Initially, we were going to go together. One day to my family; one day to Etna’s family. However, that meant losing more than two days of our very short week, and we have a lot to get done. As much as we aren’t looking forward to spending any time apart, we opted for the same twenty-four hours—Etna flies to Maryland to see his family while I fly up to Oregon to see mine.
“What time does your flight leave tomorrow?” We’d had to stop wedding stuff to book travel arrangements when we got home yesterday.
He grunts. “6:05 in the damn morning. Yours?”
“7:10. I’m still heading to the airport with you, though. Seems stupid to pay for parking twice. Especially since we land here within twenty minutes of each other the next morning, yeah?”
Etna nods. “I land at 6:50.”
“I’m at 7:15.” Fortunately, my flight is less than three hours non-stop. Etna has to take red eyes overnight to Phoenix from DC, and back. It’s a long, exhausting trip.
“Did you talk to your sister? Let her know you’re going to be there?” I ask.
I try not to watch Etna, but I can’t help myself. I study his profile carefully. We haven’t talked about his sister since Christmas. As far as I know, he hasn’t spoken to her since, either.
He shakes his head.
My shoulders sag. I know it’s notmyfault, but I can’t help but feel?—
Etna pulls my face back to him by my chin and kisses me on the lips. We’re at a red light, so it’s quick. My heart races in my chest, making the only thing I hear for a split second the rapidbum-bum-bumof my pulse.
“You did nothing wrong,” Etna insists, then kisses me again. He releases me as the light turns green and returns to driving. “She’ll come around when she’s done throwing her tantrum.”
I sigh. Itdoesfeel like it’s my fault somehow. I’m not sure I actually did anything except exist, but if I hadn’t been there, if I hadn’t…
“Keno,” Etna interrupts my spiral, taking my hand in his and squeezing it. “Stop. This isn’t your fault. I swear.”
“Okay.” I know that. I didn’tdoanything. But the sick feeling in my stomach when I think about it suggests I’m the thing that got between Etna and his twin. Even if unintentionally.
“Okay, what’s on the list today? I’m hoping we can knock some shit out.”
“Assuming we can settle on flowers today, I think we need to at least get our invitations designed and reach out to vendors who book up quickly—like the photographer and a band. Do you want live music or a DJ?”
“I think a live band would be cool. You have one in mind?”
“Ohh, what about Caffeine Daydreams? I love their music.”
I laugh. “You don’t think we could really book them for a wedding, do you?”
Etna shrugs. “Why not?”
“I guess we can look for an agent’s email when we get back. Otherwise, maybe take a look around for a local band?”
“Yeah, cool. Caffeine Daydreams is my first choice, but I’m cool with local artists too.”
“Uh… next on the list that I think we can knock off is to confirm with Melissa we can hold the rehearsal there. Otherwise, we apparently need to have a rehearsal space.”
Etna sighs. “Okay. Next?”
“Moving into tomorrow, we need to hire transportation, which I think might be a little premature since we don’t know who’s coming and from where.”
“Are we supposed to provideeveryone’stransportation?” Etna glances at me.
I shrug. “I don’t know. This to-do says, ‘get all transportation sorted.’”
“Okay, maybe we reschedule that until next week and look up what the etiquette is for wedding transportation first.”
“I mean, if people all arrive via the airport around the same time—we could provide a time window—then I think we could bus them all to the resort. As long as they’re staying at the resort. And then bus them back to the airport.”
