[Author's Note: many of my stories are autobiographical, at least insofar as there is an event that started the train of thought. I leave it to you, gentle reader, to decide about this one.]
I had driven all night, slept that sketchy sleep you sleep in a motel, found the hot tub out of order, no surprise there, and settled for a hot shower. Then a day spent just driving around, seeing if anything would jog my memory from almost a year spent in this town almost 50 years ago when I was in Air Force tech school (nothing did). Back to the motel for another quick shower, dressed in my off-white sports coat, black slacks, pencil striped shirt, and brightly patterned Rush Limbaugh No Boundaries tie, black loafers with brightly patterned socks (one of my trademarks when I was still working).
And now here I was, smiling and greeting the few people I knew at this shindig. Two brothers, of course, one the father of the groom and one retired military. The one from the military was the one I had shared a bedroom with for a few years. My dad and mom and then my dad and his new wife did things in twos. Me and Fred and then, ten years later, Sam and Jimmy. Joe, ten years after that, was daddy and mommy's little surprise, one of those change of life babies that happen from time to time after step-mom had thought her last period was behind her.
Anyway, it was me, Fred, and Sam exchanging our hugs and how-are-yous. Fred's wife Annie, outrageously buxom, and her red hair finally showing a hint of grey was cool to me, as always. Sam, another divorcee in our family, was stag tonight as was I, my wife home with dogs and arthritis.
I went circulating a bit, greeting nieces and nephews and cousins where I could find them. We're a scattered family with branches in 22 states so it was rare to have so many together. I greeted my cousin Margie with more than a familial kiss and a pat on the ass - we had shared a bed quite a few times one summer LO these many moons ago. Others got the hug and how are you and all of that.
And sitting alone at a table was Rita, Sam's ex-wife. I can't say she's a pretty woman, but attractive is a good word. She still reminded me of Terri Garr. She smiled when I sat next to her and said, "what's cookin' good lookin'."
She giggled at that and we talked for a while. I loved her voice, always had. High pitched and clear with a Chicago accent so thick sometimes words were hard to pick out. We just chatted, as you do at those things.
"God," she said, rolling her eyes a bit, "what in the HELL is a senior citizen like me doing as the mother of the bride."
I laughed at that. "Senior citizen?" I asked. Well, from my vantage at 74 there are very few "senior" to me.
"David," she said, "I'm 69."
I thought about that for a minute and then stood up, theatrically, pointed down at her, and said, "YOU COUGAR YOU!" My brother is 63, an age I happened to know because my wife had worked with him to get his disability claim approved. I knew more about him, if we're being honest, than I EVER wanted to. My wife's a talker.
She giggled at that.
"So why are you sitting alone?" I asked.
She sort of slumped and met my eyes.
"Because," she said after a bit of a pause, "everyone thinks I'm the slut who was stepping out on Saint Sam."
I held her eyes for a few seconds then and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "were you?"
She giggled and said, "well, maybe a little."
I took her hand in mine and said, "I'm going to mingle a bit more, but save this seat. You are NOT sitting alone."
There was gratitude in her eyes when she said, "okay," and put her purse on the seat next to her, but I like to think there was some plain old happiness there too.
So I did some more mingling. I gave Danny, the groom, my standard offer - "that Cadillac out there has a full tank of gas and it's not too late. Say the word and I'll take you anywhere you want to go."
He laughed, wrapped me in a bear hug - he's a very big guy - and said, "Thanks Uncle Dave, but no thanks."
I caught Sam and asked him if my sitting with Rita was going to be a problem. I knew I'd sit with her anyway and work things out later, but I wanted to make the effort to avoid any issues.
He smiled and said, "you've always had a thing for her. Don't worry. We don't, you know, hate each other or anything. Just sort of drifted apart. So anyway, no, not a problem."
Things were getting busy then and we all went to the outdoor chapel where the actual ceremony would be held. The usher led her to the waiting area and when things got started the father of the bride walked the mother of the bride down to a front row (there were no pews as such) seat and then Danny walked Rita down to a front-row seat on the other side.
The ceremony went, as those things do, with some scripture (too much for me but what the hell, when in Rome and all that), and some words. It wasn't very long and then we all stood and cheered the newlyweds.
At the reception I found Rita sitting where she had been before. I laid my hands on her shoulders and said, "drink?"
She looked up at me gratefully and said, "a screwdriver if they'll make one, a triple if you can swing it."
I chuckled and found the bar, ordered drinks, and brought back her screwdriver and my beer.
You can cut a few yards of any wedding scene and you'll understand the next couple of hours. Rita and I chatted, just catching up. I was retired, making guitars, doing home improvement, and traveling some in the travel trailer with my wife. She was working again at the airline doing some back-office logistics stuff that was maddening in today's economy.
Danny took her for the Groom-Mother dance and I danced with her a few times. She moved amazingly well for a woman of 69 when the fast music played and I had trouble keeping up. We did the obligatory chicken dance, hokie pokie, and YMCA.
After a slow dance, something new that I had heard on the radio but couldn't sing along to, she looked up, met my eyes, and said, "David, get me out of here please."
So we found the bride and groom, exchanged hugs and kisses, Danny whispered "thank you for taking care of mom," and we headed for the door.
"Would you like to stop for a quiet drink or just go home, well, back to your hotel?" I asked.
She looked at me in that way only a woman can, her lips pursed and pulled slightly to the side, her eyes kind of squinted, and after a few seconds said, "I'd like you to take me to bed."
Okay, the grin that spread across my face probably made me look like I was way out there on the Autism spectrum.
She giggled and added, "unless you're not interested in a senior citizen."