"What do you need to do to get ready?" Sarah asked me as she added the finishing touches to her makeup.
"I guess just throw on my clothes" I replied. I headed to the basement where I had my shirt and pants hanging. I quickly undressed and put them on. I threw the tie around my neck and was set. I headed upstairs and saw my sister coming down from the second floor. She looked amazing.
"Wow Sarah you look stunning"
"Thank you" she said with a smile.
My sister almost always looked beautiful, she could have been a model if she wanted to. Today she went above and beyond the normal clothing and makeup she'd put on. It was our parents wedding day. After almost 25 years together they were finally tying the knot. When I told most of my friends, they all responded saying they thought my parents were already married. It makes sense, they should have done this years ago. Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled about this. My parents were rather lazy, so it was long overdue and at this point in their lives unnecessary.
I grabbed my camera, grabbed my keys, and headed out to my car. I sat in it for only about two minutes before Sarah came down. She hopped in the passenger side and plugged her phone into the aux. we started on the 30 minute commute to our parents. My sister lives and works in Chicago, and my parents and I live in St Louis. I moved out over a year ago and got a place downtown with some friends. Sarah likes to stay with me when she visits because the parents can get pretty annoying. She's only staying three days and then leaving the day after the wedding, so in 24 hours she'll probably be gone.
I'm very close to my sister, growing up we always depended on each other. The car ride was pleasant. Sang along to a couple of songs, talked about how ridiculous it is that they are getting married, and talked relationships.
She wasn't seeing anyone, and hasn't really for a year or two. She's been on a couple of dates but I'm not sure why someone hasn't scooped her up. She's gorgeous.
I just split with a girl I was seeing. We didn't fool around at all but dated for about a month and a half. She wanted something different than I wanted. It was a mutual decision.
We finally arrive and I drop my sister off at the front door. I drive about another mile to my friends house, he'll be taking the pictures.
I run him through the camera really quick and let him loose. He wasn't even dressed, I didn't need to be distracting him any further.
I get back to my parents house and go to sit by my sister. She's just waiting for our parents to finish getting ready. The wedding would be starting at 3 and it was around 1:30. She sees me an gets up and grabs my arm and takes me to another room.
"Hey I was gonna sit."
"I know, you can, just listen to this first."
"Alright."
"Mom told me that her divorce papers from her first husband haven't come in" she says.
"That guy Doug? What do you mean they haven't come in?"
"I mean she's lost her divorce papers, ordered new ones, and they just haven't arrived yet."
"What does that have to do with the wedding?"
"It means mom and dad won't officially be married today." Sarah said.
"What the fuck? When did she order these?"
"Two weeks ago..."
"She's literally not been with him for like 30 years, they plan a wedding, so she knows she'll need them, and she waits two weeks before the wedding to order them?" I ask.
"I know."
"She can be so ridiculous. So what's happening today?"
"The ceremony will still go on but they are not going to be officially married."
"They are fucking ridiculous. I didn't want to be apart of this wedding in the first place, now it's not an actual wedding either? Ugh"
"I know" Sarah replies.
"Alright time to get this show on the road!" Dad says.
"It's not for like another hour and a half, dad" Sarah says.
"I meant the cooking, honey." Dad replies.
He almost all makes food for any event, Thanksgiving, he's the guy that makes food for the family, Christmas, he's throwing something together, 4th of July, you'll find him on the grill. Why would his wedding be any different?
—
"You want me to grab anything?" I ask.
"No I think I got it" my dad said. He was carrying two pans of lasagna and a tray of casserole.
"Well if you spill that on your suit you'll look like shit."
"Wouldn't the same go for you though, son?" He had a point.
"Alright well I'll meet you over there then." I said. I had to just take a breath from all of this chaos.
My dad headed out and I ran downstairs and opened the fridge, empty. "Shit" I said. Not a single beer. I quickly texted Sarah-
- Any alc at the reception?
- there will be a little bit of like wine but these people are mostly church goers so not a lot
- Hey wine works
Well, it was time to put on a show for everyone, considering it wouldn't be legal. I headed across the street to the church and found my way inside. I approach the sanctuary and I see standing in the back my sister. I give her a smile, she returns it.
"Okay" I walk in on my dad saying. "So Wesley and Louise will walk together" (Wesley was my other brother, Louise was my dad's sister.) "You'll be first, Sarah you and Thomas will then walk together after them. I think that's it" music began to play. It was about to begin.
"Well this will be either fun or a waste of time" I said to Sarah.
"Oh!" My dad exclaims. I look over at him "I don't have the rings!"
"Not the time for jokes" Sarah warns him.
"I really don't have the rings. They are on the tv stand across the street."
"Thomas can you grab them?" Sarah asks me. Immediately I spring into action and start running. Why is this church like a maze? I get across the street and into the house and found them exactly were dad said they were. Again I run across the street and into the church. I reach the back of the sanctuary and see Sarah ready to head down the aisle. Aunt Louise and Wesley already went.
"Here" I say handing the rings to my dad. Sarah and I quickly interlock arms and start to head down the aisle.
"That's ridiculous" I whisper. "I'm not surprised though."
She grabs my hand and gives it a little squeeze "thank you for getting that though. I owe you one." As she says it, we've reached the end and part ways to separate sides of the alter. Our parents start coming down and they stand in front of us.
The pastor says "friends and family..."
~~~
"There is entirely not enough wine here" I say to Sarah. "I'll have to sneak a few more glasses."
She starts giggling. She was on her second glass.
"Congrats to your parents" Bill says. Bill was a part time carpenter that went to the church our parents went to. He was holding a decent size plate of food.
"Thanks" we say in almost unison.
"I was just trying to get me a glass of that wine." Bill reaches for the bottle and I suddenly realize Sarah and I are almost guarding the wine.
"Oh my bad sorry" I reply.
He grabs the bottle and gives it a shake. It's clearly almost empty.
"Hang on one second, Bill" I head down to the churches kitchen and see my aunt there.
"Hey"