Every Saturday Night (Firsts and Forever 6)

Lucky chewed his lower lip for a moment. It looked like he was mulling that over, and then he nodded. “You have a point. I’m going to send a text, and I’ll join you in a minute.” He took a seat on the bench in the foyer while the rest of us went into the living room.

Kel and Eliot came in a few moments later and began putting batteries in some green plastic lanterns they’d found in the garage. “I never thought I’d actually be grateful for the time Yolanda made a bunch of us go camping and bought a ton of equipment,” Eliot said. “This is all bad enough without also sitting around in gloomy semi-darkness.” Owen seemed fascinated and watched them closely as they lit up one lantern after another.

Lucky gave me a thumbs up as he came into the room. He sat beside me on the couch, and I asked, “So, he was okay with it?”

“It’s totally fine.”

The brides joined us maybe ten minutes later with wine glasses in hand. “We’ve been talking, and we decided we’re not changing a thing,” JoJo told us. “Thanks for the offer of that house, Lucky, but we’re getting married here, in our beautiful garden as planned. If the rain stops and the power comes back, great. If not, well, whatever. I was going to wear waterproof mascara anyway.”

Lark said, “How about if we go out and buy a bunch of colorful umbrellas that the guests can hold during the ceremony? That could actually be really beautiful.”

JoJo perked up at that, and I added, “We could also get a lot more battery-operated lanterns and stick them all over the house and yard. We can probably find some decorative ones and make it look like they were always part of the plan.”

“That actually sounds amazing,” JoJo murmured as she turned to Yolanda, who nodded enthusiastically.

Lark was already on his feet. “Let’s split up into teams. Dylan and I are team rainbow of umbrellas. Kel and Eliot, you’re team light it up. JoJo and Yolanda, you’re team drink wine, cuddle, and pamper yourselves on your wedding day. Logan and Lucky can stay here with Owen and hold down the fort. Maybe burn some sage to ward off any more bad luck while you’re at it. Now come on, Pink Victorian Crew, let’s make some magic!”

The brides thanked us before returning to their bedroom, and the shopping teams rushed off to get their coats and shoes. Meanwhile, Lucky and I curled up together on the couch, and Owen started babbling happily and rearranging his blocks.

“I know you’d just planned to drop off some snacks,” I said, “so I understand if you have to go.”

“Actually, I’m totally invested in your friends’ wedding, so I’d like to hang out with you and help in any way I can, if that’s alright with you.”

I kissed his cheek before saying, “I’d love that.”

A minute later, Lark and Dylan came back downstairs, and Dylan waited by the door while Lark ran to the kitchen. My brother returned a moment later with a big cookie sticking out of his mouth and another in his hand. He handed me a small, glass bottle and waved goodbye, and then they headed out the door. Eliot and Kel followed a few seconds later.

“It’s so peaceful all of a sudden,” I said. The only sounds were the rain tapping on the window and the baby’s happy ongoing dialog.

Lucky put his arm around me and nodded. After a moment he asked, “Want me to bring you one of Mr. Chen’s famous double chocolate cookies?”

“Thanks, but I’ll wait. This feels wonderful, and I don’t want either of us to move until we have to. We probably only have two or three minutes anyway, before Owen gets restless and we have to chase him down the hall.”

“Works for me.” He craned his neck to see what I was holding and asked, “What did your brother hand you?” When I held up the bottle of dried sage, he seemed confused. “What are you supposed to do with that?”

“I’m going to ignite it. Not here, obviously. Maybe in the kitchen sink? Somewhere that won’t set off the smoke alarm, because I for one could really do without that screeching.”

“Great. And…why?”

“To ward off any more bad luck, obviously.”

He chuckled and pointed out, “I’m pretty sure that ritual doesn’t usually involve a jar of seasoning.”

“Yeah, but we’re a resourceful bunch around here.”

He kissed me, and then he grinned as he said, “I’m so glad I came over early.”

* * *

It kept raining all afternoon. Meanwhile, the power company’s estimate for when the electricity would come back was eleven o’clock that night. It didn’t make a difference though, because this wedding was going to be beautiful no matter what.

Lark and Dylan returned with armloads of umbrellas in bright colors, along with a bunch of decorative lanterns and every strand of battery-operated twinkle lights they could find. “Even though we’re not team light it up, we figured more is more,” Lark said, as he and his boyfriend began unpacking their purchases.

Kel and Eliot came home soon after with Kel’s boyfriend Hudson, as well as Kel’s friend and business partner Noah. Their team was hauling more lanterns and big boxes of flameless candles.

We all went to work lighting everything up and making pretty displays around the living room, kitchen, and backyard. Then Lark set up a table just inside the back door and stacked it with the umbrellas, so guests could take one as they headed outside for the ceremony.

He’d taped slim, super bright mini flashlights to the shaft of each umbrella, pointing up toward the spokes. “I don’t quite understand the flashlights,” I said. “I know it’s really gray and overcast, but it’s not actually going to be dark out during the ceremony.”