THE EIGHT SECOND WEDDING
Page 21
Someone's breath caught. Julia's? Antonia's? Either. Both.
"You were right," Chan told his mother.
"You were right," Madeleine told hers.
"You mean it?"
"You're in love?"
The sighs could be heard halfway around the world.
"Wonderful," said Julia when she'd stopped sighing. "I told you so, if you'll recall."
"As did I," Antonia reminded them. "We know the perfect place for the wedding," she went on. They could almost hear her rubbing her hands together as she spoke.
"Oh, we're already married," Chan told them. "We did it this afternoon at the rodeo grounds."
"Married?! On the rodeo grounds!" A horrified duet screeched over the phone wires.
"That's right." Madeleine laughed and hugged the man at her side. "It was wonderful. Just right. It barely took eight seconds." She nibbled at his chin. "That's all the longer Chan can concentrate."
"Not so," he said, and Julia and Antonia took their solace where they could find it – from the distinct sound of very thorough kissing.
"In fact," Chan said, when at last they came up for air, "I reckon I'll be concentrating on Madeleine for the rest of my life."
* * * *