DIDIER
Since Abigail is busy managing a small event and Thomas took the day off, I'm meeting with the prospective performers for Carter and Dennis' wedding. After that, I'll head back to my apartment to clean up some. I've been spending most nights at Abigail and I have been neglecting its care. Last week, I thought I would have to get all the stuff that has been making it to Abigail's house back to my place. I'm grateful for Will's intervention.
Mentioning that I want to marry her was a defining moment for me. I never thought I would fall in love or that I would learn to care about someone so deeply. Because of my upbringing, I don't trust people easily and giving my heart willingly to her is a big deal. I know well that we only know each other for months, but I also know that the way I feel won't change in a year's time or longer. My heart rejoices when I wake up in the morning and she's next to me. When our skin touches accidentally, I feel chills. She's taught me to love myself with all my imperfections, whether it's my behavior, or my physical ones. All my life I've felt disgusted by the burn scars from my circus act, but Abigail loves caressing them with her fingers.
Her encouragement goes beyond compliments about my work, or my initiatives, and she's helped me to sign up for college. Next fall semester, I'll begin my learning path to get a degree in business administration. Thomas loved the idea and said that anything I learn and that can apply to the business is an investment, and offered to pay half of my tuition fees.
The Morgans have become my family, right when I felt I was completely alone in this world. When I asked Abigail if she wanted to marry me, I just wanted to make the bond I feel with them permanent. Her reaction shocked me. She paled and then her face crumpled in tears. Before I could say or do anything, she locked herself in her bedroom. The ring I got for her stayed in my pocket. I couldn't figure what I did wrong. The only thing I could think of was that maybe she wanted us to be in a relationship for a longer time before committing to marriage.
"I'm really sorry, Abigail," I said against the closed door. "I didn't intend to hurt you. Please forget I said anything and open the door."
After a few minutes, I heard a click, and the door opened. She sat on the bed and I didn't know how to fix whatever is that I did.
"Are you angry at me for asking you to marry me? Is that it?"
"Why ruin what we have?" She rubbed her ring finger and didn't look at me.
"I don't see how we can ruin our relationship by formalizing it. It makes no sense to me. What are you afraid of?"
Her sadness turned into anger, and she stormed into the kitchen. I also got the silent treatment, which was only broken when she finished packing the food for the potluck and told me we needed to leave to her mom's house.
Fortunately, after whatever it was Will told her, we had a good talk in which we expressed our anxious thoughts and expectations, and then she accepted to marry me. I can't say that all is perfect since we are still awkward around each other, but I'm sure we'll get over that as well.
My meeting today will happen at the coffee place at the mall called Rose's. After grabbing a ,arge coffee for myself, I grab a table and wait for the people I've invited.
"Didier Bouchard! You clean up well, little bastard!"
The voice makes me smile and I know who it is as I lift my eyes from my phone. Micah Oz stands next to me and I grab him in a hard hug.
"Jeez, Didier! I can't believe we are here together after such a long time. Are you still working at the ice cream factory?" He sits in front of me.
"Not anymore. The factory closed and just when I thought I had no future, I got a job at an event planning company. That's the reason I asked you to meet here with me. We are interested in hiring your services for an event."
"Are you fucking kidding me? You are an event planner? You really have gone up the success ladder."
"Not the planner. I'm only an assistant."
"Well, I would switch places with you instead of cleaning buildings. Look at you! You are all shiny and looking well! Now, tell me, what's this event about?"
"I'll tell you all about it when Tara and Cole get here."
"Oh, Tara is also coming? I haven't seen her in a while," he bites his lower lip to avoid smiling at the thought.
Micah has had a crush on her for as long as I can remember and I'm curious to see how he reacts to this reunion. While we wait, we catch up on other things, mainly about what we did after leaving the circus. It feels so comfortable and familiar to have him around, and I wonder why I didn't initiate this earlier. These are the people I grew up with and who know who I am and where I come from.
Tara and Cole, a pair of siblings, arrive, and it's just like old times. Cole is a cheeky bastard who loves a good joke, and Tara is her bubbly self. Micah tries to not stare at her while we exchange greetings and quickly catch up. I feel tempted to tell Tara about his feelings, especially when she tells us she's still single.
"As I told Micah, I'm working with an event planning company. We are currently planning a wedding for two grooms with a circus themed reception."
They all burst laughing and I don't know at what specifically: the fact that I work in events, or that is a gay wedding, which will piss me, or that is about the circus.
"Who on earth picks a circus theme?" Tara says to no one in particular.
"Someone who's never lived in one, obviously," Cole says between giggles.
"I'm sorry, but the day that I marry, I want it to be in a pretty place and surrounded by flowers. Not in a dirty tent that smells like animal shit and stale popcorn," she shakes her head and her brother mentions all the other gross things that a circus tent can smell like.
"Shut up and listen to him," Micah says, but I can see that he's also skeptic.
"We won't have a crappy tent. I have rented an open field at the Sea Rose Park in the Lonstino Fairgrounds and a company will set a white tent. A stylist will transform the space into something nostalgic. You know, like the good parts that people remember after going to a show and not the backstage that we all know," I open a folder and show them the concept sketches from Valerie.
Their eyes widen at the beautiful drawings. In the past months, I've seen space transformations that leave me speechless and I have no doubt she'll outdo herself with this job.
"This is beautiful, no doubt," Cole looks closely at the drawings. "But where do we fit in here? There is no center ring, or a stage."
"I'm aware of that. What did we learn from old Franklin? What is the most important circus element?"
"Surprise," they all say at the same time.
"That's right. I'm glad you all still remember that. By now, the guests have received their invites and they are probably expecting the usual; a center ring with acts, clowns, magicians. Everything that is more associated with a children's party. You, my friends, will surprise them. I have some ideas and I would love to work them further with you."
"Like what?" Cole asks.
"Remember when we used to hang out at bars and you would do small tricks? People didn't even have time to react and were left wondering how you did it. It can start like that and develop into something bigger, more complicated."
"I get what you mean," his smile turns wicked.
"Micah, I want you to think about items that you can juggle or balance that are unusual. Imagine you are passing by a table and pick something random and start to juggle it."
"You mean like bottles, flowers, a purse? Flatware?" He quickly grabs packs of sugar, stands up, and juggles them. Rose, the café's owner, gives us the stinky eye, but the people surrounding us watch him in awe and clap enthusiastically when he catches all the tiny bags and places them back on their holder.
"This reaction is exactly what I would like to see from the wedding guests," I say and make a note on the page.
"What about me?" Tara asks. "I understand how Cole and Micah can integrate what they do, but I don't see what I can do."
"Can you still do contortion and balance acts without disturbing a thing?" I ask.
"My mom always said I could be a cat burglar," she says proudly.
"My suggestion is to keep your act the biggest surprise. The only restriction is nothing with fire. They prohibited open flames at the fairgrounds after a fire they had over twenty years ago. As you can imagine, they want nothing like that to repeat."
"Is the tent strong enough to hang from fabric?"
"I like where this is going," I nod. Then, from my folder, I pull out three contracts that I distribute to them. "If you want to do this, we will pay for your services."
"Didier, have you gone nuts?" Cole looks at the paper with a shocked expression. "This is close to a week of wages at the circus. On good days!"
"It's what you deserve. Your unique skills will make this a wedding to remember."
"You can bet on that. We really need to practice," Micah smiles. "It can't be random acts. There needs to be a flow, a purpose. And who are these grooms?"
"Carter and Dennis, those are their names, are amazing people who have gone through a lot. Their love has helped them conquer the toughest of circumstances. Our goal is to give them a great wedding."
"And they will get memorable circus acts to make it even more special," Tara says. "Why don't we meet at my place during the week to come up with a seamless plan? I'm getting ideas."
All three react enthusiastically, and I'm filled with joy and hope. We head to the counter to order lunch between bouts of laughter and remember the good times while growing up at the circus.