She was ordering a gin and tonic when she heard her mother calling, “Cate! Cate! C’mere. Bradley and I have to tell you something.” When Cate turned around, she noticed that they were carrying on as if something were absolutely hilarious.
“Bradley and I figured out why you aren’t married, Cate,” her mother said, holding on to a sparkling water.
Bradley grinned. They both looked like they had just solved a case on Unsolved Mysteries.
“Okay,” Cate said, waiting for their theory.
“We decided you aren’t married because you’re high-maintenance.” They looked at each other and burst into laughter. Then her mother’s face grew solemn. “No, seriously. We decided that Emily is so easygoing and you are the high-maintenance one.”
“Yeah,” Bradley nodded. “Men don’t want to marry women who are high-maintenance.”
High-maintenance? Cate was finished with this conversation and was about to head back to the bar for a double when Joanna approached.
“Is this your mother, Cate?” she asked with her alien eyes and overbite.
“Yes. This is my mother, Connie.”
Joanna proffered her left hand. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
Her mother perked up. “Look at that ring. Are you recently engaged?”
“Yes, we’re getting married in August.” She held out her hand as if it were a pointed weapon.
“What a beautiful ring,” Connie said, admiring every angle of the diamond.
They talked about wedding plans until one of Val’s friends hollered, “Joanna, come here. I have to show someone your ring!”
She quickly excused herself.
Connie cocked her head to one side as if admiring a cute baby. “Aren’t Val’s friends nice?”
She was saved from answering by Jim’s father.
He was tapping the side of a champagne glass with a fork. “If everyone could take their seats that would be great. Val and Jim’s mothers have put together a video and would like to share it with all of you.”
All the guests went back to their seats as a waiter wheeled in a television set. The lights went dim, and Jim’s father popped in the video. The angelic voice of Enya filled the room as “Valerie and James: A Love Story” appeared on the screen. The video was a pictoral history of their lives, beginning with baby pictures of each one. It chronicled their lives through adolescence, showing pictures of them with friends, pets, and various family members.
There was even a picture of Val and Cate in their preteen days. Val, of course, resembled a teen model, while Cate sported braces and a zit the size of Joanna’s diamond on her forehead. Everyone laughed, Joanna the loudest.
The music went from Enya to Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight.” Photos of Val and Jim on their first date were displayed. They really were an attractive couple.
Elvis Presley’s, “Can’t Help Falling in Love” filled the room while photos of Val and Jim doing just about every recreational activity except sex was featured. Swimming, hiking, snorkeling, horseback riding, skiing, snow boarding, and dancing were showcased. Their mutual love was obvious by the way they looked at each other or touched each other. They were natural and comfortable, their eyes exchanging adoring gazes.
Cate couldn’t help but imagine what a Paul and Cate video would feature. It would kick off with a photo taken the night of their first kiss at Sarah and Miles’s engagement party. The kiss had happened after he’d consumed an inordinate amount of vodka. She remembered coming out of Sarah’s bathroom, surprised to find him lingering in the hallway, a sly smile on his face.
“Hi, Paul,” she’d said.
Then he had grabbed her waist, pulled her close, and pressed a wet, rough kiss on her lips. She’d jerked away.
“What the hell are—”
But he drew her in again. They’d known each other for three years, and she’d always found him attractive. This time she kissed him back. He drove her home that night and asked her out for the following evening. But she had plans with Beth and declined. He called her three times over the following week; each time she’d had plans.
She had one picture of their first date. A Polaroid taken at Moon-doggies by a Smirnoff girl. They were wearing complimentary red-tinted sunglasses from Miss Smirnoff. After that, they began to spend a lot of time with each other.
“I Belong to You” by Lenny Kravitz would be the background music for the next stage. She had taken loads of pictures when they’d gone apple picking in Julian. Then there were all the candids she had taken of him doing various things such as surfing, packing for his trips, and reading the newspaper.
There was their trip to Santa Barbara and pictures of them at her sister’s wedding.
The later stages of their relationship would be featured while “At Last” by Etta James played in the background. She wanted a video. Then it occurred to her that there weren’t any pictures of the two of them since the fifth month of their relationship. Nearly five more months had passed since the last time they had taken pictures together. Was this because they hadn’t spent as much time together, or because something had changed between the two of them? She thought about how much he’d pursued her in the beginning, and how gradually the courtship had worn off.
The worry that had started to creep up on her was scared away by loud applause. The last picture on Val and Jim’s video was their official engagement photo. It had been taken on the beach. They were both barefoot, wearing matching khakis and navy blue sweaters.
“That was just darling.” Cate could hear her mother over the applause. “What a great idea.”
One of Uncle Jack’s kids screamed, and a waiter came running with a towel.
Jim’s father stood. “I would just like to make a little toast.” He took a deep breath. “First of all I’d like to thank all of you for coming tonight. Each one of you means a great deal to us, and we’re glad to be spending this special occasion with you.” Cate had met them once. “We are so thrilled to have Val become part of our family and to have Val’s family become part of our extended family. It takes a lot of courage these days to take the big step, and I’m really proud of Jim and Val for having the courage to get married.” He raised his glass. “To Val and Jim.”
Cate felt like interrupting, stopping them all from their toast, and explaining that it takes a little more than courage to tie the knot. As if she didn’t have the courage to fall in love, to decorate a house with someone, to fold boxer shorts when she did the laundry, or to cook for two. Sometimes it takes a rock.
8 • We Are Family
When Cate’s alarm went off at seven-thirty A.M., she knew it was going to be a long day. Hair and makeup. Photos. Ceremony. More photos. Reception. Weddings were a routine she was becoming well acquainted with.
Hair and makeup was scheduled for eight-thirty at Val’s house. She arrived, on time, with her gown covered in plastic wrap and draped over her shoulder.
Dasha, the housekeeper, took the dress. “I vill hang up for you,” she said, placing it next to nine other dresses in the hall closet. “The other girls are in the kitchen.”
Val’s Italian greyhound, Gino, came racing over. He wore a little bow tie around his neck that read: Groom. Cate was leaning over the dog for a closer look at his festive attire when he lifted his leg and peed on the marble tiles right next to her Adidas.
Dasha threw her hands in the air and said something in Russian. Gino took off running.
“Do you need some help cleaning that up?” Cate asked.
“No. Go on.” She motioned toward the kitchen. “Don’t vorry. I’ll clean up. I alvays do.” She was already pulling a bottle of cleaning solution from her apron.
“Make sure you get plenty to eat,” Aunt Margie said as Cate entered the kitchen. “I don’t want any of you girls fainting. We have a long day.”
Cate looked at the catered assortment of deli sandwiches, muffins, Brie, crackers, and bottles of champagne that were spread across the kitchen table.
“Hi Cate! Grab a seat anywhere,” she said. There were salon-style chairs in the kitchen. “Marcela is going to do your hair and makeup. And Ron and Cindy are going to do your toes and fingernails.”
Cate noticed Uncle Jack talking to Loni in the corner.
“What’s he doing here?” she whispered.
Val rolled her eyes. “He claims that Madison needs him. He says she’s nervous about being a flower girl.”
Cate looked at Madison. The child was giggling while Nikki demonstrated how to walk down the aisle. Cate wondered where the other kids were and who was watching them.
She took a seat next to Val and tried to forget about her loser uncle.
For three hours, a team of beauticians assaulted Cate.
Marcela put her bob in hot rollers to create soft curls around her face for a glamorous look. After that, she applied twice as much makeup as Cate normally wore. Val insisted that a lot of makeup looked better in pictures. Cate wasn’t used to her fake face but thought it looked all right.
While Ron was applying a second coat of pearl blush to Cate’s nails, Val leaned toward her.
“So, have you talked to Paul yet? He’s still coming, right?” she asked.
“I haven’t talked to him, but I called him this morning.” She had left a message with directions and the exact time of the wedding on his cell phone.
“Does he know where to go?” Aunt Margie asked, her hair in rollers.
“I think so.”
Now Cate was debating whether she should leave a message on his home phone, too. What if he didn’t get his cell phone message? She remembered her mother and Bradley. Was she being high-maintenance? A high-maintenance girlfriend would call twice. She decided to wait and see if he called first. She’d give him until two. If she hadn’t heard from him by then, she would call.
“Oh shit!” Val exclaimed.
“Valerie!” Aunt Margie said. “That’s no way for a bride to talk.”
“I wanted to give all the bridesmaids disposable cameras, and I forgot to get them yesterday.”
Since Cate was finished with her makeover, she offered to run to Sav-On for some cameras.
“Would you mind?” Val asked.
“Not at all.”
On the way to Sav-On, she checked her messages. Still no word from Paul. Maybe she should leave that second message. If Paul flaked, it would not only be disappointing but embarrassing as well. She felt a sudden sense of pressure. Val wanted to meet him. She could hear her mother’s voice describing how socially rude and unacceptable it would be if he canceled. Even Uncle Jack had asked about him. They were all expecting him. What would everyone think if he didn’t show up?
Dressed in jean shorts and a button-down top, she felt a little self-conscious walking through Sav-On with her hair and makeup done as if she were going to the Oscars. She sensed eyes following her through the store. She quickly purchased eleven cameras—one for Val, too—then headed back to bridal headquarters.
Photo mania went by surprisingly fast. The photographer was a lively Frenchman, ironically named Paul, who told continuous jokes. He kept the whole bridal party entertained and relaxed while he swept through a quick session of photos on Val’s sprawling green lawn.
She took the coincidental name thing as a sign and decided to call Paul. She left a brief message, reiterating the time and directions for the wedding on his home phone.
By two-thirty they were riding in a stretch limo to Saint Gregory’s. Fifteen people, including Val’s parents and Uncle Jack, were stuffed in the vehicle. The scent of the gardenias in their bouquets and Val’s perfume filled the limo. It was stuffy, and Cate thought she was going to pass out from heat exhaustion.
The lavender gown she wore was the best bridesmaid’s dress she had ever worn. It was also the most uncomfortable. The floor-length dress was formfitting and sleeveless, with a plunging neckline. An intricate row of fifty tiny buttons traced its way up her spine. The buttons made the dress tight, and at moments Cate found it difficult to take deep breaths. She felt as if she wearing a straitjacket. The unbearable heat combined with the tight gown made her feel as if she were going to die of suffocation. Thank God Val demanded that the chauffeur turn up the air.
When the limo pulled into Saint Gregory’s she scanned the parking lot for Paul’s Mercedes. She didn’t see the black luxury car anywhere. Perhaps he’d parked on the street. She peeled her gown from the back of her thighs as she stepped from the limousine.
Val was paranoid that Jim was going to catch an accidental glimpse of her and immediately sought shelter in the church vestibule, her posse of bridesmaids dutifully following behind.
Cate tried to steal a glance into the church. The chapel was decorated with rare breeds of lavender and white roses with orchids and greenery to match the bridesmaids’ gowns. She could see Aunt Margie and Jim’s mom lighting the unity candle. No sign of Paul.
It was nearly show time, and Cate felt as though she were more nervous than Val. Her cousin was quiet and collected in her strapless gown. She looked like a princess with diamonds sparkling around her neck and on her ears.
Cate’s stomach pinched her insides with anxiety, and she feared she would need to run to the bathroom to relieve herself.
She was about to make a dash for the ladies’ room when the wedding coordinator grabbed her by the elbow and thrust her into the single-file line of bridesmaids. “Remember to walk slowly down the aisle,” she whispered gruffly in her ear. Garlic breath covered Cate’s face. “If you think you’re walking slow, you’re probably not walking slow enough. Don’t forget to wait for my cue. I’ll tell you when to go.” Cate wished she wouldn’t whisper. The scent of garlic was making her stomach worse. “And don’t forget to smile.” She said this to everyone.
Nikki went down the aisle first. Mandy followed. Then Loni. Chrissy. Cate waited for the coordinator’s cue before she shot from the vestibule. Her eyes darted across the guests on the bride’s side. She noticed several of Val’s friends who had been in Las Vegas. She saw Uncle Jack and his pack of brats that weren’t in the wedding. One of them was scribbling with a crayon on the pages of a church Bible. A sea of faces she didn’t recognize covered the chapel. She made eye contact with her mother. “Slow down!” she mouthed. Cate tried to maintain her Miss America smile. Then she saw him, seated to her mother’s left. He was smiling at her.
She looked away from Paul just as she reached the altar, nearly smashing into Chrissy’s back.
“You’re already here?” Chrissy whispered. “I thought I was walking fast.”
The reception followed at Val’s country club in Rancho Santa Fe. Paul was waiting in front of the club when Cate arrived.
“You look beautiful,” he said as he pulled her into his arms.
Val cut in between them. “Is this Paul?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Hi. I’m Val.” She gave his hand a firm squeeze, then looked at Cate. “He’s hot,” she said, right in front of him.
Paul laughed. “Thank you. And thank you for inviting me to your beautiful wedding. I’m very glad to be here.”
“I like him!” Val beamed before hopping off to the next social circle.
Cate and Paul sat next to each other at the head table. As she looked around the reception, she decided she didn’t want a lavish wedding. Val and Jim barely had time to eat. And ever since their first dance with each other she hadn’t seen the two of them together. It had all seemed so chaotic, worrying that flowers were in place, meeting people they’d never met before on the day of their wedding, following a time schedule from ceremony to meal to toasts to garter toss, etc. Cate wanted a simple wedding. She would have one bridesmaid, her best friend Beth. Paul could have his brother as the groomsman. They would only invite family and very close friends. No veil. No grand entra
nce and garter toss. It would be intimate. Weddings had this effect on her. They created the kind of atmosphere where fantasies thrived, especially for those who were single. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be the bride.
She was starting to wonder if Paul ever imagined what their wedding would be like when the waiters began serving the entrées. She looked at the thick, juicy cut of filet mignon resting on a bed of asparagus and remembered the plans she had made with Ethan to photograph his food. They planned to meet at his office the following week. She noticed how the peppered yellow sauce brightened the darker meat and vegetables and the way the potatoes were cut in the shape of flowers. She’d never photographed food before. Now she realized there wasn’t going to be much to her job. The food would speak for itself. If it was prepared well, it was going to look good in pictures.
After the meal, two waiters wheeled in a large white projection screen. They were going to show the Val and Jim video again, for the two hundred guests who hadn’t attended the rehearsal dinner.
The lights went dim. For the second time Cate listened as Enya filled the room and watched as pictures of Val and Jim were displayed.
“Whoa!” A raucous male voice came from behind Cate’s table. “Look at Val and Jim when they were young. That is a trip! Val was a little fatty when she was a baby!”
She looked over her shoulder to find out who the loud voice belonged to, but it was too dark. All she could see were outlines and shadows of heads.
“Hey! That’s Val and Jim on horses. Ha! Look at them.” His voice became a bad imitation of a Southern drawl. “Hi-ho Silver! Howdy! Ride ’em cowboy!”
“Shhhh!” Someone said.
Heads from all the tables in front of her were starting to turn. They all wanted to identify the drunken idiot.
“Ha! Ha! That’s funny!” the unidentified voice continued. “Jim and Val as Sonny and Cher on Halloween. Look at them! ‘I got you babe,’ ” he sang out of tune.
Always the Bridesmaid Page 9