“I think that’s a Tuesday.”
“Does that matter?”
“Yes, people work. Our nieces will still be in school. But I like the idea of June.”
“How about the twenty-fourth?”
“Okay.” Her eyes twirl with excitement. “That’s two months away.”
“Perfect. We have a date. What’s next?”
“I need a dress and flowers, but I’ll take care of that.” She’s back to using her fingers to count off. “Someone to marry us, but that’s easy. You can take care of the tux. I’m sure your brother can help us with the music.”
“Absolutely.” Kent’s a musician; he’d be insulted if we didn’t ask for his help. “This really is coming together.”
“I’m gonna ask Jayne to be my maid of honor. My sister will be—” She pauses, thinking. “—seven months pregnant in June. I’m sure she won’t be insulted if I don’t ask her; if anything she’ll be relieved. Have you thought about who you’re gonna ask?”
I have thought about it. I was the best man in both of my brothers’ weddings. I’m not even sure why. The two of them are less than a year apart and always had a close bond. Meanwhile, I was always the little kid, too young to participate in all the fun they got to have. Aha. There’s the answer right there. They asked as a way to include me and make me feel special. Geez. How could I possibly pick one of them over the other?
“I have no idea which one I’m gonna ask.”
“What about asking Jeremy? I’m having Jayne, and if you ask Jeremy we could just say we decided to ask our friends.”
“That’s a great idea. Problem solved.” I stretch over and kiss my clever fiancée.
“So, we did it?” she asks in disbelief. “Is that it?”
“I think so.”
“We made a rational decision with virtually no drama? Unbelievable.”
“I know, but we did. Dramatics averted.” I’m just as shocked as she is.
“We could’ve gone on forever about where and who and how much. But we didn’t. Go us.”
Go us indeed. I think we’re finally getting there. And it didn’t even take us that long.
“See, we don’t need drama.”
“No, we don’t. That was so easy and it’s such a good plan. I’m so happy.” Holly’s face lights up with a radiant smile, her brown eyes sparkling with joy. God, she’s so beautiful. How the hell did I get so lucky? This amazing woman is going to be my wife in two short months.
We sink back into the plush mattress of our cozy bed. I can finally relax. We survived the awkwardness of a new relationship, and fell madly in love. She accepted my proposal, successfully moved into my, no wait, our apartment, and now we were just able to avoid a potential crisis and plan for our wedding both systematically and efficiently.
Life is so fucking good.
The window is open a crack, and the cool spring air breezes in from an outside gust. Our bodies fit together perfectly, instantly dispelling the chill as we nestle under the blankets. The hard parts are over; this is my life from now on. Sex, snuggling, rational decision-making. Our relationship has matured to that comfortable point where we get each other. Our communication is open. There’s nothing we can’t handle. I close my eyes, a wide grin stretched across my face.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
“Do you hear that?” Holly whispers through a yawn.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
I listen then edge up onto my elbows. “Yeah. What is that?”
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
“Is it the fire alarm?”
I search through the blankets for the boxers hidden within and slip them back on. I open the bedroom door and the sound gets louder, but it’s not coming from our apartment. “I think it might be the building’s main unit,” I say, reentering the room and grabbing a pair of sweats. “Let me see if I can find out what’s going on.” I only make it a few steps before a gentle spray of water begins to sprinkle down on me.
“Oh my God.” Holly jumps from the bed, frantically reaching for her clothes. She squints through the spraying water, her long brown locks sticking to her face. “Matthew, what’s happening? Is the building on fire? Why is the sprinkler system going off?”
“I don’t know. We need to get out of here.” We scramble to finish getting dressed. I grab my wallet, keys, laptop and phone, and Holly tucks her laptop and purse under her arm before we exit into the hallway, where the other tenants are already rushing toward the staircase to make a quick exit.
Outside, the parking lot is a blaze of swirling red lights as firefighters dash past us and into the building.
Wet and frozen in fear, Holly clings to my arm as we watch the chaos surrounding our home.
Neither one of us knows what’s happening, or what will happen next.
THE WAITRESS CARRIES a tray with six Fireball shots to our table and places one down in front of each of us.
“Are you staying with Matthew’s parents or are you living with them?” Jayne leans over and asks in a low voice so only I can hear.
“Technically living. At least for now.”
“Hold on.” Jayne holds a hand out to the waitress to stop her from walking away. “Six more. Actually, no, just make it twelve. Save yourself a trip.” Jayne looks to me to see if I’m gonna put up a fight.
I’m not. Despite what happened or maybe because of it, I’m in the mood to let loose.
Jeremy raises his shot glass. “I’m glad you’re both safe. To better times ahead.” We all reach in carefully and tap the little glasses before downing the contents.
My body convulses from the fiery booze and I reach for my diet soda to chase it down.
“Explain to me again what the fuck happened.” Jayne is back to talking in her normal voice. Matthew’s already involved in a conversation with Jeremy, while Justin and Juan walk in the direction of the dimly lit corner with the dart board.
“It was electrical. It’s an old building and something ate at the wires or rotted the wires. I’m not even freaking sure. I just know that all tenants have been temporarily evacuated while they are investigating the damage and repairs needed to the building.”
“They can’t just throw you out on the street. They need to provide you with a new home.”
“They offered shelter, but we chose to go to Matthew’s parents over being holed up in a gym with sleeping bags situation.”
The waitress returns with rounds two and three of Fireball, another Diet Coke for me, and four beers for the guys. Jayne and I reach for our shots, not waiting for the guys this time. We clink and drink.
“What about your apartment? Can you go back there?”
“We tried. My lease was up and they already rented it to another person. There were no other units available.”
“Is all your stuff ruined?” Jayne grabs for shot three, and pushes another one in my direction. Her eyes land and linger on my ring. It’s such a unique setting, and I know the sapphires really catch the light. I stretch out my hand and take a moment to admire it as well.
“Some of our stuff was salvageable, but for the most part, yeah, our stuff was ruined.” This time we just raise the shots and air clink. “Luckily some of the bigger items from my apartment went into storage for safekeeping, like my couch and dresser, stuff we didn’t have room for when I moved in. So, at least when we do return to the apartment we won’t be starting at zero. I’m also hoping the building will work out a settlement for the losses or something, but who the hell knows when that’ll be. That could take years.”
“What about work? Are you working from their house?”
Being in charge of social media for a California-based PR firm, most of my job details me sitting in front of a computer at home.
“Well yeah, but I’ve been taking my laptop to Dunkin’ and doing most of my work there the last two days. I feel weird being in the house when Matthew’s not there.” His mom is retired and although she is nothing but nice, I can’t shake the awkwardness I feel w
henever I’m around her, especially when we’re by ourselves. Maybe it has to do with the fact that when we first met I made a bold declaration of my feelings for her son where I shared a few too many intimate details.
“Oh, Holl, that sucks so fucking bad. Do you guys want to move in with me instead?” The alcohol must already be hitting Jayne for her to make an offer like that.
“That’s sweet, but Matthew’s parents offered for us to stay as long as we need, and hopefully it won’t be that long.”
“I hope for your sake it isn’t. That sounds brutal, moving into the Daniels house,” she says. Brutal is a harsh word, but yeah, it’s not an ideal situation, moving in with the future in-laws.
Jayne swings her blonde head around in search of her boyfriend, who has one bright blue eye closed, aiming a dart at the bull’s-eye on the wall. “Quick, pass me one of Juan’s shots.”
“Really? You’re going for four? This early? We haven’t even eaten yet.”
“You’re right, I should pace myself,” she says, eyeing my ring once again then eyeing the whisky longingly. “So, any wedding planning yet?”
Wedding talk. Zing. My Fireball buzz kicks in.
“Yes. Before all this happened, we made a plan. We decided we’re gonna keep it small,” I say excitedly, ready to fill her in on some of the details.
“Small? How small?” Jayne sneers, not responding quite like I’d expected.
“Twenty-four people. We’re having it at Romeo’s. We already called and they have the date we want available.”
“Are you kidding me? Is this a joke?” I shake my head, and her face drops. “Holly, this is your wedding. You can’t do that,” she snaps with a bite.
“Um, yes we can,” I bite back.
“You’re gonna have your wedding at a glorified pizza place?”
“Why are you saying it like that? Romeo’s has that nice new room in the back, it’s gonna be great. Matthew’s sister-in-law got us in to the Chateau for June, but the cost is ridiculous. We decided we don’t need all of that fluff.”
“Wait a second. You have a chance to have your wedding at the Chateau, and you’re giving it up? That’s insanity. Who cares what it costs. Find a way.” Her words continue to sting, but I really can’t get upset. That was my first reaction, too. Once I explain, she’ll understand.
“I know, I know, I get it. But after thinking about it, why would I want to invite a hundred people I barely know or give a shit about to my wedding?” I take the straw out of my soda and point it at her. “And go broke in the process?”
“Because,” she says, as if revealing some big rational response and not just one vague word.
“Because why?” I challenge.
“Because that’s what people do,” she says loudly, almost shouting. “Because at a wedding, people are supposed to meet crazy college friends and flirt with drunk uncles at the open bar and dance and do the motherfucking Macarena.” She caves and reaches for Juan’s shot and gulps it down. “And because… for you.”
For me. Ha. Good save, Jayne.
“I did the math. We can’t afford the Chateau,” I say angrily. “Besides, we just lost half our shit in the apartment, we’re saving for a house, Matthew wants to go back to school, plus my parents aren’t able to help out. Michael got sick. They needed to use the money they had set aside for my wedding.”
“Michael?” Jayne recoils, confused, until it hits her. “Oh my God, the cat.” Her small frame shakes with a laugh that comes from deep down in her belly. “See, there’s another reason you have to have a big wedding, so you can put his furry ass in a tux and make him walk down the aisle. Wait?” She stops laughing. “Can you even have an aisle with only twenty-four people? Oh my God, and please don’t tell me that number is including all the kids?”
“Yes, our nieces are part of that number.” The ceremony will be at Romeo’s, too. Will I have an aisle? I guess not. But that doesn’t matter. I don’t need a frickin’ aisle… you bitch. Okay, now I might be getting a little upset.
“How many nieces do you guys have again?”
“Eight in total.”
“No. No. No.” Jayne raises her arms and waves them erratically in front of her face. “This cannot happen like this. I cannot let you do this.”
Matthew and Jeremy slide down to the chairs closer to us. “You guys are so loud. What’s going on down here?” Matthew asks, putting his arm around the back of my chair.
“Matthew!” Jayne points. “You cannot marry Holly in a greasy pizza parlor.”
My heart sinks as I watch Matthew’s face fall.
“Those are her words, not mine. She’s already had four shots,” I say quickly, giving his hand an assuring squeeze. “Ignore her.”
“No, do not ignore me. Listen to me. No woman wants to have a small wedding where half the guests are freaking little kids.”
Matthew looks to me for answers. I try and defuse the situation before Jayne says anything else. It’s one thing to make me feel like shit, but I’m not gonna let her do it to Matthew, too.
“We are happy with our decision to have a small wedding at Romeo’s. That’s what we want,” I say firmly.
“You don’t want the Chateau?” Jayne’s eyes connect with mine, a stare that penetrates deep within me, searching for the truth.
“No.” I snap my head away from her stare. That is the truth. I think. Fuck. No. It is. It definitely is. Why is she pulling this crap? She should be happy for me, not belittling our decision and making me second-guess our plans.
“Bull. Shit.” She swivels in her seat. “Jeremy, back me up. They have a chance to get married at the Chateau… in June, and instead they’re gonna get married in a hole-in-the-wall pizza joint. Isn’t that crazy?” She thinks and holds up a pointed finger. “Ya know what? I puked at Romeo’s once,” she says, as if that should sway our decision.
All eyes land on Jeremy, who thoughtfully strokes his beard. “I am staying out of this. It’s their decision.”
“Come on, Jeremy, be honest, if you were getting married, where would you want it?” Jayne leads him to answer in her unrelenting way. “Be. Honest.”
He rubs his temple and sighs. “Well, actually… Justin and I are already on a two-year wait list for the Chateau.”
“See!” Jayne all but explodes.
“You guys good over here?” The waitress walks over at just the right moment, giving us a desperately needed interruption.
“Food.” We need to order food. This night went from zero to sixty in a flash. A little food in our systems is desperately needed before I lose it and tell Jayne to fuck off and that our guest list just got even smaller. Jayne’s liquor-induced wedding tangent is messing with my own fuzzed-up mind. Romeo’s is a charming little restaurant, one of my favorite places. Yes, it’s quaint, but that’s what makes it so fucking charming. Grr. I flip open my menu aggressively, scanning it for the greasiest monstrosity they have so I can snarf it down along with all this frustration I’m suddenly overwhelmed with. “I’ll have a double cheeseburger and chili fries.”
“Would you like another round of shots?” the waitress asks.
“No.” I answer for everyone. My buzz has been completely killed. I just want to eat and go home, even though home is not really home. It’s Matthew’s parents’ home.
I pinch my lips over my straw and slurp up a big gulp of soda. I refuse to let Jayne get to me. So what if I’m getting married in a greasy pizza place?
Fuck. Now I just called it a greasy pizza place. I completely let that bitch screw with my head. It’s our wedding, not hers.
“Can you bring the check with the food?” I ask the waitress before she takes off.
I just want to get the hell out of here.
“HOW WAS YOUR night?” My mom walks into the hallway and greets us as we walk in. She’s in her robe and slippers, arms folded against the slight chill we brought into the house with us. “Did you have fun?”
The night didn’t go as late as expected. Us
ually when we all get together it involves drinks and Uber rides and headaches the next day. But the night took a weird turn, and after the check was paid, everyone grumbled their good nights and headed back home. Except for us. We headed back to my parents’ home.
“Hi, Mrs. Daniels.” Holly was told to call my mom Grace, but for some reason that never took. Her voice gets a peculiar pitch and she plasters on a weird smile that she seems to have reserved just for my mom.
“I didn’t expect you guys back so early.”
“It was just dinner,” I answer quickly; she doesn’t need the details. “Are the blankets still on the couches?” The last few nights we’ve slept on the couches in the back room. After all the commotion with the apartment and with work, it was just easier to crash on the couches at the end of the night.
“No, your father and I set up your room for you and Holly. We moved the twin out of Kent’s old room and moved it into yours.” She clears her throat. “We pushed the beds together for you guys.”
“Oh, uh....” I look over at Holly and watch her pale skin turn bright red.
“Don’t be embarrassed. You’ll need a room of your own with privacy while you’re here. I put your bags in the room, too.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“And Holly, I want you to make yourself at home. Help yourself to whatever you need.”
“Thank you.”
My mother grabs onto the railing and starts up the stairs. “With you being off tomorrow, we’re having everyone over for a family dinner. We never really had a chance to celebrate the engagement. The girls have something special planned. I hope that’s okay?”
“It sounds great,” Holly gushes in a plastic tone. “That’s so sweet.”
“Wonderful. We can’t wait to hear all the wedding details,” my mom says, then finishes her ascent up the stairs.
“Ugh, wedding details,” Holly mutters under her breath, and the smile she was just wearing vanishes.
“Should we talk about what happened tonight?” I ask, stopping Holly from climbing the stairs.
“Nothing happened.” Holly shrugs, not meeting my eyes.
The Two-Night One-Night Wedding Page 4