by Karen Booth
Chapter Twenty-Six
Nine days was a long time to be apart, especially when thirty years of waiting off-and-on had come before it. Thus was the state of affairs between Lela and Donovan.
She wasn’t going to freak out that he’d left. That was too easy. Too obvious. But she was willing to put him on the spot a little bit now that Tammera’s wedding was a mere day away.
“I don’t want to be the reason you leave your family behind,” Lela said over the phone. “You should do what you need to do.”
“No. It’s okay. I talked to Austin. But I can’t come back to the city until tomorrow morning. Mom made me promise I’d stick around to make her one more smoothie in the morning.”
“Just let me know if your plans change. I’ll ask Echo to come with me. That way I’ll have someone to talk to at the lunch.” Lela leaned against the kitchen island, watching Rio eat his dinner.
“That’s all you want me for? Someone to talk to? I was hoping you’d want me for more than that.”
“You know what I mean.” She was smiling to herself like a fool. Even Rio gave her side-eye. Despite not liking the physical distance between them, she did enjoy these daily talks. It made whatever they were doing feel a little more real. Of course, given that Donovan was dealing with his mother’s illness, they steered away from serious topics, which left Lela to do a whole lot of wondering. Were they dating? It seemed like they were beyond that. Would they move in together? No. Too fast. Sex and romance? Those seemed like logical next steps.
“Hey. Guess what?” Donovan asked.
“What?”
“I feel bad about being away, so I’m bringing a surprise to the wedding.”
“A surprise? For Tammera and Delia?”
“No. For you, silly.”
“What kind of surprise?”
“Lela. Are you seriously not familiar with this concept? I can’t tell you that.”
Like a kid eager for Christmas morning, she willed time to go faster so she could see him. “Fine. I can wait until tomorrow.”
“Perfect. I will meet you at the church. Ten o’clock. Save me a seat on the aisle.”
“Got it.” Lela took in a deep breath. “And Donovan, I can’t wait to see you.”
“I can’t wait to see you either.”
She’d gone to bed last night with a goofy grin on her face, but now that it was Saturday morning, she was simply a ball of barely contained anticipation. She arrived at the tiny chapel near the Flatiron Building around nine o’clock, one hour before the ceremony. As instructed, she went straight to the bride’s room where she found the brides, plural—Tammera and Delia. Plus, Tammera’s sister, Caprice, who Lela had met once right after Tammera landed her show. Caprice was Tammera’s attendant, and Delia had asked her brother, Mason.
“Hey, Caprice. And Tams. And Delia,” Lela said, admittedly confused. She’d assumed the happy couple would be spending time apart before it was time for the ceremony.
“Hi, Lela,” Delia said.
“Lela’s here!” Tammera hopped up from the tiny blue plastic chair she was sitting in. This room was apparently also a preschool classroom. The alphabet cut-outs surrounding a chalkboard and a colorful carpet with squares for kids to sit on were Lela’s first clues. “Did you have any trouble sneaking in?”
“People don’t recognize me as much anymore.”
“But you’re wearing the dress. The pink dress from the ads.”
“Looking good, Lela,” said Caprice.
“Aww. Thanks. You, too.” Lela looked down at herself and rotated her hips to make the skirt swish. “I only got to wear this the one time but they let me keep it after the shoot. I thought it would be fun for this occasion.”
“Well, you look gorgeous,” Tammera said.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t forget. My grandmother wants a photo with you today,” Delia said. “She went gray twenty years ago. I think she’s a little mad she didn’t get famous for it.”
“Tammera’s the famous one. I had a few minutes of fame. There’s a big difference.”
“Hey, Tammera,” Caprice said. “I’m going to go check on Daddy. He was complaining about it being hot in the sanctuary.”
“Thank you. That man is nothing short of high maintenance,” Tammera said.
Lela set down the small makeup case she’d brought. She’d done Tammera’s makeup so many times that she didn’t need the full array of products she typically carried. As for Delia, she had several allergies and preferred to do her own makeup.
“Isn’t it bad luck to see your partner before the ceremony?” Lela asked.
“Pfft,” Tammera said. “I don’t believe in that and neither does Delia. It seems silly to be separated. We’ve been living together for three years. Plus, have you ever hung out in a preschool classroom by yourself? It’s creepy.”
Lela laughed, still amazed that Tammera’s normally keen sense of a disturbance in Lela’s life force had not yet cropped up. Lela hadn’t told a soul that she and Donovan had slept together again. “Feeling nervous?”
Tammera looked lovingly at Delia, and their gazes connected. “Nope,” they said in unison.
“Do you want to get started?”
Tammera shrugged. “Sure.”
Lela looked around the room. The lighting was absolutely terrible—fluorescent overheads and nothing else. “Come on. Over by the window.” Lela found the teacher’s chair, which was a normal size, and dragged it closer to the natural light. With a whoosh, she raised the shades, allowing daylight to flood the room. “Much better.”
Tammera sat down and looked up at Lela. That was the moment when her expression changed. She narrowed her eyes and twisted her lips. Her spidey sense still worked. “What happened? Something happened.”
Lela cracked half a smile, then squirted some primer onto a sponge and began applying it. “Donovan and I are… something. I don’t know exactly. But we had sex and it didn’t end disastrously.”
Delia hopped up and dragged her own tiny chair across the floor. “I’m listening.”
“I thought you weren’t going to go there again. What made you change your mind?”
Of course, it hadn’t been a single moment. It had been a long string of events, much like the entire tale of their friendship. “It started at Echo’s wedding. We spent a lot of time together and it was really nice. We talked about old times, including a few misunderstandings between us. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say missing pieces.” Lela switched to Tammera’s foundation, dabbing and blending. “And then there was the Good Day USA appearance. I was freaking out and he was so sweet to me. Then, my parents came to town and he went out with us and I don’t know. Things were just different. He walked me home and he told me that he didn’t want to be friends anymore.”
“Because he wanted to be more?” Delia asked.
“Yes.”
Delia squealed. “So romantic.”
“And then you got to tearing each other’s clothes off?” Tammera was not quite as sentimental.
“That’s typically how it happens, yes,” Lela answered.
“And now what?” Tammera asked as Lela started doing some light contouring.
“We’re attending the wedding of the year together, of course.” Lela didn’t want too much attention put on the subject of Donovan and her. As far as she was concerned, it was a lot of unnecessary pressure. See where things go, seemed like a passable mantra.
“When will he be here?” Delia asked.
“He’s driving down from Connecticut this morning. I haven’t seen him for a week and a half because he went to take care of his mom after surgery. I told him I’ll save him a seat, so probably right before the ceremony?”
“That’s soon,” Delia said. “You must be excited.”
“Delia, you’re getting married. You’re the one who’s supposed to be excited.” Of course, Lela was excited to see Donovan. But she didn’t want the spotlight shifted.
“I am,” Deli
a said. “We both are.”
“Who did your hair? You both look amazing.” Tammera’s was natural and curly on top, pulled back tight on both sides with jeweled barrettes to bring out her high cheekbones. Delia’s was up in an elaborate braided twist with tiny white flowers scattered throughout.
“Actually, we did each other’s hair,” Tammera said.
Lela couldn’t help it. Her lower lip jutted out. “That’s so sweet. You’re going to make me cry.”
“Don’t do that,” Tammera said. “We need you to finish up.”
Lela got to work in greater earnest, and had Tammera looking completely fabulous in fifteen minutes. Since Caprice had stepped out, Lela was the sole helper when it came to dressing. She assisted Delia with the zipper on her dress while Tammera slipped into the beautifully tailored white suit she’d chosen, which really showed off her curves.
“You guys are the perfect couple. I’m so happy for you.” Lela figured that if she could find a way to be half as happy as Tammera and Delia were, she’d feel so fortunate.
The three shared a group hug, but Lela kept it quick. They deserved a quiet moment alone before the main event.
“I’ll see you out there,” she said, then ducked into the hall.
Inside the postage stamp of a sanctuary, there were fewer than ten rows of pews. Seated on either side of the aisle was a scattering of guests. Lela recognized some from the Cook It! Studios, or from photos she’d seen of Tammera’s family. Delia’s parents were on hand, as well as her brother and apparently some people she worked with in her practice. Lela slipped into the very last row, and as Donovan had requested, she left a seat for him on the aisle. She silenced her phone, but kept it in her lap so she could check the time.
A tall red-haired woman appeared at the end of Lela’s row. “Is this seat taken?” she asked with a nod at the empty spot on the aisle next to Lela.
“It is. I’m saving it for someone. He should be here any minute.”
She grimaced. “How about on the other side?”
Lela pivoted on the seat and pressed her legs to the side. “Yes. Of course. Come on in.” She smiled at the woman as she got settled. “How do you know Tammera and Delia?”
“I’m a nurse in Delia’s office.”
“Oh, nice. I was just there a few weeks ago with a friend of mine.”
The woman looked at her strangely, which made perfect sense now that Lela thought about what she’d said. What grown woman was friends with a kid?
“I know Delia through Tammera,” Lela explained. “I’ve been friends with Tammera for what feels like forever. I used to be her makeup artist. But then things got super crazy with my job, so I don’t have as much time now. I did do her makeup for today, though.” Lela clamped her mouth shut. She knew she was rambling.
“You’re the gray hair woman. The one in the ads.”
Lela managed a smile. “Lela.”
“Nikki,” the woman replied. “Are you sure your friend is coming?” Nikki whispered.
Lela looked to the back of the church, but there was no sign of Donovan. None. Tammera and Delia walked into the vestibule outside the sanctuary, each holding bouquets, ready to walk up the aisle together. Part of Lela wanted to catch Tammera’s eye and give her one last thumbs up, but it was better to simply watch them fuss over each other, then gaze into each other’s eyes with what was surely true love.
Lela sighed, but tears were threatening. She’d experienced what she thought was love with Donovan so many times, and had taught herself to dismiss it. She’d felt it with him the day she went on Good Day USA. She’d felt it when he came to dinner with her parents. But she’d felt it most when he finally said the words she’d been waiting thirty years to hear—that he didn’t want to just be friends. That every bit of the closeness they shared meant more to him, too.
The processional music started and everyone stood. Lela watched Delia and Tammera march up the aisle together. She was so happy for her friends that it made it easier to tamp down her annoyance with Donovan for being late.
“You may be seated,” the officiant said when Tammera and Delia reached the altar.
Lela sat with everyone else, but she was bursting with so much nervous energy that she started to bob her leg. Where was Donovan? Was he okay? She glanced at her phone, but only for a second. She didn’t want to be that person at the wedding. He hadn’t called. There was no text.
The officiant spoke about love and commitment, but Donovan failed to turn up. Delia read a bible passage. Tammera recited a poem. And still there was no Donovan. Lela fought her brain’s most immediate inclinations, the way she wanted to assume that he was going to let her down again. She didn’t believe it. She refused. They’d talked yesterday. Everything was fine. She hoped.
And then, just like that, he slipped into the seat next to her. “Hi,” he whispered.
She turned and looked at him. Her normally handsome and impeccably dressed Donovan had a grease smudge on his cheek near his ear. His hair was disheveled. “What happened?” she whispered.
“Long story. I’ll tell you later.” He raised a finger to his lips and that was when she saw how filthy his hands were. Whatever this story was, it had better be good.
Still, she was not only happy he was there, her heart was doing a little jig. She was glad to see his messy face and smell what she thought might be motor oil mixing with his cologne. She scooted closer to him and he reached for her hand. She didn’t hesitate to wrap her fingers around his. Even when they were grubby. Even when their twined hands rested on her lap while she was wearing her most precious pink dress. He was there and it felt like they were… a couple.
At the end of the ceremony, Tammera and Delia kissed, and everyone rose from the pews, clapping as music played and they strode back down the aisle. Donovan and Lela had to wait to leave since they were seated in the back, but it didn’t take long. Outside the chapel, Tammera and Delia were engrossed with greetings from family, so Lela pulled Donovan aside.
“What happened to you?” She pushed his hair from his face, stopping herself from licking her thumb and wiping away the dirt on his cheek. “You’re a wreck.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. I just figured it was better to show up a little late as a disaster, rather than not show up at all.”
“That makes sense. But you still haven’t told me what happened.”
“Let me show you.” Donovan took her hand and walked past two parked cars. “Your chariot awaits.” With a flourish of his filthy fingers, he presented the mint green Vespa. The one she’d been riding when she fell for him the first time. And the third.
“You brought it down from your mom’s?”
“Something told me I should have it.”
“Just too big a piece of nostalgia?”
He shook his head and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. Lela felt woozy, just like every other time Donovan had done that, which hadn’t been nearly often enough, but she hoped she had time. Maybe her whole life. He pressed a kiss against her lips and it felt like she was levitating. Were those biblical sunbeams overhead or was she hallucinating? “It’s more than that. I love you, Lela. I have always loved you. And I know you said you were in love with me once, but I need to know if you still love me.”
She wanted to slap him silly. She also wanted to kiss him again and never, ever stop. “I love you, too, Donovan. Of course I do. I never stopped loving you. Even when I was mad at you. There was always something pulling me toward you.”
His eyes shined brighter, with a look that conveyed so much happiness. “You know, the Vespa is a thread that has run through our lives together. If we’re going to move ahead, I want to start it right here and right now on this scooter, after having attended a wedding together, of course.”
If anyone had told twenty-one-year-old Lela that this would be the happy ending for her and Donovan, she never would’ve believed it. Or maybe it was better to think of it as a happy beginning. “Don’t say if.” She pr
essed a finger to his lips. “Don’t jinx us. You and I are moving ahead. Full stop.”
He smiled and pressed another soft kiss to her lips. “Okay. No jinx.”
“You still haven’t told me how you ended up so disheveled.”
“It was stupid. I forgot that if you lean too far to the right, the engine floods. I took a turn too fast and killed it. I pulled over, but the second I bent down to see what was going on, my phone fell out of my pocket and went into a storm drain. That’s why I didn’t call or text to say I was running late. I fixed it as fast as I could, but of course I got dirty and I couldn’t do anything about it. I just raced to the church.”
“So you’re having a great day is what you’re telling me.”
“Honestly? Best day ever.”
Lela grinned so hard her face was likely to stay that way. “We need to get you cleaned up if we’re going to go to this lunch. It’s an hour from now. I think we can make it if we’re fast.” She turned and caught Tammera’s attention. Tammera’s face lit up, perhaps with the beautiful feelings of that day, or maybe she understood how hard-won this victory was for Lela. Lela blew her a kiss, which Tammera caught with one hand before Delia grabbed her hand and pulled her into the crowd of their guests. “And I think Tammera and Delia will understand if we’re a few minutes late.”
Donovan sat on the scooter and handed Lela her helmet. “I know you don’t want to mess up your hair, but safety first.” He kick-started the engine and it rumbled to life.
“My hair is perfect. It’s not possible to mess it up.” She buckled the strap under her chin and realized she was going to have to stop wearing dresses if she wanted to ride on the scooter. It was not practical. Once she was on board, she wrapped her arms around him tight. “Your place?”
“Unless you have more of my clothes hiding in the back of your closet.”
“I really did think it was my R.E.M. T-shirt.”
“Something tells me it’s going to end up at your house again very soon.” He chuckled and revved the engine, which sputtered as he pulled away from the curb.
They whizzed through the city, past the town cars and the people flirting with death on bicycles, past hot dog vendors and pedestrians going about their day, exactly like they had all those years ago. She held on to him tight, pressing the side of her face to his back when she wanted to be even closer. So much was different and yet some things remained. He was her best friend. Again. He was the love of her life. She was his. Somehow, they’d found a way to make it work after nearly thirty years. And it had been so worth the wait.