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Gabriel took my hand and we went out to our guests. With a glass of champagne in hand, he began his speech to me.
“Dear Cia, some people may think that we are rushing into this marriage. They couldn’t be more wrong.
“I spend almost thirty years getting ready to recognize you when I found you. At first I didn’t see clearly that you were the one I was destined to share my life with, and I blame the fact that you were in disguise and hiding behind a veil of blackness, but once I got a peek behind your cover I fell fast and hard, knowing in my heart that it’s an extraordinary thing to find a person you can be completely at ease with. To me, you are that person.
“Some are maybe wondering how we can ignore the fact that you’re my stepbrother’s daughter, and you and I both know: it took us some time too.”
He smiled. “I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you agreed to marry me, because I can honestly say that there is no one I would rather live my life with. I love you, Mrs. Thomas, and I’m proud to call you my wife.”
Tears broke out from my eyes at the same time as applause broke out from the small crowd standing in front of us.
“Do you have anything you want to add?” Gabriel asked.
I was drying tears away and shook my hand. “Just that I love you,” I managed to say.
“What did she say?” Granny said loudly from her seat next to the wedding cake.
“She said she loved him,” Charlie told her in a loud voice.
Granny threw her hands up in the air. “Of course she loves him. Why else would she marry him? Ask them when they are cutting the cake,” she said in that loud clear voice that cut through the crowd and made everyone smile and burst into laughter.
“We’ll cut the cake now, Granny,” Gabriel assured her. “And you can have the biggest piece.”
“Good, because this will probably be my last wedding cake ever.”
“Don’t say that, Mom,” Katie shushed her.
“Why not… I’m adult, and you know what that means.”
“Yes, Mom, you tell me often enough.”
“That’s right, because I always say that the best part about being an adult is that you don’t have to ask anyone’s permission.” Granny looked around at all the people standing with their best clothes and champagne flutes.
“Except for that guy over there.” Granny pointed her walking stick to Darren, who stood in the middle.
“He clearly needs help with dressing. He looks like a clown and he’s fat too.”
Chuckles broke out all around, and Katie shot Darren an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry, I think you look very stylish.”
Darren didn’t even flinch. He walked closer to Granny with an amused expression on his face.
“You really think I look fat?” he said and she squinted her eyes at him.
“I actually just lost five pounds,” he said and brushed off some invisible crumbs from his sleeve. “In case you’re wondering how, it was simply because I got circumcised.”
“Impossible,” she exclaimed.
“Not at all, do you wanna see?”
Granny widened her eyes when Darren pretended to unzip his pants. A lot of people were laughing and some just held their breath.
“Does he want me to see his penis?” Granny asked Charlie, who nodded.
“Yes, he said he lost five pounds of skin when he got circumcised.”
“I heard that.” Granny looked up at Darren, who stood in front of her with a calm expression on his face. “Five pounds?” she repeated in awe and then her eyes lowered to his crotch as if she was ready to see the wonder.
“He’s joking,” my mom said and tried to get between Granny and Darren.
