Going to the Chapel (12 page)

I should have known. “Aunt Inga said your brothers are making origami flowers for the reception tables and you’re just goofing off.”

“I was out looking for orange candles,” Jerry says defensively. “Do you know how hard they are to find?”

“I see them all over in party stores,” Cassie says as she walks back into her apartment.

“We don’t have any party stores in Blythe,” Jerry says as he follows Cassie into the apartment.

“Well, you’re in Hollywood now. All people do here is party. I’ll call around tomorrow and find you some orange taper candles,” I offer as I also walk back inside the apartment and then close the door.

“You won’t regret letting me stay,” Jerry says as he steps over and puts his duffel bag down close to the window.

That’s all he knows. I’m already starting to regret it.

Then Jerry continues, “Besides, I noticed your door squeaks. I can fix that.”

Well, maybe he will be useful.

“Can you put in a new peephole, too?” Cassie asks hopefully as she turns the dead bolt on the door and then looks over at Jerry. “The landlord said I could add one if I wanted. One that’s more my height.”

“It’d be my pleasure,” Jerry says as he walks back to where Cassie is standing and smiles down at her in this come-hither way he must have picked up from the movies. “We need to keep you safe.”

Just as I’m thinking “Oh, pl-eee-aa-se,” I see Cassie’s face get all pink and I have the shock of my life. You know, I think Cassie might like my cousin Jerry. As in
like
like. Of course, if she did, she would have said something years ago, wouldn’t she?

I know the answer to my question before it even pops into my mind. No, Cassie would not have told me if she liked Jerry. After listening to me talk about him, she would have sworn he was my mortal enemy. Cassie would have felt disloyal to say she liked him, even in a generic-friend sort of a way. She would never have admitted to being attracted to him.

But how could I not have noticed? Cassie and I have been best friends since we were five years old. I should have known she liked my cousin without her saying anything. Of course, maybe she’s only started to like him recently. She just saw him at Elaine’s party. Maybe she developed a sudden liking for him then. It might even be a passing interest in him. She might have noticed that he’s gotten more muscles lately and decided he wasn’t so bad after all.

I’m not sure how I feel about this Cassie and Jerry possibility. I try to be happy for Cassie, but then I think about it being Jerry. He used to tease us unmercifully when we were young. Cassie and I couldn’t have a pretend wedding without Jerry showing up and wanting to throw rice at someone.

Now that I think about it, though, maybe the fact that he showed up when Cassie and I wanted to play wedding meant something even back then. I hope not. I would feel that I’d been so blind for so many years.

I put my air mattress in the bedroom with Cassie
and Jerry decides to take the Hide-A-Bed after offering to sleep on the floor several times if we think flipping out the Hide-A-Bed is too much trouble. I can see he’s trying to be a considerate guest. He even helps us make our cocoa. He doesn’t even complain about it being woman’s work or anything.

For the first time in my life I’m wondering if Jerry has turned out to be a regular human being. After all, if Cassie likes Jerry, he must have some finer points. I can even see how a woman who is not related might think Jerry is a little cute now that he has that muscle thing going.

Oh, dear. I don’t know when my life became so flip-flopped.

“It’ll be nice having Jerry here,” I say as I settle into my air mattress bed on the floor of the bedroom. Jerry is out in the living room where he can’t hear me. Cassie is sitting on the side of her bed putting some lotion on her hands. She always puts this special honey lotion on her hands before she goes to sleep. It’s funny that I know something like that about her and I didn’t know she had a crush on my cousin.

Cassie looks at me. “If he gives you any trouble, he’ll have to leave.”

“He won’t,” I say. And if he does, it’s time I learned to be a little more tolerant anyway.

“It’ll be nice to have someone around to lift things,” Cassie adds as she puts her hand on the lamp switch and turns it off.

“Uh-huh,” I agree.

I hear Cassie sigh as she pulls her covers up to her neck.

“Good night,” she says.

“Good night,” I reply. “And sweet dreams.”

I go to sleep trying to remember the last time I liked a guy, I mean really liked him. I had that twinge of attraction toward Doug before the rally started tonight, but that might have just been the spotlight on his hair and my sympathy about that suitcase he carried around as a kid. Besides, now that he’s, you know, committed to God, I don’t think we would have any hope of a future even if we had something going on. If Doug becomes all holy, I’m not sure he’d be allowed to have a girlfriend anyway so it’s just as well my attraction was only a passing twinge. Ah, well, there will be someone else, someday. I hope. Before I die.

I
wake up to the sound of Cassie giggling in the kitchen. It’s a Wednesday. Nobody giggles in the kitchen on a Wednesday morning. Besides, it’s half-dark out. I lift my wrist so I can see the illuminated hands on my watch. Its six-thirty, which is half an hour earlier than Cassie and I usually get up.

That’s when I remember Jerry. I groan and put my pillow over my head. Jerry’s here, out on the Hide-A-Bed, just past the bedroom door. Actually, it sounds as though he’s walking around instead of still being in the Hide-A-Bed. I wish I was hearing the sounds of a phone conversation that would tell me Jerry was calling home, but he is laughing, too. It’s not likely he’d be doing that if he was talking to any of the aunts at this time of the morning.

I take the pillow off my head and, instead, try to go back to sleep.

I keep thinking, though, that one of us is going to have to call the aunts this morning and tell them that
Jerry is here. He might have left a note, but it is obvious that it didn’t say enough to ease everyone’s worry. I can’t stand the thought of any of the aunts lying awake worrying about Jerry’s miserable self. Of course, Jerry should be the one to call, but if I’ve learned anything lately it’s that what should be isn’t always what actually happens.

I lie in bed for a little while longer. The giggles have mostly ended, but now I hear the steady murmur of voices. I’m not sure which makes me more nervous, the giggles or the regular conversation. I still can’t believe that Cassie is interested in my cousin Jerry.

All of a sudden, I’m wide-awake. Now that I know that Cassie is interested in Jerry, I wonder if he is interested in her—in a caring way, that is. If Jerry was out chasing after that wedding planner, he is probably ready for one of those rebound situations where a guy leads a woman on just to get revenge against all the women who have ever spurned him before he met her.

I’m thinking Jerry might have a good-sized list of women who have said “no thank you” to him over the years even if he is looking better than he used to. I bet he’s lifting weights. Anyway, he could very well be plotting some revenge. I know that’s what Jerry did when we were kids. If you crossed him, he bided his time, but he always got you back.

All I can say is that Jerry better not hurt Cassie’s feelings.

If anyone in the world knows how sensitive Cassie’s feelings are when it comes to love, it is me. Because her mother gave her away, Cassie always seems to
take any rejection hard. Of course, no one likes rejection. But Cassie’s heart breaks awfully easy.

I get up out of bed even though the alarm hasn’t rung yet. I wrap one of my blankets around me and go out into the living room in my flannel red-heart pajamas.

“Is everything okay out here?” I try to say the words in an offhand way as I run my fingers through my hair and clear my throat. I think about yawning so I look even more casual, but no one is exactly looking at me suspiciously so I don’t bother.

Cassie and Jerry are sitting at the table with coffee cups in their hands. The lights are all on and everything looks orderly. The kitchen, living room and dining room are all the same room in Cassie’s apartment. The table is along the left wall, in front of the tiny kitchen.

“Oh, hi,” Cassie says as she looks up at me. She’s got a yellow sweatshirt and jeans on. That’s probably what she’s planning to wear to work. The staff doesn’t wear suits in the floral shop, but they do wear long green aprons that cover up a lot of denim. “We were just talking about what plants will need to be brought back from the shop today.”

“Yeah, I got my pickup,” Jerry adds. “It can haul anything you’ve got.”

He’s wearing the same brown T-shirt and jeans that he had on last night. I’m guessing he slept in them, which makes me wonder if he thinks the wedding planner would have been impressed with his wardrobe choices. He would have done better to keep the rental tuxedo he wore to Elaine’s party. For a minute, I
wonder if that’s what he’s got in that duffel bag he brought in last night.

“There’s a large ficus tree that I thought we could move,” Cassie mentions and then takes a sip of her coffee.

“Great,” I say, feeling more than a little foolish. They have been talking about houseplants. Not exactly the language of love. Maybe I am imagining any romantic interest.

I look at them a little closer. Cassie has her makeup on and Jerry has his hair already combed. Cassie doesn’t like makeup and usually doesn’t put any on until she’s ready to leave the apartment. I’m not sure Jerry even combs his hair before he leaves his apartment. I think he keeps his comb in his pickup truck and gives his hair a swipe while he’s in traffic. I look at both of them again. They look oblivious, but I know something is happening, even if neither one of them knows it yet.

“I’ve wanted to move that ficus plant, but I haven’t been able to because I didn’t have someone strong enough to help me lift it,” Cassie adds with a small smile for my cousin.

Jerry beams.

I clear my throat. “Jerry needs to call his mother before he goes lifting anything. Or, at least one of the aunts. They all tend to worry about the boys. It’s like Jerry has three mothers. All worrying over him.”

There, I figure that will slow down any budding romance until reason can take hold. Cassie knows the aunts and there’s nothing like reminding her that, if she’s involved with Jerry, she has to face all the aunts,
including Aunt Ruth. No one has married one of the cousins yet so it remains to be seen how much grief the aunts will give a new bride with all of their opinions about the need for ironed collars and proper cooking. My guess is that it could be considerable grief, though.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to call in half an hour or so and leave a message on Aunt Ruth’s phone,” Jerry says. “I didn’t want to call before eight.”

“She’ll be up by then and answering her phone,” I say, so Jerry doesn’t think he’s putting anything over on me. I wouldn’t put it past him to call a wrong number and leave a message on some stranger’s telephone just to make me think he’d called Aunt Ruth.

“Aunt Ruth doesn’t answer her phone anymore,” Jerry says as he lifts his coffee cup and holds it while he finishes his thought. “I just don’t want to wake her up with the ringing before eight.”

The aunts consider it a sin to be in bed after eight o’clock in the morning unless they’re in the hospital. Of course, no one knows how close they each sleep to the eight o’clock deadline.

“Aunt Ruth answers her phone,” I say. “After eight anyway.”

“Well, of course, she answers when it’s you calling.” Jerry takes a gulp of coffee. “Have you ever noticed how you’re always in the middle of your message when she picks up? Well, she might pick up for you, but she doesn’t pick up for anybody else. Not anymore.”

“Really?” This pleases me. It probably shouldn’t, but it does. “I had no idea Aunt Ruth would take my calls when she doesn’t take any others.”

Jerry snorts. “Take your calls? That’s not the half of it. Since Aunt Inga convinced her that you might have the backup plan for all her problems, you should hear her go on and on about how sweet you are to try to help by offering the small wedding chapel where you work. Of course she’ll pick up on your calls. She doesn’t think your chapel will be fancy enough, but she doesn’t want to cut off any of her options, either.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sure Aunt Ruth cares more about Julie than about some wedding chapel,” Cassie says indignantly.

“Sure,” Jerry says cautiously.

I’ve got to say right here and now that Jerry is not accustomed to being nice or considerate. I think he might be biting his tongue so he doesn’t say anything sarcastic to Cassie and me.

“I’m sure she does,” Jerry says more firmly and this time he works up a smile.

“Don’t strain yourself,” I say to Jerry. “I know Aunt Ruth is worried about having a place for Elaine’s wedding. But I agree with her. I’m not sure the place I work is the best place to have the ceremony. And not because it’s not good enough. There’s nothing little about the place.”

Jerry shrugs. “I’m only passing the word along.”

“Besides, if she thinks the place isn’t up to her standards, why does she even want to keep it on her list of possibilities?” I know I should leave well enough alone. Since I don’t want Aunt Ruth to come near the place where I work, I should be glad she thinks the Big M is too small. The truth is, though, that I have always
been sensitive to words like short, and half—and now small. I have a lot of pride in the Big M. It rises up to the sky like a great cathedral. Aunt Ruth has no idea what she’s calling small.

“But, it would be okay if she backed out of even thinking about having the wedding at the place where Julie works,” Cassie adds quickly. “Julie would completely understand.”

“Of course,” I say. “I wouldn’t want you to think otherwise.”

Believe me, I wouldn’t want Jerry to think otherwise.

“And if you happen to talk to Aunt Ruth,” I say, “it would be okay if you mentioned that I said there’s lots of other beautiful places to have weddings. Places that aren’t as small.”

Jerry doesn’t look happy. “Small was her word. Don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad.” I smile.

“Of course, she’s not mad,” Cassie adds quickly and then looks at me. “Do you want some coffee? I made the special kind.”

So that’s what I smell. Freshly ground French roast with vanilla. This is a special morning. Most of the time we make do with a tea bag.

“I’d love some coffee,” I say as I stand there looking like a refugee. Unfortunately, Cassie only has two chairs for the table and she’s sitting in one. Jerry is in the other. “I could just pull up a…”

I look around the room. There’s the sofa and the new magazine rack and Jerry’s duffel bag. Oh, and the wooden crate that we use for a coffee table, but it has plants on it.

“Please, sit here,” Jerry says as he stands. He gives me another smile.

I look at Jerry. All this politeness must be killing him. I grin. “Thank you. Would you mind bringing me a cup now that you’re up?”

Jerry’s smile turns a little grim. “Why don’t I just put the coffee in it, too, as long as I’m walking around?”

“Terrific,” I say.

Jerry brings me my cup of coffee and he barely spills any of it.

“I think it’s eight o’clock,” I say as he sets the coffee down.

“Oh, yes, the phone is right over there,” Cassie says as she points to her cordless phone.

“Tell Aunt Ruth hello for me,” I say. I know that’s playing with fire, but I do it anyway. I’ve decided I like having Jerry here more than I ever thought I would. “And, maybe you can get the newspaper before you make your call. It’s right outside the door.”

Jerry’s smile is a grimace by now. He doesn’t even answer as he opens the door and uses his foot to push the
Los Angeles Times
into the room. “What is this, five dead trees worth of bad news? You could print the Blythe phone book with less paper than this.”

“Precisely,” I say.

Jerry grunts and grabs the cordless phone before sitting on the sofa. He punches in a series of numbers which I assume are Aunt Ruth’s.

“Hi, Aunt Ruth.” He looks at me and whispers, “answer machine,” before continuing. “This is Jerry. I’m sorry if everyone’s been worried, but I’ve been out of town. I’m fine. I’m here staying with Cassie and
Julie…” There’s a pause. Then Jerry looks at me and holds out the phone. “Aunt Ruth wants to talk to you.”

“Tell her I’m having breakfast,” I whisper to Jerry. I’m not ready to talk to Aunt Ruth. “I thought you said she’d have her answer machine on.”

Jerry gets up and brings the phone over to me. He lays it down on the table in front of me. I have to pick it up.

“Hello, Aunt Ruth,” I say in my best voice.

“You’re not getting sick, are you?” Aunt Ruth asks. “Your voice sounds a little nasally.”

“No, I’m fine, Aunt Ruth.”

“Well, I want to thank you for offering your little chapel as a place for Elaine’s wedding.”

“It’s not little,” I say. “The chapel is very large.”

“Fortunately, we probably won’t need it,” Aunt Ruth continues on as if she hasn’t heard me. “I still have a call in to one of the large hotels in Palm Springs. I think they may reconsider and let us have the wedding there, after all. There’s nothing like those big hotels to do justice to a wedding. This one looks out over a golf course.”

“Oh, that’s good news.” She has no idea how good.

“Of course, Inga worries so much. She told me to ask you to keep your place in reserve, just in case, even though I’m quite sure we won’t need it. I think I have a real rapport with the manager at this hotel in Palm Springs. I’m even thinking of taking golf lessons there.”

If Aunt Inga is worried Aunt Ruth won’t find a hotel for the wedding, I’m worried, too.

“There are more places than hotels,” I stammer and then I close my eyes. “Maybe a garden somewhere. Or the ocean.”

“Goodness, we couldn’t have the wedding at the
ocean,” Aunt Ruth protests. “No one wants to get sand on a three-thousand-dollar wedding dress. Besides, we want to show Gary’s family that we have some sense of what’s appropriate for a wedding between two families of our social standing. If we were at the ocean, someone might come barefoot or something. That would never do.”

“Well, there are other places that aren’t on the beach. I can do some calling around today. I’m sure we’ll find the perfect place for Elaine’s wedding.”

“Of course, we will.” Aunt Ruth takes a breath to slow herself down. “In the meantime, I promised Inga we’d get ready just in case worse comes to worse and we have to use your little chapel. So when can we come down to measure the chapel? We will need to know the exact distance between the pews and the distance from the pews to the pulpit. We still need to order the flowers. Doesn’t your friend, Cassie, work in a florist shop near there?”

I pause. “Yes.”

“We’d want some exotic flowers. If we have to go with a small place, I want it to, at least, look expensive. Do you think Cassie’s shop could get some rare flowers for us? I know it’s short notice, but I was hoping…” Aunt Ruth’s voice trails off a little.