Maybe I was put on this earth to write about other people’srelationships.
Maybe that’s not such a badthing?
Chapter 23
*Erin*
There’ssomething about weddings that’s so life affirming and hope-filling. They can even soothe the most frightened and vulnerable open hearts. Especially when it’s the wedding of people you love and care about. I didn’t even stress out over the fact that I woke up this morning with indentations all over one side of my face from smushing it into a pillow, after finally getting to sleep in the wee small hours. It now seems like years ago that I was tossing and turning, my nostrils filled with the mild lingering scent of pepperoni, my head filled with paranoia about missed opportunities withScott.
I got up early to help Maya get dressed up, in her delicate subtly shimmery rose gold slip dress and slender silver halo that’s adorned with crystals, wildflowers and gardenias. Each of the bridesmaid dresses are slightly different in style, but all made from the same billowy blush fabric that was donated by one of Maya’s favorite teachers at FIDM. The men wear off-white slacks, jackets and shirts—no ties. It’s a goodlook.
We had pictures taken in the National Park. First we did the ladies, and then there were the “First Look” pictures, when the guys brought Sam and he saw Maya for the first time in her bridal dress. His jaw actually dropped, right before he started weeping like a little boy who couldn’t believe he just got exactly what he’d asked for for Christmas. All of us women had to have our eye makeup touched up after that because OH MY GOD. Socute.
Scott is wearing his glasses. I know him well enough to understand that it’s because he expected to cry today, and he doesn’t want his contact lenses to cloud up or get dislocated if he rubs his eyes. Knowing this—knowing that he knew he would cry while his best friend got married—makes me love him even more. Standing next to our best friends, while the minister said: “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” we stared at each other. We weren’t smiling, we weren’t solemn, we were both crying happy tears, because in our own small ways we made this happen, by introducing them. At least, I think that’s what we were boththinking.
We’reunder the big tent, surrounded by desert and hills and the setting sun, flowing gauzy magenta fabric, and so much glittering candlelight. It’s warm, no longer hot. It does sort of feel like we’re in Morocco, and it definitely feels like we’re at a wonderful party wherein two beloved people just happened to officially marry each other. It’s exactly what Maya and Sam wanted for theweekend.
Scott and I are sitting next to each other at Table Number One, with the bride and groom and their parents. We’ve already consumed the salmon and chicken kebabs that I helped to skewer, and we’re eating the incredible layer cake that tastes even better than it looks. Maya and Sam’s parents and grandparents have all given their lovely little speeches, and now Sam is wrapping up his long, meandering, rhapsodic ode to all of the people he loves, most of all Maya. He thanks Scott for deciding to go to Emerson to study screenwriting, so Scott could meet me, and thanks me for being a great enough person for Maya to love and live with, and thanks our agents for getting married, so I could introduce her to him at theirwedding.
I see Maya lean back, make eye contact with Scott, and give him a look that says:make him stop!Scott gets up, hugs Sam, and takes the microphone away from him. “Okay, Champ, why don’t we take a little intermission from this beautiful journey down memory lane.” He signals for me to tap my water glass, and I do. Maya grabs Sam and kisses him, for the hundredth time thisevening.
“Hi, everyone,” Scott continues, into the mike. It is of no surprise to me that he’s a natural public speaker. “I’m Scott. I’ll keep this brief. What a relief that I no longer have to share my most embarrassing Sam story with everyone, because you all just witnessed it. And he isn’t evendrunk!”
There is laughter, and applause and cheering from the Scotsmen, who are allowed to drink champagnetonight.
“I’m just kidding, Sammy, you’re adorable…I’m sure there are more than a few cynics out there who'd find it hard to believe that two people can meet, fall in love, get married and get pregnant (not necessarily in that order), without facing or creating any obstacles.” He looks directly at me. “But fuck the cynics. Obstacles are for love stories.” He looks back at Maya and Sam. “Your love is real. I don’t know if we choose who we love, but we do choose how we love. You both chose to love each other unabashedly and without limits from the moment you met and it’s inspiring to me and I think it’s safe to say that you’ve both inspired everyone here and we are all so lucky to be here to celebrate you and the amazing beautiful thing you’re bringing into this worldtogether…”
He pauses, to pull off his glasses and dab at his eyes with his fingers. He sniffles and laughs athimself.
Everyone in the room with a pair of ovaries goes “awwww.” Evenme.
“Sorry. Let’s all raise our glasses again, to this gorgeous couple, and promise to be there for them and their spawn always. To Maya andSam.”
There’s a chorus of: “Maya andSam!”
Sam and Maya hug Scott, and then he hands the microphone tome.
“Thanks a lot,” I mumble. I had been so preoccupied with Scott Thoughts that I didn’t even prepare a Maid of Honor speech. Normally, I would have prepped like I would for a pitch meeting. But it’s a good thing, because anything I would have written would have sounded like a phony monologue from the end of a bad rom com afterthat.
I clear my throat and keep stroking the open hearts pendant of my necklace. “Well, that’s not an easy act to follow, but I will keep this very brief and to the point. Sam and Maya, I love you both, and this is my gift to you—other than the one I got off your registry. I think you’ll appreciate this even more than the juicer…” I turn to look at Scott and I say to him: “I’m in love with you, asshole. I love you, and if we can be even half as happy together as Maya and Sam are, then it will be worth putting up with you for the rest of my life or as long as Ican.”
I drop the mike, hearing laughter and applause, I hug Maya and Sam, who are laughing and crying, and then I go over to Scott. He has stood up and his face is as expressionless now as it was when I told him I loved him in front of all these people. I stand before him, waiting for a reaction. He grabs me, dips me, and says in my ear: “I’ve been in love with you since before I met you, you dumbass.” He kisses me, holding me in his arms, and I relax into it, trusting that he won’t dropme.
Sam and Maya hoot and holler, and Sam calls out to the DJ to start up the music. Not one person hesitates to boogie on out to the dancefloor.
Somebody drops a champagne glass and it shatters on the ground. Scott immediately puts his arm out to stop me from stepping onto the dance floorbarefoot.
“Where are yourshoes?”
“I don’t know! I can’t remember when I took themoff.”
“Get on my back. I don’t want you to cutyourself.”
“Oh my God, I can just avoid that area—look someone’s cleaning itup.”
“Get on my back, woman.Now.”
I roll my eyes, hike up my dress and jump up onto his back. He carries me out like this, to join Maya and Sam and all of their beautiful friends and family, and we dance like this for half an hour until he has carried me all around the area and I find myshoes.
