Page 53 of Emerald Moon
Jo made it through the rehearsal without their mother cornering them.She was too concerned with everything June was doing.Good luck had to run out at some point, though.As they were sneaking out of the rehearsal, ready to go back to their rooms before the rehearsal dinner, she emerged from a group of aunts and uncles like a snake lunging out of tall grass.
“There you are!”She said, just as sweetly as she began some of their phone conversations.Jo was used to this.“I was hoping to see you sooner, but you got in so late.”They were used to that, too.
“We’ve been here a while.Had time to chill out in our rooms before the rehearsal.”
“Don’t you want to see your family?”
“I’ll see them lots tonight and tomorrow.”
“Sure, but you don’t just want to sit in your room.It’s your sister’s wedding!”She looked Jo up and down.“That’s not what you’re wearing to dinner, is it?”
Jo shrugged.Yeah, it was a t-shirt, but they’d even chosen a t-shirt without a band on it.That was pretty fancy.“Probably.I’ll throw on a hoodie if it gets cold inside.June said ‘casual’ for the rehearsal.”
“It’s still a wedding.”
Jo had the inclination to give in, change clothes, and not deal with this anymore, but they caught sight of Cass out of the corner of their eye and remembered what they were like when they weren’t here.“Right, so I’ll do what the bride says and stick to casual.The other bridesmaids were dressed like me, so —”
Their mom turned to Cass.“She’s a real handful, isn’t she?Thanks for coming.You’re Jolene’s friend, right?”
Cass glanced at Jo.
“Girlfriend,” Jo corrected, heart rate picking up.They waited for the words to land, watched the subtle changes in their mother’s face as she took in the information.They were in a room full of extended family, though, so Jo knew her need to keep everything looking perfectly fine on the surface would win.
She pulled her lips into a tight line.“How nice that you’re here to celebrate with us.And your name is?”
“Cass.”
“Lovely.”She turned her attention back to Jo.“A word, please?”
“No thanks.”Jo grinned, feeling better every moment.“I’m going to go find June and chat.Or go back to my room.Whatever.Good to see you, mom!”Jo walked past her, Cass right behind them, and had to fight the urge to run away.They were full of adrenaline and needed to run, but also the further they got away from their mom right now, the better.
When they were out of earshot of the other guests, Jo stopped, grabbed a hold of Cass’ shirt and stared up at her with wide eyes.“I can’t believe I did that!In person!Right in front of her!Usually I’m so, so, so nothing in front of her.I go all spineless.Like, sometimes on the phone I can hold my own, but in person?Never.And I just did!Having you here is the best!”
Cass grinned.“I’m sure you could have done that without me here.”
“No way.Never.You’re like a perfect reminder all the time to, like, care way less about what everyone else thinks and just be myself for once.”
“Am I like that?”
“Yeah!You just are you.All the time.And you say what you mean without a thousand layers in between what you mean and what you say.Oh my gosh, I could run a mile right now.My heart is beating so fast.”
“You want to go outside?”
“Absolutely.”
“And run as wolves?”
“Don’t tempt me.But a walk will do me some good.”
seventeen
Atdinner,Jowonderedif people would ask them about the “friend” she brought, but, for the most part, their family was like their mother and didn’t want to open up a conversation they didn’t want to deal with.So they ate and chatted with family about boring topics like work and the weather in Hickorywood, but there was one person Jo knew would want to know more, and they weren’t sure about how good they felt about lying to June.
“So is this your girlfriend or something, Jolene?”Jo’s great aunt Pearl blurted in the middle of a conversation about the winters up in the mountains.
Everyone at the table froze.Someone dropped their silverware, the clattering ringing out at the silent table.
Jo choked on a piece of broccoli, but managed to talk around it.“Yeah, she’s my girlfriend,” they said quietly.
