Page 55 of One Chance to Stay
“You could have come by.”
“I wanted to see you in public.”
“Why?”
Good question. Why did I want to drag him from the comfort of his house and force him to sit through a wedding? Seamus might not realize it, but there were people here, me, Grace, even Walter, who wanted to rekindle relationships. I still wasn’t sure what caused the falling out, but I hoped that seeing people who cared for him would help him mend old wounds.
“Because I’m not the only one who wanted you here.”
He raised an eyebrow as I prepared to launch into a lengthy explanation. As the string quartet started playing, the bridesmaids zipped down the path, urging people to take their places. Grace slowed as she approached, stopping long enough to kiss her dad on the cheek.
“You two handsome men, find your spots.”
I was about to trudge further up the path to where the townspeople congregated, but I froze as Seamus offered his arm. He kept his eyes forward, intentionally avoiding eye contact. Yet again, he proved that there were ways to express himself without words. In hisdappersuit, I couldn’t help but swoon.
“Why, thank you, good sir.” To the onlookers, it was two grown men in tawdry outfits making a spectacle. If they only knew the importance of such a simple gesture.
I linked arms as we headed toward the crowd. For now, the final piece of my surprise would have to wait until after the happy couple said their vows.
There wasn’t an emotion left by the time Walter and Audrey joined hands. The quartet had played a jaunty number as a fewhundred people gathered around the gazebo. Harvey escorted his best friend up the path. They wore matching kilts, down to the furry white sporran cinched around their waists. When they got into the gazebo, Harvey spun the groom around, dipping him low before planting a kiss. The crowd cheered. Everybody celebrated their friendship, a genuine display of healthy masculinity. I might have thrown in a few hoots and hollers.
Grace and Megan arrived in green cocktail dresses. Out of everybody in attendance, they looked the most like a normal wedding entourage. Seeing the addition of matching oversized green puffy jackets made them fit in with the over-the-top grandeur. Instead of flower petals, they tossed fistfuls of pine needles. Everything about this wedding had been turned into a spectacle filled with laughter. I found myself swept up in the magic only found in small towns.
How had Walter convinced Audrey to…
“Wow,” I gasped.
Audrey didn’tletWalter do a damned thing. Dressed like the Elf on a Shelf, she would walk several feet before pausing, posing like a broken doll. Her hands covered by white mittens, and a pointy red hat atop her head, she had gone the extra mile. Her skirt, made of tulle, dragged along in the snow blending wedding elegance and humorous Christmas chic. She posed next to us, giving everybody a chance to take photos. This was the perfect union.
As she climbed the steps of the gazebo, Walter’s eyes widened. The admiration and joy were enough to leave me choking back tears. Walter lost the battle, wiping his eyes by the time she reached the top. Tears streamed down his face, glistening from the Christmas lights strewn about the ceiling.
Audrey stood in front of the selectman, smiling at her partner. I hardly knew him, and never spoke with her, but the look between them… Without a word, I could see the storyof their love written in wet streaks and beaming smiles. The audience applauded. I went to join and?—
A finger hooked about my pinky.
Glancing down, Seamus had, in the smallest way, surrendered to the moment. A pinky opened the door, and with love in the air, I gladly walked through. Turning my head forward, I squeezed his hand. With all eyes focused on the couple on stage, our actions hid in plain sight. The sentiment, however, couldn’t have been louder if he spoke.
Our journey had barely begun. We fumbled with our thoughts, our motions, and even our intentions. Yet, I couldn’t help but wonder if there’d be a moment where we’d stand on the stage for all to witness. Did Seamus think about remarrying, or did he find it out of reach? In his flannel suit, I imagined him standing on the top step, wondering how he got so lucky.
Wedding fever had taken hold. It might be nothing more than a fantasy, but the idea of him smiling… While we both thought ourselves the luckiest man alive, I squeezed his hand. Who knew if we’d get there? I honestly didn’t know if I wanted it, but I wouldn’t mind planting the seed of possibility.
I tried for a subtle glance. He watched, unblinking, face blank. A master of expression, he withheld any hints about his emotions. That is, until his body betrayed him. The tear rolled down his cheek, and I wanted nothing more than to wipe it away. For now, I’d respect his space. I squeezed his hand tight, hoping he could feel the emotions running rampant in my chest.
“The couple have prepared their vows,” said the selectman.
I’d start with the man who opened the door with a rifle in hand. I’d tell the story of how a calamity of errors led to us, with a bottle of bourbon and dancing. The crowd wouldn’t believe it, at least most of them. I wanted Grace to smile as she remembered the dad who showed up in a Santa outfit.
“Audrey Presland, the first time we met, you said I was over the top, too much, and had a flair for drama.” Walter chuckled. “You got me.” The crowd laughed. “And you spent the rest of the night making faces at me.” She flipped her hands, turning her fingers into glasses as she pushed up her nose, tongue sticking out. “That’s when I fell in love.”
They were two of a kind.
“You were like a gift?—”
“Oh,” I whispered. While Walter continued confessing his love, I let go of Seamus’s hand. He had distracted me from the reason behind my costume. Pulling the sack from my shoulder, I reached in, fishing around for the box. Not wanting to interrupt the nuptials, I gave Seamus a gentle elbow to the ribs.
When he glanced down, I pulled out a rectangular present. Watching his face, he looked from the box to his daughter and back. I hoped the red wrapping paper gave him enough clues to connect the dots. When he chewed his top lip, I knew I had struck a nerve. More than that, if he figured out its origins, he’d know that I wasn’t alone in the planning.
Walter laughed. “I knew I had a partner for life when you promised we could outrun the cops. We’ve been on the run ever since, and there’s nobody I’d rather have in my hideout.”
