“The world does not revolve around you.” Francine stared him down.
He looked affronted, but his expression softened.
“I did call down and have them send someone to you,” Raphael said in his own defense. “Did they fix your device?”
Uncle Bandore made a face. “Yes. Eventually they came up and fixed it.”
“Seconds after the call was made, then?” Francine asked.
“Don’t be impertinent, young lady. The good news is that your hair isn’t terrible. Your mother probably had a fit over it, though, didn’t she?” He laughed and added, “What is this surprise, anyway? Do you know?”
“Surprise?” Francine asked, buying time.
“I mean, this wedding has been an endless affair already, hasn’t it? The ceremony drenched in peach, the endless reception line, the nine-course luncheon seated with strangers, lengthy explanations about traditions from both sides of the family. It’s been exhausting and now we have to go back for more?”
“Well, there is a dinner planned, which is an Ichor-Delta tradition.” Francine turned to Raphael, who nodded in confirmation.
As expected, that perked her uncle up. Uncle Bandore always loved a free meal. “You don’t say. Well, that’s grand. I guess I could go in and see about this surprise and try out more tasty dishes. The lunch was very good. Didn’t you think it was good?”
They both nodded.
Uncle Bandore gave a little salute and headed back into the reception hall. Francine and Raphael followed a few paces behind him. Raphael was quiet as her mind raced a thousand miles an hour, trying to figure out what she’d say to her mother about the surprise wedding.
Two steps from the threshold, Raphael leaned close. “Last chance to run for it.”
“She’d hunt us down.”
“Do you know what you plan to say?”
“Not exactly. Do you have any suggestions?”
He shook his head. Francine thought maybe she could feign illness or tell her mother she hurt her knee and didn’t want to limp down the aisle. “Maybe I have an idea.”
“Awesome. You should definitely do the talking then.” He laughed, turning the sound into a cough when her mother hurried to stand in front of them.
“I have terrible news,” she said, looking genuinely distressed.
“What is it?”
“You won’t be able to get married today.”
“We won’t?” Francine and Raphael said at the exact same time.
“We don’t have the official form filled out and stamped by the wedding authority here on Ichor-Delta. On Alpha-Prime it wouldn’t be a problem, but here the marriage authority is very strict about such things. Worse, the place to get the official form is closed for the day and the officiant refuses to marry anyone without it.”
“Thatisbad news,” Francine said, desperately trying to keep the relief out of her tone. Not that she didn’t want to marry Raphael, she did. She just wanted to plan her own wedding in her own way.
Adeline sniffed, looking quite distraught.
“What’s wrong, Mother?”
The older woman’s gaze lifted. “I wanted to say… Well… I’m so truly sorry for how we treated you at Drucilla’s wedding, Francine. HowItreated you. It was too much.”
Whoa!That was a surprise. Her parents did not believe in being sorry or expressing regret. First Howard and now another miracle in her mother saying sorry. Raphael must have an aura that forced others to express overdue forgiveness or something.
Raphael’s expression was quizzical, as if he couldn’t understand her mother’s distress or apology. If Francine didn’t know better, she would think her mother was about to cry.
“I’m not going to lie, Mother. You really hurt my feelings. I wasn’t bothering anyone. No one noticed me except you.”
