Chapter 12 - The Wedding
The wedding was driving Leroy insane. His sisters, plus the sister-n-laws and girlfriends, were driving Leroy nuts. They wanted this type and then that type, they weren't taking any suggestions from him of what Dave and he would like. Dave and Leroy just wanted to get married, now he wished he wouldn't have opened his big mouth saying that a traditional wedding would be fun. He should have gone with Dave up to the courthouse, married and got it over with.
They decided on Saturday, October 25th, to get married. They have filed for the married license and found a friend that can officiate over the ceremony. So everything was falling in place if Leroy would just get his sisters to listen to him.
Dave and Leroy both decided right away they were writing their own vows, they had been dreaming of this for too long. They wanted it to mean something more to them than to just recite the traditional vows.
Dave walked into the family room and smiled, he could see how frustrated Leroy was becoming. He was hoping that the added stress that his sisters were putting on him wasn't going to cause Leroy to have a seizure. Leroy looked up at Dave, threw his hands up in the air, gave up, and walked out of the room.
Dave followed him. "Babe, just tell them, you don't want help."
"And piss Allison off, along with the others and your sister. Hell, just be glad they don't have one of us in a fucking dress."
Dave pulled Leroy into a hug. "I love you, Leroy, calm down, we don't need you getting too worked up about this. Let me talk to them, let me see if I can get through to them, on what we want."
"Have at it, I'm going for a walk." Leroy kissed Dave and walked out of the house.
Dave walked back into the family room and sat down. He watched them all bicker for a bit, and then he spoke up. "Can I please, interject?" Dave waited a minute until he had all their attention. "Have you ever listened to Leroy?"
"Dave, we have, but we want to make this special for the two of you," Allison spoke for the group.
"Allison, even if we stood in front of a doll and expressed our love to one another, knowing we are getting married is more than special enough. Please simplify it, we love everything that you all are doing, but it doesn't need to be that elaborate. Also, I'm worried about Leroy, I hope he isn't stressing too badly about this."
"Sorry, Dave, I know you two want it simple, I promise we will try, but..."
"Please, Allison, simplify it and don't stress Leroy out. I don't want him to have a seizure." Dave looked at them again. "I'm going to go look for Leroy and take him to lunch. Then please can you listen to what we want."
"We will try," Allison responded.
Dave left the house, he drove up and down the streets until he found Leroy and asked him to get in the car. When Leroy settled in the seat beside Dave, Dave reached for Leroy's hand, bringing it to his mouth and kissing it. "I love you, Leroy. I'm sorry that I have left you dealing with the women. I should have helped a little more than just today."
"I love you too, but they're going to be the death of me. You won't have anyone to marry if they push me just a little further." Leroy smiled at Dave. "Who am I kidding, I would drag myself up to the aisle from my grave, just to marry you."
Dave just smiled and squeezed Leroy's hand as he headed towards the diner. "I thought we could have some lunch alone before I head to work."
"Thank you for keeping me out of the bitchfest for a bit longer." Leroy leaned over and kissed Dave before they both exited the car.
*
With lunch finished, Dave showered and dressed for work. Leroy had been staying away from the family room, but when Dave walked out the door, he knew he couldn't keep avoiding everyone, so he walked back in and sat down.
"Leroy, we are sorry," Allison spoke again for the group. "We haven't been listening to what you and Dave want, and we are sorry for it. Please tell us now, and we will work on what you and Dave would like from now on."
Leroy smiled and proceeded to tell them what they would prefer. He and Dave had laid in bed almost every night discussing how they would love their wedding to go.
*
The bachelor parties were coming up, and the women and men had chosen who they wanted to take out, of course, all the brothers wanted to take Leroy, and that left Dave with the women.
The night before the wedding, the women picked Dave up. "Dave, I know you would probably prefer to be out with the guys and Leroy, but you get us," Allison explained. "You know that you're not allowed to see the person that you are marrying the night before the wedding."
"It's okay, Allison. Leroy has spent enough time with you all over the last three weeks. I think he deserves a good drinking night, but I hope that he is sober for the wedding." Dave laughed, but he did really worry about that. "So where are you taking me?"
"It's a secret," Bridget responded. "And when we get close, we are blindfolding you."
"No please, do you have to?"
Everyone in the van responded very loudly. "YES!"
They started driving towards DC, and when they crossed over, they blindfolded Dave. He just shook his head and hoped that Leroy was having a wonderful time. He knew they would not allow him to return to the house tonight, that he would be staying at Allison's. Before leaving the house, they had him pack a bag.