Chapter Nine
Michael gave a half-hearted smile and offered his arm to yet another person of Max’s and Piaget’s acquaintance.
It was a small wedding by high society standards, but it was nice and classy.
The country club had done a good job with the décor.
Quiet, subtle, expensive looking. He didn’t know the exact cost, but he and Noah had given some money to the day.
When Max had tried to protest, Noah had explained that it was non-negotiable.
Max had done much for so many, now it was their turn to do something for him and his new bride.
Seating Piaget’s aunt Lucille, he made his way back to the back of the church. Noah and he were ushering people in. Some guy named Adam was waiting with Max, greeting guests. Max had said that Adam had been instrumental in introducing the couple.
He was happy for Max and Piaget.
Michael smiled by rote to the next couple.
The woman looked around critically. She had blond hair, and he could see some resemblance to her daughter.
The man looked pleasantly surprised and held out his hand, making introductions.
Piaget’s parents. Michael nodded, kept his expression pleasant and proceeded to usher them down the aisle.
If they thought it odd that he did not introduce himself, they didn’t bother to tell him.
He made sure they settled into the preselected seats and gave them a copy of the program.
As he made his way to the back of the room, he saw Noah leading Ann and George Stapleton down the aisle to sit on the groom’s side.
He recognized George from the series of commercials the man made for his dentist chain.
He didn’t like the man on television, and he really didn’t like the man in front of him now.
Ann, however, looked absolutely stunning. She was a vision. It was enough to take his breath away and throw a brick in his gut. She wore a pale blue satin number with flowers on it. She was exquisite. She was not his. Michael dragged his gaze away from her.
He walked out of the room and took a moment for himself outside. He watched the valet park cars and people wander into the building, greeting each other. Christian Gains came up to him. They shook hands.
“Michael. I heard what happened. Right shame,” he turned to his wife. “Dorothy? Remember Michael?”
“Of course, dear,” she smiled at him kindly. “Such a pity.”
He nodded his greetings, wishing they would stop acting like he was something to be pitied.
Michael sighed. He was going to have to go back in.
It was not like he could avoid his brother’s wedding just because he would rather not see Ann on the arm of another man.
Besides, Michael was not getting any peace out here as people came up to greet him, people he could not reply to.
Straightening his jacket, he turned but was interrupted as his cousin Dillon came to greet him.
Michael had not seen him for some time but was not surprised he had come to the wedding.
Despite the age difference, before Dillon got married, he and Max had been up to a number of adventures together.
“Max told me,” a solemn Dillon said. “About the speech thing.”
Michael nodded.
“He also told me that you bought his shares so that he could start the fund for caring for the kids that were affected by Ramesly Pharma is bad drug,” Dillon shook his hand. “I want to thank you for that. A lot of people needed that funding.”
Michael shrugged. He knew that Dillon is girl Shannon had been on the drug. He wanted to ask how she was.
Dillon seemed to know what he wanted to say. “Soon. She will join her mom soon.”
Dillon is wife had died seven years ago. He had suffered through a lot.
“Avery had a sleep over and Caiden had a birthday party. Shannon is resting with the nurse, so I thought I would come for the wedding. I don’t expect to stay for the reception,” explained Dillon. “I like to spend as much time as I can with Shannon.”
Michael nodded. He offered his hand to Dillon again, wishing that things had been different. He was glad though, that Dillon had forgiven him.
“You need anything, you let me know,” Dillon admonished him.
Michael made the same hand motion back that Dillon had just made, knowing that Dillon would understand that he reciprocated the gesture.
Dillon nodded and the two of them headed back to the room that had been set up for the wedding.
He helped to seat the last few people. He was surprised to see his mother enter alone.
Michael had not expected her to defy his father.
She spotted him and smiled. He went forward to greet her with a kiss on the cheek.
“Noah told me,” tutted Rachel. She looked tanned from the cruise. She patted his cheek affectionately and blinked back tears. “If you need anything… I know you cannot tell me, but let me know?”
He nodded.
She took his arm. “Of course, your father would not come. David is still not able to forgive Maxwell. I, however, was not going to miss this.”
Michael slowly escorted her to the front. She was seventy-five years young now and while she had kept herself up very well, Michael could feel a frailty starting to set in. He laid a hand over hers and assisted her to sit, giving her a program.
Then it was time.
The bridesmaids were lovely. The bride was beautiful. Max was obviously the happiest man in the room. Vows were made, rings were exchanged.
All the while, Michael tried not to look at Ann. If he could have married anyone, it would have been her. He supposed he would stay a bachelor forever.
Michael was surprised that she had come to the wedding. He knew Max had invited her but to go and see him be wed when she was in love with him. Unless Michael had misunderstood? Michael supposed he could have. Then who was she in love with?
It was not him, that was for certain. Michael waited his turn then escorted Tiffany, Piaget’s sister down the aisle.
He didn’t much like her. She was beautiful, yet she was also critical and vain.
He suffered her in silence as he escorted her to the lawn.
Pictures would be taken while the guests were entertained with cocktails.
Then the reception would take place. Michael wished today was over already.
He was happy for the couple. He wished them all the best. But he felt just a little off.
It seemed like pictures took forever. Finally, they ended, and the group headed inside.
There was dinner, speeches, and cake cutting.
Michael watched it all, feeling like more of an observer than a participant.
He wondered if he should take some pain medication, but he didn’t really feel like he had a headache.
Michael ignored his head and watched the dancing until Elle made him go on the floor with her.
Elle chatted amicably about how nervous Piaget was before the ceremony and how she had felt at her own wedding to Noah.
He nodded at appropriate moments. She seemed very happy.
She also looked very nice as a bridesmaid.
At the end of the song, he returned Elle to Noah.
He didn’t feel dizzy exactly. Just not right.
Piaget commandeered him next. Michael treated her with all due respect of the bride she was and listened to her happy burbling about the wedding, how she loved his brother Max, her thanks of him being a groomsman, how she adored their mother.
Instinctively, he knew his mother would adore Piaget as well.
He was glad. It was too bad about his father.
Well, it was David’s loss, not the other way around.
Unfortunately, after their dance, Piaget paired him with Tiffany. Fortunately, Tiffany didn’t seem to want to speak. That was good. He did not want to speak either. At least, that was what he told himself. It was easier pretending he had any control in the matter.
Then there was Dix. She was Piaget’s maid of honor. Once again, he listened as a woman complimented the bride, the venue, his brother, the meal and whatever else she could think of.
After, he gently danced with his mother.
She told him how much she adored Piaget and he had to smile at that.
Then using a mother is intuition, she asked him what was wrong, and Michael shook his head, suddenly tired.
He gave her another smile and escorted her to Max.
Max would make her forget that she had seen him unhappy in any way.
Max was great at charming and distracting people.
When he turned around there was Ann.
She gave him a shy smile. “Care to dance?”
He swallowed and held out a hand. Michael could not refuse her.
He didn’t want to. Michael escorted her to the dance floor and as she put her hand on his shoulder and her left hand in his, he noticed the ring.
It was huge. He felt like someone had hit him in the abdomen with a baseball bat.
No, the entire world had tilted like a bomb had gone off.
She was engaged. He ran a thumb over it.
“Yes, George asked a couple of weeks ago,” she smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes.
What could he say? Michael wanted to know why she would be with a man who didn’t make her happy. Then again, she said Michael didn’t make her happy so what right had he to judge?
Instead, he just held her close, and they danced to the music, not speaking any further.
This felt like the final goodbye. Michael was grateful.
He was grateful for all the years he had known her.
He was grateful for the time he had with her.
He hoped she would find her happiness somehow. He tried to memorize the moment.