19. Trial by Lancaster
TRIAL BY LANCASTER
OWEN
I know that not every guy enjoys going to weddings, but I do.
I love them. The excitement in the air, a new future being born, the declarations of love, watching two different extended families interact, and how even the most grumpy relatives loosen up.
I love the bad dancing. The bold dancing.
The “shoulder injury in the making” dancing.
I love all the sincere, the cheesy, the heartfelt, the funny, and the unexpected parts.
This wedding? This is a good one. And not just because Charlie was at the front during the ceremony, so I got to see her reactions to watching the first of her brothers get married.
Fun music is playing, the weather is great, and it’s not quite time for the meal yet, so everyone is in the open space, chatting and sipping on wedding-themed drinks .
This is definitely not a reception where we’re going to hear classical music. The ambiance is fun and lively. The bride and groom are beaming as they move between the clumps of people, chatting and welcoming everyone. It’s definitely a vibe of celebration.
Charlie has already led me around to introduce me to so many of her relatives.
(Her great aunt, Sissy, did in fact pat my cheek.
The one on my face. But she did look like she was considering which one for a moment.) And yes, Charlie’s mom, Evelyn Lancaster is easily the most gracious person I’ve ever met, especially for someone with such a commanding presence.
If I was told that she was the president of a country, I wouldn’t question it.
The only way into this outdoor part of the venue was through the building, and security was there, checking as everyone came in. I nod to one of the three guards I’ve noticed out here, and say to Charlie, “I was surprised to see all the security. I don’t think I ever have at a wedding before.”
“Oh, yeah. This venue really likes that. Oh, come here—I want you to meet Abraham!” She pulls me over to a man in his fifties who’s standing next to a woman who I find out is Reese’s mom.
Charlie tells me that Abraham works with her, that he was her dad’s best friend before he passed away, and that he’s kind of her substitute dad now.
Abraham shakes my hand and says, “So… you’re the one who’s been putting sticky notes on Charlie’s wall. She’s kept them, you know. You’re either very charming or very doomed.”
“Well, I was aiming for charming, but I guess I’ll keep my calendar open for my doom, just in case.”
Abraham chuckles, and we chat with him for a few moments.
Then his face drops into something more serious.
“If Rick were still alive, I’d have to arm-wrestle him for the right to give you the protective dad speech.
Since he isn’t, I’m doing it for both of us.
I assume you’ve been briefed on the consequences if you ever hurt Charlie? ”
“Not yet,” Charlie answers for me, glancing over her shoulder to where I assume her brothers are. “But I’m sure it’s coming.”
I put on a brave smile.
“Charlie deserves someone solid.” Abraham claps me on the shoulder. “So far, you seem more granite than gravel. Keep it that way.”
As we’re walking away, I say in a low voice, “Does that mean I passed?”
Charlie grins. “You passed.”
With the exception of Jace, all of Charlie’s brothers have gravitated back to one another, and before long, we are there, too. Why do I feel like I’m heading into a big game against a team that is much more formidable ?
Charlie introduces me to her oldest brother, Emerson, who seems like a thinker.
A very smart thinker. I’ve already forgotten the name of his date because Charlie introduces me to her next brother, Blake, who is a bear of a man, his date, and his three-year-old adopted daughter, Heidi, who was also the flower girl.
I already know both Miles and his date, Reese, of course.
I’ve heard the two of them talking through the wall enough to not be surprised that they’re here together.
I meet Zoe next, whom I saw the first night our wall was down, even if I didn’t meet her.
Then Charlie introduces me to Ledger, who is dating Zoe and is apparently Miles’s twin.
The two of them probably look the least alike of any of the brothers.
I thought Miles was intimidating when I thought he was an intruder.
But he’s nothing compared to both Ledger and Blake.
But unlike Blake, Ledger is wearing a smile that looks like it’s always there.
“It’s good to see you again,” Miles says as he shakes my hand.
I nod. “Especially in a well-lit area, since I didn’t bring my drill with me.”
Miles grins. “I have no doubt you’d find another creative way to protect Charlie if needed.”
“So you’re the one who mistook Miles’s test break-in for a real intruder?” Zoe asks.
“‘Mistook’ is a strong word,” I say. “I prefer ‘enthusiastically overreacted.’”
Her brother, Emerson, sounds thoughtful, and I think he might be joking a little when he says, “So, Owen… What’s your long-term plan here? Because if it involves hurting my sister, I’ve already prepared charts and graphs spelling out a detailed emotional takedown strategy.”
“Good to know. I was working on a long-term plan involving baked goods and emotional stability, but I have a great respect for graphs and takedown strategies.”
Blake uses a gruff voice that kind of scares me, especially because he says, “But seriously, if you hurt her, you’ll have more to face than Emerson’s charts and graphs. You’ll have me.”
And, okay, he doesn’t just “kind of” scare me. I swallow hard.
“I assume you’re aware that we come as a package deal. You don’t just get Charlie, you get all of us.” But he adds, “Including family text threads and unsolicited advice,” and I realize that maybe he’s not quite as gruff as he sounds. Or looks. But he’s still scary.
I nod. “I’ve always wanted to be part of a group chat that both terrifies and emotionally supports me.”
Then Ledger says, “Okay, serious question: how are you planning to keep up with Charlie? She’s basically a sunshine emoji wrapped in an emergency preparedness binder with a black belt in computers.”
Charlie gives Ledger a sisterly smack on his arm.
“Well,” I say, “So far, I’m going with caffeinating appropriately, never underestimating her, and hoping I can keep earning sticky notes like they’re merit badges.”
Ledger nods. “Good. Because fair warning: I know hackers. And if you ever make her cry in a way that isn’t happy or laughter-related, I’ll have them hack your playlist and replace every song with a kazoo version of My Heart Will Go On . For eternity.”
I make a show of swallowing hard. “Noted.”
Wow. Five brothers is a lot of brothers. I’ve never really realized just how many it can feel like. And there are so many to keep track of. The burly one who’s a dad. The bookish one. The one who just got married. The one I thought was an intruder. And the big, athletic one.
“Are you guys done?” Charlie asks, hands on her hips. “Do you consider him properly threatened?”
The brothers all look to each other and nod. “I think we’ve got it taken care of,” Miles says.
I try to not let my breath of relief be too obvious.
Zoe, who I’m remembering is Ledger’s girlfriend, asks, “What do you do to blow off steam? Go to any bars?” I’m suddenly wondering if she is looking for a buddy to bar hop with or if I’m still being grilled.
“Yeah, actually.” I smile mischievously, letting her know that it’s not really about the bar.
“There’s one I found recently in Baltimore.
The place was built in eighteen eighty-nine.
It used to be a carriage house for a nearby hotel, and they kept a lot of the original details.
Exposed brick, hand-forged ironwork, arched timber beams with the original joinery.
Even the stable doors are still there—they just refinished them.
It’s got these leaded-glass windows that throw crazy patterns of light around at night, especially near the back mezzanine.
The acoustics are incredible, too.” I shrug. “It’s a good place to think.”
“A good place to think?” Ledger puts an arm around me. “Have you met my brother, Emerson? I think you two would really get along.”
We all start chatting, then a photographer comes over and asks if she can get the Lancaster family together.
She starts directing the siblings, along with Zoe and Charlie’s mom, to either side of the bride and groom.
When they’re all mostly in their spots, Blake calls out, “Owen. You getting in on this?”
I hesitate. The photographer is getting a family photo, and I’m not in the family yet.
Yet . When did I start thinking like that?
Emerson says, “You’re practically in a group chat now. That counts.”
They kind of all pull me in right next to Charlie, and she wraps her arm in mine. And now I’m in the family picture with a very formidable family, trying not to feel out of place at all.
But Charlie is holding onto me, which makes everything right.
As the photographer takes Jace and Mackenzie to get the next shots with another group, Ledger watches as Jace walks away.
“I hope Jace won’t go off and get boring now.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Charlie says. “Both Jace and Mackenzie are allergic to boring.”
Zoe, whose eyes are also on Jace and Mackenzie, says, “Maybe we should do this, too,” before her eyes go back to Ledger’s.
“What? Not get boring?”
“Well, we’re obviously not going to do that.”
“Oh! You mean this ? Like, get married?” The comment has definitely caught the man off guard.
Zoe nods. “Mackenzie said that if two people can only imagine a future with both of them together, then it’s a good clue that you want to get married. And we do that.”
“We do. But we’ve never talked about marriage before.”
She lifts a shoulder in a shrug. “Maybe we should.”
Ledger nods slowly and kind of thoughtfully. “We should.”