3: 3
I went to the window and looked down, and sure enough there was a line of wedding cars waiting below, the one in front decked out in the yellow roses I loved most.
Once, I'd told Peter I wanted the cars and the ceremony done up in yellow roses, but he'd said a wedding was a joyful occasion and only red roses were festive enough.
So I'd let it drop. And now here was a man who hadn't needed me to say a word, and he'd chosen my favorite flower on his own.
A moment later, he was shown up to the room.
His name was Luke Farley. We'd met on a trip through the Rocky Mountains. He'd come down with altitude sickness and I'd given him medicine, and after that he'd started pursuing me.
I told him I already had a boyfriend, but he wouldn't give up.
Even when he heard I was getting married, he didn't back off. The day before the wedding he came to find me and said that the moment I changed my mind, he would drive the wedding car over to collect me at once.
I'd thought he was just sore about it, throwing out a bold line.
So when I called today, I only meant to test him. I never expected him to agree on the spot, and to have everything prepared so completely. It seemed he really had put together a whole wedding for me somewhere else.
He held a bouquet of yellow roses, his eyes full of nerves, sweat even beading on his forehead. "Nora, I'm here to take you."
My parents could see how much thought he'd put in, and they said nothing.
Sitting in the wedding car, I took out my phone and sent a message in the bride's side family group chat, telling the relatives who were heading straight to the hotel to go to a different one instead.
The group chat blew up at once.
"What's going on?"
"Isn't the wedding at this hotel? The welcome photo by the door is Nora."
"Right, by rights you should be about at the hotel by now. Did something happen?"
I typed out another line. "I've changed grooms today. It's at a different hotel. Sorry for the trouble, everyone."
Then I sent a big cash gift into the group.
"Consider this to cover your travel, and thank you all. I'll explain the reason at the wedding."
Seeing me say that, and hand out an envelope so freely, everyone figured it had to be something serious for the groom to be swapped out this suddenly, and for the moment no one pressed further.
Then, out of nowhere, Peter's mother called me.
Her voice carried both worry and probing. "Nora, did something happen? Why did your side's relatives suddenly leave, and why are they saying the reception's at a different hotel?"
"What on earth is going on? Today's the big day. If Peter did something wrong, I'll scold him for you myself, just don't lose your temper today."
"Alberta, you'd better ask Peter about the details. I can't go through with this wedding to him."
And with that I hung up.
Right after, Peter's call came through. There was a note of awkwardness in his voice. "Nora, it'll be a little while before I can come get you. Joanna suddenly got bad cramps, so I'm taking her to the hospital first."
