Dating the Dead • lrh

35. proposal

I hate Jack.

The wedding did not start for another one and a half hour. All we did was lounge under the makeshift canopy. That was all I did.

Shelby was playing with my little cousins. At one point, she stopped to talk to a guy. He looked familiar.

"I didn't know Pearly Shells knew Hugo Collins." Kendall sat on the vine-tangled chair beside me.

Where did I hear that name before?

"Who?" I frowned at him.

"Pearly Shells," he nodded at Shelby's direction.

I shook my head, frowning at him, "No. the other one."

"Ahh," he nodded, fixing his pink bow tie. He held up a finger and pointed at the man Shelby was talking to. "That is Hugo."

The guy with the red Porsche.

I wondered what he's doing here. They seemed to be having a serious conversation there. My attention went back to Kendall. He stood up, fixing his blond curls.

"Got to go, kid. My date's waiting for me." He patted me on the back. Before I could ask who he was with, he was already gone.

"Was that Kendall?" Shelby stood in front of me. "What is he doing here?"

I stood up, looking at Kendall's back. "I dunno," I muttered. My gaze turned to Shelby. "So, Hugo's here."

"Yeah," she smiled at me, linking our arms as we started walking. "We were talking about his sister."

"What about her?" We sat on our designated seats. Uh, not really. I asked to switch so I have to sit in the middle of Jack and Shelby. While she would be by the aisle.

She smiled sadly at me. "We met Hugo in London. I was seven at the time, he was twelve. He thought I was his missing sister because I-" she stopped herself and stared off into space. Her eyes set on the altar but I could tell she wasn't seeing the vine curtains.

"Because what?" I whispered, tapping her arm lightly.

She shook her head, then smiled at her hands. "Because I am about as old as her."

There was something in her eyes that didn't convince me. Like, there was more to the story than she's telling me. But I let it go.

The ceremony lasted for almost two hours. The picture taking took more time than the wedding itself. Afterwards, the entourage followed the newlyweds to the huge dining hall.

Shelby had her arm hooked around mine. As if to mock us, Jack and Kendall walked past, arms linked together and butts shook exaggeratedly. Turned out, Kendall was Jack's date since my brother's girlfriend couldn't attend.

I heard Shelby laugh. And I watched her with admiration.

She's so beautiful.

"What?" She asked when she noticed me staring.

I shook my head, as we passed Ben and my parents. "Nothing," I said, and I couldn't help but smile.

The food was wonderful. Our table became a huge mess when Jack, Kendall, and Ben kept going back to the buffet table. Almost every food was made from apples. Pies, tarts, cake, apple cider for the adults and apple juice for the kids.

Our table was the last one the newlyweds went to for a photo. Cousin Joffrey chatted with Dad and the boys. Janie, the bride, was talking to us.

"Hey Luke, Joff said you can play. Do you mind performing for us?" Janie looked so happy looking at me. I couldn't say no.