials, which is what I’ve always wanted to do. You know that.”
“You were doing that at my company! You could have stayed.”
“I couldn’t,” I counter. “You don’t ever seem to understand why I had to leave.”
When my mother puts her hands on both our arms to stop us, it’s only then that I realize how both of our voices are raised and echoing throughout the large church.
“This is not the time or the place,” she scolds. “I would like to see my granddaughter practice for her wedding without being upset. You can discuss this later.”
I cross my arms defiantly, and my father faces forward—what a fantastic way to start the evening. Put out; I watch as my brother and Vivian escort Rory to a waiting Hunter at the front of the church where the pastor is waiting. It makes me think of my wedding, which was intimate and without all the pomp and circumstance.
Cassie and I married on the beach at my parent’s summer home in Chatham. We invited fifty people and had it catered on the back lawn facing the ocean. Cassie opted for a simple white dress, and I wore rolled-up khakis with a white dress shirt that I left untucked. If I had my way, we would have eloped, but I wanted to give Cassie whatever she wanted, and a small wedding with close friends and family was her choice.
Our honeymoon was two weeks long, spent in the same home without any distractions. I took our cell phones and locked them in the safe, only checking the answering machine to the house once a day. We made love on the private beach at night in the moonlight and took naps in a hammock under two large oak trees during the warm June days.
It was the most wonderful time of my life. We had only been married three months when Cassie started not to feel well. By the end of September, she was diagnosed with a large stomach tumor, which was sent and tested for analysis. The results told us she was found to have an aggressive, rare cancer for which there was no cure; not even chemo would help. She died in January, just like that. As fast as she came into my life, she was gone.
I swipe at my tears as I watch the rehearsal. My mother pats my hand, mentioning something about how sweet it was that I got emotional about Rory’s impending marriage. I didn’t want to tell her that it was the remembrance of my own and the aftermath that had me choked up.
“She’s going to make a beautiful bride, isn’t she?”
I nod at my mother, afraid that my voice would sound like a croak if I talk. Her hand wraps around mine, and she squeezes it tightly. I am thankful for the comfort.
After the rehearsal was over, we head to a restaurant owned by Paul Borrego, a friend of JC and Lexi’s. He ran a steakhouse in midtown, and Hunter rented one of the private rooms for the dinner. When we get there, I was happy to see that it was a buffet style and that we could sit any place we wanted. I choose a table far away from Olivia and her date.
“You’re not eating much,” my mother notes.
I took a small bit of salmon and some sautéed spinach in response. I didn’t feel very hungry but didn’t want to waste food.
“I ate before church.”
Noah’s head shoots up, and he frowns at me. He knew that wasn’t true. I barely ate today except for toast this morning and an apple at lunch.
“You should try some of the filet mignon; it melts in your mouth.”
I shake my head. “I’m fine with the salmon.”
I scan the room, and my eyes focus on Olivia. Her date feeds her a forkful of something, and she smiles at him after taking it into her mouth. That was all I needed to see for me to lose my appetite altogether. I push my plate away and lean back in my chair.
I don’t care to watch Olivia anymore, so I stand up to get some fresh air. The sky has turned dark, and a breeze cools the warmth of the day. I lean against the wall under the awning just as the skies open up, and I watch rain pelt the sidewalk. A few minutes later, I hear Noah come out looking for me.
“They’re taking pictures,” he informs me. “You need to come back in.”
“I’m not in the mood.”
“Lucian, get over yourself. This is for my daughter, your niece. Suck it up and put a smile on your face.”
Resigned, I nod and follow him inside. I watch as they take pictures of the bridesmaids, the groomsmen, our family, and Hunter’s family. It’s more than I can stand. Not because of my situation with Olivia, but of how much it reminds me of Cassie. She was a beautiful bride. I had no idea that today would affect me in this way.
