- Aiden -
don’t know how long I stood there staring at the inside of the closed hotel door, but when my balls finally stopped aching enough for me to cross the room, I poured the last of the champagne into a glass and drank it down, wishing it were something stronger.
The cops?! The fucking cops?! On my sister’s wedding day?!
What the hell had Lucy gotten herself into and why didn’t I know about it?
Oh yeah. Cause I’d been giving her the cold shoulder for weeks. God I was an asshole.
And now my balls were as blue as berries. Fucking karma.
I went to the bathroom and made sure I looked presentable. The buzz from going down on Lucy was faint after all the excitement, but it was still lurking under the surface.
Mostly, though, I hoped she was okay. No matter what was going on… with Nathan. Jesus.
I took one last look at the bed where I was about to get my own little wedding present and sighed. Then I stepped out of the room, pulled the door shut behind me, and headed back down to the party.
When I walked in, it was like a slightly drunker version of the same party I’d left before. Which reminded me that I should probably go check on my parents.
I swung by the bar and got a double Jameson before heading to the dance floor. My parents were dancing in the corner- or rather- my Mom was holding my Dad up to music. I scanned a bit more and saw Claire dancing with Dave.
He had his faults, Dave, but he was a great dancer. Goofy, but admirable in his commitment to feeling the beat, and as they danced it was obvious that Claire wouldn’t have cared if we all packed up and went home. She was just happy to be dancing with her man to the tacky music they liked.
Or at least I thought it was tacky. And that was before they started playing Boyz II Men at which point I couldn’t drink fast enough.
Once I’d nearly emptied my glass, I turned over my shoulder and saw that Lucy wasn’t back at the table yet. I guess the cops needed a little more of her time.
Still, I needed to do something to take my mind off the fact that Lucy had a secret life in which the cops were involved and I wasn’t. Otherwise I might end up pacing back and forth in front of the bar. So as soon as the song changed, I drained the rest of my glass and decided to take pity on my Mother.
“May I cut in?” I asked.
My Mom smiled.
“You look like you could use some water, Dad.”
“And you look like you could use a spanking,” he said, turning to me. “But my guess is that you’re way past that, too. Am I right?”
I shrugged.
“Where have you been anyway?” he asked.
“With Lucy.”
I think he meant to wink as he elbowed me, but he was mostly just opening and closing his eyes at the same time like a plastic doll.
“She’s all yours,” he said, stepping out of the way and presenting my Mom like a prize.
“Don’t go too far,” she called after him.
“I’ll just be at the bar,” he said, pointing along a line that didn’t match the one he was walking in.
She shook her head. “He’ll be sorry tomorrow.”
I rested a hand on my Mom’s hip and took one of her hands in mine. “It could be worse.”
Her cheeks were rosy. “I know.”
“You’ve had a few yourself, haven’t you?”
“One or two.”
“Bottles?” I asked.
“Don’t give me grief,” she said. “We’ve only got one daughter to give away and if we’ve got to get drunk to enjoy it then sue me.”
“I’m just joking.”
“I promise we won’t have any fun at your wedding.”
I laughed. “Oh come on. That’s not fair.”
“When is that by the way?”
“My wedding?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
I looked up for a moment. “I always pictured myself as a Winter Groom.”
“I’m being serious.”
“You’re being a pest.”
“Come on. I had so much fun planning this party-”
“That’s not what I heard.”
“Why? What did you hear?”
“I’m joking,” I said. “I heard you were a delight at every turn.”
“Don’t bullshit me. Did I make Claire crazy? Did she tell you I made her crazy?”
“No,” I lied. “You did a great job.”
“Does that mean I can plan your wedding to?”
“It means you can book my flights to Vegas if you want.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” she said, smacking my chest.
I shrugged.
“I know you wouldn’t deny your Mother another fabulous party.”
“I bet Dad would be delighted to save the money,” I said.
“He would not,” she said. “I know he puts on a big stink, but it’s just an act. He loves to entertain and flash his wealth around. If he didn’t, he would leave his job and become a fisherman.”
“What?!” I laughed. “No he wouldn’t.”
“Yes he would. He talks about it all the time.”
I shook my head. “Dad would be the shittiest fisherman ever. He has the patience of a Swiss watch.”
“I know he’d never actually do it, but I think he’s comforted by the dream of it, you know? Of having a plan B.”
“I could see that.”
“And what about you?” she asked. “What’s your plan B?”
“I only have a plan A,” I said. “Which is to open my own practice in the next two months.”
“That soon?”
“Yeah.”
“I didn’t even think you had a location yet?”
“Two actually. I just need to pick one and not look back.”
Her face looked inappropriately hurt. “Why haven’t you asked me to look at them?”
“Cause I knew you were busy with the wedding,” I said. “And that Claire needed your help.”
She smacked her lips. “You are such a good boy.”
“I try, Mom.”
“Well, I’ll have plenty of time from now on if you need me.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
“Have you shown the locations to Lucy?”
“No,” I said.
“Oh.”
“Why do look so surprised?”
“I just thought you guys were- I don’t know-”
“What?”
“Nothing,” she said. “I just assumed you guys were getting serious.”
“You know we’ve always been friends.”
“I know,” she said. “And I thought that’s why you asked her as your date but then-”
“Then what?”
She shrugged. “I must’ve misread the signs.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Things just seemed different between you two today. I know I haven’t seen her in a while, but it felt like you two had a chemistry or something that wasn’t there before.”
“I don’t know what you thought you saw but-”
“For example,” she said. “When you were giving your toast-”
“Yeah?”
“The way she was looking at you was, well, it wasn’t the way you look at a friend.”
“What way was it?”
“Maybe I was imagining things, but I swear she looked so proud of you I was half wondering if she wrote the thing herself.”
I smiled.
“And then when I realized she hadn’t, the only explanation for her expression was that she’s totally enamored by you.”
“You think so?”
“It’s just women’s intuition,” she said. “Lord knows I’ve been wrong before.”
I gasped. “When? I can’t believe it!”
“Shut up,” she said, rolling her eyes. “And don’t tell your Father I said that.”
“It’ll be our little secret.”
“Anyway, if you don’t feel the same, I would advise you to tread softly.”
“With Lucy?”
“Yes,” she said. “Something tells me she wants more from your friendship.”
“Can you blame her?”
She shook her head. “Of course not. You’re adorable.”
I grimaced.
“The point is, you shouldn’t lead her on if you don’t feel the same way.”
“I know.”
“And that goes for taking advantage of her feelings for you, too.”
“Jeez, Mom. Give me some credit.”
“I’m just saying. I know how you men are.”
“You men.” I shook my head. “Unbelievable.”
“No,” she said. “You know what’s unbelievable?”
“What?”
“The way she looks in that yellow dress.”
I turned to look over my shoulder and saw her standing at the top of the room. And once again, my Mom was right.
She was a total knockout.