Snarky Teenager looked up from her paper. “It also says classy, so probably that wouldn’t be the best choice. Perhaps bright red roses?”
Elly interjected before Sunny could catch on. “White is classic and traditional. The white we will be using will be the pinnacle of elegance, and since your colors are white, pink, gold and a hint of pale yellow, it would be the ultimate compliment to the rest of the wedding. It’s refined. But we can change it for a...” Elly shot a precise glance in Lucia’s direction, “looser look.”
Sunny leaned over and rested her hand on Lucia’s. “You don’t like white dear? I had thought that we agreed on the color scheme, but if you don’t like it, we can change it.”
Lucia rolled her eyes and picked up her phone, texting away. “I don’t really care, actually. I just thought that it seemed strange that it was white. It’s not like we haven’t been together…you know, intimately.” She gave Elly a sly smile.
Sunny looked at her, shocked. “Lucia! We don’t need to hear about that.”
“Sorry, Mother.” She looked back at her phone. There was a tense silence resonating through the shop. Any minute now, Elly thought, Sunny is going to ask what is going on, and then it will all be screaming and crying and me throwing Lucia through the front window. She smiled at the thought.
Snarky Teenager continued. “Let’s move on. So, the bridal bouquet and the bridesmaids are all set. How many bridesmaids do you have?”
Lucia didn’t glance up from her phone. “Ten.”
“Yes, that’s what we have here on the contract. Their bouquets will accent yours, only with more peonies, and we will be adding mimosa and pale yellow orchids.”
Lucia smiled knowingly at Elly. “We have a lot of friends, so it was hard to choose.”
Snarky Teenager stared, then spoke tersely. “Your friends must be really loyal to stand beside you and all the choices you two have made.”
“They are!” chirped Sunny, “Your friends are so bohemian, they love and accept everyone.” She paused, searching for the right words. “They are, what would you call them – free spirits? Although, the last time we were all together, Aaron didn’t seem to appreciate them very much.”
Lucia shushed her mom loudly. “Mother, we don’t need to talk about that.”
Snarky Teenager gushed theatrically, “I’d LOVE to hear that story! Do tell!”
Lucia tunneled her eyes into Snarky Teenager’s face. “Don’t you have, like, cheerleader practice or something to go to?”
Sunny leaned forward, “Be nice! I don’t think the florist much cares, dear. It was so amusing. At their engagement party, a couple of her friends had a little too much champagne and started to give a speech about how they met. I was thrilled to hear it, but Aaron cut them off so abruptly. He was embarrassed, I’m sure, since his parents were there and didn’t appreciate that they were slightly intoxicated.” Sunny laughed gaily, her hands in air. “Young people are so refreshing, but I’m sure Aaron didn’t see it that way.”
Elly couldn’t stop staring at Sunny. How could this woman, this wonderful and delightful woman produce such a demon of a daughter? She relished in knowing that Lucia and Aaron would always have to go great lengths to hide how they truly met from their parents.
Snarky Teenager plowed forward with the contract. “For the mother’s tussie, we have pink vanda orchids and then a white gardenia wrist corsage for the reception.”
Sunny leaned back in her chair with a sigh. “It’s all going to be so beautiful. I’m absolutely over the moon with these flowers.”
Lucia’s voice snaked back into the conversation. “What are we doing for the ceremony? I want to make sure that is something that our guests will never forget – the moment that I walk down the aisle, staring ahead to the man I love.” She leaned forward, laying her hand flat on the table, her green eyes looking straight into Elly’s. “Looking at the man who wants to marry me. A man who wants to share his entire life with me. A man who chose…me.”
Elly felt a cold hand close around her throat and lifted her eyes to the ceiling, tears blurring the chandelier that hung overhead.
“Isn’t this his second marriage?” she heard Snarky Teenager snap. “I’m not sure where I read that.” She pretended to shuffle through her notes. “So this is the second time he’s done this, correct? Second time he’s been down the aisle?”