Kin (18 page)

She didn't respond.

“Since you find it distasteful to even contemplate marrying me sometime in the future, I have no choice. I want to be married. I want a family. Is that wrong? Isn't that what everyone wants? You're not prepared to give it to me, so I've gone elsewhere. But in your eyes it will still be my fault.”

She kept her face turned away. David knew the conversation was over. He put the car in gear and turned the wheels back on the road. They were silent the rest of the drive. When he pulled into the yard, Lila got out of the car and shut the door before he could say anything else. Not that he was going to. He'd said enough already.

* * *

The wedding took place at Saint George's Round Anglican Church and the reception was at the Lord Nelson hotel. There was a suite of rooms available at the hotel for David and his family, who were driving up the day before the wedding. He paced back and forth waiting for them to arrive.

The hotel room door finally opened and only a round bump could be seen protruding from the side.

“Guess who!”

“Annie!”

Annie appeared, with Henry, Mom, and Dad behind her, as well as his grandmother, Cynthia. David was happy to see them.

“Look at you.” He took his sister in his arms and gave her a big hug. “Hi, everyone!”

As they greeted each other, Annie rubbed her belly. “Are you sure Kay still wants me in this wedding? I'll look like a fat cow beside her.”

“She said she didn't care if you were as big as a house.”

“Can you believe someone that beautiful and that rich is so nice?” Annie said. “You must be the happiest guy alive.”

His mom and grandmother approached him with what looked like new cookie tins. “I made some Danish wedding cookies…” his mother said.

“…and I made a light fruitcake. Do you think we should give them to Kay's mom in case she wants them for the reception?”

David loved these two women more at that moment than ever in his life. “Let me handle it. I'll make sure she gets them.”

“Your Aunt Muriel and Uncle Howard were going to come, but Muriel didn't feel up to it at the last minute,” Dad said. “But everyone else is here. Are we all expected at the rehearsal dinner tonight?”

“No, just the wedding party, and Grandma, of course.”

“Is it in this hotel?” Henry asked.

“No, another restaurant downtown.”

His tiny grandmother reached up and patted his cheek. “If you don't mind, honey, I won't be going this evening. The drive tuckered me out.”

“That's fine, Grandma. Don't worry about it. I'll make sure to order room service before we go.”

“What's that?”

“It's great; they make your meal and bring it right to your door.”

“What's so great about that? I've been doing that for you fellas for fifty years.”

David introduced his family to the Hanovers in the lobby of the Lord Nelson. Louis made a big show of welcoming them to the city, as if they were refugees from another country. Kay's mom kept her cigarette holder glued to her mouth and only nodded at everyone. Kay was happy introducing her brother, Louis, who seemed genuinely pleased to meet them.

Then David introduced his best man, Scott, to his family, along with another school chum who was a groomsman. Kay's maid of honour was her cousin Marion. Marion and Annie became fast friends, both of them giggling over Annie's girth.

They departed for the church and the minister went over the ceremony. It seemed pretty straightforward, so they piled in their cars and hit the restaurant, which was ready and waiting for them. David and his dad walked in together, but when Louis came through the door, Dad asked to speak to him.

Louis stood there with a cigar in his mouth, looking like Winston Churchill.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Macdonald?”

“I'd like to pay for everyone this evening, in accordance with the tradition that the groom's family hosts the rehearsal dinner.”

David's stomach started acting up there and then.

“That's extremely generous and kind of you, sir. I will certainly abide by your wishes. Thank you very much.”

Louis walked off, but David held his father back. “Dad, you don't understand…”

“I don't understand what?”

“These people don't care what things cost and they drink. It's going to be more than you can afford.”

“I have my pride, David. I want to do this for you. You're my only son now and your mother and I want to do our part.”

David hung his head. Dad put his arm over his shoulder. “It'll be fine.”

It wasn't.

Dad might have been paying for it, but Louis presided over the wine list. “We want three bottles of your best champagne. Nothing's too good for my girl.”

David sat next to Annie and whispered, “Dad's paying for this.” Annie then whispered to Henry.

The waiter came back with the champagne.

“We'd also like three bottles of your best white wine.” Louis turned to Dad. “This restaurant is known for its seafood. White wine goes better with fish, but if you like, we can get red too?”

Dad held up his hand. “We're good.”

“Let's have appetizers first,” Louis boomed.

“Is this all on one bill?” the waiter asked.

“Yes, it is,” Dad said.

Everyone had appetizers except for Henry, Annie, David, and his parents.

Then Louis encouraged everyone to get the lobster, which they did, except for Henry, Annie, David, and his parents, who didn't have the dessert or specialty coffee either.

At one point Dad stood up and cleared his throat. Virginia kept talking until Kay spoke to her under her breath.

Virginia put up her hands in surrender, one of them holding onto a glass of rye and ginger. “No offense meant.”

“I'd like to thank everyone for coming this evening. David's mother and I are very proud and happy to welcome Kay into our family. She is obviously a wonderful girl and a credit to her parents. David is a good man, and I know he will take care of your daughter in the years ahead. We wish them all the best.”

“Hear, hear!” Louis roared.

Dad held up his glass. “To David and Kay.”

Everyone followed suit. “To David and Kay.”

David, Annie, Henry, and Mom sat still as the waiter handed Dad the bill. To his everlasting credit, he didn't flinch.

“Excuse me. I'll take care of this at the counter.” Dad stood up and walked away. Henry got to his feet and said “Nature calls,” before hurrying after Dad. David watched them confer in the corner. He knew that Henry was offering to pay with a cheque and that Dad would have no choice but to accept. He also knew his father would insist on paying him back as soon as he got to a bank.

David was aware that it wouldn't occur to Kay to wonder if there was a problem. She was happy and laughing with her cousin, who was flirting with the best man and the groomsman. Louis Sr. and Louis Jr. were discussing business. Mom stared at her lap, and Annie looked at Henry with such love in her eyes that David had to look away.

There was only one person who noticed everything, and that was Virginia. David saw her sit back in her chair and stare at him with a satisfied look. She even held up her glass and nodded to him.

David had never hated anyone so much in his life.

The first thing David did the morning of his wedding was go downstairs with the cookie tins and speak to the man in charge of the reception.

“I'd like these cookies and this fruitcake to be front and centre on the dessert table. Put them on your best pedestal cake plates, please, and then return the tins to my room.”

“Certainly. I'll make sure it happens.”

“Thank you.”

The rest of the day was a blur. It seemed to be endless waiting, and people running back and forth and cars being arranged and everyone asking him questions, most of which he couldn't answer, since he hadn't planned any of the wedding. He wanted it to be over.

He stood at the altar with his friends beside him and the minister behind him. Most of the guests were crammed into the pews on the bride's side of the church, until it became impossible and the wedding planner started to herd the excess people over to the other side, just for the sake of appearances.

Henry and Dad escorted David's mother and grandmother up to the front of the church. They both had on corsages and new dresses. Not to the floor like Kay's family, but still lovely. When the four of them sat down in the front aisle, David smiled at them. His mother blew him a kiss.

He completely ignored Kay's mother being escorted up the aisle by her son.

Then the music started and everyone stood. The first to appear was Annie, who had a bit of a duck waddle going on. She held her bouquet to hide her belly as best she could. She stuck her tongue out at him when she got to the front. Marion came next and then Kay and her father proceeded down the aisle.

“You lucky bastard,” Scott muttered.

Kay had on an ivory, soft silk crepe gown, with a cowl neckline in the front and a low draped back. There was a silk sash to cinch her silhouette and lace cap sleeves at her shoulders. She carried white roses and had a diamond and pearl brooch in her hair.

When Kay looked at David he couldn't believe she wanted him. Why him? She was beautiful. Everything a man would want in a woman. He'd spend the rest of his life trying to make her as happy as she seemed at that moment. He only hoped that someday he'd be happy too.

* * *

When Annie was finally able to escape the head table, she made a beeline for her family. They sat at three tables in the back corner of the room. Henry had saved her a chair.

“Is it my imagination or is there enough booze and food in here to sink the
Titanic
?”

Her grandmother sniffed. “It's indecent. And the waste! You could feed a village for a week. I saw perfectly good lobster tails that hadn't been touched being scraped off plates, and no doubt thrown in the garbage. I've never seen anything like it.”

“I know, Mother,” Mom said, “but this is David's reception and we don't need to tell him all about it when he comes over. Let him enjoy the night.”

“Well, when this is over, I plan on speaking my mind. I'll talk to him at the wedding brunch in the morning.”

Mom sighed.

David and Kay were making the rounds of the tables and eventually came their way. Kay looked even more astonishing up close.

“I want to thank you all for being here. I know it means a lot to David and it means a lot to me, too. I hope you enjoy the dancing later, and the late-night buffet.”

Annie got ready to put her hand over Grandma's mouth, but she just murmured, “Wonderful, dear. I'm sure we'll enjoy it.”

Kay was called away, but David rubbed his hands together. “I want my three best girls to come and see something.” He helped his grandmother out of her chair and Mom and Annie followed. They made their way over to the dessert table. As requested, the cookies and fruitcake were beautifully displayed, front and centre.

“Oh, my,” Grandma said. “It looks so nice. How come it doesn't look like that at home?”

“The five-hundred-dollar serving tray probably has something to do with it,” Annie said.

Mom kissed David. “Thank you, dear. That means a lot.”

Virginia happened to come by with her socialite friends, and they stood in front of the table making their selections. Two other women came running over and pointed at the cookies and the fruitcake. “Oh my God! Did you taste these? I normally hate fruitcake, but this is amazing.”

“And those cookies melt in your mouth.”

“What did you expect? We only pay for the best.”

Annie was about to tell them that they were her family's recipes, but David got there first.

“Actually, you have two talented ladies to thank. My mother, Abigail, and my grandmother Cynthia.”

Annie waved. “The talent stopped with my generation.”

All the ladies gushed and wondered if they could have the recipes. Annie could tell her mom and grandmother were thrilled. Only one person didn't join in; Kay's mother looked at David with hate and he returned the favour.

Annie grabbed a cookie herself and beat it back to the table. Henry had on his
I'm bored out of my mind
face
.
“I have something juicy to share.”

“Do tell.”

“There's some kind of history with David and Kay's mother. I know most men don't like their mother-in-laws, but he's only been married for five minutes, which means something's transpired between them, and I plan on finding out what.”

“Right now?”

“Maybe.”

“Leave the guy alone.”

Annie hit Henry on the arm. “Oh look, here he comes.”

David escorted his triumphant relatives back to the table. The grin on his face was ear to ear. Annie waved David over and he knelt down between their chairs.

“Why the mutual hate contest between you and Mrs. Hanover?”

“The first day I met her, she grabbed my balls under the dining-room table.”

Henry and Annie exploded with laughter.

“Oh my god, if I have these babies tonight it will be your fault!”

“You asked.”

* * *

The live band played the new hit “Some Enchanted Evening” and David marvelled at how Kay looked in his arms. Next he danced with his mother and Kay danced with her dad. Mom and Dad and Annie and Henry had one dance after that and declared it an evening. Grandma had been taken up to her room earlier.

Most of David's relatives left at the same time. He didn't blame them. Everyone was shouting to be heard over the loud band, and you can only look at drunken wedding guests for so long before it's not funny anymore. But they all went over to thank the bride's parents for the lovely evening.