gentle. It shouldn’t
matter of course, since he was all wrong for her. “It’s not much,”
he said, “but it’s part of the image of us being a couple.” He met
her eyes, concerned. “You’re shaking.”
He was dreadfully wrong, completely wrong,
sinfully wrong, she reminded herself as her eyes drank him in. “I’m
ready.”
“I was hoping you’d changed your mind.”
“And waste a perfectly good dress?” She
grabbed her purse. “I don’t think so.”
They arrived at the church just in time for
the ceremony. Jackie sat next to Clay, trying to ignore the scent
of his cologne that made her think of the woodsy fragrance of a
forest in autumn. Brief flashes of them lying naked among the
leaves filled her mind as she thought of his gentle hands all over
her. She pinched herself, forcing her mind to focus. She couldn’t
entertain such fantastic thoughts about him. Anyone else but him.
She sat stiffly, determined not to touch him. If she didn’t, she’d
be okay.
The cathedral echoed with the melodious sound
of a pipe organ while blossoming spring flowers scented the air.
The late afternoon sun seeped through the stained-glass windows,
casting strips of green, yellow, and red light on the wooden pews
and well-dressed guests.
An elderly woman in an orange pinwheel hat
and eyes full of wonder turned around to them. She asked, “Oh,
isn’t it a beautiful church? I’m sure it will be a perfect
wedding.”
“It should be,” Jackie said. “They’ve had the
practice.” Clay nudged her. The woman smiled as though Jackie had
said something fascinating then looked toward the front.
Jackie toyed with the pearls on her
wrist.
“They’re not real,” he grumbled.
“I know that.”
Clay shifted in his seat. He’d been fidgeting
since they’d sat down; it wasn’t like him and it annoyed her. Every
time he moved it enhanced his cologne and his arm brushed against
hers. “Can’t you keep still?”
He slanted his eyes and glanced her way, but
said nothing.
“You needn’t look so bored.”
“I detest weddings.”
She stared at him, amazed. “Why?”
“They’re all alike. Except for Cassie’s nice,
simple wedding, and Eric’s justice of the peace. The rest have no
imagination.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The ceremony will last more than an hour.
Why? I don’t know, but it will. Someone will sing ‘The Wedding
Song’ or ‘Let’s Stay Together,’ the pastor will drone on about
‘Love is kind, love is whatever,’ then a baby will start crying
during the exchange of the vows and the mother will ineffectively,
but loudly, try to shush it.”
“I’m sure it won’t be like that.”
He glanced at his watch. “ If they’d
get started they could prove me wrong.”
Soon the procession began. A singer stood and
sang “Let’s Stay Together.” Jackie refused to look at Clay. Later
the bride, dressed in a beaded gown with satin white gloves,
descended down the aisle.. The pastor greeted everyone then began I
Corinthians' “Love is.” Jackie bit her lower lip to keep from
laughing. She succeeded until a baby began to cry. Clay nudged her.
She covered her mouth and laughed harder. Two women turned,
offering stem looks.
“She’s overwhelmed,” Clay explained, hoping
they would mistake her laughter for tears. Jackie closed her eyes.
The two women nodded in understanding; their own handkerchiefs
handy for such an occasion. He seized her arm and stood. “Excuse
us.” He whisked her outside then let her go, shoving his hands in
his pockets and glancing at a passing Volkswagen. Jackie rested
against the railing. After a moment, they glanced at each other,
then burst into laughter.
“I can’t go back inside,” Jackie gasped. “Oh,
god, when the guy started singing.”
“How about the pastor?” Clay pretended to
hold a Bible and said in a formal tone, “‘Love is patient, love is
kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.’”
Jackie covered her mouth
matter of course, since he was all wrong for her. “It’s not much,”
he said, “but it’s part of the image of us being a couple.” He met
her eyes, concerned. “You’re shaking.”
He was dreadfully wrong, completely wrong,
sinfully wrong, she reminded herself as her eyes drank him in. “I’m
ready.”
“I was hoping you’d changed your mind.”
“And waste a perfectly good dress?” She
grabbed her purse. “I don’t think so.”
They arrived at the church just in time for
the ceremony. Jackie sat next to Clay, trying to ignore the scent
of his cologne that made her think of the woodsy fragrance of a
forest in autumn. Brief flashes of them lying naked among the
leaves filled her mind as she thought of his gentle hands all over
her. She pinched herself, forcing her mind to focus. She couldn’t
entertain such fantastic thoughts about him. Anyone else but him.
She sat stiffly, determined not to touch him. If she didn’t, she’d
be okay.
The cathedral echoed with the melodious sound
of a pipe organ while blossoming spring flowers scented the air.
The late afternoon sun seeped through the stained-glass windows,
casting strips of green, yellow, and red light on the wooden pews
and well-dressed guests.
An elderly woman in an orange pinwheel hat
and eyes full of wonder turned around to them. She asked, “Oh,
isn’t it a beautiful church? I’m sure it will be a perfect
wedding.”
“It should be,” Jackie said. “They’ve had the
practice.” Clay nudged her. The woman smiled as though Jackie had
said something fascinating then looked toward the front.
Jackie toyed with the pearls on her
wrist.
“They’re not real,” he grumbled.
“I know that.”
Clay shifted in his seat. He’d been fidgeting
since they’d sat down; it wasn’t like him and it annoyed her. Every
time he moved it enhanced his cologne and his arm brushed against
hers. “Can’t you keep still?”
He slanted his eyes and glanced her way, but
said nothing.
“You needn’t look so bored.”
“I detest weddings.”
She stared at him, amazed. “Why?”
“They’re all alike. Except for Cassie’s nice,
simple wedding, and Eric’s justice of the peace. The rest have no
imagination.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The ceremony will last more than an hour.
Why? I don’t know, but it will. Someone will sing ‘The Wedding
Song’ or ‘Let’s Stay Together,’ the pastor will drone on about
‘Love is kind, love is whatever,’ then a baby will start crying
during the exchange of the vows and the mother will ineffectively,
but loudly, try to shush it.”
“I’m sure it won’t be like that.”
He glanced at his watch. “ If they’d
get started they could prove me wrong.”
Soon the procession began. A singer stood and
sang “Let’s Stay Together.” Jackie refused to look at Clay. Later
the bride, dressed in a beaded gown with satin white gloves,
descended down the aisle.. The pastor greeted everyone then began I
Corinthians' “Love is.” Jackie bit her lower lip to keep from
laughing. She succeeded until a baby began to cry. Clay nudged her.
She covered her mouth and laughed harder. Two women turned,
offering stem looks.
“She’s overwhelmed,” Clay explained, hoping
they would mistake her laughter for tears. Jackie closed her eyes.
The two women nodded in understanding; their own handkerchiefs
handy for such an occasion. He seized her arm and stood. “Excuse
us.” He whisked her outside then let her go, shoving his hands in
his pockets and glancing at a passing Volkswagen. Jackie rested
against the railing. After a moment, they glanced at each other,
then burst into laughter.
“I can’t go back inside,” Jackie gasped. “Oh,
god, when the guy started singing.”
“How about the pastor?” Clay pretended to
hold a Bible and said in a formal tone, “‘Love is patient, love is
kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.’”
Jackie covered her mouth
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