Chapter Seventy Three

walking out of the breakfast nook into the yard, I found my mom busying her self organising the caters, "no everything should flow, I want this day to perfect for my son and my new daughter, just like this see..."
Curling my hands around her waist I bent forward and kissed her cheek. "Still being bossy eh mom?"
"Oh Jonny, you gave me a start..." she turned to face me, "Well you look awful, when are you getting ready?" "Oh thanks for the vote of confidence mom... you know how to make a guy feel good..."
" well you do, your eye's are red and puffy."
"umm its my allergy's"
"Wait a minute, your getting married in the yard, peak summer time and you aint had your shots?"
"Ok, I know I'm stupid, but I clear forgot, don't go on already, Ill call Doc this morning and get booked in to get them done..."
"today? your getting them today?"
"Yeah, don't fuss so ma, I'm all good..."
"Jon, you have three hours?, what if he cant fit you in? then what your gonna sneeze all through the ceremony?, please for the love of god."
"Ma, I said its all good stop already ok.."
  Changing the subject I asked, "So, how things going?"
"ok I guess..." she was real pissed at me, so I lent in for forgiveness...
"Look Mom, the suits are here ok, I've got to go shower, shave and dress... trust me, I'll be ready and I will have had my shot, so I wont let you down."  It worked,
she smiled that mom smile and stroked my cheek "Ok.... so what do you think,?"  I studied the table setting and answered,
"It's perfect..."
"Really?"
"Yeah really"
"the colours aint to subtle..."
"no ma the colours are fine"
"You don't think we need a little bright colour injected to lift the setting?"
"No ma, stop worrying,  and er, don't you think you should go get ready too, after all you only have three hours..."  I smiled at her,
"Hey, watch it..." she raised her hand to slap me but I moved out of her way, and carried on walking past the marquee and the attendants working hard, the arch way and stand where Mara and me were gonna be stood, the white chairs with ribbon, and rose petals in bowls, giving off a fragrant smell as you past by. immediately I sneezed.
I pulled my cell from my pocket and called my M.D, "Hey Mike,"
"Jon, your calling me on your wedding day? what's up buddy?"
"my shots..."
"Really Jon, you ring me today for allergy shots? you realise they wont take affect straight away?"
"Yeah but they will help, I just clear forgot."
I could hear Doc shuffling papers and moving around his office, "Ok look give me half and hour, gotta see my last patient and then I'll be over ok?"
"Yeah that's fine, Margo coming with you?"
"are you kidding me, she takes three hours to get outta bed, were talking mass re construction here, your wedding is at three and she will be just ready at 2.45pm..." he laughed, "Of course don't tell her I said all that..."
Laughing I replied..." its ok your secrets safe with me for now..."
"Now?"
"Yeah, give me more grief over me forgetting my allergy shot and she knows..."
he was laughing again, "Ok, you got it,.see ya in a while.."
I smiled to myself as I put my cell away, to be distracted by Jessie coming across the lawn.. "Hey pop, can I have a word?"
"Sure bud what's up?"
he shuffled his feet and looked down, then mumbled... "Its my speech..."
"Ok, tell me?"
"well, I know I'm spose to say nice things about Mara, and I can do that, but I'm struggling to string together everything cause of mom and what happened.... I'm real stuck..."
"what are you trying to say?"
"How you and Mara met and stuff... and how you have the happy ending..."
"ok, lets take a look see. " we walked forward and sat and the east side bench, "All's you have to do, is say how your old man was fat and outta shape and thanks to Grandma, who hired a personal trainer, Mara got me back in shape and love blossomed..."
"So I don't even have to mentioned this stuff about mom?"
"No, course not..."
he smiled and looked relieved and it dawned on me how much of a task and a trial the day would be for the kids too, no matter what Dorothea had done, she was still their mom.
I asked,
"So you all good?"
he looked at me, "Yeah I think so... Its good now...by the way pop, your eyes are red and sore, you ok?"
"Yeah I'm good."
he got up from the bench." "Jessie?"
"Yeah?"
"you ok about today... with your mom not being here I mean?"
"Yeah, of course pop, this is your day and Mara's and we love her to bits, so we are all cool." he raised his hand for a fist bump. I met his hand as he turned and walked back towards the house.
I sat looking out and surveying everyone busying themselves for our wedding, out the corner of my eye I saw Ma heading in my direction, so decided to move and head to the house before she could reach me, something told me I was in trouble, and I knew why...