An hour already passed from the time the wedding should have begun. People were beginning to wonder. Others were showing signs of boredom.
Rose looked around. At the back, she saw Max acting restless and seemed very stressed out.
"Stay here. I think something is going on. I'll just check it out." she told Dylan.
"Okay, but don't be gone too long." he replied.
"Yes" She got up from her seat and approached Max.
"Hey, what's happening?" she asked.
He looked at her. "Sorry for the long delay, Rose. The musicians my sister hired are still not here yet. They said they got caught in a heavy traffic jam... This is bad. We can't let the guests wait longer." he told her in a troubled tone.
Rose looked back at the venue's front and checked the instruments on the right side of the arch. There was a piano, a cello and a violin.
"Max!" a guy called, catching his breath. "Karen won't stop crying."
Max became more distressed after he heard that.
"I think I can help." Rose told him.
☆••••○○●○○••••☆
Finally, the wedding was about to start. Rose went to the front and took the violin. She gently put it on the top of her left shoulder and held the bow with her right hand. Then, she gave Max one last look before she closed her eyes and played a beautiful music.
From the decorated arch at the back, the bride began to walk down the aisle. Max was very amazed watching Rose playing the background music. He even didn't notice his sister was already marching.
Then, he remembered what she told him before they started the ceremony. He left his seat and joined Dylan.
"Why you took so long? Where did you go?" Dylan asked.
"It's me." Max said.
Dylan was surprised. "Max? ...Where is Rose?"
"Can you hear the music?" he asked.
"Yeah, why?" Dylan asked in a confused tone.
"It's Rose playing it." he told him. "She just saved the wedding. I didn't know she can play a violin. Do you?" he asked, looking at Rose instead of his sister.
"Really? That's her? She never told me about it either." Dylan was equally surprised.
"How I wish you could see her right now. She looks like an angel. I think I'm sure now... I'm really into her." Max said, smiling.
After Dylan heard that, he felt unhappy. There was something in him that refused to give Rose to anyone, but he could not understand why he had that weird feeling.
"Don't forget what we talked about." he reminded him.
"Yeah, I didn't forget it, but can I ask for a little consideration?" Max requested.
"What consideration?" he asked, feeling a bit bothered.
"You said waiting for a donor for your eyes will take a long time. I don't think I can wait for it. I will ask her out over the coming holidays. That's two months from now. I think that's enough time for you to adjust." Max told him.
He smirked. "You still have to convince her. I'll just remind you. She's different."
"I'll work on that." Max replied in a confident tone.
Dylan felt bothered again. He was certain about the discomfort his friend and his helper would give him once they started dating, but strangely, his heart didn't agree with his mind.
After the whole ceremony, Rose returned to her seat. Max got up and approached her.
"Thank you, Rose. You're a lifesaver. That was really amazing." he told her, smiling.
She smiled too. "I'm glad I was able to help."
After she said that, she approached Dylan. Max felt a bit disregarded.
"Hey, sorry. I just..." She was cut off while talking when Dylan spoke.
"I know. Max told me. Why you didn't tell me you're a musician?" he asked.
"And why do I have to tell you about it? It's not included in my job." she answered.
"Well, now it is. Starting tomorrow, you have to play me music to sleep." he demanded.
"You're crazy." she told him.
"Hey, I'm not..." He was undone talking when Rose covered his mouth.
"Shush! It's time to go to the reception." she bossed, then she snatched his hand and dragged him.
"Slow down" he yelped.
When they got away, Max was still there. He felt jealous watching them.
☆••••○○●○○••••☆
In the reception, Karen personally thanked Rose for saving her wedding entourage. She offered her the payment that was supposed to be for the musicians she hired, but Rose refused and said she did it because Max was a friend. Karen didn't insist anymore and gave her a warm hug instead.
While all the guests were eating, Max couldn't stop watching Rose and Dylan together at their table. He could not join them because he had a seat at his family's reserved table.
Seeing Rose assisting Dylan with his food, wiping his mouth and holding his hand when they were walking, was making him feel uncomfortable. He was secretly desiring for the same attention.
After the wedding, he offered them a ride back home.
"Are you tired, Dylan? There's a place I want to go before going home. Wanna come with me?" Rose asked.
"Okay, I have nothing important to do at home anyway." he agreed.
She looked back at Max. "Thanks, Max. We'll just get a cab. I know you're tired. Get some rest."
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yeah" she answered.
At that moment, he really wanted to ask if he could come along, but he remembered he still needed to help his sister.
"Okay" he said instead, then he left with a heavy heart.
"Where is that place you said you want to go?" Dylan asked.
"I'm on my period. I want to eat an ice cream." she answered.
He chuckled. "Didn't they serve ice creams at the reception?"
"I don't like vanilla flavor. I want avocado." she demanded.
"Is there an ice cream with that flavor?" he asked in an uncertain tone.
"Yeah, I know a place." she answered.
"You girls have weird taste when your bloody days come." he commented.
Her: "Yeah, and weird temper too... Aww!"
"What?" he asked.
Her: "Your mom's shoes are killing me. Wait, I'll just take them off."
"You're going to walk barefooted?" he asked.
"No, I took a pair of house slippers from the souvenir table at the reception. I'll use them." she answered, putting them on.
He chuckled again. "You're in a beautiful dress, but wearing house slippers... I can't imagine it."
"Here's our cab." she said.
When the car stopped, they hopped in.
☆••••○○●○○••••☆
After fifteen minutes, they arrived at White Ground Park. There, Rose led the way to the ice cream shop she was talking about.
"Do you want to try avocado flavor? I'm sure you will love it." she asserted.
"Okay" he agreed.
She ordered two in a cone. When they served them, she handed the other one to him. He tasted it.
"So?" she asked.
"Yeah, it's good. I like it." he agreed.
Her: "Told ya. Now, let's take a rest on those benches over there."
When they got on one of the benches, they slouched and eased off.
"How did you learn to play a violin?" Dylan asked curiously.
"Three years ago, I met an old lady. I worked in her house. One morning, she saw me holding her daughter's violin who passed away a year ago at that time. I told her I just wanted to clean it because it's covered with dust, but she still got mad at me. I really thought I would lose my job that day, but the next morning, I didn't know what happened. She suddenly told me she would teach me how to play it... After ten months with her, she became very ill. Before she died, she gave me the violin and told me her daughter sent me to her." she recalled.
Dylan was hooked listening to her story. "Wow... You probably have met a lot of different people in your life. I think I understand now why you prefer to live alone and be independent."
"But you know what? Earlier, at the wedding, while I was watching the couple exchanging vows... I became fascinated." she said.
"With what?" he asked.
"With having someone" she answered.
*
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To be continued....
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