by GL Chapple
Nate cleared his throat as he got in the car.
“Ok, Ok…50 years younger” Gramps muttered, making us all laugh.
“You’ve got your own lady, Gramps. Keep your hands off mine,” Nate said tersely making his Gramps laugh even harder.
It was lovely listening to their banter as we drove to the location for the wedding. They were obviously close and it was nice to see Nate so relaxed, but as we got closer I felt the atmosphere in the car change. They fell silent and Nate seemed to be gripping the wheel just a little more tightly.
I tried to keep the mood jovial but they both seemed distracted as we pulled in and parked the car. Nate smiled at me as he opened the door but the smile didn’t reach his eyes and his grandfather seemed to be tense.
Nate caught me by the arm and led us both through the entrance into a grand hotel. Huge chandeliers hung from the ceiling and large mirrors adorned the walls as well as art work and huge statues of modern art. The smell of fresh flowers was strong and I could hear the sounds of a harpist from some distance away.
There was a large sign indicating that the Masters wedding would be taking place in the Whitechapel Boardroom.
A young girl stood addressing people and pointing out where they needed to go. There were a few other people walking ahead of us and we followed stiffly behind. Neither Nate nor his grandfather spoke.
We arrived at the doorway to the ballroom where an usher met us. He asked whether we were with the bride or the groom. I tried to hide my surprise that Nate and Gramps could turn up to the wedding and not be recognised. Nate answered and we were directed to sit on the groom’s side.
The front row had been left empty, but Nate and his grandfather ignored this and we sat a few rows back. The room slowly began to fill up, but it was a small wedding. There were only a few rows of seats either side. I estimated that there would probably be around 30 people.
I glanced around me; the room had been decorated beautifully; there were lilies on both sides of the aisle, and huge bouquets of flowers had been placed either side of the doorway. The room was small but intimate; the floor covered in a thick, plush carpet and a huge window to the side, making the room bright.
The wedding registrar stood at the front of the room. She was a petite, middle-aged lady who was whispering quietly to the two men standing in front of her. I strained to get a better look, knowing that one of them would be Nate’s brother, but I could only see his back.
He was around the same height as Nate but didn’t have his build; he looked smaller and leaner. His hair was cut short and was darker, almost black. I saw him glance at the empty front seats, but he didn’t turn around.
A few moments later the wedding march started and everyone stood. The door at the back of the room opened and the bride walked in. She came down the aisle alone, nobody to give her away or walking with her and no bridesmaids.
Her eyes darted about beneath her veil but I caught the moment that she noticed Nate. She paused for a split second and gave a small smile. I wanted to turn and look at Nate to see his reaction, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She glanced at me standing beside him before moving down the aisle.
Her dress was fitted and had a short train behind her, a lace bodice with beading and crystals to the front and a satin skirt, the back draped down slightly from her shoulders. It wasn’t something that I would choose for myself, but she looked beautiful.
We sat and I glanced at Nate; his face was impassive, his eyes locked onto the space in front of him. I reached across and held his hand; he didn’t look at me but rubbed his thumb affectionately over the back of my hand. A comforting, reassuring gesture.
The service was short. They were pronounced man and wife and they stood for some photos before walking back down the aisle together and disappearing from the room. I tried to get another look at Jonathan as he walked past but it was difficult to see as everyone was standing. I caught a glimpse as he went past, but not enough that I could make him out properly.
The photographer requested that family and close friends follow him for further photographs. I made to move but Nate held my hand firmly and shook his head. I looked uncertainly to Gramps who pulled a face.
“He’s lucky we’re here; can’t be expected to stand and look pretty too. Better that we stay here my dear, then we’ll go straight through to the bar and I’ll get to buy a beautiful lady a drink” He smiled broadly at me and I smiled back.
Now that the bride and groom had left, the guests slowly filed out into the adjoining room which had been set up with a bar and a number of circular tables.
Nate told me to sit down and went to the bar with his grandfather.
The colour theme was purple; in the middle of each table there was a large glass bowl filled with purple gemstones with flowers and feathers entwined and placed on top. It was striking and effective.
Nate and his Gramps came to join me within a few minutes. They placed the drinks down on the table and Nate handed me a glass of wine.
“So, do you know anybody?” I enquired and they both glanced around half-heartedly. “
Probably not,” Nate answered.
Gramps smiled at me, sensing my unease. “So, tell me about you, Lena,”
I took a sip of my wine and smiled back at him. “There’s not much to tell,” I started.
Nate turned to me with a grin. “Get ready for the inquisition, Princess” he teased and I saw his grandfather raise his eyebrows.
“Princess?” he queried with a smile and I laughed as Nate explained how we’d met.
Considering that Nate and his grandfather had both been reluctant to come and then the tension during the car journey and actual service, neither of them seemed ill at ease any more.
It was plain to see where Nate got his confidence from; even though his grandfather didn’t command the same presence as Nate did, I could easily imagine him as a young playboy. He had a ready smile and I’d instantly fallen in love with him. He was a sprightly and quick-witted man with a sharp mind and sense of humour. He had me wiping my eyes with laughter as he told me stories from his youth as well as some of the troubles he’d caused since he’d moved into sheltered housing.
I caught sight of Nate’s new sister-in-law as she walked back into the room. A few people got up to congratulate her and she hugged and kissed their cheeks, smiling and answering them, but I could see she was distracted.
Glancing about the room, she locked eyes with me, a flicker of recognition on her face before settling on Nate. He had his back to her so hadn’t seen her enter.
She turned back to her guests a triumphant look on her face. I decided instantly that I didn’t like her. Her new husband, Nate’s brother, walked in from the other room and stood next to her as they chatted to another couple.
Nate was distracted, talking to his grandfather, so I was able to sit and stare without interruption. They made an attractive couple.
She had light brown hair, which had been twisted into a neat bun at the base of her neck. She was slim and about my height, maybe an inch or two taller. She stood poised and graceful, murmuring softly to her guests as they offered congratulations and offering her hand limply.
Nate’s brother, Jonathan, stood beside her. He was talking to the partner of the lady speaking to his new wife, when he suddenly turned and caught my eye. He stared at me for a moment, clearly trying to place me.
Nate and his grandfather had stopped talking and I felt Nate turn in his chair to follow my eyes, I glanced from Jonathan to Nate and saw that he met his brother’s eyes for a moment before nodding subtly in acknowledgement.
The new couple made the rounds of their guests, going from table to table before approaching the three of us. Nate stood as they came close, offering his hand to his brother.
“Jonathan, congratulations” he said before moving past him to Clarissa and kissing her cheek. “You look beautiful, Clarissa.”
I stood feeling awkward, noting that Gramps hadn’t attempted to rise
from the table.
Clarissa gave me a polite smile, lacking any real warmth.
“And you are?” she asked sweetly but I sensed the tone beneath her words and felt myself bristle.
Nate put his arm around my shoulders. “This is my girlfriend, Lena.”
I felt smug; the childish urge to stick my tongue out at her was overwhelming.
His brother leaned over and kissed my cheek “Lena,” he murmured.
We sat down and they joined us. Jonathan spoke to their grandfather in greeting, and I was surprised that Gramps barely acknowledged him, lifting his head slightly and muttering a response before paying close attention to his drink again.
I tried to break some of the tension despite my reservations about Clarissa.
“It’s a beautiful wedding” I said politely, trying to ignore my initial reaction to her and appear friendly.
She smiled tightly back at me. “Thank you.”
She turned her attention to Nate, “We are so happy that you could make it. It means everything that you came. It really has made our day having you both here” She gushed. I felt nauseous, her enthusiasm so over-the-top and false.
Jonathan sat beside her, looking unmoved by her speech. Her eyes came back to rest on me, I noticed her subtly appraising me, her expression confirming that she found me to be lacking in some way.
She arched her eyebrow, “So, have you two been together long?”
Nate cleared his throat. “A while,” he answered shortly.
“Would anyone like a drink?” he asked looking at me, but I held up my wine glass, it was still half full. Gramps said he’d have a scotch. He turned to Clarissa and Jonathan, waiting for them to respond, but Jonathan held up his hand, “Not for us,” before he addressed Clarissa, “I’ll be right back.”
He stood and made his way over to speak to guests at another table. Nate walked to the bar, leaving me with Clarissa and Gramps and an uncomfortable atmosphere.
“So, how did you meet Nate?” She asked and I turned back to face her.
“He arrested someone at a place where I work as a volunteer-”
She raised her eyebrows looking skeptical, “- then we bumped into each other in a bar and…” I trailed off and held my hands open.
“Mmm, he was your knight in shining armour then, good ol’ Nate to the rescue.”
Her voice sounded bitter and resentful, but before I had a chance to speak Gramps turned to her. He looked unimpressed and spoke to her gruffly.
“I think you’re focusing on the wrong brother again Clarissa. Let’s stick to the one you’ve actually married.”
His voice had a hard edge and I was surprised. Gramps had been the perfect soft-spoken gentleman up to then. I looked from one to the other; the tension was almost unbearable.
She gave him an icy look, “Chill, Gramps!” She responded nastily and I had to clench my fists to stop myself reaching over the table to throttle her.
I turned to watch the men walking back towards the table. Seeing them standing together allowed me to compare them and Nate’s brother certainly came off lacking.
Nate carried himself well; he had a strength and character that shone through irrespective of his physical presence. They were more or less the same height, but Nate was defined muscle whereas his brother, although not small was substantially leaner. Jonathan didn’t have an ounce of the warmth or charisma of his brother; his eyes lacked the sparkle of Nate’s and his face was drawn and serious.
Nate returned with the drinks and Jonathan returned to his seat. They sat down and a strained conversation followed for a few moments more - idle chat about the weather and wedding.
Gramps hadn’t made any effort to join in the conversation, seemingly content to sit back in his chair, sipping his scotch. After a few minutes more, the newlyweds thanked us again for coming and got up to leave.
Jonathan picked up his drink and walked over to speak to the band whilst Clarissa stopped and spoke quietly with Nate, leaning over to him. Clearly uncomfortable with her proximity, he turned and stood to face her. She placed her hand on his arm as she spoke and I felt an irrational urge to throw something at her. They moved slightly away from the table and I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but she was smiling and fawning over him making my blood boil. She’d just married his brother, for God’s sake, I felt like throwing her arse to the floor.
Noticing my face Gramps spoke up. “Don’t let her bother you; she’s a nasty, vindictive bitch.”
I was taken aback by his harsh tone and words and remembered what he’d said earlier to her.
“You don’t like her either,” I stated and he chuckled.
“I’m not a fan, no.”
“I’m not sure myself what Nate saw in her” I muttered, as he gazed over at Clarissa, who was still speaking to Nate, his expression difficult to read.
“Nor me flower.”
I smiled at him, thinking of my father’s pet name for me. Distracted, I only caught the last part of what he’d said
“I’m sorry?” I said.
“It confuses the hell out of me why he’d waste seven years of his life with her; that’s young and stupid for you.” He repeated sadly.
“What happened was a dreadful thing, but I’m relieved that she married Jonathan instead of Nate” – an expression of disgust on his face as he glanced towards Jonathan, who was standing to the side, watching Nate and Clarissa. Turning back to me he muttered, “Much better suited.”
Everything felt like it had frozen for a second, Gramps realised that he’d said something to upset me and looked dismayed.
“I’m sorry flower. I didn’t mean to upset you. That was a silly thing to say, I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
I felt my heart racing but I didn’t know if it was due to anger or upset.
“Seven years?” I spluttered, and I could see the panic on his face.
“You knew they were together…”
I shook my head trying to get my brain to catch up as adrenaline flooded my system.
“He said they were together, not that they were together for seven goddamn years!”
I knew it was wrong to take it out on his grandfather but I was struggling to rein my temper in. I placed my hands flat on the table and took a deep breath, trying and failing to calm myself.
“I’m sorry. This is not your fault at all. I shouldn’t have used that tone with you.”
I stood up and saw Nate glance over in my direction but Clarissa tugged on his arm again, drawing his attention back to her.
“Please, Lena, where are you going?” Gramps looked upset, his expression and tone becoming more aggrieved by the minute.
I didn’t want to leave him there alone, but I couldn’t think straight, words and thoughts going around in my mind as my temper and anger rose to the surface.
I needed to get away and think. “I’m just getting some air.” My voice was strained.
I walked away from the table towards the doorway; further along the corridor there had been an entrance out into the garden. I needed space and time on my own to try and make sense of this and get my emotions in check.
The cool air hit me as I got outside. It was a welcome relief since I felt like my blood was boiling, my mind going over every conversation we’d had over the last few weeks, all the times that he’d asked me to trust him - told me he was different, made me believe that he was different.
I walked over to a bench and threw my bag down. I felt like screaming but settled for cursing quietly to myself and rubbing my hands roughly over my face. I was probably smudging all my carefully applied make-up but I didn’t care.
The garden was beautiful, landscaped to perfection in a multitude of colours; large trees were lit up by fairy lights. I couldn’t see any other guests outside. It was quiet and peaceful. I listened to the sound of running water from a nearby stream and closed my eyes for a moment, trying to control the burning rage that was threatening to engulf me. Opening them, I tried to focu
s on the blossom trees and calm my breathing. Inhaling deeply I didn’t hear him approach until he spoke.
“Lena, Are you Ok? What’s wrong?” he asked, but his tone told me he had a pretty good idea.
I whirled round to face him. “Are you kidding me? - Are you fucking kidding me, Nate!”
He sighed and tried to placate me. “Lena, please, there’s no need…”
I didn’t even let him finish; I was so angry I could hardly think straight, my hands shaking with temper and anger.
“No!” I yelled and he stopped speaking instantly. I jabbed my finger at him as I spoke in harsh measured words.
“You. Are. Exactly. The. Same. You feed me bullshit about how I can trust you and you’ll never lie to me or hurt me. You expect me to open myself up to you like I’m a goddamn fucking book for you to read but you refuse to let me know anything about you!”
He cringed and tried to speak but I wasn’t finished.
“I don’t want to hear it, Nate! Save it!” I stalked back and forth waving my arms around like a mad woman.
“Seven years! You were going to marry her! You didn’t think maybe this was something I should know?” I was yelling and I saw Nate sigh which just infuriated me even more.
“I can’t believe this shit…” I was too angry to continue, unable to put into words the hurt, pain and anger I felt towards him. He moved towards me but I backed away shaking my head.
“Lena!” His voice came out like a plea but I couldn’t look at him; I just turned and snatched my bag up off the floor, ready to leave.
“I told you I was with her” He said softly, as if he anticipated the response he was likely to get but was stupid enough to say it anyway.
I turned back around slowly to look at him, shooting daggers with my eyes, my jaw clenched tight and squeezing my bag in my hand.
“You made out like she was a fling, Nate, not the love of your life. What else are you keeping from me? What other secrets are you holding back? How can you expect me to trust you when you keep things from me!”
He looked hurt even though he had no right to.
“Lena, please…”