UNGIFTED

CHAPTER 9

S cattered all over the different tables, little cards had been separated into four groups. Family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances; those were the titles they had given to each one of them. They had spent the past hour cutting them and writing down on the tiny pieces of paper. Each one with the name of a different guest. The seating chart had proved to be an arduous puzzle and they had yet to start organizing them around the multiple tables and seats logistically enough to avoid any possible tension during the dinner and whole event.

"My uncle Larry and my aunt Pearl aren't really on the best terms at the moment." Rowan said. "I think it'd be best if we sat them far from each other." She added.

"Same goes for my cousins Carl and Pete." Eroan added.

Ameria looked at Jax from across the table, wondering how on earth had they ended up there. Not only was nailing down the seating chart an arduous task, but it also required knowing various family dynamics. Something they could not really help with, but that somehow Rowan had insisted on. Jax looked at her with the same expression on his face, already regretting every decision he had ever made leading to that moment.

From the opposite side of the room, Ben watched them. His eyes moving back and forth between the pair of friends, trying to decipher what their wordless conversation was about. Wishing he could be a part of it because, just like them, he was not sure what his role on the day's activity was supposed to be.

"Guys, in the meantime, do you think you could help by folding the place cards that are inside that box?" Rowan said pointing towards a sealed cardboard box.

"Sure." Jax said standing up and walking towards the couch to pick it up.

"I think you might also have to cut them." She added before focusing back on the tiny pieces of paper that laid before her.

Grabbing some scissors from one of the many pencil holders, Ben moved closer to them ready to help them out with the place-card folding. If he was going to spend his evening there, might as well be doing something productive.

"Thanks." Jax said using one of the scissors to carefully open the box. Taking out some of the cards, he divided them and handed a pile to each.

Time seemed to go smoother as their minds were occupied on doing something. All hands-on deck cutting cards and folding them in half so they could stand on their own. Using the information displayed on the board Rowan and Eroan were working on, they piled the cards one on top of the other. Each pile organized accordingly to the table they were supposed to be placed on the day of the wedding.

"No, Ben! You're mixing them..." Ameria said rearranging the cards he had misplaced.

"No, you're mixing them. Look!" He said pointing towards the board a few meters away from them.

"I am looking." She told him. "That's how I know you're mixing them."

"No, I'm not." Ben said placing a folded card on top of one of the piles.

"Yes, you are." She told him. "And you're doing it again." She added taking the card he had just put down. "This one is supposed to be on table twelve." She told him. "See? Aunt Pearl goes on table twelve. Not eleven." She explained pointing towards the board.

"Guys." Rowan said stretching the word.

"What?" Ben and Ameria asked in unison, making her shake her head.

***

"You look tired." Ben told Eroan as they walked back from their brief break, a paper cup on each hand.

"I am." He responded. "I never thought planning a seating chart would be this difficult." He told him. "It's taking longer than anticipated and I still have to visit the jewelry store to pick up the rings before it closes." He said rubbing his eyes.