Chapter Two:
After the short ceremony, I dry my tears with my fingers and look over to see Jason doing the same. God, I love how emotional he can be. I take notice of what others are doing in the room, and who is also drying their eyes. I see Serena and the woman in navy seated a few rows back, whispering and chuckling in low voices. The woman in navy has her shoulders tilted away from Serena, and her hips twisted in the chair. I watch them out of the corner of my eye, Serena never shutting-up, and the woman in navy distracted with something resting in her lap.
After a few brief words from the minister, everyone claps as the bride and groom dance back down the aisle to Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely”. The Maid of Honor is dangling behind, trying to hold up the bride’s incredibly long lace train. I listen to the clacking of heels on the beige marble floor, and watch the bride’s gold bracelet swing delicately on her wrist, wondering just how much this night cost.
~
Once the bride and groom make their exit, we politely file out of the large hall and back into the front room with small tables. Someone makes an announcement that cocktail hour is starting and the reception will begin at ten. Immediately following the news, the room loudens as people start to make conversation and mull over the drink menu. Mingling is so hard in any social setting, let alone in a room full of strangers. After what feels like 2 hours of standing around, I decide I need a break from all the commotion.
“Jason, I am heading to the bathroom. Please don’t leave this spot, or else I won’t find you all night.” I collect my gown in my hands (really should have had it hemmed) and walk around to find the bathroom. After coming up empty handed, I walk towards the back hallway of the building to find a staff member.
“Hi, Excuse me. Where is the nearest restroom?” I run into a lady dressed in a catering uniform, and take it as a sign that she will know where to lead me. She uses the hand not carrying a tray full of food to point down the long hallway. I nod and continue down the marble corridor until I see the bathroom sign.
Instead of finding the bathroom, I stumble upon a dimly-lit and musty room, which confusingly has the bathroom sign hanging above it. The floor is tiled with marble, and the walls are painted a vintage maroon. I take in the stale smell of old beer and make sure my dress is far off of the floor. A long wooden bar stretches across the back wall, and green-velvet bar stools line the counter. The bar is surprisingly full, and surprisingly damp. Why is this room inside the MET?
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I wander inside and take a seat in one of the stools, intending to wait for the bartender to finish speaking. I shift in the seat, so uncomfortable both in my dress, and in my bladder. Once the bartender goes out of his way to not approach me, I realize I will just have to keep searching myself. As I get up to leave, I see a navy dress out of the corner of my eye.
The girl in the navy dress from the cocktail table. Serena’s friend.
She is perched gently, and rather delicately, on one of the bar stools at the far end, her hand draped over a man’s thigh. Her hair is covering the left side of her face, hanging loose in brown curls that block her eyes from my view.I hear her whispering something in his ear, and I realize that they never noticed I came in. Wanting to make conversation, and find the bathroom, I begin to walk up to the couple.
On my 20 step journey, I get approached by a drunk man in a brown tweed suit.
“Heyyyyy, you lost? You seem to be lost. Normal people don’t come in here unless it’s by accident.” He adjusts his posture as he attempts to get close to me, swaying to the sound of the generic bar music.
“Just looking for the bathroom, a girl’s gotta go sometimes.” I focus my attention on anywhere except the drunk man, avoiding his gaze like the plague. He continues to try and make unintelligible conversation while I am utterly preoccupied with focusing on the girl in navy. I can’t help but notice how serious her conversation with that man is, and that her body is again twisted away, unnaturally.
I abruptly say goodnight to the drunk man and walk slowly towards the opposite exit that I came from, the exit closest to the girl in navy and her companion. I make sure to take my time, stopping to tighten my shoe clasp and adjust my hold on the bottom of my dress. I want to see if I catch any of their tidbits of conversation, so I go as slow as I can, and drink in every word that I hear.
“All I need is for you to say the words I have been looking for, and we can be out of here together.” The man swirls his Old-Fashion as he speaks, his face covered by the darkness of the corner he is sitting in.
There is silence for a while as the girl in the navy dress lazily drags her fingers across his leg. I notice she is sweating. Instead of replying, she captures his gaze and drags her eyes towards the left pocket of his dress pants.
The man looks confused and reaches into the pocket, moving his body closer into the light. Once they are almost touching, I see her slip something in there. Something gold.
Once his face is visible and I finally am about to pass, I notice who he is and his eyes dart to mine.
The Groom.
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