His face looms closer as he peers into my hair and inspects it. Whatever he sees pleases him because his face bears a huge grin.
"What?" I ask, sitting still because whatever pleases Sid will definitely not please me.
He covers his mouth and sits back on the grass on his knees. "Don't be scared, but there's a humongous bug sitting on your hair," he whispers, his voice muffled by the hand covering his mouth.
I stand up and scream, swatting at my hair in a frenzy. "Get it off, Sid! Please!" I scream and jump up and down.
A bug on my hair! A humongous one too! I don't know what humongous means but I think it isn't a small bug he's talking about.
I hear laughter and turn to find Sid sprawled on the grass, hand covering his stomach as his face turns red with laughter.
At my silence, he lifts his head up to look at me. "You should have seen your face," he says and points at it.
I scowl and smooth my frock. "That was not funny Sid ," I say, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
"Yes it was," he says, standing up. I don't respond but the scowl on my face deepens.
Sid always does that. Fools me, and laughs at my face. And I fall for it every single time.
"Mon-Mon," he calls out as I stomp away. I stop at the sound of my nickname and look over my shoulder.
"I'm sorry Mon-Mon," he sings as he walks over to me. Up close, I can see the light reflected in his big, black eyes and he's looking at me with a hopeful look on his face.
I can never stay mad at him anyway.
"I'll forgive you if you come play dolls with me," I say with my head up.
His face scrunches up in disgust, but he nods nonetheless. "Okay, but I'm not playing the son again. You make a terrible mommy. I'll be the mommy this time," he says and I giggle.
"But you can't be the mommy, silly," I say, giggling harder.
"Why not?" he asks, hands folded across his chest.
"Mommies have long hair and your hair is so short," I say with a grin.
He scowls. " That's not fair! I don't want to be the son."
I shrug and play with the ribbons on my frock while he thinks.
"I know!" he exclaims at last, clapping his hands.
"I'll be the daddy and you be the mommy," he says, grinning.
I squeal in response and nod, happy that he's playing with me.
"Race you to the house," he says and takes off without waiting for a response. I giggle and chase after him, my pigtails flying in the wind.
I closed my eyes shut as tears threatened to spill. I didn't know why that particular memory decided to pop up.
Sure that my tears were in check, I opened my eyes and took a deep breath.
I looked around at the marriage hall, with all the chairs filled with people sporting happy faces and cameras, and the flowers decorating the walls. I looked at the piano which was being played, a beautiful and happy melody emanating, calming every mind. I looked at the priest, waiting to begin the ceremony, and at the bridesmaids, identically dressed, flowers in hand, chattering with obvious excitement.
