Linnie nodded, but in a way that I could somehow tell meant she wasn’t agreeing with me. She reached out and smoothed one of my curls down, then took a breath before speaking. “It can’t always be about us, Charlie,” she said, her voice a little tentative, like she was carefully choosing each word as she spoke it. “You have to have people outside the family too.”
“I do,” I said automatically, before wondering if this was actually true any longer.
Linnie gave me a look that clearly said she didn’t believe me. “What happened with Jesse?”
“Nothing,” I said, and gave her a quick recap of Mike getting drunk and ruining the mood. “But maybe tonight . . .” Even as I spoke the words, I could feel my heart start to beat faster at the thought of it—I would be seeing Jesse soon. Like, in a few hours.
“Well, have your fun. Just be careful,” she said, raising an eyebrow at me.
“Girls?” I heard my dad’s voice—from the sound of it, he was on the landing.
“Yeah?” we both called back in unison.
“Uh—there’s someone named Ralph downstairs who claims he’s here to marry Linnie.”
Linnie shot me an exasperated look, and I clapped my hand over my mouth, trying not to burst out laughing. “He’s going to marry her to Rodney,” I called. “He’s a judge.”
“Ah,” my dad said. “Well, that makes more sense. I was worried there was going to have to be a duel or something.”
“Do we need to go down?” Linnie called.
“Pretty soon,” my dad said, and his voice was getting fainter, like he’d already headed down the stairs. “Almost picture time!”
“So,” I said, looking across at her and feeling myself smile. “Should we get you married?”
Linnie looked around the closet, then took a breath and nodded. I held out my hand to her and she clasped it, and we pulled ourselves up to standing together, the way we’d been doing ever since I was little. “Yes,” she said, straightening out her train and giving my hand a squeeze. “Let’s do it.”
CHAPTER 21
Or, The Boy I’m Gonna Marry
* * *
IS EVERYONE HERE?” WILL ASKED as he walked past us all—the bridesmaids and groomsmen, all lined up in the kitchen in our proper order, with Linnie and my parents waiting at the end of the line, in the dining room. “Are we all ready?”
“Is this a rhetorical question?” J.J. asked, sounding not sarcastic, but genuinely interested. “Because I think we’ve been ready for, what, twenty minutes?”
Jenny W. nodded, and I saw Elizabeth roll her eyes. But the truth was, J.J. was right for once. We’d all been ushered into the kitchen so that we could walk across the lawn in formation to the back of the tent. It seemed that getting the bridal party in place was not such an easy thing when there was nowhere to stand hidden before processing down the aisle. Since we’d be visible the second we entered the tent, we weren’t going to do it until the wedding was actually a go. According to Will, there was nothing worse than the guests seeing a bride in her wedding dress before the event had begun.
But every time it looked like we were ready to go, another guest would come in late, and we’d go into our holding pattern all over again. I couldn’t help but think about Rodney, waiting up at the front of the tent with his parents, and hoped that someone had told him we were waiting because people kept showing up late, not because Linnie had changed her mind.
The last two hours had been a frenzied blur, as it seemed like time was speeding up the closer it got to the start of the wedding. The pictures had taken far longer than I would have ever imagined pictures could take, and by the end of it my cheeks hurt from smiling—but now they were done, which was the important thing. Linnie and Rodney had wanted to do them before the ceremony, as opposed to after (which really made the insistence that Rodney and Linnie not see each other before the wedding seem that much sillier). They figured that this way, there wouldn’t be a long pause while everyone waited for the bride and groom to get their pictures taken. It was a good idea in theory, even though J.J. kept pointing out that if either Linnie or Rodney changed their minds mid-ceremony and didn’t say “I do,” we’d be left with a lot of awkward photos.
As we’d gotten closer to the start time, Will and Bill had kicked into high gear, and it seemed like they were both in ten places at once as they ran around, both in their tuxes, communicating by walkie-talkie, looking more like they were in the midst of pulling off a heist than planning a wedding.
I had been waiting for more stuff to go wrong, but as the wedding had gotten closer to its start time, things had seemed to calm down somewhat. Brooke had taken Waffles for a walk and then closed him upstairs in my room, where he seemed happy enough to nap on the blanket that she’d folded at the foot of the bed for him, so he wouldn’t start howling during the ceremony.
“So how are you feeling, Lin?” Danny asked, turning around to look at her, standing next to my dad. They’d kept their arms linked for a while, until it became clear that we were not walking down the aisle imminently, and had stepped apart, my dad sitting on one of the dining room chairs and Linnie leaning against the doorframe. “Excited?”
Linnie batted away her veil, then rolled her eyes. It was still hanging down her back—she wouldn’t put it on over her face until we started the procession, whenever that was going to be—and it was clearly irritating her. “Mostly just ready to stop hanging out in the dining room.”
“Same,” Jenny K. said as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. “What’s the holdup again?”
“People coming in late,” Bill said as he passed us, shooting me a quick smile as he did. “But I think we’re going to be ready to go momentarily, okay?”
I nodded and turned to Rodney’s cousin Marcus, who I would be walking down the aisle with, but he was laughing about something with Elizabeth.
“Okay!” This was Will, and as he approached us, people stopped talking and joking around—he had that kind of presence. “I think we’re all set. Linnea,” he said, turning to my sister with a smile, “ready to do this?”
We all turned to look at my sister, who nodded. “I’m ready.” The Jennys and Priya broke from their spots in line to help pull the veil over her face, and then the four of them had a quick group hug, their arms around each other. “Actually, could I have a moment?” Linnie asked just as Will had raised his walkie-talkie again. “Could I just get the Grants for a second?”
I walked back toward Linnie and my parents, and the seven of us formed a loose circle in the dining room. I was standing next to Danny, who looped his arm over my shoulders, Linnie was between my mom and dad, and Mike and J.J. were standing together next to Danny. “You okay?” Mike asked, and Linnie nodded.
“I just wanted to take a minute,” she said, and I could hear that her voice was getting dangerously wobbly, which didn’t seem like a great sign before she was about to walk down the aisle. Though it did now seem like a good idea we’d done pictures before Linnie’s eyes had a chance to get totally puffy. “And just be here with my family.” She smiled at all of us, and I felt my own eyes prickle with tears as I looked around the circle—at my brothers, all of them handsome in their matching suits, and my parents, and my sister in her wedding dress. It was a scene I could imagine my mother drawing—but it was that much better, because it was real, and happening now, right this minute. “And to just thank you guys . . . I mean, for everything . . .” Linnie’s voice broke, and I saw my mom reach out and rub her back. “I wanted to let you know how much it means to me that we’re all here, together.” She glanced at Mike as she said this, and he gave her a small smile in return. Danny squeezed my shoulders and I saw my parents clasp hands behind Linnie’s back.
“I—” I started, my voice shaky as I looked around at everyone, trying to find a way to express what I was feeling. This—all of us, right here, together, this was what I’d been waiting for and missing for so long now. But it was more than that, so much so that I wasn’
t sure I could put it into words—wasn’t sure if twenty-six letters could capture it. “I’m so happy to be here with you.” My eye met Mike’s and I realized that I meant him, too. That he was a part of this family, and we would have been incomplete and off-balance without him. “I just wanted to say . . .” I pulled in a breath as I looked at everyone, about to tell them what I always felt and almost never said. “I love you guys.” My tears were threatening to spill over, and I noticed my dad clearing his throat and J.J. rolling his eyes, the way he did when he was trying not to get emotional. Danny squeezed my shoulders and kissed the top of my head. It was a moment better than all the ones I’d been picturing, and I found myself wishing it never had to end.
“Hey, Grants!” This was Jenny W., calling from the kitchen. “Come on!”
Linnie laughed, and we all broke apart and headed back into the kitchen and returned to our places in line. I’d pulled myself together by the time I reached Marcus, and he held out his arm for me to take with exaggerated gallantry. Danny turned around and grinned at me, and I smiled back.
“Okay,” Linnie said, and I saw Will raise his walkie-talkie. “Let’s go.”
Will motioned us forward, and Mike and Elizabeth began the procession across the kitchen and out the kitchen door to the backyard. Even though all we were doing was walking through our kitchen, it somehow seemed more than that—everyone in their suits and dresses, filing past the fridge and the coffee maker, a sense of ceremony and reverence, even though we were still just in the kitchen, the place where not that long ago, people had been eating bagels. Even the catering staff seemed to sense this, as most of them stopped working and watched us pass, in a slow line through the kitchen. It looked like most of them were working on the wedding cake, which was gorgeous, on a rolling tray by the island—three tiers, with sugar flowers all around it.
Will held the door open for us, and we all stayed in order, continuing our procession toward the tent. The backyard, in the space of just a few hours, had been transformed. There, right in the center, where we’d played capture the flag last night, stood a beautiful tent. It was cream colored, anchored with posts every few feet, with two pointed peaks on the roof.
As soon as we stepped outside, I drew in a breath—it was cold out there, much colder than it had been the last time I’d been outside. The wind had picked up too, and I saw Jenny K., in front of me, raise a hand to her hair as we walked across the lawn. But it wasn’t raining, which I was very grateful for at this particular moment.
Bill was waiting for us at the back of the tent, and he nodded as Mike reached him. He raised his walkie-talkie and said quietly into it, “Go music. Go procession.” Then he pulled open the door, and Mike and Elizabeth stepped through, followed a moment later by Danny and Priya.
Marcus and I followed behind them, and as we stepped inside the tent, I felt my jaw fall open. Because it was beautiful. The back had round tables with numbers in the center, with centerpieces on every table—flowers and unlit candles. On the other side of the tent, there were white chairs separated by an aisle that was strewn with flower petals. There were lights hanging from the ceiling of the tent, in addition to twinkle lights everywhere, making the whole thing feel magical.
And there were rows and rows of people, my relatives and Rodney’s, Linnie’s friends, my parents’ friends, Jesse handsome in a dark suit, everyone dressed up and facing our direction. There was music playing, too, and I was glad to hear it wasn’t Journey. But it also wasn’t the normal wedding march and I realized after a moment that it was a recording of a doo-wop song, one Linnie had always loved—“Today I Met the Boy I’m Gonna Marry.”
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling as Marcus and I walked down the aisle. Rodney was standing at the end of it, looking nervous and proud and happy, all mixed into one. He was wearing the dark-gray suit his dad had been wearing, and I could see General Daniels, sitting in the front row next to his wife, wearing his uniform. Ralph was standing next to Rodney, looking official in his judges’ robes. But seeing the way his pants seemed much too long for him, spilling over his shoes, I had a feeling he was still wearing Rodney’s suit under his robes.
When we got to the front of the aisle, the bridesmaids split off in one direction, to stand on the left side, and the groomsmen went to the right, to stand behind Rodney, all of it going fairly smoothly, even though we hadn’t had a real rehearsal. When we were all in place, there was a pause, and then Linnie stepped into the aisle.
Everyone in the tent stood up, people fumbling with their cameras and phones, turning to face my sister, who was walking slowly down the aisle with my mom on one side of her and my dad on the other, looking simultaneously like she was both about to cry and had never been so happy in her life.
I turned and looked at Rodney, who was watching Linnie walk toward him. It was an expression I’d never seen on his face before—it was happiness and wonderment, like he’d just woken up from a dream, only to find out it was real.
Linnie reached Rodney just as the song faded out, and my parents squeezed both of Linnie’s hands before going to sit in the front row, across from the Danielses.
“Hey,” Linnie said, and even through her veil, I could see that she was smiling at him.
“Hey,” Rodney replied, smiling back.
“Good evening,” Ralph said, stepping forward, and I noticed some of the guests glancing from him to Max, like they were wondering why he wasn’t performing the ceremony. “We are here today to bring Linnea and Rodney together in marriage . . .” Ralph continued with his speech, his voice confident and assured, like he’d done this a lot, despite the fact that he was a death judge. I let myself breathe out a sigh of relief as Ralph went on, talking about how Linnie and Rodney were today, pledging themselves before friends and family and promising to honor each other through good times and bad, in health and in sickness, for better or for worse.
I glanced into the front row and saw that my dad had his handkerchief out and was blinking a lot more than usual, and it looked like Mrs. Daniels was already crying.
Ralph looked out at the assembled guests and raised his voice a little as he said, “If anyone present may show just and legal cause why this couple may not be legally wed, speak now or forever hold your peace.” He said this quickly, almost perfunctorily, and had just taken a breath to continue when I heard, from the back of the tent, the sound of a chair scraping back.
“Me. Um, I do. Have something to say.” I whipped around to see what was happening, and my stomach dropped when I saw who it was. There was Olly Gillespie standing up in the back row, holding an oval object in his hand. He was wearing a suit and tie and had a set, determined look on his face. I glanced at Danny, whose expression of horror reflected back what I was feeling.
“Um.” Ralph, clearly thrown for a loop, blinked at Olly. “Okay. Well, this is a new one. Usually that question is more of a rhetorical. You, um, have something to—”
“Olly,” Linnie interrupted, shaking her head. “What are you doing?”
“He asked,” Olly said, pointing at Ralph. “He asked if anyone had anything to say, and I do. So can’t I talk?”
“No,” Mike and Danny said together, both of them turning to face Olly, looking more menacing than I had ever seen them.
“Wedding crasher!” J.J. yelled, pointing at him. He looked around, like he was waiting for the wedding police to show up and take him away.
“I was invited,” Olly said, drawing himself up.
“He was?” I asked Linnie.
“It was a gesture of goodwill,” Linnie muttered, batting her veil away. “I never thought he’d actually come. He didn’t RSVP!”
“I think you’d better sit down,” Danny said, his voice low and serious.
“Technically,” Ralph said, then cleared his throat. “That’s in there just in case someone has evidence that one of you is currently still married, or is wanted by the law . . . things that would invalidate the marriage. So—”
But Ral
ph didn’t get to finish. Olly pressed the button on the oval thing he was carrying, and a song started playing from it, one that sounded vaguely familiar—I was pretty sure I’d heard it coming from Linnie’s room a lot when she was in high school, something about someone named Jennifer having her daddy’s car.
“What are you doing?” Linnie asked.
“What are you playing?” Rodney asked, because Olly had lifted the oval thing—it was a speaker, I saw now—over his head, like he was reenacting Say Anything at my sister’s wedding.
“It was our song in high school,” Linnie muttered, batting her veil away and glaring at Olly.
“Is this yacht rock?” Mike asked, sounding appalled. “Who is this, Air Supply?”
“Eric Carmen,” Danny, Olly, and Priya all said at the same time.
“Turn it off,” Linnie said, shaking her head. “And J.J., stop dancing.” I looked over at J.J., who had started grooving along to the music.
“Sorry,” he said, giving Linnie an embarrassed smile. “It just makes me lose control.”
“Olly, sit down,” Linnie said.
“Not before I’ve said what I need to say.” He turned the music down slightly—though I was pretty sure I could hear the song on it play again, like he’d uploaded a playlist with only one song—and stepped out into the aisle. “Linnea,” he said, looking right at Linnie. “You’re the love of my life. We found it too early, that’s all. And I know that what we had was special. It was more than just a high school thing. And I really think—”
“Oliver,” Linnie said, and Olly stopped, looking surprised, like he’d had a lot more prepared. “Turn the music off.” Linnie’s voice was gentle but firm, and Olly did—the tent seeming much more quiet now that we didn’t have any yacht rock playing. “I appreciate that it must have been hard for you to come here and do this,” she said, “and it’s not that I don’t care for you. As a friend.”