Chapter 17. Two More Weddings and a Tragic Death

My sister Kathy was getting married to Pete, her longtime boyfriend, and both my brother and I would be in the wedding party. I would be “fourth best man” or “second to worst man” in the 6-man party (including the groom and 5 groomsmen). Ann was invited to the rehearsal dinner and the wedding as well, and we would be sitting with my cousins for the reception. We flew back to New York a few days ahead to get ready for everything. My sister had lost a lot of weight due to the stress of planning for the wedding and was having her wedding dress taken in again when we arrived. Pete, my future brother in law, picked us up. Pete looked tired and as if he had been through the wringer. I asked him if he felt ok.

“Weddings are bad for your health,” he said when Ann was in the restroom.

Taking his cue, I continued with, “Engagements and weddings are a three-ring circus you know. There is the enCAGEment ring, the wedding ring and the suffeRING.”

Pete laughed and said, “Don’t tell your sister that joke.”

“Deal, if you don’t tell Ann.”

We were giggling like kids when Ann got back.

Pete said he would be taking us to my brother Jim’s house directly. I had thought we would go to my parent’s house first, but he informed us that things were way too hectic at “the homestead” as he called it. Mom and Dad were not getting along, Kathy was being a frantic bride, the caterers were messing up the orders, and the seamstress was pulling her hair out over all of the last-minute changes. No one seemed to know what needed to be done next. Jim’s house was the perfect place to go.

Jim was home asleep even though it was 3:00 in the afternoon. Jim was a cop and had worked the night before. But, Pete and I had permission to wake him up, which we did gently. Jim had guns in the house and you didn’t want him thinking you were an intruder. He had also completely light-proofed his bedroom, so that in the brightest day no sunlight entered. Jim had two dogs. “Thunder” and “Lightning” were brother and sister Rottweilers and very friendly. Lightning was not too bright, Jim had often said, and Thunder was very gentle and quite playful. The dogs were happy to have guests and made a lot of noise that woke up Jim.

After the usual introductions, Pete went back to the homestead and Jim briefed Ann and I on the details of the wedding schedule. The rehearsal and rehearsal dinner were tonight and we were all invited. We also all had rooms at the hotel and reception center so no one needed to be driving home. Mom and Dad had pre-paid for all the immediate family members, which was quite nice of them.

Ann and I got cleaned up, changed and headed to the homestead with Jim. There were a ton of people at the house, since members of both families, friends, wedding party people and neighbors had all converged on it. After we kissed and said hello, Dad gave me the keys to his van to use if I needed wheels. Mom looked harried, kissed Ann and me, and started to rattle off a list of foods and treats in the ‘fridge.

Ann and I helped ourselves to some goodies and started to get caught up in the fray of last-minute wedding preparations. When it was announced that someone was needed to go pick up some accessories for the wedding, I volunteered Ann and I. I grabbed her hand and we scurried out of the bustling kitchen and headed downtown. I was raised in Katonah, New York, and had had little opportunity to go back and catch up with people, so an errand downtown was very welcome. Before running the errands, Ann and I stopped in the Katonah Deli to see my old bosses.