“She has to track her loyal subjects somehow,” I say, and Andi snorts.
“Okay! Great, thank you,” the photographer says. “You’re free to go until after the ceremony.”
I give Andi a quick kiss on the forehead before we separate. For lipstick reasons, we’re not allowed to kiss on the lips until all the family pictures are finished, and I’m pleased enough that Elliott and Connor wanted her in the family pictures that I don’t mind.
“I’m gonna go keep Sadie’s poor boyfriend company before he disintegrates,” she says. “See you later. You look good.”
She squeezes my hand, and gives me a smile, and it’s such a beautiful day.
* * *
“I don’t know!”Ariel says, turning in a complete circle like that’ll help. “He was right there!”
“How did youlose Reid?” Hannah asks.
“I didn’tlose Reid, Reid… lost himself,” Sadie says, scowling.
“Connor’s mom might actually kill us,” Ariel says, already texting. “I wouldn’t put bloodshed past her.”
“Where did you last see him?” I ask. The ceremony is supposed to start in about seven minutes, and Ariel’s right about Elliott’s mother-in-law-to-be.
“He was right there!” Sadie says, pointing, as if Reid is a purse she’d put down. “He seemed kind of nervous, and then he was gone, I don’t know.”
“Stay here,” I tell the two of them, not that they were offering to go search.
It doesn’t take long to find him, in the dressing room we all left about ten minutes ago, still in an impressive state of chaos. The balloon is still on the ceiling and it smells a little like someone spilled champagne, but it’s a lovely, warm kind of chaos.
Reid’s in front of the mirror, scowling at his tie.
“You need help?” I ask, even though I know the answer.
“Yeah,” he says, letting the sides go and shaking out his hands. “It was probably fine, but I thought it looked kind of lopsided so I went to go fix it and then I just made itmorelopsided and—” he finishes by gesturing at himself.
“Here,” I say, and he turns to me.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” I say, and set about tying. Reid closes his eyes and forces his hands to his sides while I work.
It doesn’t take long. I’m probably better at tying other peoples’ ties than my own, after years of helping all my younger brothers and then years of helping their kids, too.
It occurs to me, as I finish Reid’s, that I’ve never helped him with a tie before. I don’t mention that thought to him since he already seems plenty anxious.
“There,” I say, and turn him to the mirror. “That better?”
Reid doesn’t say anything. He blinks at himself, and stares, swallows twice. The breeze blows through the curtains and he stands up a little straighter, then smooths the tie and his lapels and swallows again.
It strikes me, suddenly, how glad I am that he’s here. He told me, in the car on the way to Richmond a few weeks ago, that he came closer to not being here than I ever realized.
There’s a lot about Reid I’d never realized, but I’m trying to learn. Our roles are oddly reversed these days; after all, he got through this when he was fifteen. It’s his turn to guide me.
“You look good,” I tell him, and his eyes flick to me.
“Thanks.”
For a moment, I almost put my arm around his shoulders so I can kiss his head, but I stop myself and settle for squeezing his shoulder instead.
“Don’t be long,” I say, because he seems like he might need a minute. “Connor’s mom might kill someone.”
