The Surprise Wedding by Lauren Morrill-Chapter 1

MARGAUX — The day things changed

Something is off about my sister Lucy. As she’s introducing the family to the man she’s marrying in three months, her enthusiasm seems feigned.

Maybe no one else is noticing but as her sister and built in best friend of 19 years, I know when something is off or when she’s telling a lie. Also, why didn’t she tell at least me that she was even dating someone before this. It does explain why she’s been so secretive lately, lately being the last year. Still something is very wrong.

“We’re so happy for you, Luce!” Mom said with the biggest smile. I shot a glance at my mom to see if there was any questioning intent on her face, but as far as I could see she seemed thrilled.

“Why didn’t you introduce us earlier?” Dad asked. Finally someone on my side.

“I’m sorry, we didn’t mean to keep it a secret but school and our jobs kept us insanely busy. Oh! Before I forget to tell you we’re having the wedding at The Grand.” This guy must be from a rich family, there’s no way anyone in our family could afford to even stay one night at The Grand let alone hold a wedding there. Insanely rich people were not uncommon in Palm Beach just not on this side of the bridge. Lucy seemed to have found someone from the other side of the bridge.

I eye Jack, my sister’s fiancé up and down to see if he looks wealthy. I realize that he is gorgeous. Seriously gorgeous. It looks like he works out for hours every day, his hair is bleach blonde and the two piece suit he’s wearing was obviously tailored by a professional to show off his muscles in both his arms and legs without looking too tight. Yep. Definitely wealthy.

Maybe Lucy didn’t want a guy this good looking and rich to slip out of her fingers, “lock it down” I believe is the correct phrase. I still don’t understand why I get the feeling she is faking this excitement. Why the hell wouldn’t she tell me sooner.

“I’m excited to get to know all of you!” Jack says in a shaky high voice that definitely does not match his body “especially you, Margaux. Lucy has told me so much about you.”

“I wish she extended me the same courtesy” I say while shooting a dagger glance at Lucy. Surprisingly my parents didn’t reprimand me for my bluntness but I do feel a bit selfish for saying it so I try to cover it up by leaning forward and saying “But I am excited to get to know you too. How did you two meet?” Even Lucy didn’t seem to mind my bluntness. She seemed to be in a trance looking at Jack. Oh shoot, maybe she is in love.

At this question Lucy and Jack both seemed prepared to answer and started speaking at the same time, they laughed and Jack gestured to show Lucy had the floor. “It’s a funny story actually, we both met at Palm Beach State College in an environment club. We’ve been friends since but have really hit it off the last several months and decided to seal the deal.” My dad, mom, and I are hanging on Lucy’s every word so when she stops talking we sits in silence expecting more.

“Do you want to tell us more over dinner? I’m making lasagne.” Mom says finally breaking the loaded silence. There must be more to their story than that, why did she stop there? There is definitely something strange going on here and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.

DAD- earlier that day

“Hey honey, Lucy just called and said she has big news. She wants to get together at 6 to tell us.” Debbie says.

“What kind of big news?” I reply looking up from my work excel sheet.

“She was adamant that she wouldn’t say until tonight in person. I wonder if she’s going on another humane trip for her college class.” Debbie paused looking off into space as if trying to do a puzzle in her head “but it seems exciting whatever it is.” she then walked off muttering the names of different food dishes she could make for dinner.

Lucy always has something up her sleeve, valedictorian and captain of the soccer team in high school. She only has one year of business school left so it has to be something related to that, an internship at a big firm or something. I wish Margaux followed in her footsteps. Not that Margaux did bad in high school but she’s throwing away her life taking a gap year. She got in to Palm Beach State College like Lucy but deferred a year just to sit on the couch and look at social media.

Just then his work phone started ringing “Hello, this is John with speak international. How can I help you today?” The lady on the other line wanted to buy a phone plan, which means I finally have a sale today. It’s slow season so getting a call like this with an easy sale is like winning a lottery of sorts. Well what I thought would be an easy sale at least. The lady went on and on about all her kids and how they needed to switch phone plans. Then finally after she finished talking about how her ex husband screwed her over, I finally got her card info and the sale went through.

“Will you be needing anything else from me today, ma’am?” I asked. She replied that would be all but also included how if I could stop “so and so” from running for senate that would help her a lot. I laughed out of kindness and told her to have a great day. Finally the call was done. All that for one measly sale. Ugh. I miss busy season and having 10 sales a day. Hopefully we have enough in savings to get us by until busy season comes again.

“Hey dad, mom wants to know when you’ll be done with work today.” Margaux asks coming in the home office. I hadn’t realized I talked to that damn lady for so long that it was already half past 5pm. Must have been a couple hours I was on the phone. “Just finishing up, sweetheart. I’ll be down in a few” I replied. “Okay, Lucy is about 10 minutes away so she just wanted to make sure you’ll be done in time.”

I clocked out and started exiting out of all my browser pages stopping on the news page to catch the latest headlines. Most of the news was about how the presidential race is getting heated and Florida is one of the most divided states in the country. Months to go until the election but already people around Palm Beach have been campaigning for their favorite candidate on their lawns and cars. I don’t know why I even read the news it just upsets me. A murder in Miami, political candidates running on the premise of not getting rid of conversion therapy, a police shooting. That’s enough I turn off my computer and mutter “idiots”.

As I walk down the stairs from my office my eldest daughter walks in the door. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve seen her, it has to have been a few months now. “Hi Lucy” I say and give her a hug and kiss on the cheek. “Hi Dad, it’s so good to see you” She replies. A guy walks in the door following her. He’s gay, he’s got to be is my first thought. He has flamboyant mannerisms, walks like he’s on a runway, and is dressed in a suit that would cost me an entire paycheck.

“And who is this stranger?” I ask. “Sir, I’m Jack.” He says with a firm handshake and a voice that is a few pitches higher than the average males voice. “good to meet you, Jack. You can call me Frank.” I reply. He must be one of Lucy’s friends from school. She has never discriminated when it comes to friends, so nice to everyone. That’s what’s so great about her.

“Am I overdressed?” I ask looking at Lucy also wearing a white shirt, blazer, and a skirt. “No, we are just meeting Jack’s family at a nice bar downtown after this.” Lucy says. At that they both take off their blazers and hang them on a hanger in the coat closet.

“Okay everyone, could I have you all in the family room I have some big news.” Lucy announces. All three of us oblige her and find a seat in the family room. I sit on the couch between Margaux and Debbie. Lucy and this guy Jack stand at the front of the room, Lucy then takes his hand and that’s when I notice there is a ring on her finger. My head starts to swim with scenarios but none of them make sense.

“I know this is going to be a bit abrupt but Jack and I are getting married.” Lucy proudly announces. I immediately want to deck this stranger standing next to my daughter. I bet you a hundred bucks he’s gotten her pregnant I think. There is no way this is real. Is she joking? Why haven’t we met this guy before? I was way off thinking he was gay. I must be one of those old guys with internalized homophobia and not realized it. I feel guilty now. That doesn’t change the fact that I want to show this guy how good of a right hook I have.

Calm down Frank, I think to myself. You’ve had a long day and Lucy is smart not to mention this guy is obviously wealthy. Good for Lucy. Try to be supportive.

Mom — Later that night

“Bye you two! Looking forward to getting to know you better, Jack.” I say. Damn he is a good looking hunk of a man I think. Like a greek god sculpted from Michelangelo himself. Frank is clearly a little on edge, probably because he can turn into the world’s most protective father when he’s threatened. “Bye Ms. Hainsby we’ll be there for Sunday brunch tomorrow!”Jack says as he walks out the door.

Wow Lucy must be truly happy to have engaged someone so quickly. Though not so different from when Frank and I met in college. I knew it was meant to be from the moment I saw him. I wonder if I taught Lucy enough to be a good wife and mother. I think so. She’s always been so much of a tom-boy but also has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I know. I wonder how soon they’ll make me wait until I’m a grandma. Maybe Margaux will take notes from Lucy and finally decide to get her life back on track.

All of these jumbled thoughts were excitedly running through my head like a train at full speed. This was not what I was expecting Lucy to announce at all. A little part of me wondered if something was off but I don’t want myself to think that because I don’t want to jinx anything. Lucy seems happy and that’s all that matters.

Lucy — A year before

The hand I was holding in my right hand was soft and warm. It sent a jolt to my heart every-time I remembered it was there. I couldn’t hold back my smile. I feel completely myself in this moment, like this is what life is actually meant to be like. We walk into Stinky Pete’s, the bar off of PBSC campus. “We’ll take two Vodka Crans please.” I look over to make sure I have Olivia’s approval even though that’s what we always get after justice meetings.

As we sit down at the bar I realize the bar is packed. I see one of my professors and a group of other professor looking men. At the table next to them a group of fraternity boys. The rest of the crowd, like us, are other members of the justice club. In justice club we discuss LGBTQ+ rights and how we can advocate for them around school. Which is where Olivia and I met a few months ago.

“Here you go cutie.” Olivia says while handing me my drink she just got from the bartender. “Thanks, babe.” I say. As I say the word “babe” I swear I can feel my heart knocking against my chest. She leans in and gives me a peck on the cheek. I know this is the feeling that all the movies attempt to convey. I was never able to feel this feeling with the boys I dated growing up. I always thought it was simply because the boys weren’t the right ones for me. Olivia has changed that for me though, I feel that feeling so easily now. I realize now that I was right, no boy would ever be the right one for me. No matter how hard I try I don’t think I could ever feel that way toward guys.

It’s not something I’m ready to tell my family yet but most of my friends know and we don’t really hide our affection toward each other when we’re on campus. The four words that feel scary to admit aren’t the normal four words couples struggle to say to each other. “I am a lesbian.”