It was the start of a wedding reception that would be talked about for years to come.
****
GROUPS MINGLED INTOthe Welkins Room, which also held a dance floor, for after the dinner reception.Helen didn’t like the idea of three separate areas requesting an all-in-one space for the meals and festivities.She and Jay entered the room to a rousing round of applause as others milled about looking for their seats.The head table only held four seats, one each for the bride and groom, Rebekah, and Oscar, who served as the best man.She glanced out at the audience, her eyes on Table Two, with a label of “Stray Bullets” on the placard.The guests at the table seemed confused, especially since none of them knew each other.Passion Fruit, also assigned to the table, looked back at Helen.Excusing herself, Helen made her way over to the table.
“Welcome,” she said to the group, who looked at her with a bit of confusion.
Passion Fruit spoke first, “Why am I at this table and not with my team, or at the head table with you?I was one of your bridesmaids.”
“Because your father wanted you all to meet,” Helen said as all the eyes at the table focused on her.
“What?”Passion Fruit said.“How do you know my father?Wait, what?”
Helen offered a soft smile.“I had coffee with him, and he asked me to wave my magic wand to bring you all together.I thought this was the perfect opportunity.”
A handsome man, seated next to his wife, scowled at her.“And in doing so, what is your reward and why us?”
She again smiled.“When your father spoke of his children, he did so with a sense of pride I had never seen.”
“His children?”An attractive raven-haired woman asked.
“Morgan, he nearly had tears in his eyes when he mentioned your Olympic medals in Showjumping, and he spoke fondly of your ranch in Montana,” Helen said.“Elm, he boasted about your work as an arborist, working on the trees in the Rose Garden before that woman had them removed.Thunder, his chest puffed out when he mentioned your military service and the courses you offered in learning to fly helicopters.He talked about the first time you took him up in one, how he was scared but you calmed him.Passion Fruit, he is ever so proud of you being a medical doctor, and you having coffee prepared and a whole conversation with him sparked this request.”
The one who scowled at her cleared his throat, “And me?What did dear old Dad have to say about me?”
Helen smiled from ear to ear, “You, Mr.Mann, he said with the utmost pride, is a certified badass.He will be joining you later.His request was for you all to meet, break bread, and have a meal with him.”
Mann wasn’t buying it.Michael Kurtzwilde didn’t ask for favors and when he did, it meant a lifetime of servitude.He wanted to know what this little pip of a woman was getting out of the deal.“And what do you get in return for this feat?”
“His retirement,” Helen said, looking at the chubby toddler.All of Kurtzwilde’s children stared at her.“He’s even sold the club.I thank you for your trust in accepting the invitation.Please enjoy your meal and the evening.”
She gave a hug to Passion Fruit, who looked at her siblings.“He told me he had other kids who were Technicians, even suggesting I make a plan to you to meet you, Mr.Mann.Is that your handle, Mr.Mann?”
“I am The Mann,” he said, “and in the words of dear dad, I am a certified badass.The only handle I need is my name.”
Elm spoke, “Hmm, nice to meet you all.Weird, finding out about my siblings like this, but we can ask him why when he gets here, I guess.”
Thunder spoke next, “I’ve only seen him once this year; thought maybe he was sick or something.”
“No, that bastard is in good health.I saw him last month,” Morgan said.“He makes a point of coming out once a quarter to ride and check in.He even has a horse at my place.”Her eyes went to Nate Jr.“So, I guess I am an aunt.What’s his name?”
“Mann Jr,” Mann said.“This feels weird.”
“Hell, our lives are weird,” Thunder said, “but there’s cake and two Technicians got married, like a real wedding.That’s cool.Did you have a real wedding, Mr.Mann?”
Mann shook his head no, looking towards the table of his team, The Directions.None of them had a real wedding; however, they were family, and his had just been extended.His children had two Uncles and two Aunts.It nearly, almost, but not really, made him smile.They heard the clinking of a spoon against a glass, as a small boy stood to make a toast to the bride and groom.
Mann didn’t hear any of it as he watched three dark figures and a young woman enter the room.His eyes went to Passion Fruit, who also recognized two of the men, one being Jesús de la Marta, the other, from her kitchen.
Mann whispered to her, spotting the recognition on his newly found out sister’s face, “Is that who I think it is?”
“Yes, it is,” Passion Fruit said.
“How does she knowhimto invite them to her wedding?”Mann asked.
“Jesús made her a Technician; the other showed up at my house during her training, and she made him breakfast,” Passion Fruit said.“She has this uncanny ability to get people to talk.It’s impressive.”
Morgan asked, “Is that what she did with our father?”
