Andrew stood there watching. Usually he had his poker face on, was always able to hide emotions, but I could have sworn I saw his eyes glaze over; maybe it was just me and my erratic hormones. Emily let go of Lex and did her motherly duty, fixing his suit which crumpled slightly in their embrace.
“Son…Charlie… I’m so sorry.” His voice was low.
“Sorry…for what?” I asked.
“For not seeing how you felt about each other. For forcing you apart.” His words were soft as he bowed his head. Emily placed her arm around him, aware that this was him letting go of his guilt. Sometimes these moments present themselves and there is this uncertainty of how one should behave. It was awkward but letting go of this burden, these dark secrets, to these people, it was somewhat therapeutic.
“Dad...” Lex said placing his arm on his shoulder. “I think I can safely say for the both of us that we needed to do a lot of growing up. We can’t sit here and regret our past actions anymore; we have a baby to bring into this world and it needs someone to call ‘Grandpa’ that has a grey hair here or there.” In a sudden motion, Andrew pulled Lex tight into a hug. Lex was shocked and I gathered that Andrew rarely showed affection towards him. Emily, of course, cried, and I couldn’t help it; so did I. Damn pregnancy hormones.
“Wait… I don’t have any grey hairs?” Andrew chuckled, pulling away slightl
y.
“Sure, Dad.” Lex laughed.
It was time to throw the bouquet. The single ladies, which was majority of the room, waited in a bunch on the dance floor. A few were pushing each other for front position, laughing as I caught sight of the argument that was forming between Eric and Erin. Now I knew Eric didn’t like her after she made that Lex comment. He’d been calling her a hick-town hoe all night. Adriana stood at the front and, after two fake attempts, threw the bouquet. It landed perfectly in the arms of Kate. She stood there with a shocked look on her face. I couldn’t help but laugh as I walked over to her and hugged her tight.
“I’m glad it was you.”
“Oh dear lord, marriage? Please, I’m still trying to work my way up to platinum hoochie, and besides I don’t even have anyone on the radar.”
“Well, now that Charlie’s off the table, you are my backup. Remember, you said if we aren’t married by forty we’ll marry each other and have blissful sex with other people, but I expect you to cook for me every night, and…what was I supposed to do again?”
“Buy a toolbox and learn how fix stuff around the house.” She giggled.
Eric cringed. “Oh, that’s right...but can I get a blinged-out tool belt like the one I sent to you from the Tools-R-Us catalogue?”
“Eric, that catalogue was full of dildos and God-knows-what the other shit was called,” Kate responded.
“Oh, did you buy the one with the gold sparkles?”
“Yes! And the pink one too. Well, it was a two-for-one sale!” Kate laughed.
“Oh, I missed you guys!” I couldn’t help but pull them into an embrace. I was so happy that even though my life would soon be overwhelmed with a baby, Eric and Kate had found one another.
“Stupid hick-town whore stood on my Gucci loafers,” Eric complained.
“I thought she was a hoe?”
“She upgraded to whore when I caught her snogging that redhead dude in the corner.”
“Isn’t that her cousin?” I asked.
Eric and Kate laughed in unison. “Ohhh, naaassty…”
“Well, stupid hick-town whore had her eyes on my husband,” I shot back confidently.
“Husband? Charlie, are you telling porksies?” Eric asked.
“Eric, it’s porkies,” Kate corrected him.
“No, I’m not telling porkies which by the way have you suddenly turned into a British gay man? We got married,” I announced.
“SHUT THE FRONT DOOR…but not the back. Back Door Betty is back in style…wait, my God, are you kidding me? When, how? And why didn’t you tell me if you knew?” Eric scolded Kate.
“Because it’s not my business to tell. I’m no bigmouth Betty,” she replied.
“Guys, seriously, who cares? Point is, hick-town hoe needs to hoe on out and stop eyeing my husband.”