Sophie wasn\u2019t having a wedding like her sister, Phyllis. Oh, no. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phyllis stood there in the family room offering to \u201chelp\u201d. No way. She\u2019d just take over. So Sophie shut her out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat can you possibly have in common with me? You don\u2019t even know me. And there\u2019s no way I\u2019m having a stiff, formal, snooty wedding like you had. We aren\u2019t even in the same generation. Da!\u201d
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phyllis sat down on the sofa beside her sister. She glanced out the sliding glass doors to the garden and took a deep breath.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSophie, dear, don\u2019t you want your big sister helping you with some of these wedding decisions?\u201d
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNope.\u201d
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, be reasonable. There\u2019s a lot to having a wedding and you\u2019re only 16. And eight years difference in our ages is not so far apart. You are<\/em> marrying someone ten years older than you. Really, I\u2019m right in the middle–don\u2019t you see? I can help you. I want to help.\u201d Phyllis reasoned. \u201cLeave Eddie out of this. He\u2019s 26, so what? He\u2019s nice to me. I\u2019m moving into his place–our place and we\u2019ll do cool things and I can quit school. And best of all, I won\u2019t have to put up with this family anymore. It\u2019s settled.\u201d \u201cSophie, there\u2019s where you are wrong. Unlike you, Ed\u201d \u201cEddie,\u201d Sophie corrected. \u201cUm, unlike you, Eddie,\u201d Phyllis cleared her throat. \u201cEddie likes our family. He\u2019s your brother\u2019s best friend–well, used to be, until this marriage thing.\u201d Phyllis paused and continued. \u201c Charles is upset but he\u2019ll get over it and when he does, it will be as it\u2019s always been. Ed, I mean Eddie, vacationing with us, holidays with us. And Father\u2019s not giving up Ed\u2019s” \u201cEddie,\u201d Sophie scowled. \u201cUm, Eddie\u2019s season ticket to the football games. He\u2019s already part of the family–has been since we were in middle school. And so if you are marrying to escape the family, you\u2019ve picked the wrong guy.\u201d \u201cNo, you\u2019re wrong. You\u2019ll see. And if Mom put you up to this, you can just go back and tell her that I\u2019m doing things my way, and that\u2019s that,\u201d Sophie reached for her iPhone. \u201cNo, Mother didn\u2019t ask me to help. If fact, I don\u2019t understand Mother and Father agreeing to let you marry in the first place. What are they thinking?\u201d \u201cThey are thinking that I have a mind of my own and know what I want. They are thinking that Eddie and I are perfect, I guess. Anyway, I\u2019m doing this and doing it my way.\u201d Sophie turned on her phone. \u201cWell, if you are bound and determined to get married, Eddie is the best choice,\u201d Phyllis sighed, thinking, but not saying, that Ed would be able to keep Sophie in line if anyone could. After all, hadn\u2019t she, herself had a crush on Ed when they were teens–Ed the charmer, the polite one, always helpful? \u201cAre you finished? Because I\u2019m busy, so can you leave?\u201d Sophie flicked through some screens on her phone–the conversation was over. Sophie was not having the white brides dress, no way. Black was her favorite color and it would show off her tattoos, a spider weaving a web–on her left shoulder. The web extended across her back to her right shoulder, where a fly was entrapped in one of the spider\u2019s silk threads. Both tattoos were a secret from her parents. They would be unveiled at the wedding ceremony–ha! The bridesmaids were her Besties, Ashley, and Jessica. And they could wear anything they liked. Too bad her friend, Tyler wasn\u2019t speaking to her. He would have totally been her man-of-honor. Thinking of Tyler, she sent him a quick text, \u201cCall me.\u201d He didn\u2019t. In the end, the wedding ceremony and reception were at the country club. The barn that Jessica suggested wasn\u2019t available. The farmer didn\u2019t have an alternate place for the livestock. And the country band, Ashley suggested, (She\u2019d just seen A Star is Born<\/em>) lost their lead singer who was temporarily in jail for a DWI. No one was hurt in the crash. There were flowers, all black as per Sophie\u2019s instructions: tulips queen of night, black bacara roses and calla lilies black star. But the chef at the country club refused most of Sophie\u2019s requests: pigs in a blanket, bagel bites, mac-n-cheese and came up with substitutions which only slightly resembled the suggested and highly offensive foods. \u201cOh, whatever,\u201d Sophie had caved in. It was either give in or postpone the wedding until a barn could be leased and a caterer secured, who would be willing to risk their reputation. The family was not unknown in social circles, after all, and there would be<\/em> press. In the end, the champagne, linens and even the black flowers gave the hall an acceptable wedding look. The only thing that looked out of place was the bride in her black leather gown, gothic makeup and her bridesmaids–dressed in short bubble-skirts and sneakers. Eddie wore a tuxedo, as did Charles, his best man. After the ceremony and a photo session, Phyllis followed Charles into the banquet hall. Charles pointed to the dance floor. \u201cPhyllis, what\u2019s that machine next to the dance floor?\u2019 \u201cThat\u2019s a fog machine,” Phyllis explained. “Another one of Sophie\u2019s demands. Look in the ceiling, why don’t you.\u201d Phyllis tilted her head back and glanced up. \u201cSo we\u2019ll have strobe lights? That\u2019ll give the old folks a stroke or something. Are you kidding?\u201d Charles scoffed. \u201cLet\u2019s get a drink. I need some fortification. I can\u2019t believe, Ed actually went through with this. I can\u2019t forgive him for this,\u201d Charles shook his head. \u201cHe has his reasons, I think. We should be thankful, actually. Sophie is headed for trouble. Maybe he can,\u201d Charles interrupted, \u201cWhat? Do what exactly.\u201d Phyllis reached for two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter\u2019s tray. \u201cHelp her.\u201d \u201cYou know if I had a gun, I think I might have shot him right there at the ceremony when the officiant asked if anyone objected, to speak up now.\u201d Charles drained the glass and then reached in his pocket and drew out a flask only to discover it was empty. \u201cYou’ve drunk all that today? It\u2019s only 11 o\u2019clock in the morning, Charles,” Phyllis frowned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLike I said, I need the fortification.\u201d And with that, Charles dropped into a chair. He leaned forward, staring at the dance floor. \u201cWhy is Ed dancing with Mother?\u201d Phyllis turned in her chair to look. \u201cOh, that. It\u2019s customary that when the father dances with his daughter, the groom dances with his mother and since Ed is an orphan, Mother is stepping in.\u201d \u201cWill you look at him. He has the nerve to smile at Father while he\u2019s dancing with our <\/em>Mother\u201d Charles fumed. \u201cLook, Father is having trouble. He\u2019s stepping on Sophie\u2019s ridiculous train on that horrid dress.\u201d Phyllis frowned and glanced over at Charles. \u201cCharles, stop glaring at Ed. Someone will notice. Phyllis sat a glass of water in front of him. \u201cHere, drink this.\u201d \u201cWater? I need a scotch–a double.\u201d \u201cWait until the dance is over. A waiter can bring you one.\u201d \u201cI can\u2019t believe you didn\u2019t talk Sophie out of this. You\u2019re her big sister after all. Look at him now. Is he about to kiss Mother? I think he\u2019s smelling her hair. He is. He\u2019s touching her hair. I\u2019m going to put a stop to this, right now.\u201d \u201cGeorge, you sit down this instant or I\u2019ll get someone to drag you out of here. You know I will–stop this immediately. And yes, I did try to speak to Sophie. She shut me out. Besides, our sister\u2019s a weird duck. Who gets married at 16 anyway?\u201d \u201cBastard, ” George grumbled. “He seduces our mother and then marries our baby sister. How do we even know that Sophie\u2019s not his <\/em>daughter? Maybe he\u2019s the father. She looks like him.\u201d \u201cGeorge, what are you talking about? No one has seduced anyone. Don\u2019t even think such a thing. Ed just admires Mother, that\u2019s all. You\u2019re speculating.\u201d \u201cOh come on Phyllis, is more than speculation. He as much as told me so–mooning over Mother–the minute he laid eyes on her.\u201d \u201cWell, he may have wanted to, George, but you don\u2019t know that he succeeded. You need to think more of our Mother and her morals. Aw, here\u2019s a waiter, we\u2019ll get you a drink. God, I need one, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n ~ ~ ~ A lady in purple crepe sat down beside Phyllis. \u201cHello dear, it’s about time for this affair to wrap up, don\u2019t you think? It\u2019s getting on in the day.\u201d \u201cOh hello, Mrs. Larrimore. Yes, it seems this day will never end. The dancing has been going on for a while. \u201cAnd why aren\u2019t you dancing Phyllis. Where\u2019s your dashing husband? \u201cI sent him outside with Charles. Charles needed some air.\u201d Phyllis took a sip of her drink. \u201cYour new brother-in-law has a way with words, don\u2019t you think?\u201d \u201cHmm? What do you mean?\u201d Phyllis slurred her words a little and looked Mrs. Larrimore in the eye. \u201cCharles seemed a little disconcerted today–not at all like himself. It\u2019s probably big brother syndrome–letting go of little sister–and all that.\u201d \u201cHmm, could be.\u201d Phyllis drained her glass. \u201cThe groom came to Charles’ rescue during the toast. He had us all laughing, well, all except Charles who looked like he was about to burst.\u201d \u201cEd\u2019s a poet, Mrs. Larrimore.\u201d She paused searching for words. \u201cIt\u2019s easy for him. Women fall in love with him, his words actually. His looks, not so much.\u201d \u201cOh, I think he\u2019s charming–dark hair, a mysterious air about him. He favors your family actually–a little like Sophie, don’t you think?” \u201cHmm, if you say so. I think I need another drink,” Phyllis waved at a waiter. \u201cReally Phyllis, maybe a soda water would be best this time around.\u201d \u201cExcuse me, waiter, would you bring me a scotch, please. Straight up. Thank you.\u201d \u201cAnd a club soda, as well. Don\u2019t you think, Phyllis?” Mrs. Larrimore interjected. \u201cSure, a club soda and a scotch—a double.\u201d Phyllis smiled at the waiter. \u201cAw, here\u2019s the mother of the bride. Isn\u2019t she just lovely? Almost as pretty as the bride.\u201d Mrs. Larrimore rose from her chair. \u201cElla, you look lovely. I was just telling Phyllis that you\u2019re as pretty as the bride.\u201d \u201cMy goodness, your mother has so much energy. The groom too. He just whisked your mother away in a flash. Look, he\u2019s quite the dancer, as is your mother. I wonder, where is the bride?\u201d \u201cWho knows. She\u2019s only 16. She probably off somewhere, texting her man-of-honor who didn\u2019t show.\u201d \u201cWell, Ed\u2019s keeping the party going. Goodness, they\u2019re doing the tango. They are terrific! I had lessons once but my husband\u2019s not very good–you know–two left feet. Your mother, she is so striking. Oh, look. There\u2019s Charles. What\u2019s he doing? I\u2019ve never seen anyone cut-in on a tango.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExcuse me, Mrs. Larrimore. I\u2019m needed on the dance floor.\u201d (c) Glenda Kotchish September 2019 Sophie wasn\u2019t having a wedding like her sister, Phyllis. Oh, no. Phyllis stood there in the family room offering to \u201chelp\u201d. No way. She\u2019d just take over. So Sophie shut her out. \u201cWhat can you possibly have in common with me? You don\u2019t even know me. And there\u2019s no way I\u2019m having a stiff, formal, … Continue reading It Takes Two or more to Tango<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":637,"parent":33,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-636","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/glendakotchish.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/glendakotchish.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/glendakotchish.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/glendakotchish.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/glendakotchish.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=636"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"http:\/\/glendakotchish.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/636\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":654,"href":"http:\/\/glendakotchish.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/636\/revisions\/654"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/glendakotchish.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/glendakotchish.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/glendakotchish.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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