The Hipsters

No. 24

It's Thursday night, it's the rehearsal dinner, and tomorrow's the wedding.

And everything is going horribly wrong.

1. Hazel showed up 30 minutes late. I'm not going to ask her why.
2. Mrs. Mercer is allergic to duck, which is the main course.
3. Silas keeps giving me a knowing look. I think he knows that I was at the Louvre yesterday.
4. Everyone is being silent.

All you could hear was slurping and sipping. So, like the good person I am, I invited a conversation. I looked over at Adam.

"So, tomorrow, huh? Excited?", I asked him.

He grinned, and looked over at my mom. "You have no idea."

I caught a glimpse of Mrs. Mercer's disapproving expression. She picked up her fork, and bit into her salmon. She also mumbled something, but I couldn't read her lips.

"I'm marrying the woman of my dreams. Of course I'm excited.", Adam continued.

"That is, if you make it to the wedding day.", Mrs. Mercer noted, and smiled quickly at them. I think she meant it to be a joke.

"What do you mean, Patricia?", my mom asked, setting down her fork.

"Oh, nothing, really. I'm just making a joke. And really, I was talking to Adam."

"Well, starting tomorrow, you talk to Adam, you talk to me.", my mom said back.

I looked up at that. I could practically see the animosity floating between them.

"They're not going to fight.", Silas whispered, sending shivers down my spine.

"Patricia, the salmon is delicious. You should try it with the chutney", Mrs. Ingram tried to intervene.

"Last time I checked, your last name was Benson. Not Mercer.", Mrs. Mercer ignored Mrs. Ingram's attempt.

The entire table went silent. Not a single fork touched a plate.

"Are you serious right now, mom? You can't be happy for me, just once? What the hell is your problem this time?", Adam sighed.

"Don't talk to your mother like that.", Mr. Mercer retorted.

"I can't be happy for you, because you're making a huge mistake. Don't marry her.", Mrs...Patricia said. She lost my nonexistent respect for her.

My mom swallowed, and breathed deeply; the way she always does when she's really pissed at me. "If you don't want to be here, no one is asking you to stay. I'm sure the next flight out of Paris could be flagged down in time for you to leave as soon as possible. I don't want to fight with you.", my mom said calmly. I pushed my plate away, a bad feeling creeping up on me.

I heard myself speak. "Mom, it's okay."

"No, it's not.", she said. She dropped her fork on her plate. Silas cleared his throat, and quickly glanced at me.

"Look, Lillian-"

"It's Lily."

"Lily, I like you. I really do. It's just that...you're not right for my son. He's...confused. He doesn't know what he wants. And I don't know what possessed him to propose. It was preposterous-"

"Mom, stop! Jesus, don't you know when to quit?", Adam interrupted. But he didn't deny anything.

"Adam, please, don't break her heart like all the others. Just tell her."

What?

"Tell her what?", I asked. They all looked at me. Mr. Ingram shined his fork on his shirt, and Hazel stuffed food into her mouth.