Read Online The Wedding Party by Robyn Carr - Free Book Online Page B

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    He rang the bell. The door was opened by the kids, who immediately shrieked in happy surprise and threw themselves on him. He lifted them both, looping an arm around each skinny waist and balancing their wiry bodies against his hips, then carried them through the foyer, past the living room, to find his sister in the kitchen.
    â€œWell, look at this. Your uncle Dennis is psychic. He knew I needed a break from you ungrateful monsters.”
    â€œI eat monstrous children for breakfast,” he said in his growling voice and gave them a powerful shake that sent their limbs flailing.
    â€œTake them away for a while and I’ll make it worth your efforts,” she said.
    He growled again and carried them upstairs, knowing he wouldn’t get a single peaceful word of conversation with Gwen until he’d given them some quality time. An hour later, the kids clean and tucked in their beds, Dennis migrated back to Gwen’s kitchen, lured by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. She brushed a strand of hair out of her tired eyes and slapped a box of Girl Scout cookies onto the kitchen table between two cups.
    â€œWhere’s Dick?” Dennis asked.
    â€œIn New York, on business,” she said. “The dick,” she whispered, making her brother laugh.
    â€œHad enough mommying for one day?” he asked, sitting down behind one of the cups while she poured.
    â€œYou’re the guardian for those two, right? Because I might not live to see the end of this job. God, they should bottle that energy.” She filled the second cup. “Charlene working?”
    He sipped. “Mmm, good. Yeah, she has a meeting.” Gwen yawned. “Am I keeping you up?” he asked.
    â€œGod, I’m sorry, Denny. I had to work at the school today, plus I took Dick’s turn at Jessica’s soccer practice, and then there was this Brownie meeting about the cookies. You know, THE cookies,” she said, smacking the box till it fell over. “The effing cookies,” she added, again whispering.
    â€œWon’t you be glad when they get a little older and you can swear again?”
    â€œJesus, you don’t know the half. How’s your life?”
    â€œI’m getting married.”
    Her mouth fell open and she was momentarily speechless. “You’re getting what? ” she asked when she recovered from the shock.
    â€œMarried,” he said again.
    He sipped again from his cup while she studied his passive face.
    She had wondered if this day would ever come again for her brother. She didn’t want him to be alone. Even though he had her, Dick and the kids, it was not the same as a spouse, a partner. When he’d starteddating Charlene, she’d grown excited. Hopeful. But five years had passed in relative sameness, and while they were obviously very close, nothing like marriage—or even living together—ever materialized.
    Gwen put her elbow on the table and held up her head with her hand, staring at him while he sipped his coffee. Is this what happened when you were almost fifty and getting married? Matter-of-fact? Is it just another chore? Like deciding to update the will or go see the tax attorney?
    She lifted one skeptical eyebrow. “You look ecstatic,” she said doubtfully.
    â€œIt seems like the thing to do, don’t you think?” he asked.
    â€œIt’s not a colonoscopy, Denny. You’re getting married! ”
    â€œI really am happy about it. It’s just that…there’s something I hadn’t accounted for.”
    â€œLay it on me,” she said, slowly testing her own cup of hot coffee.
    â€œI was completely unprepared for how this would bring back memories of Sarah.” Gwen stopped sipping and gave Dennis her full and, for once, unsarcastic attention. She slowly lowered her cup to the saucer. “Even though I asked Charlene if she wanted to get married two, probably three years ago, it never occurred to me that