Page 26 of Holiday Unscripted
A gust of wind blows all around me as I head toward the log cabin. Garland lines the top of it with little twinkle red and white lights. Another wooden fence lines up with the entryway to the doors with rows of big Christmas trees. Some with lights on them. Some with red garland. Some completely bare.
I hear cars arriving behind me and I look over my shoulder to see at least ten more SUVs have just arrived. Turning around, I see Joshua hobble out of his SUV as Macy gets out of the passenger side, grabbing her bedazzled Bride hat. I look over at Joshua to see his black beanie has Groom written in white. When I make eye contact with him, I shake my head and all he does is smirk and then shrug his shoulders.
I left him two hours ago, after my suit fitting, and went to the office to make sure everything was okay and to check in with a couple of the animals that had surgery, promising to meet the wedding party here. The groom limps slowly with his bride beside him, holding her hand, and my eyes scan the crowd for Elizabeth.
Spotting her getting out of another car, I watch as her head tips back and she laughs at something someone said. Her blonde hair slips around her face as she puts on her black shades and walks into the parking lot greeting some of her family members, giving me a chance to take her in. She’s changed from when she walked out of the house this morning to go for her dress fitting. Now she’s wearing tight black leggings with a thick brown sweater. Her black vest opens at her chest, and she puts on a black knitted hat with a big pompom on the top that hangs back. Her boots go up to her calves with thick white socks sticking out.
“Hey.” Joshua steps in front of me, blocking his sister out. “Long time no see.”
“After the wedding,” I mumble to him, “I don’t want to see you for six to eight weeks.”
He laughs and slaps me on the shoulder as the family now gathers around us. I look over seeing more of his uncles have arrived. All of them used to play for the NHL and they still practice at least twice a week. In the summer, most of them come down to help Zack with the arena and help with the on-ice training.
I walk up to Max and Matthew first and hold out my hand for them. “Hey,” I say and they smile big at me. The two of them have always been a constant in our lives. Max might be the blood uncle, but if you tried to tell Matthew he wasn’t their uncle, he would fight you until the bitter end.
“Hey yourself,” Max says, slapping my shoulder. “Do me a favor.” He leans in and whispers in my ear, “If you get married and do this”—he looks around—“I’m going to beat your ass.”
I chuckle. “Trust me, if I get married”—I look down at my boots—“it’ll be either really fucking small or we’ll elope.”
“I like that thought,” Max says, looking over at Matthew, the running joke in the family since he eloped with Matthew’s sister many, many years ago. To this day, Matthew is still bitter about it, even though they had a big wedding the year after, to Matthew it means nothing. “Best thing I did was elope.”
“Really?” Matthew retorts. “The best thing?”
“Yup,” he replies, his smile going big. “Not only did I get to marry the love of my life…” He takes a deep inhale. “But I got to have one up on you.”
Matthew glares at him. “That’s still my sister.”
“Yup,” he agrees, “but she’s my wife. Which I think trumps sister on the food chain.”
I shake my head and walk toward Elizabeth, and I have no idea why I’m even going to her. I mean, I know why I’m going to her, I just don’t like the fact I’m drawn to her anyway. This morning we traded jabs about that night, neither of us letting on that was what we were both talking about, but neither of us outright saying it. It’s been seven years, it’s time to let it go, I’ve been telling myself, but I don’t know, something is not letting me move on. “Where is your jacket?” I ask her as I get closer to her. I can’t see her eyes because of her glasses, but from the look on her face, she’s glaring at me.
“It didn’t go with my outfit.” She uses both her hands to move up and down in front of her. “As long as my feet are warm, that’s all I care about.”
The sound of a whistle has us turning to look at the front. “Okay, if we can have everyone’s attention.” Joshua holds up his hand. “Thank you all for coming with us.”
“Did we have a choice?” Elizabeth mumbles from beside me. “At this point I feel like I’m being held hostage.”
I roll my lips and look down at my boots to stop from laughing. “We are going to head in and meet with Sabrina, who will explain everything to us.”
He turns and starts to walk toward the log cabin. “Explain things?” Elizabeth says to me as we walk behind everyone. “I thought we were coming, picking the tree, and then leaving.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy,” I reply to her and she grips my arm.
“I will give you one thousand dollars to push me down”—she looks around—“and then I’ll fake something.”
“I’m not pushing you down,” I tell her.
“Okay, fine, I’ll push you down,” she reconsiders. “I mean, you might be bigger than me, but I think I can take you.”
I chuckle at her and then start to walk forward. “You really are no fun,” she huffs out as she walks past me toward the log cabin.
“Someone is not in the Christmas spirit,” I retort and she stops walking to turn and probably kick me in the balls, which will make me fall to the side.
“Oh look,” one of the bridesmaids says, “they are under the mistletoe.” We both look up and see it hanging on a clear fishing wire. “You guys have to kiss.”
I look back at Elizabeth, who snaps at me, “Absolutely not.” She actually pushes me away. “I’d rather have seven years of bad luck.”
“I don’t think it’s an exact time frame.” I walk past her. “Also, if a woman refuses to kiss under the mistletoe, it’s believed she won’t receive marriage proposals the following year.”
