The Nerd Who Loved Me

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  "This music makes me want to get into the lotus po­sition and meditate," Trixie said. "Why did they choose it, again?"

  "It's all about their memories of this place," Rona said. "I wish I could have talked them out of the fast-food burgers for the reception, but they wouldn't budge on that, either." And she didn't really care. Harry was getting married to Lainie, and by dinnertime she'd be legally a grandma, and that was all that mattered.

  The flutes and drums trailed off and the first chords of the wedding march began. Heart swelling and eyes moist, Rona stood up in unison with her friends. She flashed Leo a triumphant smile before turning to face the procession coming down the carpeted aisle.

  Dexter appeared in the darling little tux she'd picked out for him. He had Mitzi on one leash and Fred on the other. Mitzi had Harry's silver ring tied to her collar, and Fred had Lainie's matching ring on his. Rona had voiced some misgivings about this plan, but the two dogs seemed to be behaving themselves.

  Dexter started forward, just as they'd practiced, with the dogs trotting on either side of him. Then flashbulbs started going off. Mitzi reacted first, barking and pulling the leash right out of Dexter's hand. Fred ran after Mitzi, and Dexter chased both of them through the rows of chairs, in front of the altar, and toward the folding screen hiding the sound equipment.

  Chaos erupted as the guests—plus Harry, Leo, Dud­ley, and even the minister—tried to help. Both dogs raced past the folding screen, knocking it over onto the sound equipment. The resulting crash sounded very expensive and brought an abrupt halt to the wedding march.

  Suz whistied through her teeth. 'TITS, take charge!"

  The five women moved with the agility and awareness that came with years of dance experience. In moments Rona had Dexter, Babs grabbed Mitzi, and Cherie got a good hold on Fred. Trixie shooed the guests into their seats and Suz hurried back to reassure the shell-shocked bride that all was not lost.

  Rona set Dexter down in the middle of the aisle, ad­justed his little bow tie, and gave him a kiss. "Go on and walk up there," she said. "Miss Babs and Miss Cherie will be right behind you with the dogs. They can hold them until time for the rings."

  "But we don't have music," Dexter said, his eyes wide.

  Rona glanced at Babs and Cherie. "We'll sing it. Right, girls?"

  "Sure thing," Cherie said. Then she turned to the guests. "You all know this. Join in."

  "Right," Trixie said. "I'll direct." She raised her hands and began to sing and conduct at the same time. "Dum-dum-de-dum, dum-dum-de-dum."

  Fortunately they had quite a few show people among the guests, and soon they had a respectable wedding march going on. As the crowd sang, Lainie's two atten­dants, dancers she'd been close to back in Atlantic City, started down the aisle. Behind them, with a grin wider than the sky, came Lainie, walking toward her groom on the arm of her father.

  Rona's eyes misted again as she thought of how much reconciling with her parents had meant to Lainie. Although Rona wasn't sure she'd ever forgive them for the way they'd treated Lainie and Dexter in the begin­ning, they seemed to be warming up a little more with each trip to the Southwest. Someday Rona might even decide to like them.

  As the bride approached the altar, Trixie brought the singing to a stop with a dramatic downbeat. Then she walked over to stand with Rona and Suz. Babs and Cherie stayed with the wedding party and held the wig­gling dogs.

  The ceremony was short and sweet. Because the sound system was broken, Suz volunteered to get up and sing the theme song from Annie. The rings were detached from each dog's collar. The reverence with which Lainie and Harry bestowed those rings made the tears stream down Rona's face. Then, before she could believe it was over, the minister instructed Harry to kiss his bride.

  Cheers erupted, and as Harry and Lainie started back down the aisle, the guests sang the recessional without being prompted. All except Rona, who had such a big lump of happiness in her throat she couldn't sing a note. As she stood there watching her son and new daughter-in-law hurry down the aisle, laughing as they went, she felt a tag on her sleeve.

  She glanced down at Dexter and smiled.

  He smiled back and held out his hand. "Come on, Grandma Rona. Time to party!"

  She held his hand as they walked together toward the clubhouse. Indeed it was.