Page 1 of Lorna's Savior
Chapter 1
“You okay?” Brian asked his cousin, when he saw the expression on his face as he looked through the glass doors from the patio, into the dining room. They were currently standing outside, because both of them had received phone calls, and didn’t want to disturb the activities going on in the house.
“Yeah, I guess,” Andy Ball turned to the person joining them with a frown.
“Andy, this is Raymond, he’s Caryn’s fiancé.” They shook hands and Randy passed out beers to everyone.
“Doesn’t it bother you?” Andy demanded of Ray. They had moved inside and everyone stopped at the question.
“Does what bother me?” Raymond asked as he went over to Caryn, Andy’s cousin, and Brian’s sister.
“All that.” Andy pointed to all the paperwork taking up the whole dining table.
“This is our wedding plans, Andy,” Caryn said in shock.
“I realize that, and don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for you, but why do it?”
“Do what? Get married?” Brian asked in confusion.
“Son, you need to clarify your statement,” his Uncle John said. “From your expression, you’re confused about something, so spit it out.”
With no malice coming from his family, Andy drew in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “I’m not against the institution of marriage. Matter of fact, I encourage it. However, now, this is just my personal opinion, but why go to all the expense? Again, this is just me talking, but why pay thousands upon thousands of dollars for your friends and family to help you celebrate your day? Shouldn’t they be paying you to be included? And what about all that money you’re spending on just one day? Why not take that money and put a down payment on a house? Isn’t that a bigger investment than only one day? I feel that marriage is for the long haul. The wedding is just one day out of the rest of your lives. That’s where the investment should go.” Andy looked around at the shocked expressions on his family’s faces, and sighed. “But, again, it’s just my opinion.”
“And you’re entitled to have it,” Aunt Helen said. After several seconds, she bit her tongue, and grinned. “You’re more and more like your parents every day.”
“You take that back!” Andy pointed to her and demanded, but there was no heat behind his words.
“I can’t wait until you meet the girl of your dreams. You’ll see, you’re going to want to have a big wedding to let all your friends and family celebrate with you.”
“God forbid. No, if I ever find a woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, then we’ll do a civil ceremony with only a couple of people as witnesses, down at the local courthouse. It’s only a ceremony. I’m going to concentrate all my efforts on the actual marriage, not the wedding ceremony. As I just said, in my humble opinion, that’s more important than how or where you get married.”
“You’d disappoint your mother like that?” Helen asked.
“Please, my mother wouldn’t care. Look at how she and dad got married.”
Helen grinned. “Okay, you have me there.” She turned to Raymond with a grin. “My sister is a little…”
“Wacked,” Andy grinned. “Off her meds? Psycho?”
At his explanations, Brian spat out the sip of his beer he had just taken.
“Come on, it’s not that bad.”
“No, but still. I love my parents with all my heart, I do. But, I swear to God, Mom was wacked out on some sort of hormone overload when she named us kids.”
“What’s wrong with Andy?” Raymond asked in confusion. When his whole future in-laws burst out laughing, he frowned.
“Andy is his middle name,” Brian laughed. “I think he was three when he demanded everyone call him Andy. His parents and siblings are the only ones that call him by his given name. I won’t say it, because I don’t want the shit beaten out of me.”
“Can I ask what it is?” Raymond frowned when everyone either giggled or snorted a laugh. They all turned to Andy for his reaction.
It took several silent minutes, before he groused, “Fine, since you’re marrying my cousin, then I guess I can let you in on the family secret.” He sat down and picked up a water, pushing his half-drunk beer aside. “My last name is Ball. Mom got it in her fool head that somewhere down the line on my father’s side, we’re related to that famous redheaded actress, Lucille Ball. I don’t think we are, but you’d have to understand my mom to realize it’s her wacky way.” He looked over at his aunt, and she only grinned at him.
“This is your story.”
“Fine, anyway, if my parents had been born twenty years earlier than they were, they would be what you’d classify as hippies. Now, they call themselves New-Age hippies.”
“How far does it go?” Raymond asked. At their confused looks, he shrugged. “I’ve known some people that call themselves that, and they only do it to smoke pot. Then, they play at being vegan or vegetarian, but they’re only that way when it suits their purposes.”
