Chapter 13
T he ten-minute walk from the reception hall to the villa gave me time to reflect on my next move.
Irena’s parents needed five thousand dollars to pay for the reception.
I had exactly five grand hidden in my suitcase.
The right thing to do couldn’t be more obvious.
The problem was, I had plans for that money.
I was supposed to meet Karen in Croatia and spend the rest of the trip sipping pina coladas on a Mediterranean beach, being waited on by some hunk with a foreign accent.
Of course, I was already at an exotic European destination, but that was beside the point.
I’d spent all summer slaving over the pool snack bar to escape this wedding. Now, in a moment of emotional vulnerability, I wanted to throw that away and give the money to people I barely knew. Foolish. They were Will’s in-laws, not mine. I had no responsibility to any of them.
Or so I almost convinced myself .
I made it back to my room and pulled the cash from its hiding spot.
I sat on the bed, counting it one last time as the angel of selfish indulgence and the angel of softhearted charity battled for control over my next decision.
The money was all there—five thousand dollars.
I counted it again, putting off returning to the party.
“You know what to do, Winifred,” I told myself.
I did, too. Will had never been my favorite person, but he was family, even if by unusual means.
His new wife and her relatives were also part of my family now as well.
Besides, they’d accepted me even though I’d proven myself a fool the night before.
Mira’s words came back to me. The most important thing is that we’re together, not that we’re always perfect.
Sighing, I stuck the wad of cash in an envelope and headed back to the reception hall.
I wish I could tell you the march back was easy or that I felt a sense of moral resolve that made it effortless.
In reality, I didn’t want to give the cash away.
When I returned to the reception hall, the smoke had cleared, but the guests hadn’t gone back inside yet.
Irena’s parents were still sitting at the same booth, despair painted across their faces.
No one else sat with them, so I plopped down across from Petrush .
“I want you to have this.” I fished the envelope from my purse and slid it across the table. A selfish itch lingered in my fingers as I pushed the money toward him.
Petrush and Miranda smiled at me vacantly, not understanding a word I’d said. Petrush picked the envelope up and stuck it into his jacket pocket without looking at the contents. He said something in his language and gave a short bow.
“Look inside, you doofus!” I snapped, reaching for his pocket.
A look of consternation flashed across his face as I pulled out the envelope.
I tore the seal open and spilled hundred-dollar bills across his lap.
His eyes bulged, and his jaw flapped open.
Miranda gasped and grabbed her chest. They exchanged a flurry of excited words and looked up at me in shock.
I smiled and blushed. Miranda pulled me across the table and bear-hugged me, sobbing and smashing my face into her bosom.
Petrush grabbed my hand and shook it so hard I thought he’d dislocate my shoulder. Then he saluted and bowed.
A few bystanders overheard the commotion and eyed the cash on the table.
They whispered to each other as Miranda counted the bills.
Irena and Will appeared through the crowd, speaking in Malegonian with the bride’s parents.
Awe covered their faces when they heard the explanation and saw the money. My stepbrother fixed his eyes on me.
“You did this for us?” he said, a sense of amazement in his voice.
“Don’t mention it, Will. You’re my brother.”
“You have no idea how much you’ve done for us.” He hugged me.
Once Will let go, Irena also hugged me. “You’re better than a sister, Wini.”
Tears formed in my eyes. I excused myself from the table to hide my emotions. They barely let me leave, but I lied and said I needed to use the restroom. I’d almost escaped, when Elizabeth surprised me, grasping my arm as I tried to enter the venue.
“Did I hear correctly?” she asked. “Did you pay for the reception?”
I looked down, suddenly bashful. “I did.” When I looked back up, tears swam in my stepmother’s joyous eyes.
She wrapped her arms around me, shaking her head. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I did,” I said once she let go. “We’re family.”
She smiled. “We’re family. ”
A few minutes later, a waiter directed the partygoers back into the reception area. The smoke had cleared, and the event was about to continue. I followed the crowd inside and sat between Mira and my parents. Dad smiled at me, a twinkle in his eyes. “You made me proud today, Wini.”
I flushed and pretended I didn’t know what he was talking about.
“Thank you,” Mira said. “Our entire family is grateful.” Her brimming smile made me want to cry.
The sentimental moment ended abruptly when the band started. The music was so loud I felt it in my bones. Dad grimaced. Elizabeth covered her ears. The Malegonians dashed to the dance floor and formed a circle. Mira motioned for us to get up. “You must come! It’s your family’s turn to dance!”
I shared an apprehensive look with Dad. We both shrugged and smiled.
A moment later we were kicking our feet to the weird Balkan music, feeling foreign, and having the time of our lives.
Heaps of food and endless circle dancing continued for the next four hours.
Will and Irena glowed with joy as they sat on their thrones, hopelessly in love.
I was happy for them. I was happy they were part of my family.
There had never been a more perfect wedding.
** *
Everything after the reception was a blur. Miranda discovered her purse in the car she’d arrived in, hidden under an apron. She tried to give me the money back, but I refused. She rewarded me with a barrage of strange words and a slobbery double-cheek kiss. Precious.
Will and Irena left for their honeymoon at some unpronounceable mountain resort, and I spent the next week with Dad and Elizabeth on the beaches of Lake Achris.
I called Karen and explained I couldn’t make it to Croatia.
She totally understood and agreed that family came first. The days blew by so fast that I couldn’t believe it when the time came to go home.
The return trip was much smoother than the arrival, although an old lady on the flight did try to arrange a marriage for me. I declined, of course.
Three days later it was back to the pool snack bar.
School would start in two weeks, and I wanted to make a little cash before the close of summer.
My sleeping pattern was still a bit disoriented with the time change, but the familiar smells of nacho cheese and sunscreen reminded me I was at work.
In case of any doubt, a fat middle schooler darted past me and plunged into the deep end .
“No running,” I shouted half-heartedly as I stuck my nose into a book behind the counter.
“Hi, Wini, how was the trip?”
I looked up at Lori. As always, she was trailed by a pack of drooling thirteen-year-old boys. “The trip was amazing,” I said. “You have to see Malegonia.”
Lori smiled. “Did you enjoy the wedding?”
“It was great. Will had gone native, and Irena was gorgeous. You’ve never met a sweeter girl. They looked so happy together.”
Lori nodded and looked at me curiously. “You know, I think this trip did you some good.”
“What do you mean?”
“You just seem happier.”
I smiled. “I loved it. Best wedding ever!”