43. Paisley
“Dearly beloved,we are gathered here today to join, er...”
“Robyn Royce and Ben Patel,” I stage-whisper from my place beside my mom.
The reverend nods in short, annoyed head movements. He does not find the switcheroo amusing.
My dad’s grandmother, who’s almost deaf, says loudly in her creaky voice, “Who’s getting married? I’m confused. What the hell is going on?”
Behind me, Sienna laughs her happy laugh. She’s sad too, under all the layers, but right now she’s happy for our mom. Happy someone got to use this beautiful wedding she planned.
With the help of bobby pins we were able to force back her bangs. Sienna’s first call when she gets back on the mainland will be to her hairstylist.
Sienna had barely recovered from announcing the wedding wasn’t going to happen when Ben stepped in and suggested he and my mom get married instead. At first my mom was shocked, but then tears began pouring from her eyes and she said yes and kept crying and then they kissed and she kept crying.
Sienna borrowed Wren’s bridesmaid dress. Mom was already decked out in her elegant mother-of-the-bride dress, and ready with her hair and makeup done. Ben was in his suit.
I beam at Klein, standing up for Ben and looking so handsome in his khaki woven suit and pressed white shirt. All I can think about is taking it off him. Me and my lascivious acts.
As if he can read my mind, Klein narrows his gaze and shakes his head slightly, playfully admonishing me. I can’t help it. I’m a fool for that man.
The ceremony continues.
There aren’t rings to exchange. Sienna returned hers to Shane when she drove to his house, bad bangs bouncing in the breeze, and told him the wedding was off.
Ben dips my mom backward, kissing her. The kiss deepens. It’s embarrassing. My dad stomps away, straight to the bar.
When he’d learned the turn this day was taking, he’d said, “Absolutely not. I paid for my daughter to get married, not my ex-wife.”
Mom looked hard at him for a bloated second, as if reminding him of something, and said, “What was the total? I’ll transfer it to your account immediately.”
He’d frowned and walked away, but showed up when it was time and pouted in the back. I’m not sure what to make of his attendance.
The reception doesn’t go to waste, either. I slip the DJ a note explaining the name change. A gold cursive S S sits atop the cake. When nobody is looking, I pluck it from the cake and toss it in the trash.
Speaking of the cake… It is divine. Vanilla with tart and sweet lemon curd filling, and vanilla bean frosting. Worthy of a flight across the country, a rental car, and a ferry. Maybe even worthy of facing the familial pain I’ve been running from.
Klein spears a giant slice of cake with his fork. “This cake does not disappoint.” He wraps his arm around me, feeding me a bite while he snaps our photo.
Swallowing, I say, “Good thing, considering that’s all you’re here for.” I wiggle my eyebrows at him. He feeds me a bite.
“I got everything I came for, and a whole lot more.”
“You can do better than ‘a whole lot more,’ Wordsmith.”
“Plethora.”
I shake my head.
“Profusion.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Superfluity.”
“I don’t know what that means, but I accept.”
“I got everything I came for, and a superfluity more.”
I wrinkle my nose. Klein grimaces. “Never mind.”
I finish my cake and set the plate on the table. “Maybe wordy isn’t always better.”
Klein’s hand slides up the inside of my thigh. Even covered by my dress, it blazes a hot trail on my skin. “Wordy is always better.”
I nod solemnly. “Yes, Word Daddy.”
He sighs and shakes his head.
This is too fun, though, so I continue. “Hot Hemingway?”
He delivers an exasperated look and stands, hand extended. “I believe this next song is ours.”
“If you’re suggesting our song be the Macarena, I will take off my high heel and cheerfully beat you with it.”
“Patience, Ace.” He leads me out to the wood dance floor in the middle of the lawn.
The current song ends, and the DJ says, “This goes out to a Miss Paisley Royce from Word Daddy.” The DJ shakes his head like he can’t believe what he just said.
I whirl on Klein. “I knew you liked that!”
The music begins, and I recognize it instantly.
She’s In Love With A Boy.
Fisting the front of the shirt, I laugh and sway. “I can’t believe you remembered.”
He holds my face in his palms and glides the tip of his nose over mine. “If you say it, I remember it.”
Klein spins me around. Neither of us know what we’re doing, but we’re a happy little mess. I belt out every word of the song.
It’s hard to believe that through all the turmoil of the day, there is still joy. Through the high highs and low lows of the week, and everything in between, two people managed to come together.
To fall.
The song ends. Klein dips me back, kissing me senseless. When he lifts me upright, my face is pink and happy.
Sienna, sitting alone at a nearby table, catches my eye. A shadow casts itself over my happiness. I wish my sister had gotten her perfect day. I wish Shane had been her soulmate.
Sienna sends me a wink, downs her glass of champagne, and marches out into the night.
Klein and I dance until our feet hurt. We dance with my mom and Ben. We dance with my grandma, and I force Spencer out onto the floor for a two-step lesson led by the DJ. The female half of the ‘I do’ crew has stuck around. The men are missing, likely aiding Shane in whatever he’s doing to get over having his wedding canceled the day of.
Klein carries my shoes on our way to the golf cart. He drives me and my grandma back to her house. She goes upstairs to her bedroom, and Klein and I make our way to ours.
We undress, and Klein waits for me in the bathroom as I unwind my hair and wash my face.
“Crazy day,” he remarks as we slide under the covers.
“The craziest,” I agree.
We come together quietly, each knowing what the other wants. What the other needs. When it’s over, we lie in bed with the window open and listen to the waves crash to the shore.
Klein runs his fingertips down the length of my arm. “I’m going to miss that sound,” he says, forlorn.
I press my back to his chest, snuggling in deeper. “We can come back. The island isn’t going anywhere.”