Chapter 33

The plane ride had been pleasant, first class all the way. Her husband looked over at her smiling face.

“Your mom told me that she and your bio-dad honeymooned in Mexico too,” said Herman.

“Yes, but in Ensenada, not Puerto Vallarta,” she said. He nodded and smiled back at her.

“We are going to have fun,” he said.

“Yes,” she said. “I insist on it!” and they laughed.

It was clear to me as another Father’s Day passed in this year of Our Lord 2017, that the bunch of them, the Hardys, had gotten the message. Even the Longstreets had been more or less absent from my existence for these past few years. I did get visits from Tina now and again, and she never did miss a Father’s Day or my birthday; but it wasn’t what I’d hoped things would be like had I had my way.

Tina and Ronald Hardy had long been an item, so that might have been part of the reason that I hadn’t seen much of the Longstreets since the catastrophe of Zoe’s wedding four years gone. I’d only met her then intended once and never since. No holiday cards no contact whatever. But that was about to change. And, I was put in a position that would make it hard if not impossible to object.

Tina and Ronald were about to get married. And, yes, in this marriage I was slated to be the actual daddy of record not my ex-wife’s, Glory’s, husband, Ian Longstreet. I’d said yes to all of their requirements and one or two of which were kind of a tough nut for me. One: she was marrying into the Hardy clan. And two, obviously: the Hardys would be at the wedding and at the wedding table though on the other end of it from me. Uncomfortable? Not for me. I wondered if it would be for them, especially Zoe and Penelope.

And one other thing, I insisted on paying for it, the wedding. We argued hard core over that, had Ian and I. We ended up agreeing to split the cost. Why the argument: because he was trying to make amends for things done and not done in the past, while I was trying to demonstrate my fatherhood’s responsibilities. After the fact I realized we both had had defensible positions. I guess I was satisfied.

The organist of 2nd Baptist church played the wedding march, and the march began, well I was wheeling, but with a big smile on my face at the honor I was feeling for being recognized, this time, as the daddy and father of the beautiful bride, and she sure as heck was that! I had to grant as well, that her hubby about-to-be was a handsome young man at the least. It should be remembered that it had been 2nd Baptist where Pen and I had married those many years ago.

I was not put in the position of having to deal with any of the Hardys. It was my one and only set in stone requirement. It was respected by Tina and Glory and hence things went smoothly. I do need to mention that Lance had negotiated with the Hardys to not bother me nor approach me nor embarrass me during the festivities. They had agreed. I figured they felt as strangely as I did about the situation, but of course I had no way of actually knowing any of that for sure.

“Who give’s this woman in marriage today,” intoned the minister.

“I do,” I said, and I said it loud. And the ceremony continued as I wheeled myself back to my station next to the front pew on the bride’s side of the church. I never even glanced once toward the groom’s side of things. I was making a statement. It might be their son marrying my girl, but they were not in any way being recognized as such by me.

“I was fifty-two years old and single and doing quite well overall in my law practice working for Costley and Michaels.

The ceremony took some little time, but it did end and we did all adjourn to the auditorium for the reception. Glory and I were next to each other in the line, and the bad guys did nod in my direction as they passed me, but they did not attempt to shake my hand or otherwise embarrass me. That had been at the instance of Lance who had, as stated, negotiated with them for me. They knew how I felt about them, all of them.

The food was good, as I had expected it to be. Everyone ate and talked and drank and had a good time. Milt and Liz were seated at a nearby table as were Lance and his squeeze Ann Willis. I kinda wished I was with them; we had more in common than I did even with my daughter and my ex. I did like Ian, in spite of everything; but we had almost nothing in common apart from Glory and Tina, mainly Glory.

Eating done, the father-bride dance was announced and Ian’s dad did the honors for me. Tina did come up to me just before the dance.

“Dad, he’s standing in for you, not replacing you. Okay?” she said. We’d already had the conversation, but I smiled and nodded my enthusiastic okay anyway.

After the father-daughter thing. There was dancing all around. Tina with Ronald, Zoe with her man, Penelope with Grant. I just watched. Well, with no legs I had damn little choice.

I had the feeling that Zoe wanted to talk with me, but she kept her distance sticking to the deal she’d verbally signed onto with Lance.

The new marrieds left about an hour after dinner. I learned that they’d opted for Paris; well, Glory’s hubby was rich. I wished them well. I’d gotten a goodbye kiss from her as she sashayed out hand in hand with Ronald. I noticed Penelope watching the proceedings. The environment, 2nd Baptist, held memories for me; I had to believe that they did for her as well, but who knew for sure.

I did join my gang after the couple skedaddled. We were drinking and hurrahing the place for some time. The gathering had included a good hundred and fifty people but dwindled little by little. We were among the last of the crowd to cut country. Lance held me back for a word just as the Gromleys walked out.

“Grant asked to have a word with you,” said Lance.

“No,” I said. “Not now, not ever. Please tell him that.” Lance nodded and went to inform the man.

Then we were all on our way home, and a new chapter in the life of one Lee Wyatt was about to begin.

“I guess they, our new couple will be staying at the Longstreet’s place for a while: until they get out of college is the word,” said Penelope.

“Yes, that’s what Ronald told me,” said Grant.

“So, well, things seemed to go okay,” said Penelope.

“Think so?” said Grant.

“Yes, well I mean there were no incidents or looks or trouble that I saw,” she said. “Did you see something, anything?”

“Yes, I saw nothing. He never even looked our way, not once; and I was paying attention,” he said. “He’s still holding a grudge and it’s hard core.”

“Yes, I see what you mean,” she said. “And no, I never saw him look our way either. Well, apart from a slight nod when I passed him in the receiving line well...”

“Yes, exactly,” he said. “I did ask Lance to let him know that I would like to have had a word with him. But he sent word back with Lance that that would not be happening any time soon, actually he said ever.” She shook her head.

“Well it has been four years. No surprise there,” she said.

“I guess not. I just wish...” he started.

“Me too, I guess,” she said. “I felt kinda funny being there today. As you know, it’s where he and I were married all of those years ago. It just felt kinda strange.”