Author's note: This is Chapter 5 of "Fourth Year After", the last book in my series that began with "First Year After". Then Second, Third, you get the picture. If you have not read the earlier books in the series, I recommend you do, so you'll know who the characters are, how they relate to each other, and how they got to where they are now.
As always, all sexual acts described here involve fictional characters over the age of 18.
~~~~~
June 18, 2016
The day arrived for Ginger and Maria's wedding. Maria was upstairs in Center's bedroom getting prepared, while Ginger was in West doing the same.
With Ginger's parents being deceased, she had asked Henry to walk her down the aisle, but to dispense with the whole 'giving away' routine as too patriarchal. Grandpa Scott was doing the same service for Maria.
Mom was Maria's matron of honor and Ginger's sister-in-law Monica was going to be hers, and they skipped having any bridesmaids. Monica and her husband Ken had arrived earlier, so Monica could assist Ginger.
Toni, Patti, Amber, Sandy and I were greeting arriving guests, and guiding them to the chairs we had set up between the pool and the fence to West, and I was returning to the front door when I heard, "What are you doing here, you tramp? Someone finally knock you up?"
It was Jessica Parker, Jean's mom. Sandy had given her son David a blowjob during the reception at Jean's wedding. Clearly, Jessica hadn't forgotten or forgiven her. I could see David cringing behind her. Sandy looked near tears. Her skin is usually thicker, but I chalked it up to hormones.
I was about to defend Sandy when Jean beat me to it. "Knock it off, mother! Sandy's about to become Aunt Ginger's niece. This is her family's home that we're guests in, and that Duke and I are going to be renting, come September. You're being incredibly rude."
"How the hell is she Ginger's niece?" Jessica asked.
Trying to stay calm, I answered, "She will be after today's vows are exchanged, Mrs. Parker. Do you remember me? Drew Barnes, Duke's best man? Sandy's step-brother? In case you weren't aware, Ginger's bride Maria Cooper is my mother Tina's sister and my mom is married to Sandy and Amber's dad Henry Kilson. That means Henry is Maria's brother-in-law, and will become Ginger's brother-in-law, just as Maria will become your sister-in-law. That will also make Amber, Sandy and I into Ginger's nieces and nephew, at the same time that Jean, David and Jeremy become Maria's niece and nephews. Now that we've established Sandy's right to be a
guest
to this wedding, I'll point out that Sandy and I are two of the co-owners of this house you're standing in and the ones to either side of it, so we're also your hosts today. So I would suggest that if you don't want to be shown the door, you'll apologize for calling her a tramp, right damn now."
Clearly taken aback, Jessica mumbled an "I'm sorry" in Sandy's direction.
"I'm not sure she heard you," I said, not willing to give her an inch. I could see Jean and Duke both struggling not to laugh. Her brothers looked impressed. Clearly, she wasn't used to being held to account.
Louder, she said, sincerely, "I'm sorry, Sandy. I shouldn't have said what I said. Can you forgive me?"
Sandy walked up to her and said, "I accept your apology, Jessica. No forgiveness necessary. You were just being a mama bear, and I get it a lot better now that I'm about to become a mama myself. I hope you can understand that I never meant David any harm, nor do I think I did him any. He's a nice guy, and I doubt I'm the first or last girl to think he's hot. For the record, I am in a committed relationship with the father of my baby. Like my sister Amber's relationship with Drew and Patti, I'm one of two women sharing one man, but we've decided that if Aaron can't marry both Mandy and me legally, he won't marry either of us. I'm going to marry Mandy instead, after I move to Minnesota with them, so that she gains custody rights over my son as his step-mom, to match Aaron's parental ones as father."
I escorted the Parker family to the back yard, where they joined Ginger's brother Ken. A few more friends of the brides arrived, and we were set to begin.
The ceremony itself was lovely, and thankfully drama-free. Maria and Ginger pledged their love to each other, to be partners in life as well as love.
As the reception part of the day began, I walked up to the brides, and got to say, "Aunt Ginger, Aunt Maria, you were both radiantly beautiful today. Congratulations, and welcome to the family, Ginger."
"I'm going to have to get used to thinking of you as my nephew, Drew," Ginger said.
"You mean he's my cousin, now?" asked Toby, from behind me.
"That's debatable, Toby," I said, turning. "Most definitions state that cousins are defined by a shared ancestor, where first cousins share at least one grandparent, second cousins a great-grandparent, and so on. We don't share any ancestors, that I know of, although if we researched our family trees it's possible we could find one or more, many generations back. Other definitions simply define a cousin as the child of an aunt or uncle, without specifying blood relations, while the definition of an aunt includes sisters-in-law of your parent, so the combination would say we are. While the laws governing who can marry talk about aunts and uncles of full or half blood, which would seem to set aside the in-law variety. I'll take both looser definitions, and choose to think of you as my cousin, whether or not we actually are. After all, if can I think of Toni Kannady as my aunt, even though she didn't marry my uncle, and as my step-mom, even though her marriage to Mom and Henry isn't a legal one, I can think of you as my cousin. Okay?"
"I'm good with that... cousin Drew," Toby said. Wendy smiled by his side.
Jean joined the conversation, asking, "Does that mean we're related now, too, Drew?"
"No, we're not. We share two aunts and maybe two cousins, but that's all. Just like your cousins on your mom's side aren't related to Wendy or Toby, who are on your dad's side of your family. Think of it as a Venn diagram. My family and your family are separate circles centered around each of us, but they overlap just a little, with Maria, Ginger, Toby and Wendy in that intersection now."
"Leave it to you to bring math into it," Duke said.
"If I declare Duke as my honorary brother, would that be good enough for you, Jean?" I asked. "Intentional family?"
"Beats you asking me to be your husband, Drew," Duke said.
"Let's not get into that again, guys," Jean warned. "Not today. Today's about celebrating our families getting closer, whether they're separate, intersecting or whatever."