“It makes sense.”
“It does.”
“People who love each other should get engaged,” she said, taking another bite.
“Indeed,” Alex said, taking another sip.
“A little fast, despite….”
“Even still.”
“I know, right?”
“But they love each other,” he pointed out.
“True.”
“Maybe...?” he said shrugging
Brooklyn looked at him. “No...” she said in surprise.
“Why not?” he said taking a sip.
“Well,” she looked at the wall thoughtfully as she took a bite.
“Let’s do it,”
“We do love each other.”
“True.”
“So why even wait?”
“Exactly,” he said getting excited. “In fact...”
“Yes!” she said excitedly.
“It totally makes sense.”
“It totally does!”
“So when?”
“Well, we have to tell them first.”
“We could do that in like a day.”
“Then we could just elope.”
“Costa Rica is nice this time of year.”
“Oh Alex!”
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes!” she squealed, popping the rest of her croissant into her mouth and reaching over to hug and kiss Alex, causing him to spill his mimosa.
Chapter 42
Brooklyn and Alex looked at each other, beaming. Then they turned to the people sitting at the table around them: Frank, Estelle, London and Michael.
“We wanted you all specifically to hear the news from us first,” Brooklyn started. It was no surprise to anyone when she followed up with her next words. “Alex and I are getting married!”
She squealed as she said it and Alex reached out to grab her and pull her in toward him. Before anyone on the other side of the table could respond, Alex clued them in on the next little surprise: “Next week.”
“In Costa Rica!” squealed Brooklyn. “We’ve already made all the arrangements.”
That caused almost everyone on the other side of the table to erupt in a cacophonous objection.
“Well, I suppose I should say congratu—” Estelle began, before she was interrupted by other, more adamant forces surrounding her.
“You don’t even have a ring,” London pointed out, looking at her little sister’s left hand.
“Rings are an archaic and patriarchal holdover from when women were property. Frankly, it’s a pointlessly materialistic symbol of love. Why would we taint it with—”
“Pointless?!” exclaimed, London, pulling her left hand to her chest to cradle her own precious ring protectively. “I’d say it just shows the impulsiveness and yes, immaturity of your plans.”
“Why am I so surprised you of all people would say—”
“Don’t you think you should maybe think this through a little more?” interrupted Michael, looking at Alex.
“What’s to think about? I know I love her, and she loves me. We want to spend the rest of our lives together. Frankly, you’re the one who encouraged me to ‘hit back twice as hard.’”
“Yes, but not when it comes to marriage! If our dad has taught us anything it’s that you don’t want to be hasty in these sorts of—”
“You’re really bringing Dad into this? So you proposing to your girlfriend, who I might add you’ve known for less time than I have, is totally okay, but when I—”
“When you’re what? Actually in the city, spending time with your girlfriend instead of flying off to LA or Paris or wherever?”
There was one occupant at the table that was surprisingly quiet: Frank Jefferson. Eventually, everyone realized that the usually most loquacious of the bunch had yet to say a word.
Finally, London spoke up. “Aren’t you going to say anything, Daddy?” she asked, giving him a meaningful look.
He looked at her, then scanned the entire table of occupants waiting expectantly on his words of wisdom.
“No,” he finally said. “I have nothing to say.”
They all stared at him in shock. When had Frank Jefferson ever had “nothing to say?” Then they all went back to their arguing, not even noticing the slight smile that came to his face.
* * *
“Patriarchal? Archaic?”
Michael was sitting in one of the comfortable chairs by their fireplace. There was no fire, obviously, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t heat in the room. He could practically see the steam coming out of London’s ears as she angrily paced the room, ranting about the surprising bit of news they had received that day.
Michael had had the foresight to grab the bottle of whiskey out of the liquor cabinet downstairs before they headed up to the third floor where the master bedroom was.
He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
He sipped, occasionally nodding in agreement where needed, but otherwise keeping his mouth firmly shut as London talked mostly to herself.
“It’s like she was reading straight from a Women’s Studies text book,” she said, her silk robe flying behind her.
“This ring is beautiful,” she cried, looking at Michael with an endearing smile. He began to smile in return before she was at it again. “Then she goes and taints it. Like there’s something wrong with tradition! It just proves what I said. Completely immature.”
* * *
“Immature? Impulsive?”
Alex was sitting up against the headboard, letting his soon-to-be-wife do her own bit of ranting, while he kept his own mouth shut. Unlike his brother, he hadn’t had the foresight to grab some libation. He looked longingly at the refrigerator where there was a 6-pack of Shiner Bock, debating how angry Brooklyn would be if he just popped off the edge of the bed to.... No, better not.
“She gets knocked up out of wedlock—London of all people!” she gave a sharp laugh. “And she has the nerve to call me immature and impulsive?”
He too nodded in agreement where needed, but also otherwise kept his mouth firmly shut.
“Just because she’s Ms. Responsibility—a complete laugh considering the bun in her oven—she has to criticize my choices in life.”
Alex just nodded in agreement. Wait, should he be shaking his head instead? He wasn’t sure. He took another longing look at the fridge.
“It’s been like that my whole life. ‘What has Brooklyn got herself into now?’” she mimicked. “Now, the most important event in my life, she’s still checking up on me like I’m a teenager.
“It’s so typical.”
* * *
“If anyone should be getting married next week, it should be us.”
That one brought Michael right out of his cups.
“I’m not serious of course,” London said, giving him a sarcastic look as she saw his head pop up.
“But really, it’s almost like she’s in competition with me.”
That one got Michael thinking again. Now that London had mentioned it, he’d have to say the same thing about Alex.
* * *
“Frankly, if it wasn’t for the baby, she’d probably be perfectly fine waiting another ten years like she did with Clayton,” Brooklyn said. “I know it’s a mean thing to say, but really, the woman has no...gusto!”
Alex just nodded, not sure how to respond to that.
“Frankly, I think she’s just jealous. I mean if anyone should be getting married next week, it’s them.”
That perked his ears up a bit. Was Brooklyn backtracking?
She must have seen his look. “Not that I regret anything, babe,” she said coming over to sit down next to him. “Of course I want to marry you. It’s just…this whole day kind of ruined it.”
* * *
London had finally taken the chair across from him.
“I suppose I’ll have to make up with her—by next week!” she said with an exasperated sigh. “As usual it will be up to me to make the first move.”
She gave a sarcastic laugh. “She is the bride after all!”
Now that she had gotten it all out, Michael decided it was safe to chime in. “I suppose I’ll have a talk with Alex as well. Smooth things over on that front.”
* * *
Brooklyn went to the fridge and pulled out two beers, one for the both of them. Just when Alex didn’t think he could love her any more.
“I’ll probably have to call her to smooth things over. I really don’t want a cloud hanging over our wedding.”
“Yeah, I’ll probably call Michael too. It’s the responsible thing. After all, he’s probably going to be my best man.”
Chapter 43
“So, congratulations,” London said, giving Brooklyn what she hoped was a convincing smile.
“Oh stop,” Brooklyn said, laughing. “I know you don’t approve.”
“It’s not that I—”
“Yes, it is,” Brooklyn said, sipping her wine. London had treated her to lunch to “have a talk.” At least they were making up.
“So, Costa Rica?” London said, digging into her salad.
“Yeah, I’ve never been. According to Alex’s friend the wedding venue is in this sort of treehouse type thing. It sounds wonderful.”
London’s fork stopped on its way to her mouth. “A wedding, in a treehouse?” she asked. She immediately pasted a look of delight on her face when she saw Brooklyn’s glare. “It sounds...interesting.”
She popped the fork full of greens into her mouth, using the time chewing to ponder that.
“Go ahead and say it,” Brooklyn said, twirling the pasta on her plate around her fork.
“What?” London asked, looking up in annoyance. “I haven’t said one negative thing so far.”
“Which makes me suspicious.”
“So be suspicious. All I did was call you up and invite you to lunch so we could make up. I really do want to be there for you when you take your vows, Brooklyn. You’re my sister. I should be there. Speaking of which, who else is coming?”
“Oh my god!” Brooklyn exclaimed, “I haven’t even told my girls, yet.” She laughed.
London tried to keep from rolling her eyes. Under different circumstances she might point out that this was proof that maybe Brooklyn was moving just a bit too fast.
“Huh,” Brooklyn said, resting her chin on her hand. “Maybe we are going too fast. I mean, I’d like to have my friends there but there’s no way they could all—” her eyes caught London staring purposefully down at her salad.
“Say it,” Brooklyn groaned.
London dropped her fork and gave her sister an irritated look. “If you’re coming to a conclusion all on your own, I fail to see how me chiming in helps things.”
“Who says I’m coming to a conclusion?” Brooklyn protested.
London held up her hands in surrender, not saying anything.
“I mean, we have the venue reserved and the officiant and...Alex. He’d be so hurt if—” she shook her head. “No, we have to go through with it.”
London finally spoke up. “No, you don’t.”
Brooklyn frowned at her.
“Okay, I’m going to say it. Marriage is a big step. It’s not something to go into willy-nilly. If you’re not sure”—she saw Brooklyn’s cloudy expression—“or not ready then don’t go through with it.”
“Alex would think I don’t trust him. After the past few weeks, I can’t show any lack of faith again. He’ll think I never want to marry him. Besides, like I said, we have everything set up already.”
* * *
Michael had taken Alex back to their usual haunt, and over another expensive bottle of whiskey had a man-to-man discussion.
“So you’re sure you want to go through with this?” Michael asked.
“I was at the time,” Alex confessed as he took a long sip of his whiskey.
“Don’t get me wrong,” he added, “I love her to death but,” he eyed his older brother uncomfortably, “I suspect there was a bit of sibling rivalry going on when I proposed. Heck, I didn’t even really propose, we just sort of…agreed to do the deed.”
He laughed and shook his head as he took another long swallow.
Michael looked at him over the edge of his glass. “So, what are you going to do?”
“After the past few weeks I don’t think she’d ever forgive me if I back peddled now.”
“Maybe she has the same misgivings.”
“Well, she’ll have to be the one to say it. Besides, what about everything we have set up? The venue? The officiant? We might as well go through with it.”
* * *
Both parties were getting ready for bed in their respective residences when everything fell into place.
“She has misgivings, but she’s worried he’ll think she doesn’t trust him,” London said, rubbing lotion on her arms.
“Interesting,” Michael said, taking the lotion from her and sitting down on the side of the bed to grab her leg. “Alex has the same concerns, but he’s just worried she’ll be pissed after all that’s happened these past few weeks.”
London stared at him as he rubbed her feet with the lotion. “Maybe we should call and let them—”
“Or,” he said taking her other foot, “we could just let them work it out.”
London started to protest, but fell back against the headboard at her fiancé’s warning look.
“They’ll figure it out,” he assured her.
“It’s a shame they have everything set up already.”
He smiled down into her foot. “Yeah...”
* * *
Further downtown Alex and Brooklyn were cuddled up against one another watching Pulp Fiction, an uncomfortable silence between them.
“So…” said Brooklyn, not sure how to proceed.
“Yeah,” said Alex, reading her mind.
“But….”
“Yeah, I know.”
“What if,” she said, pulling herself up to turn and look at him.
“Would they go for it?”
“Only one way to find out.”
Chapter 44
And that was how Michael and London found themselves standing in a “treehouse” in Costa Rica, facing one another at the altar a week later. It was actually more of a large raised platform surrounded by the rain forest. The entire wedding was held under a canopy of trees and vines with a serenade of wild animals and the not too distant waves of the ocean. It was perfect.
As Frank had secretly predicted, everything had worked out the way it was supposed to. He hadn’t predicted the tears that came to his eyes as the officiant asked “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”
Of course the tears may have had more to do with the news that he’d learned right before the ceremony.
“I wanted to tell you both something before you both give me away. I can’t do this without you knowing everything.”
“Well it’s bit late for that now, isn’t it London?” Her dad pointed out. “Richard,” he spat the name, shaking his head in a lah-dee-dah manner, “already flew us all down here on his little jet.”
London chose to ignore that, knowing her next words would completely usurp any thoughts Frank currently had about Richard Wright.
“You’re probably both shocked that Michael and I stepped in to take Brooklyn and Alex’s place here so easily. Well, there is a reason.” She quickly added. “I mean we both love each other and definitely, obviously,” she looked down at her engagement ring fondly, “want to get married. Under any other circumstances we would have waited and done it the normal way, plotting and planning. It just seemed like the perfect opportunity to—”
“London, perhaps you should get to the point before I’m too old to walk you down the aisle,” her father hinted.
She realized she was nervous. Best to just get it out there. “I’m pregnant.”
Estelle’s hand flew to her mouth in immediate teary-eyed surprise. “Oh London,” she said lifting herself out of her s
eat to go and hug her daughter.
London’s eyes were trained solely on her father as she hugged her mother. His eyes were wide with surprise.
“Well, I suppose after everything, this should come as no surprise,” he finally sighed.
She bit her lip in worry.
Estelle brought herself away from London to give Frank a scornful look. “Frank….”
He raised his hands up. “I’m not being critical. I’m just…oh I don’t know what I’m saying.”
Finally, he looked at London. “Baby, if this is what you want, and you obviously do, then I’m happy for you. And I can’t say I don’t enjoy being a grandaddy,” he chuckled. “If you’re worried this is going to make me hesitant to walk you down that aisle, you’re mistaken. You and Michael are right for each other; I see that now. This only makes it more right.”
She let out a breath and finally smiled.
“Now maybe we should get going before that baby has Costa Rican citizenship,” he said standing up and offering his arm to London.
She laughed and stood up to run her arm through his.
Despite the sudden turn of events, everyone who meant anything in the couple’s lives was there. Brooklyn, as London’s maid of honor. Alex, as Michael’s best man. Frank, Estelle, Cleveland and his wife and sons, who were making an entire vacation out of the last minute trip. Grandma Jefferson had even made it down, which pleased everyone.
On the Wright side, it only seemed proper that Richard be in attendance since it was his plane—a holdover from the, now bankrupt, Wright Airlines fleet—that had flown everyone down. Kate Wright had even maintained an air of dignified indifference to the fact that she was in the company of her ex-husband and is new wife Svetlana. On the other hand, both “Riot” and Chauncey had remained in New York, which was probably (definitely) for the best.
The bride was dressed in a simple, white, strapless maxi dress with a crown of tropical flowers circling her head. The groom had on khakis, loafers, and a simple, white linen shirt.
“Do you Michael Steven Wright take London Camilla Jefferson to be your lawfully wedded—?”
Mr. & Mrs. Wright: A BWWM Romance (Wright Brothers Series Book 2) Page 21