“I was. I’m still here. But I just got a call from Chyna, and I had to tell someone.”
I braced myself for the news. The wedding planner had probably called the whole thing off. Alex’s penguins would go back to the aquarium, the roof of the shelter would never get repaired . . . in a blink of an eye my entire future dissolved right before my eyes.
“Zina?” Lacey barked into the phone.
“What?”
Alex shifted on the orange vinyl bench next to me. He’d been sick with worry over his niece. I stood and moved toward the door in an attempt to give him some space and also gain a little privacy. I didn’t want my world to crash in on me in the waiting room of the Swynton Memorial Hospital.
“She said she’d never been more humiliated or mistreated in her entire life.” Lacey’s furrowed brow told me everything I needed to know. She may as well hang up now and not put herself through hearing the rundown of how we’d all failed. “Zina? Are you paying attention?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry. Alex had no idea his niece brought the bird to the rehearsal. He’s sorry. I’m sorry. Everyone is so sorry.”
“Listen. She was pissed. So incredibly pissed. I mean, I’ve been mayor now for over a year and have dealt with some pretty angry constituents, but this woman could put all of them to shame. She used four-letter words I’ve never even heard of.”
If Lacey was trying to make me feel even worse than I already did, it was working. A weight like a ton of bricks, no, make that a ton of bricks encased in a ton of concrete, wedged in my chest. “I wish it had gone differently, I really do.”
“But that’s just it. She said despite all of the issues with the penguins being too waddly, the dirt being too dirty, and the bird being too damn birdy, she absolutely loves the venue.”
“Huh?” My heart skipped a beat. Then another. “Did you just say she loves it here?”
“Yes.” Lacey’s head bobbed up and down. “She said she’s going to recommend us to another wedding she’s got coming up. But this one’s a bride who wants a western theme. Can you imagine? Horses and a chuck wagon dinner for five hundred guests.”
The weight pressing down on my chest doubled, then tripled as I imagined trying to talk everyone in town into loaning their horses to a fake western wedding setup. “I don’t know about that, Lacey. How far away is that wedding?”
“Oh, it’s not until next spring. But we’re getting there. Ido is really creating a name for itself in the destination wedding business. Isn’t it fabulous?”
“Fabulous,” I agreed. What else could I do? I wasn’t about to argue with Lacey that I was in over my head. Wouldn’t do any good. The most I could hope for was that when the western wedding world descended upon Ido, I’d be squared away in my newly repaired building, far away from what surely would become another incredible fiasco. “I’ve got to go. We’re still waiting to hear if Izzy’s arm is broken.”
“Oh, that poor sweet little girl. Find out what her favorite kind of ice cream is. I’m going to send over a care package later, okay?”
“Will do.” I disconnected and made my way back to Alex. Char had taken the seat next to him. She must have news.
Alex reached for my hand as I joined them on the bench. “Izzy’s arm is broken but it’s a clean break.”
“How’s she doing?” I asked.
Char smiled, a welcome change from the worry and fear she’d been carrying with her since we arrived at the hospital. “She’s asking for a pink cast and wants to know if the penguins can somehow sign it for her.”
“That must mean she’s not in too much pain.” I relaxed against Alex’s chest. One less thing to worry about.
“She’ll be okay. I don’t know what she was thinking trying to have that bird with her,” Char said.
Alex hung his head. “Yeah, that might be partly my fault. She said she missed Shiner Bock, so I told her she could visit him if she helped with the wedding run-through.”
“Did you tell her she should stuff him in that bag and make him part of the wedding party?” Char asked.
“Well, no. But I still feel a bit responsible.”
“Good,” Char said. “It wasn’t your fault, and you have nothing to apologize for.”
“Then why’s that good?” Alex looked up.
“It’s good because that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you say you feel responsible for something.” Char stood while Alex appeared to let that statement settle in. “Now why don’t the two of you get out of here? I’m sure Gramps could use some help finding the bird. And you know the pain of a broken arm won’t be anything compared to a broken heart if Shiner Bock doesn’t come back.”
“Way to make a guy feel good.” Alex reached out and pulled me to my feet next to him. “Let’s head back to party central, shall we?”
The last thing I wanted to do was go back to the warehouse. All I wanted was a few moments alone to figure out how to get through this wedding once and for all. Playing bride and groom had stirred up something inside me. Something not altogether unpleasant, but something I wasn’t prepared for or interested in dealing with now. Maybe not ever. But I pasted a happy-go-lucky smile on my face anyway. Alex needed me.
