Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah

by Melody Carlson

  Knowing that she had an escape plan made it easier for Kendall to play the happy bride as she “helped” her mother to make boring decisions about what shade of pink the wedding napkins should be and whether raspberry filling between the vanilla cake layers would look appropriate. She survived the trek through the department stores and picked a plain china pattern that she wasn’t even sure she liked, and silver that she doubted they would ever use, and linens in colors that seemed terribly boring.

  “Neutral is the only way to go,” her mother assured her when Kendall wanted to put a set of tropical-looking sheets on the list as well. Just for fun.

  It wasn’t easy, but somehow (maybe because she was actually praying for strength), Kendall didn’t argue with any of this. She knew that fighting against her mother would only prolong the agony. So she decided to smile and get it over with. Tomorrow would be a whole new day.

  Nineteen

  Anna

  “Did you know that Lucy is telling everyone that she and Edmond are dating?” Chelsea had trapped Anna at her desk, where Anna was quietly minding her own business and eating a cup of soup during her lunch hour. Why Chelsea had decided to become Anna’s best friend was a mystery. Despite Anna’s cool response to Chelsea’s friendliness, the girl was relentless. Perhaps Anna’s best defense was to simply go along with it.

  “I hadn’t heard that,” Anna admitted. “But then I don’t spend much time in the break room either.”

  “I know. Everyone thinks you’re a workaholic, Anna. You make the rest of us look bad.” Chelsea laughed like that was supposed to be a joke. “Anyway, it’s true. Lucy is acting like she and Edmond are a hot item and getting hotter all the time.”

  “And how does Edmond act?” Anna kept her voice even, hoping to sound nonchalant, although she was anything but.

  “Edmond?” Chelsea’s brow creased. “He’s hard to read.”

  “How so?” Anna took another bite of soup.

  “He’s pretty quiet. And sometimes it seems like he’s trying to avoid her.”

  “Really?” Anna felt her hopes rise.

  “Other times, he acts like he’s enjoying the attention. She really pours it on, you know.”

  “I know.”

  “And what about the way she dresses?” Chelsea continued. “Felicia even mentioned it the other day.”

  “She did?” Anna felt another twinge of hope. Perhaps Felicia would read Lucy the riot act or throw the employee handbook at her.

  “Yeah, Felicia said the way Lucy dresses could change the Erlinger image.”

  “That’s true.”

  “Felicia thinks Erlinger has gotten pretty stuffy and old-fashioned. She said that the cutting-edge market is younger, and that we need to do books that reflect that.”

  Now Anna was confused. “What does that have to do with Lucy?”

  “Felicia said we should all start dressing more youthful. She even wants to bring in casual Friday so that employees can wear jeans to work.” Chelsea grinned. “Cool, huh?”

  Anna just shook her head. One of the things she’d always appreciated about Erlinger Publishing was that it had remained a traditional publishing company. Respectable and solid and dependable. Jeans on Friday? That seemed like a step down to Anna.

  Anna had been putting off this conversation with her mother. Oh, she had hinted, but her hints fell on deaf ears. But tonight, as soon as dinner was over, Anna was going to make herself clear. Crystal clear.

  “Dinner was delicious,” Anna told her mom as she helped to rinse plates and load the dishwasher.

  “Thank you, mi’ja.” Her mother poured herself another cup of decaf. She sat down at a stool next to the island and watched as Anna finished up.

  “And that birthday party for Emma last week was great too.”

  “I hope Lelani appreciated it.”

  Anna nodded. “She did.”

  “Good. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. She’s a very sweet girl and so polite, but she keeps her feelings inside. Have you noticed?”

  Anna closed the dishwasher, then stood and sighed. “Sometimes it’s good to keep your feelings inside.”

  “Oh, no, mi’ja, that can make you sick. High blood pressure, heart attack, all sorts of bad things.”

  “But what if you let your feelings out and hurt other people as a result?”

  “People forgive you.”

  “Right.”

  “Is something bothering you, mi’ja? Say, you never told me how things are with Edmond. I noticed he wasn’t at the birthday party. Did you get over your little squabble yet?”

  “It wasn’t really a squabble, Mama. And everything is fine. That’s not what’s bothering me, okay?”

  “So what is it then? Have I done something?”

  “Sort of.”

  “What?” Her mother’s dark eyes looked alarmed.

  “Well, I’ve told you that you needed to limit your guest list for the wedding. I mean, I’ve told you about a dozen times. So has Lelani and Gil and—”

  “Oh, that? That’s nothing.”

  “It isn’t nothing.” Anna frowned at the double negative. She hated to use bad grammar. “It’s something, and it matters.”

  “What matters?”

  “That you keep inviting everyone.”

  “Not everyone, Anna. Just our family and friends.”

  “But it’s too many.”

  “Nonsense. The more the merrier, right?”

  “Wrong.”

  “Anna!”

  “Sorry, but I’ve cut your list.”

  “You cut my list?”

  “You wouldn’t do it, Mama. Someone had to. And it turned out that someone was me. So if you want to get mad and express your feelings, go ahead. I can take it.” Anna braced herself.

  “You cut my list?” her mother asked again.

  “Yes. I had to. Megan’s mom’s house can’t possibly hold two hundred people. I had to make some decisions. I can give you the final list, or you can just be surprised. But the invitations are sent and that’s all there is to it.”

  “How many people did you cut?”

  “A lot.” Anna put her hands on her hips. “Fortunately for you, Lelani’s list was very small, so most of the guests are from our family and Gil’s circle of friends.”

  Her mom was standing now, starting to pace, and shaking her head. “This is not good, Anna. Not good at all.”

  “This is the way it has to be, Mama. It’s the way Gil and Lelani want it. And, don’t forget, it’s their wedding.”

  “Feelings will be hurt.”

  “And hopefully they will express themselves,” Anna said a bit too loudly. “Let it all out in the open, right? So no one suffers a heart attack.”

  Her mother frowned. “That is not funny.”

  “Isn’t that what you just told me?”

  “This is different. You are talking about offending our relatives.”

  “I’m sorry. If they’re offended, so be it.”

  Her mother started talking in Spanish. Never a good sign. Anna was tempted to sneak out when her back was turned but knew that was cowardly. Then she got an idea. “I know what you can do, Mama!”

  “What, mi’ja? How can we stop this disaster?”

  “You can send out your own set of invitations and invite everyone and anyone you want to the reception at the restaurant. Have as many as you want or as many as the building code allows. Why not?”

  “I don’t know. Inviting people to only the reception?”

  “Lots of people do it like that. Sometimes people have very small private weddings followed by a huge reception.”

  “Do people bring gifts to a reception only?”

  Anna shrugged. “Does it matter?”


  “It matters to me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because a reception is expensive. I expect them to bring a gift in exchange.”

  Anna had to laugh. “Seriously?”

  “I am not joking with you, mi’ja.”

  “Well, I guess that’s up to you.”

  “Fine then.” She nodded firmly. “I will invite everyone to the wedding reception. No one will be left out.”

  “Good for you, Mama.” Anna hugged her. “And now I have to go.”

  Anna felt relief as she drove home. Problem solved. Well, one problem solved. It actually felt like a very minor problem compared to her shattered love life. But how does one fix something like that? And if anyone was going to do the fixing, shouldn’t it be Edmond? Yet the last she’d seen of Edmond, he was walking out to his car with Lucy. Anna wanted to believe that Lucy was simply following him. Or stalking him. But since the two were actually having a conversation, that seemed unlikely. No, Anna told herself, it was time to get over Edmond. Just move on!

  “Okay, we need to decide something,” Anna told Megan. “Big shower or small shower?”

  Megan pointed to the living room. “I’d say that dictates a small shower.”

  Anna nodded. “I have to agree.”

  “Is this going to rock your mother’s boat?”

  Anna shrugged. “If she doesn’t like it, she can get one of the cousins to throw another shower—a gargantuan shower. There’s no limit to how many bridal showers a person can have, right?”

  “Right. And, as maid of honor, I have the right to throw any kind of shower I like, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Then let’s do this thing.”

  So they set to work making a guest list and addressing invitations, and since they were only including close friends and a few family members, it all fell into place quite nicely.

  “Is Lelani sure these are all the friends she wants from work?” asked Megan as she held up the small list.

  “That’s what she told me.”

  “Then I think we’re ready to go to the next step.”

  “Food?” Anna stuck another stamp on an envelope.

  “I was thinking Hawaiian.”

  “Like what?” Anna frowned. “Want to roast a pig in the backyard?”

  Megan laughed. “Not really. Let’s keep it to desserts, but we can have things like pineapple, papaya, bananas, and coconut.”

  “Right.” Anna made note of this.

  “And my mom has some good shower games.”

  “Should the decorations be Hawaiian too?” asked Anna.

  “Yes. Let’s keep the whole thing Hawaiian. But don’t tell Lelani.”

  “How about if I handle the food?” Anna suggested. “I’ll ask Gil to have Vito, our best dessert cook at the restaurant, concoct us something tropical and decadent, okay?”

  “Perfect. I’ll handle the decorations and prizes for the games.” Megan sealed an envelope and added it to the stack.

  “And we’ll work out the other details later?”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Anna attempted a smile as she stuck on another stamp.

  “How are you doing, Anna?” Megan asked gently.

  “I’m okay.”

  “I mean about Edmond. I know you’re trying to hide it, but I can tell you’re still pretty bummed.”

  Anna felt worried now. “You haven’t told the others, have you?”

  “No, not at all.” Megan shook her head. “And Lelani is out with Gil, and tonight is Kendall’s online counseling session, so we can talk freely.”

  “It’s just that I’m trying to keep a low profile. Everyone is supposed to be happy with all the wedding stuff and the bridal showers—you do know that Kendall’s sister is giving her a shower, right?”

  “I just heard that today.”

  “Anyway, I don’t want to look like I’m the poor brokenhearted girl bringing everyone down, you know what I mean?”

  “I do know.” Megan sighed. “I feel kind of like that too.”

  “No word from Marcus?”

  Megan just shook her head.

  “It must be hard to communicate from Zambia.”

  “But not impossible.”

  “It hasn’t been that long yet.”

  “I know.” Megan put the last envelope on the small stack. “Mostly I just want to know he’s okay.”

  “He’s probably having the time of his life.”

  Megan smiled sadly. “I hope so.”

  “We’re quite the pair, aren’t we? Our own little lonely-hearts club.”

  “Pity party of two.”

  Anna kind of laughed. “Pathetic, aren’t we?”

  “Yeah, but let’s keep it to ourselves. My heart might be lonely, but I’m not wearing it on my sleeve.”

  “And my heart might be broken, but no one except you knows, okay?”

  Megan held her hand up like a pledge. “Our secret.”

  “I especially don’t want Gil to know I’m down. This is a special time for him, and I don’t want to spoil it. My mom was a little suspicious last night, but she’s so caught up in wedding plans that I’m sure she’ll forget.”

  Megan put a rubber band around the envelopes. “I’ll mail these tomorrow. Thanks for helping.”

  “I needed a distraction.”

  “Anytime you need to talk, Anna, I’m a good listener. I kind of know how you’re feeling. Probably even more than I’m letting on.”

  “The same to you—I mean, if you want to talk.”

  “So are you going dateless to the weddings?”

  Anna considered this. “I don’t know. Being dateless at Gil’s wedding and reception is kind of like painting a great big target on my back. I’m older than Gil, unmarried, not engaged, not even dating. That’s asking for real trouble.”

  “Why not just ask someone to escort you?”

  “That’s easier said than done.”

  “There’s a nice single guy teacher at my school. I could—”

  “No thanks. I don’t do blind dates.”

  “How about someone at your work?”

  “I don’t know. That could get messy.”

  Megan nodded. “Maybe it’s not such a good idea to date guys from work.”

  “Tell me about it.” Anna rolled her eyes. “But how about you? Will you go dateless to the weddings?”

  “Oh, I don’t have a problem with that.” Then Megan frowned like she wasn’t as confident as she sounded.

  “You sure about that?”

  “Something just hit me.”

  “What?”

  “Gil and Lelani are getting married in the house my dad built. The house that I had always hoped to get married in … someday. The house that will probably be sold before summer ends …” Megan eyes glistened with tears. “Suddenly it feels like I’m not only losing my dad’s house and my dream wedding, but Marcus too.”

  Just like that, they were both crying. Hugging and crying, and crying and hugging. Anna was thankful that no one was around to witness this little scene. Really, they needed to keep displays like this one to a minimum.

  Twenty

  Lelani

  “I’m warning you guys,” Kendall said as they were getting ready to leave the house. “This shower will probably be a little stressful.”

  “Stressful how?” Lelani asked as she picked up Emma and slung the strap of her diaper bag over one shoulder.

  “Well, for starters, my sister Kate, our hostess, is still barely speaking to me. My sister Kristen thinks that it’s crazy that my parents are, in her words, throwing away good money for my ridiculous wedding. And Kim thinks I’m a total fool for getting pregnant.”

  “Le
t the games begin,” Megan said.

  “We’re dropping Emma off at my mom’s first,” Anna told them. “So we’ll be a few minutes behind you.”

  “Lucky you.” Kendall made a face as they went out the front door.

  “It’ll probably be just fine,” Lelani assured her.

  Megan nodded. “I’m sure your family will have on their party manners.”

  “Let’s hope.” Kendall waved as they went to their separate cars. “See you guys there.”

  “Poor Kendall,” Lelani said to Anna as she buckled Emma into her car seat in back. “Hearing her talk about her family makes me thankful mine isn’t around to help with my wedding.”

  “You still have my mother to deal with,” Anna reminded her. “That’s bad enough.”

  Lelani chuckled as she got into the passenger seat. “I think she holds back a bit since I’m not actually her daughter.”

  “Just wait until you’re married.”

  Lelani considered this. Perhaps it was possible that Gil’s mother could become more intrusive after the wedding, but it was hard to imagine.

  “Sorry,” Anna said, “it’s not like I’m trying to frighten you off. The good news is that Gil will stand up for you. If anyone can hold back our mother, it’s Gil. He’s always had a way with her.”

  “I’ve noticed.”

  “Speaking of your mother-in-law to be, I should probably warn you.”

  “Warn me?”

  “Don’t say you heard it from me.”

  “What?”

  “She’s putting together a little bridal shower for you.”

  “But you and Megan were—”

  “Yes, but you know how it goes. Mama thinks ours is too small.”

  “I was really looking forward to it.”

  “And it’s still on for next Thursday.”

  “But two bridal showers?” Lelani frowned. “Is it really necessary?”

  Anna chuckled. “My mother’s shower will be a chance for all our female relatives to really check you out—with permission.”

  “Oh.” Lelani was starting to feel like a bug under a magnifying glass.