Wealth Pt. 03

"Oh my god, oh Honey!" Ed said, eyes immediately filling with tears at the sight of his little girl in her wedding dress.

"Daddy!" Caitlin said, smiling, with just a hint of her own tears in her eyes.

"And who are these two little angels?" Shirley asked, smiling at the two girls.

"I'm Star Robertson," Star said. "And this is my baby sister Luna Robertson. She's only three but I'm almost five."

"And I'm Brooke Robertson," Brooke smiled to Caitlin. "Congratulations; I know your father is so proud of you."

"Thank you, and thank you for letting me borrow your little girls for the day," Caitlin smiled and the two women shook hands.

"Ooh, Daddy!" Briah said, playing with Ed's tie. "She's cute! Where'd you find her, huh?"

"He went to where my Mommy works and they kissed and fell in love," Star informed Briah.

"They did? Just like that?" Briah smiled down at the precocious little girl.

"Uh huh, and then he tried to eat her nose and wanted to eat my nose but Mommy wouldn't let him," Star went on.

"Daddy!" Caitlin cried out, close to tears. "You used to do that to me all the time!"

"And me too!" Briah agreed.

"He likes little girls' noses," Caitlin warned Luna.

"Okay, can I have the ring bearer and the flower girl out here, please?" Connie called out, dashing back into the room.

Connie handed Luna the basket and handed Star the pillow with the two 'rings' sewn to it.

Connie peered through her viewfinder and smiled; she didn't have to pose them or direct the two girls. They were already posing for the camera.

She snapped off three quick shots and they seemed to sense to move naturally for her.

"Oh my God," Connie muttered watching the two girls. "They're naturals."

"And how about the father of the bride; that's you, right? Father of the bride, you're the step mother? Here, right here," Connie rattled off grabbing Ed and Brooke and putting them on either side of Caitlin.

"But I'm not, we're not..." Brooke tried to object as Connie snapped off a quick photograph.

"Ma'am, one more time but try not to talk, okay?" Connie directed and Ed shrugged at Brooke.

"Don't do that, please," Connie said to Ed. "Try smiling; this is supposed to be a happy day, remember?"

"Mother of the bride; is there a step father?" Connie called out, quickly moving Brooke and Ed aside.

"No, there's not," Theresa spat.

""Attitude like that, I bet there's not," Connie thought to herself but smiled graciously.

"And grandmother; you're the grandmother right?" Connie said pushing Shirley next to Caitlin.

"No; we're best friends," Caitlin corrected and the two women mugged for a quick photograph, showing all their teeth in an exaggerated smile.

"Silly, silly, silly," Connie chided as the two women giggled to each other.

"No, here's the grandparents," Ed said, hustling his mother and father into the small room.

"Oh, okay, well, no kidding; I should have known that, look at that red hair," Connie said, arranging them with Caitlin.

"Okay, I'm going sit out there, all right?" Brooke told Star and Luna. "Y'all behave for Mr. Ed, all right?"

"And no eating noses!" Brooke waggled a finger at Ed.

She kissed him and Connie snapped off a quick shot of the intimate moment before dashing back out of the room.

"Good God, really, Ed; just how old is she anyway?" Theresa sneered at Ed after the door had closed behind Brooke.

"Who you?" Bobby, Caitlin's brother, acting as one of the ushers demanded as Brooke looked around the church.

"I'm um, I'm with Ed," Brooke said.

"Who?" Bobby sneered.

"Ed Weinstein? Father of the bride," Brooke reminded the impertinent youth.

"Oh, oh yeah, him," Bobby said then pointed to a pew at the rear of the church. "Why don't you sit right there?"

"No sir," Barry said, frowning at Caitlin's brother. "She's with the father of the bride; she sits at the front of the church."

Whatever," Bobby sneered and escorted Brooke to the first pew.

"Hey, Bobby," Barry hissed, grabbing the eleven year old by a few of the hairs at the back of his neck, lifting him onto his tip-toes. "You don't want to be an usher, just say so and I'll get someone else do it, hear?"

"Ow!" Bobby complained, now frightened of the old white guy Caitlin was marrying.

"Now, you going do your job and do it right or am I going to have to get someone else do it?" Barry hissed.

"I'll do it," Bobby said.

"God damned pain in the ass brat," Barry grumbled as he marched back to where his groomsmen were standing.

"Okay, if I could have you, hey guys, if I could just have you..." Darnell, Connie's assistant simpered, trying to get the men to cooperate.

"Guys, come on, let's listen to him, huh?" Barry smiled.

Okay, hey guys, groom first, then best man, that's it, get in the order you're going to be standing at the altar," the man said.

"Perfect, perfect, and now, how about one fun one, huh? Think you guys can get a conga line going? Oh God, that's beautiful! Yes, yes, laugh! This is fun, this is so much fun!"

Inside the small vestibule, Connie had the bride's party do the same thing, making sure she also shot a photograph of the ring bearer and flower girl as they laughed at the silly pose.

"And we're just about ready," Father Jack McNamara smiled as he stuck his head into the vestibule.

"And we're just about ready," the priest smiled at the group of men.

"Oh, well then I guess I better get up there, huh?" Barry smiled as the organ music, which had been playing softly in the background suddenly jumped in volume.

He smiled to himself; since his little 'talk' with Bobby, the youth was acting a great deal more civil.

"Mother of the bride, ready?" Connie said and snapped a photograph of Bobby escorting the woman to the front pew.

She did not snap a photograph of the sour look Theresa shot at Brooke as the young woman sat at the far left side of the pew.

"Grandparents," Connie said and snapped a photograph Mr. and Mrs. Weinstein as they too were escorted by Bobby.

"And flower girl, all you have to do is walk up to the altar and kind of scatter these around, okay?" Ed said, showing Luna what he wanted her to do.

"And ring bearer, you follow behind her, all right?" he smiled, handing her the small white pillow.

"Now?" Luna asked.

"In just a minute," Ed smiled. "But first, let me bite that nose."

"No!" Star said, covering her nose with her hand. "Mommy said no nose biting!"

"And, go!" Ed said to Luna, who immediately began to scatter the flower petals, even before leaving the room.

"I'll make sure she's doing it right," Shirley said, stepping out the room.

"And Star," Ed said and Star solemnly stepped out the room.

Shirley did not have to supervise; Luna sensed what she was supposed to do and did it very precisely. There were a few titters and a few 'aw' as Luna studiously scattered the petals. Star followed a few steps behind, keeping perfect pace with her sister.

When Luna reached the altar where a blonde man stood, smiling widely, she stepped up next to Barry. She looked into her basket, noticing that she still had some petals. So, Luna tilted the basket, made a circle of the remaining petals and nodded in satisfaction.

"And this is where the bride goes, okay?" she loudly announced to everyone.

"Okay," Barry and Father Jack McNamara agreed over the laughter of the congregation.

Briah, as Caitlin's Maid of Honor, stepped out of the vestibule and took BJ's arm. Her cousin Bridget stepped up and took Michael's arm.

Alexis stepped up and Patrick took her arm.

Toni smiled as she and Mr. Henry followed. Jenee and Bob Robichaux followed, then Anita and Jack brought up the rear.

"You did fine," Henry praised Patrick as Patrick counted out the six steps from where Alexis released his arm to step behind Michael.

"Thanks Parran," Patrick smiled.

"But your fly's open; everyone's looking at your drawers," Henry whispered.

"It is?" Patrick gasped and reached down to find his fly was securely up where it should be.

"Made you look," Henry laughed.

"Parran!" Patrick laughed.

Then the music reached an intolerable volume and everyone turned to look toward the rear of the church.

"Damn, Dad, switch places?" BJ offered as they watched Ed and Caitlin proceed toward them.

"Blow it our your ears, boy," Barry said.

"And who gives this woman to be married?" Father Jack asked.

"Her mother and I do," Ed said, trying to keep his voice from quivering.

"I love you, Daddy," Caitlin whispered as Ed raised her veil.

Love you too, Sweetheart," Ed choked out.

He then bent and picked up Star in one arm and Luna in the other, and walked to where Brooke waited.

"Big baby," Brooke whispered as he let the tears slide down his face.

"Uh huh, and in twenty years, that Star up there getting married," Ed suggested and Brooke's eyes immediately filled with tears.

"Uh huh, big baby," he said and kissed her.

Father Jack McNamara did ruffle some fathers when he replaced Father Gregory at St. Thomas Aquinas. Father Gregory was a showboat, a ham, was loud and gregarious. Father Jack was a very no-nonsense man and some found him to be abrupt, aloof, and unfriendly.

Barry and the other thirteen people standing at the altar, however, appreciated his fast paced delivery; standing in uncomfortable shoes for a long period of time was not fun.

"And so, Barry Jacob Delacroix, do you take Caitlin Theresa Weinstein to be your lawful wedded wife, to faithfully and quickly respond to all of her text messages with text messages of your own?" Father Jack said.

"Wait, what?" Barry asked, mouth open in shock. "It doesn't say that!"

Caitlin doubled over in laughter as Barry turned to look at her, still in shock. The congregation also joined in on the laughter.

"I paid him twenty bucks to do that," Caitlin laughed.

"Oh, woman, just you wait, you hear?" Barry laughed.

"Who doesn't love a marriage that starts out with laughter?" Father Jack smiled, then continued with the ceremony.

"Friends, family, honored guests, may I present, Mr. and Mrs. Barry Jacob Delacroix," Father Jack said a few moments later.

In a pew nearly halfway from altar to the door, Debbie Peters reached down and grabbed her cane. She began to walk out of the pew.

"Wait," Dr. William Wilson ordered, pulling her back.

"I was..." Debbie snapped angrily.

"Getting ready to step right in front of the bride and groom," he snapped back. "Just wait."

Debbie heard the rustle of Caitlin's dress and so again attempted to step out into the aisle.

"Wait," Dr. William Wilson again ordered and yanked her back. "The rest of the wedding party is still coming; damn, what is your hurry?"

She didn't respond, just stood, tapping her foot impatiently. Then she felt his hand at her back.

"Fine, go," he said and she stomped down the aisle.

Inside of St. Thomas Aquinas Hall, Connie and Darnell ran around, snapping photographs as the guests filed into the hall.

At the far end , the live band that regularly entertained at La Scalia's Lounge played softly. Servers from La Scalia's ran back and forth, making sure that all the food was ready to be served.

Connie nodded to the bandleader as the last of the guests filed in.

"And could we have the bride and groom come for their first dance as husband and wife?" he said into his microphone.

Standing at the periphery of the dance floor, Brooke softly touched Ed's face.

"Stopped crying yet?" she softly teased Ed.

"Probably not," he teased back.

"And now our wedding party," the bandleader called out.

"I'm dancing with you next," Briah ordered Michael as she grabbed BJ's arm.

Caitlin kissed Barry, stepped back then kissed him again, then walked to the bandleader.

"I want to dance with my Daddy," Caitlin told the man and he nodded in understanding.

"And could we have the father of the bride out here?" he asked.

"And here we go again," Brooke smiled as fresh tears came to Ed's eyes.

A few more traditional dances were called out, then the bandleader and Connie nodded to each other and the bandleader announced that the floor was now open to everyone.

"Nuh uh, where you going?" Briah said as Michael turned to go to the bar.

"Get me a drink, not that it's any of your business," Michael snapped back.

"Told you, I'm dancing with you next," she said and pulled him back onto the dance floor.

"You do realize, I'm your boss, right?" he snapped.

"Not here you're not, Michael Aaron Delacroix," she smiled.

"How'd you know..." he asked, surprised.

"Googled you," she smiled, rubbing her lush figure against him.

"Mom, Dad," Ed smiled as he carried Star and Luna over to where his parents sat. "Y'all keep an eye on Star and Luna for us?"

"Let me tell you," Seth Weinstein said, smiling at Luna. "I don't think I've ever seen a better flower girl ever! And I've been around a long time!"

"And I know you were the perfect ring bearer," Mrs. Weinstein smiled at Star.

Theresa Weinstein stepped in front of Ed as he walked back to Brooke.

"They're going to expect the mother and father of the bride to dance together," she said hopefully.

"Why would they expect that?" Ed asked jovially. "We've been divorced twenty years now. Now if you'll excuse me..."

"Oh, that woman's got it bad for you," Brooke smiled as Ed led her through a mid-tempo foxtrot.

"Shame. Afraid I've got it pretty bad for someone else," Ed said.

"Oh yeah? Anyone I know?" Brooke asked, smiling wider.

"Might," Ed said and pulled her close as a slow waltz began. "Got long blonde hair, a wonderful smile, two adorable little girls, and horrible eye sight."

"Horrible eye sight?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah, thinks I'm good looking," Ed smiled.

"No sir, KNOWS you're good looking," Brooke corrected and pulled his face down for a kiss.

As the waltz died down, Michael tried to pull away from Briah.

"All right, we danced, let me go now, all right?" he said.

"Wait, one more thing," Briah said and pulled him to where Henry and Shirley were dancing. "Miss Shirley, you approve of him?"

"Michael?" Shirley asked and reached out to straighten Michael's tie. "Well, since he's my godson, I suppose I do approve of him."

"So when we get married, you buy my wedding dress?" Briah asked, smiling happily.

"When we what?" Michael exclaimed. "Woman, are you crazy?"

"Oh, boy!" Henry laughed. "Might as well give up now, Michael! Saw what your father went through with the other Weinstein girl, huh?"

"I tell you what, Honey," Shirley laughed as Michael stomped toward the bar. "You manage to rope that boy, I will buy your wedding dress."

"Thanks Miss Shirley," Briah said and hugged the woman.

"So let me get this right," Henry said and took his wife's hands to do the cha cha cha. "We now have two girls?"

"Problem?" Shirley smiled.

"Not at all; just making sure," Henry smiled.

Melanie Landry leaned heavily against her husband, leg braces locked in place. He held her and they rocked together.

"I love you," she finally said, pulled back slightly and kissed Jack.

"But father of the bride looks like he could use some help," Melanie said, pointing over Jack's shoulder where Ed was jumping around with both Star and Luna while Seth Weinstein happily danced with Brooke.

"Okay," Jack said and guided her back to where her crutches lay across her chair.

"Love you, Baby Girl," he said and was rewarded by her megawatt smile.

"Can I dance with this wonderful ring bearer?" Jack asked Ed and started jumping up and down like Star was doing.

"Oh, absolutely," Ed agreed and picked Luna up and whirled her around.

"Oh, that looks easier, don't you think?" Jack asked Star and picked her up.

"You don't bite noses, do you?" Star asked Jack.

"No, can't say that I do," he smiled. "Why? Does your daddy bite noses?"

"No, Mr. Ed does," Star said. "He wants to eat them."

"Ladies and gentlemen, the dinner is now ready," the bandleader announced as the rest of the band died down. "Believe it or not, they do let us eat. We'll be taking a thirty minute break. Enjoy."

"What do you want; I'll get it for you," Dr. Wilson said to Debbie.

"I can get it myself," she snapped angrily.

"Bull shit," he snapped back. "I'm not eating anything after you've run your filthy hands all over it. Now tell me what you want and I'll get it for you."

"My hands are not..." she shrilled.

"Hell they're not," he snapped back. "That cane was on the floor, where everyone's shoes have been. Those shoes had to cross a nasty asphalt parking lot to get here. You put your hands on that cane. Again, I'm not eating anything after you've put those nasty hands all over the place. What do you want?"

"Anything not all carbs," she snapped and sat back down.

"Drink?" he asked.

"Water," she said.

"All right, got you some shrimp, some veal, Ceaser Salad, some kind of soup and here's your water," he said a moment later. "Be right back."

A moment later, he sat down next to her and began eating.

"I have a boyfriend," she snapped.

"Good for you," he said. "Give me a minute and I'll see if I can find anyone that gives a damn."

Brooke smiled up at Ed as he held Star in one arm while fixing her plate with the other.

"And you want this?" he asked, pointing to the spaghetti and meat sauce.

"Uh huh," Star said.

"A whole bunch or just a little bit?" he asked.

Brooke followed behind, fixing Luna's plate.

"Daddy, you and Brooke and the girls come sit at our table, okay?" Caitlin said, coming up behind him.

"Honey, what about your mother?" Ed asked. "Don't you think she'd be a little uncomfortable with us there?"

"Daddy, she's a grown woman," Caitlin said forcefully.

"And so are you," Ed smiled and Followed Caitlin to the large table.

"Hello, son in law," Ed said, putting Star's plate on the table and putting the girl in a seat.

Brooke put Luna into a chair next to Star and Ed turned to Brooke.

"What you want? I'll get our plates," he said.

"Oh no, I'll..." Brooke objected.

"Sit, help the girls; I'll get our plates," Ed said gently.

Brooke sat, eyes watching Ed, then she shook her head and bent to the task of helping Luna with the slippery noodles.

"Whee!" she laughed as Luna simply reached in and grabbed a shrimp.

"Here you are, Sweetheart," Ed said, putting a well organized plate that had a little bit of everything on it in front of Brooke.

Theresa wanted to spit on that blonde tramp's plate, wanted to tilt the plate of the little ring bearer, smear it all over the girl's pretty dress.

"Here," Ed said to Star. "Best way to do that is take your fork, twirl it around like..."

He picked up a small forkful of the noodles.

"And you take a bite of it," he said and brought it to her mouth.

"So, Brooke, how long you and Daddy been going out?" Briah asked as she sat down.

"Uh, including today? This is our second date," Brooke admitted. "I mean, if going and getting our dresses counts as a date."

"We ate at Clark's; it counts as a date, far as I'm concerned," Ed smiled.

"Ah HA!" Theresa wanted to scream in triumph.

The little floozy wasn't Ed's girlfriend; he just picked her up because Caitlin needed a flower girl and ring bearer and she happened to have two daughters. Theresa smiled and began savoring her food.

At another table, Alexis and Toni seemed to be in a race to see who could get drunk the fastest. So, Anita stuck to iced tea and Jenee had already called her father and let him know she and Alexis would be needing a ride home after the ceremony.

"And then, and then, like when Father Jack said..." Toni again erupted in giggles, repeating what she'd said just two minutes earlier.

"Here you go, boy," Henry said, putting down Patrick's plate. "Got you sitting next to a bunch of gorgeous women."