wedding Season (6)

That wacky wedding just got weirder and weirder. We danced first. Everyone danced for about an hour. The bride, too. She was out there whirling around with her dad and the groom and Adal. No shy hiding in a back-room for this bride! Some of the dances were waltzes, some were really weird line-dance type routines where we did little more than skip across the floor with one person before changing partners. That might sound easy, but remember... hoops! No wonder those southern girls were so skinny. Between dancing and laughing about the crazy old-fashioned dancing, I got a better workout than I'd had in months.

Just when I thought I couldn't take another step with out falling over, the band leader announced the end of the set, and invited all the ladies to get comfortable. "We're about to have us a weddin' here," he said.

Sure enough, that's just what happened. The gentlemen helped us to our seats. The facilitators swept up the ribbons, fans, and lace that had fallen all over the dance floor. The bride and groom made their way to the bower, where a priest I hadn't noticed before was waiting. The ceremony might have lasted ten minutes. Maybe. Then Grace and Joey were laughing and walking around the edge of the room greeting all of us with bows and curtseys.

Food appeared out of nowhere. Roast beef and pig - both on the bone, laid out on long tables. Just about every kind of salad you could imagine. Watermelon. Cookies. I think everything was homemade. The gentlemen waited on us ladies, devotedly. Okay, so the paper plates and plastic forks were less-than authentic. I have to admit I was rather relieved to see them. I was starting to believe I really was back in the 1800's.

After the food there was another round of dancing. Then cake and toasts. I know that Adal's best-man toast was hilarious, but I can't remember what he said. I just remember laughing. I am pretty sure Nathan laughed too.

There was one more round of dancing before we sent the happy couple on their way - in a horse and buggy, of course. I have never danced so much at a wedding in my life! Unlike many of the other women, I had decided against the shoes that "went" with the costume, opting for my own favorite dancing shoes instead. Unlike many of the other women, my shoes were still on my feet at the end of the night.

As the best man, Adal had to stay to supervise the clean up. I'd known that all along, but had not expected to be so completly worn out. Adal offered to get me a cab. Nathan offered to take me home.

It wasn't sensible. He was a complete stranger. I had no idea what he was really like. For all I knew he could be a  psycho. But he had been politely attentive throughout the evening. And we had a date for the next afternoon. He'd need to know where to pick me up... wouldn't he?

Adal thought so. I know because he whispered "go for it" as he helped me into my wrap. "Live a little," he winked, and then backed away. If I wanted a cab, I was going to have to call one myself. And, I realized, I'd have to get myself - with all my hoops - into and out of that cab unassisted.

So... I let Nathan take me home. Yea, I know. Not the wise choice. So?