FAST LIFE BLUEZ | short stories

A Turn of Events

Derrick held up his glass of wine and looked across the table at his brother Donnie, then to Donnie's wife Gia.

"We're here to celebrate Donnie and Gia's unity! All my life I've seen Donnie searching for the perfect broad. To be perfectly honest I didn't think I'd live to see the day he'd get married!"

Laughter erupts all throughout the room and he continues. "Just kidding, you know I love you.

"As I sit here today, I remember the first time he told me about Gia. There were stars in his eyes. Literal stars, I tell you. I'd never seen a bigger smile on his face. Well, maybe except for the day when he was in eighth grade and I was in second and he'd succeeded in convincing me that you could drive to outer space.

"Anyway, he just had this look on his face, like he wouldn't be satisfied until she was his. We just talked and talked all night, and he told me one day he would marry her. And by the grace of God, here we are today. I couldn't be happier for the both of them. Gia is a wonderful woman and a fantastic sister-in-law, as far as I can tell. I love you both very much. Congratulations, you crazy kids."

He raises his glass, and along with everyone else in the room, toasts to Donnie and Gia.

Eventually, the rest of the reception is under way and there are people scattered across the dance floor, at the bar getting drunk, and so be it.

Derrick makes his way over to the DJ booth to play a special track for the married couple.

"Alright, folks, let's welcome the newlyweds to the floor!" The happy pair laugh and sashay as people move out of the way to make a path for them. The song Find Your Love begins to play and in an instant Donnie glances over at Derrick. He knew how much his brother loved throwback Drake songs.

Donnie smiles and mouths the words "You da man." Derrick just chuckles and salutes him before he turns away, gives the DJ a fist bump and exits the booth.

He sighs and searches the crowd of people for his girlfriend of two years, Andrea. He spots her in the middle of the room dancing with her brother Jack and laughing uncontrollably. He chuckles, and makes his way through the sea of dancing couples.

He reaches them and lays a hand on Andrea's waist. She turns around and yelps in delight. "Oh, hey, babe. That toast was amazing."

He interlocks his fingers with hers and spins her around. "Why thank you, madam," he says in a haughty voice. He nudges Jack and asks, "Would you mind if I stole her away from you, sir?"

"Without a doubt." He gives Andrea a fist bump and backs away, making his way to the other side of the floor to search for a partner of his own.

"Weddings are so nice. Don't you just love the love in the air?" Derrick hums to the beat and nestles his cheek against Andrea's auburn maine.

"I agree, it's quite nice."

He leans back, taking her hands into his once more. "Maybe we'll find ourselves at another one sometime soon."

Before Andrea has time to react, he closes the gap between them with a short, sweet, kiss on the lips.

»»»

Derrick finds Andrea amidst the crowd once again and lightly taps her shoulder, finally being able to talk at a normal volume as the music begins to fade out. "You ready to go?"

She nods quickly. "Yeah, let me get my bag and then we can say goodbye to Donnie and Gia." She returns his tap on the shoulder before turning in the opposite direction.

Derrick takes one final glance around the room and exits the tent to approach his brother and his new bride getting ready to take off in Donnie's Dodge Charger. The words "Just Hitched" were neatly painted across the rear windshield. Derrick couldn't help but smile.