scratched Vanessa？s bare arms。
Arlo Abrams appeared from behind Gabriela and joined in on the hug。 ？This place has good chi；？
he noted approvingly； pecking Vanessa quickly on the cheek。 His long gray hair was braided down
his back with another white ribbon tied in a bow at the bottom； and his body was cloaked in what
appeared to be a white linen bathrobe。 It was no surprise that Vanessa？s parents had similar
clothes and hair…styles。 If Gabriela didn？t dress Arlo； he？d simply walk around naked。
Let？s hope nothing ever happens to her。
Vanessa fidgeted； smothered by her parents？ embrace。 Vanessa looked over her dad？s shoulder
and spotted Dan approaching from a distance； wearing a stiff blue button…down shirt and tie。 She
didn？t even know heowned a tie。 Her stomach flip…flopped when she saw him； and she suddenly
wished she？d eaten breakfast that morning instead of drinking the Humphreys？ gross instant
coffee。
Don？t worry？there？s plenty of tempeh lasagna to go around。
？Mom； Dad； why don？t you sit over here？？ She ushered her parents toward one of the picnic
tables arranged alongside the grass aisle； wiping the sweat off her brow。 ？I have to talk to Ruby
and Piotr。？ She glanced at the two lovebirds who were standing at the makeshift altar/oak tree；
trying to keep their hands off each other and not doing a very good job。 In their usual
unconventional manner； her parents chose to perch on top of the picnic table rather than sit on the
bench。
？Our little girl？s a maid of honor！？ her mother cried； pulling a woven burlap handkerchief out
from between her breasts。
Her father put his hand on his wife？s knee and squeezed it。 ？Now； Gabriela； save your juices for
the wedding！？ Vanessa made her way down the aisle； wondering if that？s what happened to you
when you stayed in the woods of Vermont for too long。
Dan wove his way around picnic tables decorated with white balloons； hoping he？d have time to
stick napkins in his armpits to sop up the sweat trickling down his sides and staining his light blue
oxford shirt before reading his poem。
？Isn？t this romantic？？ Jenny？s voice broke through his thoughts。 She gazed up at the trees as she
walked； a dreamy expression on her round； freckled face。 She was wearing a pink； gauzy sundress
that looked a heck of a lot more fortable than the long…sleeve button…down shirt and tie Dan
had worn for the occasion。 ？Easy for you to say； little Miss Barely There Sundress。？ He grunted
and tried to unstick his shirt from his sweaty back。
？Oh； eon ； Dan；？ Jenny scoffed。 ？Don？t you just think weddings are the most amazing
things？？ Actually； he did。 There was something really romantic about watching two people stand
up in front of their friends and family and promise to stay together forever。 It was almost 。 。 。 noble。
What would it be like to have someone who loved him enough to want to be with him
forever？ ？Yeah； I guess so；？ Dan mumbled； weaving around a suspicious…looking clod of dirt。
They approached a large oak tree with rose petals sprinkled at its roots。 Piotr stood beneath the
tree； wearing a canary…yellow tuxedo and holding onto Ruby？s hand。 She wore an antique…looking
ivory…colored dress with a hot…pink sash around the middle。 And next to her was Vanessa； looking
beautiful in a slinky blue slip dress。 Dan looked down at her feet？ she was wearing her trademark
bat boots。 At least some things never changed。 Dan dropped Jenny？s arm and moved closer；
taking in the curve of Vanessa？s hips swaying under the thin material of the dress。 He felt his
pulse start to race。
？Hey。？ Vanessa？s throaty voice broke into his thoughts； and he realized his feet had brought him
directly in front of her。 Ruby stood behind her； madly kissing Piotr even though there had been
no ？You may kiss the bride？ yet。 The ceremony hadn？t even begun。
？Hey。？ Dan smiled shyly。 ？You look 。 。 。 uh； nice。？ Damn。 He was a poet； and he couldn？t e
up with anything better than ？nice？？
Roses are red； violets are blue； your lips are real nice； and so are you！
She smiled back shyly。 ？Um 。 。 。 just trying something new for the wedding。？ ？He means
gorgeous。？ Jenny threw her arms around Vanessa。 ？I love your dress！？ ？You guys can sit here if
you want。？ Vanessa pointed at an empty bench； and Dan and Jenny sat down。 ？I have to go cue up
the music and get my camera ready。 You？re up after Piotr？s friends； okay？？ she told Dan and then
quickly made her way to a picnic table farther down the aisle； where one of Piotr？s friends；
wearing a white T…shirt with a black skull and crossbones printed on it； was fiddling with an
iBook。
Dan inspected the other partygoers； who were mostly dressed in casual clothes？except for Piotr？s
friends； who were wearing black…； white…； and red…striped suits。 They resembled a pack of hipster
clowns just released from some bizarre Czech prison。
Just then a Czech ballad struck up； and Ruby and Piotr began skipping backwards hand in hand
around the giant oak tree。 Some guy in one of those weird striped suits whom Dan could only
assume was Piotr？s best man joined in the skipping and the crowd cheered。
Whatever happened to ？Here es the Bride？？
They stopped skipping and stood off to the side as the Czech ballad quieted and a group of four
striped…suited guys made their way over to the tree。 One guy stuck out his tongue and wagged it
obscenely。
？I am animal！？ he yelled。 ？Filled with lust of carnivore！？ ？I am love；？ the group behind him
began to chant； crouching down on the ground。 ？I am love； I am love； I am love。 。 。 。？ Ruby and
Piotr held hands； entranced by their friends？ display。 Behind them； a yellow Lab chased a squirrel
up a tree； barking loudly。
？。 。 。 love； love； love； love 。 。 。？
Jenny？s brow was wrinkled in thought； as if she were trying to decode the symbolism。 Dan could
barely contain his giggles？and there was only one other person who probably felt the same way。
He glanced at Vanessa； who was standing off to the side； her camera trained on the altar as she
desperately tried to keep a straight face。 He caught her eye and grinned； then he stuck out his
tongue and wiggled it； imitating Piotr？s crazy friends。
The striped…suited guys finally stopped screaming and bowed to a confused smattering of polite
applause。 Jenny elbowed Dan in the ribs。 ？You？re up。？ He smiled nervously。 He didn？t even know
if this poem was any good； and now he was going to have to test…drive it in front of Ruby？s entire
wedding party？not to mention his ex…girlfriend。
No pressure。
Dan walked to the front of the crowd and opened his notebook。 He cleared his throat and began
to read； his voice wavering。
Open the fridge and put
My heart on a plate。
I？m just as you left me； and I taste even better leftover。
He kept his eyes on the page。 It took all his effort to decipher his own scrawl。 As he focused on
the white paper； he couldn？t help feeling moved by what he？d written。 He looked up and locked
eyes with Vanessa。
Pale fury； why did you leave me？
You？re prickly in the morning。 So prickly。
This isn？t a cooking show。