Flight Risk

19 - Adams-Vanderhoff Wedding Part 6

Once the wedding party returned, supper got underway in the beautifully decorated barn. We took our seats together at the sunflower table, complete with bright false sunflowers in the centre vase, beside Minji, Jason and a few others I graduated with but who were closer friends with Vince. They swapped stories about the groom and were eager to hear Caleb's take on Vince's attempts to adapt to Australian society, adopt a botched accent, and find a koala in the wild despite them not being native to Queensland when he stayed with Caleb's family.

We filled up on a Ukrainian-themed buffet full of delicious perogies, cabbage rolls, sauerkraut buns, meatballs, chicken, and kielbasa. Going hard on the garlic was an interesting choice, especially given how freely the guests requested the couple kiss by placing money in the donation box for the Canadian Liver Foundation, but they were happy to oblige. As Claire and Vince broke apart from another passionate kiss, a cheer erupted from her fun aunts, including Trevor's mom. I caught him subtly shaking his head and whispering to his date.

The father-daughter dance had many of us in near tears, given Claire's speech about how she feared she'd never get to share this moment with him. But now both men who loved her with their whole hearts were here, one living because of the generosity of the other. And without that generosity, she might never have connected with the love of her life.

Caleb had left during that portion, quickly enough I assumed he didn't want company. I'd planned to search for him after the dance, but he slipped back into his seat as the song ended. His face was neutral, but a tired look resided in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" I whispered.

"Fine." But with the tension in his voice and brow, I didn't believe him.

I threaded our fingers together and rested my head on his shoulder, which made him smile faintly. At least I helped a little.

I didn't want to pick apart clues about his situation, but I wondered why today kept triggering him. Was it the dad or daughter part? He didn't have a real girlfriend, but he must have had one before and maybe had a child he didn't see or their kid passed away. We were in our late twenties, and people our age had families, marriages, divorces, and suffered tragedies.

Or was someone in his family sick? His mom was well enough to chat with, but perhaps she had been diagnosed with something and that was why Caleb checked in, or another member of his family like his dad. But he'd had no trouble discussing their relationship with me. It might be his sister, although she was younger than him, so the odds of her being sick were lower.

But dwelling wouldn't answer the question, so I focused on the barn, lit with twinkling lights strung from the beams above us and residual sunlight from the open door.

I smiled as Claire and Vince swayed to Jack Johnson's 'Better Together'. They hadn't learned a fancy routine, but the love came through when their eyes met and their bodies were drawn together.

I couldn't help but squeeze Caleb's hand, especially when he looked on with a sad expression. The action made him turn to me and smile, raising my hand to his lips. My traitorous heart was aware of every second my body had come into contact with his lips. It sent a jolt through me.

A few tables over, Trevor's eyes were on us, but darted back to his date when we locked eyes. None of the others at our table went up to dance, but they took off to get drinks, leaving Caleb and me alone at the large circular table.

The alternating guitar chords in the opening of 'Fishing in the Dark' came on and, given that we sat right beside the dance floor, Claire caught my eye and waved us over. When Vince did the same, Caleb raised an eyebrow at me and inclined his head toward the couple. After giving him a subtle nod, we headed towards them. I hoped he wasn't expecting a skill level beyond 'body moves semi-synchronously to the beat'.