Smooth Sailing

June 12, 1966

June 12, 1966

Edward's alarm clock went off far too early in the morning for his taste. After his graduation from the University of Wisconsin two weeks earlier, Edward thought that he would get a bit of a break from having to wake up early, but the wedding and his new job had interfered with that. Edward's life was about to begin: today, he was marrying his high school sweetheart, and after the honeymoon, he would start working for New Crest Bank Corporation. Today, Edward Morrison would become a real adult.

He climbed out of bed, put on his glasses, and went into the bathroom to comb his hair, nearly tripping over his own feet on the way there. When he got there, he started getting ready for the wedding, even though it wasn't until the afternoon. A few of Edward's friends from college were coming over in a few hours, and he wanted to look at least presentable for them.

Edward was one of the first out of his group of friends to get married, but he didn't mind that. He and Lorraine had been dating since high school, and Edward knew that he couldn't love another girl more. She was the one for him, and even if other people didn't quite understand what they saw in each other, Lorraine and Edward knew that they loved each other. That was enough for them.

Edward changed into a tuxedo and adjusted his glasses one more time before the groomsmen showed up around noon. It was bad enough that he could barely see without them, but if he had to wear his glasses during the ceremony, he would at least make sure that they looked okay. Edward was about to leave with his friends when someone suddenly knocked on the door.

Edward opened the door and was surprised by who he saw there. "James?" he said. "I thought that you said that you had a business meeting."

"The meeting got canceled, so I decided to come here instead to see you," James said. "I still can't believe that you and Lorraine took this long to get married."

"You're being a hypocrite, James," Edward said. "You're still not married yet."

James laughed and said, "I know. I'm just teasing you, Edward. I'm just so happy for you. You and Lorraine will make a great couple."

"Thank you," Edward said.

"I still remember when you first called me to tell me about her," James said. "You were so excited that you'd finally gotten a girl to go out with you." James and Edward both laughed, remembering the moment. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that I was coming," James said. "Can I still attend the wedding?"

"Of course," Edward said. He felt bad that he hadn't known that James was coming. If he had, he might have made him a groomsman.

"Great," James said.

"Are you ready to go, Edward?" one of the other groomsmen asked.

"I think so," Edward said. All of them drove to spot on the lakeshore where the wedding would take place. Plenty of chairs were set up for Edward and Lorraine's friends and family, and Edward's parents were sitting in the front row, waiting for the ceremony to start.

Edward took a deep breath, hoping that everything would go just like it had in the wedding rehearsal. He looked toward the lake and watched the waves crash into the shore. If nothing else, he was glad that he and Lorraine had decided to get married by the lake. He couldn't imagine such a momentous event happening anywhere else. This was where everything else important in Edward's life so far had happened - why couldn't he get married here too?

A few of Lorraine's friends had decided to form a string quartet, and they started to play as Lorraine walked down the aisle. Her white dress perfectly complemented her brown skin, and Edward smiled as he watched her approach. Lorraine's father had abandoned the family when she was young, so her mother was walking her down the aisle. Edward's parents had initially objected, but there was no better solution, so in the end, they agreed to it. They had initially objected to Edward and Lorraine's relationship too, but they had thankfully changed their minds after they actually met Lorraine.