The Wedding Reception

Chapter One - The Wedding Reception

Lucile Bevans scowled and hunched in her wheelchair as she stared at her son Ethan Bevans and his new spouse, Alex Paul-Bevans. It's not that she didn't approve of their marriage, quite the opposite in fact, she just always looked like that; Grumpy. Mad even. If she were having the time of her life, she would keep that intimidating scowl on her face. She was a pessimist like no other. No-one really knew why, no-one really wanted to know, that's just how it's always been.

Next to Lucile stood her best friend of nearly sixty-five years, Yamamoto Akihiko, the old Asian man grinning widely as he gazed at Ethan and Alex.

The two could not have been more different, yet their friendship had remained true even throughout their hardships. Akihiko was a happy man, the kind to always look at the bright side of life. The kind of man to bake you cookies whenever you visited him. The kind to pinch your cheeks and give you ice cream.

In front of them stood Ethan Bevan and the love of his life, Alex Paul-Bevans. The two could not be more perfect for each other; Ethan was a cheerful man, but tended to get carried away when talking. Alex kept him in check, making sure he didn't offend anyone on accident. Alex was a realist, they always kept a pragmatic look on life, even when things were looking dark. Ethan kept Alex's spirits in check, reminded her that even if life looked bad, there was always a bright side.

The happy couple was trying desperately to hold in their laughter as their son, Deion Paul shoved Ice-Cream Bar after Ice-Cream Bar down his throat, seeing how many he could fit in before he ran out of room. It seemed almost impossible how many he had lodged in his mouth, but apparently his passionate love for ice cream was more powerful than mere physicality.

Deion was just as cheerful as his new stepfather, with quite the imagination to go along with it. Alex and Ethan could not love the ten-year-old boy more.

Standing to the side with her phone pulled out to film the inhuman feat being accomplished before her was Kaitlyn Bevans, Deion's new fifteen-year-old stepsister. The two got along surprisingly well, despite only meeting each other the year before.

Kaitlyn and Deion had been nearly inseparable from the moment they met, and those around them suffered for it. They were quite the mischievous couple, with Deion coming up with creative new ways to prank his family and Kaitlyn gathering the supplies and setting up the traps for others to get caught in.

Kaitlyn was a shy girl when Deion and Alex had first met her, but quickly became a sarcastic, witty, girl when she opened up. She truly was a joy to be around.

The wedding reception was a private affair, on a small beach in California.
Only close family members and friends had been invited, but the love permeating the air the cool summer night was enough to fill all their hearts with joy.

Akihiko frowned as a car pulling to the pavilion broke the warm feeling in the air. Kaitlyn shivered and held herself tightly as the air became cold.

Deion spit the Ice-Cream Bars out of his mouth and stared as a tall, broad shouldered man climbed out of the sleek black vehicle. He was dressed in a suit, with a gun obviously protruding from the holster at his waist.

Alex frowned as he walked up to the pavilion with long, quick strides. What could he want with us, and why do Lucile and Uncle Akihiro look so grave? They mused.

Akihiko walked up to the man and shook his hand in a firm grip. "To what do we owe the pleasure Max?" he said cheerfully, trying to resurrect the warm feeling from before.

"I need to speak with you and Lucile in private. It concerns... confidential matters," the man said, pointedly staring at the curious family gathering around.