Call her ZADDY

Oh the places you'll go

         After the ceremony ended Mick looked up at Gabrielle with big bold tears in his eyes and gave her a giant heart felt hug.

"Sorry, I just  needed to get that off my chest," he said kiddingly.

In his hands he held onto to his gift for the happy couple. It was a copy of "Oh the Places You Will Go," by his favorite poet. Gabrielle struggled not to laugh at how proud he seemed over knowing such an obscure reference.

As the two walked hand in hand through an open field to the wedding reception together, they arrived at a shield of white lights glowing from out of the outdoor reception where peacocks called under giant umbrella trees. Gabrielle laughed once again to herself, thinking from afar they probably looked like a couple already "going places," in life.

——

Once inside the tents, Gabrielle and Mick waited in line at a small open bar, where Gabrielle couldn't help but notice Mick looked distracted. Every couple seconds she kept catching him scanning his eyes over her head as if he hoped to find someone better to talk to.

Mick didn't have to wait long. The moment they got up to order, the female bartender, who was at the moment , pouring champagne instantly lit up at the sight of him. Gabrielle sensed by her flirtatious expression that she already knew Mick intamently well.

"Well, hello there. Do you come her often,?" he asked jokingly while lowering his voice to a baritone tenner.

The bartender looked dazzled while Mick laughed heartily and continued his fake introduction all the while blatantly undressing the woman with his eyes. It was so awkward that Gabrielle could actually hear real crickets chirping outside the tents near the lawn. She finally had to look away out of discomfort, deciding it best to give them their privacy.

The bartender was basically already pregnant by the time Mick finally broke character. As she waited to be acknowledged, Gabrielle felt as insignificant as a puca shell on the golden sands of Waikiki, waiting to be squished by a heavy footed tourist.

"Gee thanks for the intro," she muttered under her breath while turning away to walk off alone to her assigned seat near the dance floor.

——

Alone at her table Gabrielle sipped on a glass of wine feeling pathetic. At her age weddings were triggering enough, not ignoring the fact that her date was a total piece of work. She could feel a knot in her throat desperately trying to surface no matter how hard she tried to swallow. Then all of a sudden she felt someone gently tap her shoulder.

"Hey there," said the groom with a refreshing lack of pretense, "we are so glad you were able to make it."

"Thank God," Gabrielle said. "It's so good to see someone normal." "Congratulations by the way", she brightened before he surprised her once more by playfully spinning her around to check out her dress.

Aloha! Please read on to the next chapter to send what happens next.