What They Left Behind
Page 96
“I think hell has officially frozen over,” Ben said as he drove to the church.
“Why is that?” Annie asked.
“Well, I’m going to the wedding of the most annoying person in the world--Page Goodman.”
Kristopher and Lauren chuckled in the back.
“She’s not that bad,” Lauren replied.
“Your uncle brainwashed you into thinking that, but it’s not true. She’s officially the most obnoxious, irritating person in the universe.”
“And she’s going to be your sister-in-law now,” Kristopher said. “Aren’t you excited?”
“Thanks for reminding me,” Ben said sarcastically, “but actually she’s my step-sister-in-law. I’d probably die a fourth time if she was my real sister-in-law.”
Once they approached the church, Ben searched for a place to park. When a free space across the street from the church opened up, they all got out of the car.
“Welcome to the bowels of hell,” Ben said, as he helped Lauren out of the car. She had mostly recovered, but her legs were still so weak, she needed to walk with crutches.
“A church is the bowels of hell?” Kristopher asked.
“Yep,” Ben said, “especially one with Page in it. That’s why I never go.”
“Be nice, Ben,” Annie chided.
They walked into the church and an usher escorted them to the right side pews and in the front row. They sat next to Addie.
“How are you doing, Mrs. Conrad?” Annie asked.
“Oh good, good,” she replied. Ben had to admit this was the happiest he had ever seen her. “How are you?”
“Great,” Annie replied.
“How are you, Ben?” Addie asked him.
“Good,” Ben replied. Even though he and Annie had been to her house a few times and they invited her to dinner at their house once in a while, they didn’t talk a lot and Ben didn’t really consider her his mother. She was nice to the kids though, and they really liked her, so they were cordial. He was trying to forgive her, but it was hard.
She reached over and patted his hand.
“Dad was being a naughty boy,” Kristopher said to her. “He said Page was the most annoying person in the universe and that church was the bowels of hell.”
Addie chuckled.
“Well,” she said, “I guess there’s a grain of truth in both of those things.”
“You guys are sooo bad,” Lauren said.
Suddenly the music started. The pastor entered through a side door, followed by Foster. One of Foster’s business partners was his best man. Foster turned around to glance at them and said a quick hello.
“His life is over,” Ben whispered to Annie, who smacked him on the arm. Addie overheard and chuckled.
Then, the door to the church opened and Gennie walked in, holding a small bouquet of calla lilies. She was wearing a tea length pink dress with cap sleeves. Her hair was styled in a fancy up do.
She gave Ben a nudge with her lace-gloved hand as she passed by him and took her place in front of the altar.
“Gennie looks really nice in pink,” Annie said to Ben.
“Take a good look,” Ben said. “You’ll never see her in that color again.”
The wedding march started in earnest. Everyone turned around and gasped. Ben was shocked himself. The bride was someone Ben barely recognized. Page wasn’t wearing her glasses, had some decent makeup on, her hair was up in a high bun and she was wearing a small tiara. Her dress was beyond extravagant. It was poufy, covered head to foot in crystals and pearls and the train had to be ten feet long. It probably cost about ten times more than Ben and Annie’s entire wedding. On her arms was an older man who was obviously her father. Though he was dressed in a three-piece tuxedo, he still looked as goofy as Ben remembered. He wondered if her Dad still drove that tin can with a golf cart motor around.
So, you can put lipstick on a pig, Ben thought, as Page approached the altar, and her Dad sat down on the left side of the aisle. Ben was expecting her to crack some lame joke or make some snide remark even now, but she was completely serious as she faced Foster.
“Oh wow,” Lauren whispered, “she looks so beautiful.”
They recited their vows, and once the pastor announced that Foster could kiss the bride, the old Page came back. She grabbed Foster and gave him a full on face sucking kiss. Everyone clapped and cheered.
“Okay, guys, I’m going to your lives completely miserable from now on,” she said, as she and Foster faced the crowd and everyone laughed. Then they made their way outside the church.
Their reception was at the Julia Morgan Ballroom, where everyone was treated to a seven course dinner. Afterwards, everyone except Ben and Lauren danced. Of course, Page had a little too much to drink and was making an idiot of herself as she did the chicken dance very badly. Ben didn’t know how Foster could stand her.
Lauren tapped Ben on the shoulder.
“Can I talk to you in the lobby?” she asked.
“Sure, hon,” he said. He was worried about the look on her face. She seemed upset.
He helped her up and onto her crutches.
“I know it’s tough not being able to have a good time when everybody else is boogying down,” he said to her once they both reached the lobby.
Lauren laughed. “Oh Dad, no one says that anymore. Actually, I don’t really care about dancing. I have something else to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Well, Remi and I have been talking about our wedding,” she said as she peered down at her engagement ring. Remi had spent Christmas with them and had proposed to Lauren over the holidays. “And…well, his mom really wants to help us, which I don’t mind, but she prefers that we have the wedding at the chateau.”
“Okay,” Ben replied, “What do you want? It’s your wedding, not hers.”
“I want it at the chateau too,” she said.
“That’s fine,” he replied. “Did you think I’d be upset about that or something? Because it doesn’t bother me in the least.”
Tears suddenly appeared in her eyes. “It’s not that…it’s just…well, Remi wants me to move to France.”
Oh, that’s what it’s about, Ben thought.
“Do you want to move to France?”
Lauren choked back a sob. “Uh, yeah, but I’m going to miss you.”
Ben put his arm around her. “Hey,” he said gently, “that gay guy put in a lot of effort doing your makeup at the hair salon. Don’t ruin it for him.”
Lauren chuckled through her tears.
“I know it’s your dream to live in France, so that’s what you should do. I just want you to be happy.”
Lauren nodded. “What about Michele’s?”
“Well, the actual Michele suggested to me that I rename it after you. What do you think about that?”
“I’d love that, but what are you doing to do without a sous chef?”
“I’ll survive, like always. I’ll just have to find someone else to enslave.”
“Dad…” she said.
“So, when do you plan on going to France?”
“Next week,” Lauren said. “Remi already got the plane tickets for me.”
Ben didn’t think it would be so soon, but he imagined Remi’s mother was planning a whopper of a wedding and Lauren needed to be there.
“Okay,” Ben said. “We’ll try and visit you as much as we can.”
Lauren nodded. “I’m sorry, Dad. I feel like I’m abandoning you.”
“No, you’re not,” Ben replied. “Hey, why don’t we go back to the ballroom before they put out a search party for us?”
“Sure,” Lauren said, and hobbled her way back in on her crutches.
When they returned to the ballroom, Gennie ran up to them breathlessly.
“Hey, Page is going to throw the bouquet any minute now. We need you up there!”
Lauren made her way to the dance floor and settled in front of a semi-circle of younge
r women.
“Ready or not,” Page yelled, “here it comes!”
She threw the bouquet and Lauren caught it even though she was barely trying.
“I guess we know who the next bride is,” the deejay announced.
“Crap, this means I’m getting old,” Ben joked.
“Well, I am too,” Gennie said. “How about we grow old and cranky together?”
“Okay,” Ben replied. “You’ve got a deal.”