WA#5: Revised Draft

It has been a long day and I can sense the guests are becoming fidgety and impatient. Grandpa Albert is already dozing in the corner- it must be a sugar crash from all that cake, and too many family members are drunk. And- Oh my word! Grandma Bernice is looping around, flirting with her nephews! Well, its definitely a good thing Albert is long gone. John, or my husband as I can now call him, slows his steps as we dance around the floor. He too senses it is time to wrap up the reception. Catching me eyes, he nods me towards Lilly, my wonderful wedding planner.

Ever since the day I came to her, three months ago, seeking help for my wedding, she has stood firmly and faithfully by my side every step of the way. I gave her the small task of watching my bouquet during the reception; simply just keep it in sight so as not to lose it. My hope was she would be able to enjoy herself during the reception with such a small task, but I shouldn’t have been so naïve. It is her nature to exceed expectations, so of course she is holding the bouquet firmly in her arms, hiding in the corner the entire time and rejecting any company. She is guarding that bouquet with her life.

But it is indeed time to wrap things up, so I make my way over to her. She looks slightly relieved to see me, and I could have sworn the bouquet seemed to straighten up a bit too (of course it was probably just the champagne getting to my head). I smile and thank Lilly graciously, and she gratefully, yet still a bit apprehensively hands the bouquet over to me..

I make my way through the congregation of guests towards the stage, and as I pass through the crowd, the women being picking up the notion. They excitedly follow me and group around the stage. I look out into their eager faces and search for the youngest- Bella, my niece. I had promised her she would be the luckiest girl of the night, and there’s no satisfaction like that of seeing a 7 year old triumph over hopeless 40 year olds (yes, this is harsh, but so undeniably true just by looking at their greedy faces). I spot Bella, grin, make a mental note of her spot in the crowd, and slowly turn my back to them.

I hold the bouquet close to my chest and peer down at it. Behind its outer, fuchsia beauty lies its inner essence. This is not simply a bouquet. It is my right of passage, signifying me from the women who stand below me. I take the moment in, steal one last glance at the bouquet, and toss it high into the air. I quickly spin around just in time to see I land in the hands of- cousin Maggie!

What a pig! First of all, who would ever marry such a cruel, fat pig, and secondly, she just ruined the night of a precious 7 year old! The bouquet gleams in the reflection of Bella’s watering eyes. I can’t bear the sight. I jump off the stage into John’s arms and we escape the scene before it mounts to something unbearable. I feel confident Lilly will calm things down, and just as we turn out the door, I catch one last fleeting glance of Grandpa Albert stirring in the corner. What commotion a single bouquet can cause!