2.
The words were barely out before the people around them burst out laughing.
They were all Michelle's relatives and friends.
I glared at them.
"Who ate pig shit? Say it again and I'll shove enough of it down your throats to choke on."
That set Joel off instantly.
He grabbed a fistful of my collar.
"Who the hell are you talking to, you piece of trash!"
"Say it one more time if you've got the nerve. I'll make sure you leave here horizontal."
I wasn't about to just take it, and I grabbed him right back.
Seeing where this was headed, the others rushed in to pull us apart.
Whether they meant it or not, they were clearly shielding Joel.
Michelle's face went dark, and she snapped at me.
"Lionel, are you done causing a scene!"
"Apologize to Joel, or forget about me leaving with you!"
Dad panicked at that.
For the wedding, he'd told the handful of relatives and friends closest to us to travel out a day early, all the way to the hotel a hundred kilometers off where the ceremony was supposed to be held, and get settled in.
It wasn't a large group, but the airfare and lodging alone came to tens of thousands.
The wedding, the dowry, the expensive motorhome Michelle had demanded we buy.
To give me what I wanted, they'd spent it all without a second thought.
Now, seeing Michelle angry, my father stepped forward at once.
"Michelle, don't be upset."
"Lionel's been run ragged these past couple days, his temper's short. Let me apologize for him. Don't take it to heart."
Michelle's face stayed cold.
"Don't apologize to me. The one who deserves the apology is Joel."
Dad looked at her, pleading.
When Michelle didn't budge.
He had no choice but to turn to Joel.
I wanted to stop him, but Mom held me back, her eyes red.
"Lionel, your father knows what Michelle means to you. He's doing this so you won't be caught in the middle."
Watching my father bend at the waist, it was like a bucket of cold water came down over my head.
When Michelle and I first got together, she knew how to care about me too.
Later, when I brought her home, she still played the part of the sweet, well-behaved girl.
Mom and Dad could see how much I liked Michelle, so they held nothing back.
Dad said sorry to Joel on my behalf, and again warned me not to do anything rash.
The whole way, my parents kept trying to calm me down.
They said once the wedding was over, Michelle would come around to my side, and I just needed to bear with it a little longer.
I kept my head down and said nothing, all the way to Michelle's house.
But at the tea ceremony, the moment my parents sat down.
Michelle's mother suddenly looked at my mom with disgust.
"What's that smell on you? Get away from me."
At that, Joel's mother came over, sniffed twice, and pinched her nose, sneering.
"Could you maybe wash off the pig stink before you spray on perfume? That smell, it's really something else!"
The whole crowd turned to my mom, pointing and whispering.
"At her age, still spraying perfume, trying to look pretty."
"Probably a difficult one too. Michelle's going to have a hard time down the road."
Michelle's father eyed her sideways.
"With people like you, it's hard for me to hand my daughter over."
My mom's face filled with embarrassment.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I only wanted to cover up..."
"Cover up what? Move aside. I don't want to sit next to someone who reeks like you!"
Before my mom could finish, Michelle's mother was already shouting at her.
I frowned.
I was about to speak, but my mom shook her head at me.
"Lionel, it's Mom's fault. I didn't clean myself up properly, so I can't blame others for being put off."
Then she gave Michelle's mother a strained smile.
"All right, I won't sit. I'll stand in the back. As long as I'm in the photos, that's fine."
Seeing this, my father got up too and took my mom's hand.
"I'll stand with you."
They'd barely reached the back when Michelle's mother turned with a smile to Joel's parents.
"Come on, come on, these seats are just sitting empty. Come sit here."
