And They Danced

The music flooded his ears the moment he stepped into the old auditorium. It was good music, though. His cousin had good taste. Looking around, he noticed his name card on a gooseberry cloth covered table. “Odd color choice,” he thought. It was a table on the opposite side of the room from the newly betrothed couple. Not surprising since they were never close; not even when they were kids. In fact his older cousin held a deep grudge against him. Though, he wasn’t sure which childish squabble was to blame for this grudge. He did, however, have a couple guesses.

Sean was pulled out of his thoughts when he reached his place at the table. It wasn’t the odd colored table he noticed first. There was a pretty brunette with a sensual amount of makeup sitting next in the fold-out chair next to his. Not wanting to embarrass himself quite yet, he sat down without uttering a single sound. Nevertheless, his presence brought her out of whatever trance had controlled her thoughts.

“Hi” she smiled at him. It was the kind of smile that would make anyone weak in the knees, regardless of sexual orientation. He smiled back. A more genuine smile than he thought possible for talking to a complete stranger. 

“Good evening,” he replied, “Don’t you just love the color choice that the lovely couple has picked out.”

“Just lovely.” She said in a sarcastic snarl. 

Though to say he wasn’t being completely derisive himself would be a bold faced lie.

“So: How do you know Sam and Jessica?” he asked casually.

“I’m actually Jessie’s sister”

“Interesting. How’d you end up in the slums with all us scrappy folk?” He waited for a response, but before he got one, the woman whose name card read “Maggie Lewis” looked at her lap a little bashfully. 

“Got it,” he said, “ We won’t talk about that.” She smiled at him once more; and just like before, there went his knees. Sean was immensely grateful he was sitting down. He didn’t usually have these kinds of reactions when meeting women. He was always interested, sure, but this was different. He was drawn to her. It was hard to explain.

He was getting ready to change the topic, but Maggie had beat him to it. “So: Do you normally wear sneakers to weddings?” She asked, looking amused at his choice of footwear.

“Obviously I didn’t wear these to the actual wedding,” he responded, “But I can only wear loafers for so long before they start messing with me.”

“Oh really?” she had asked through a bout of laughter.

“Yeah, after a while my brain starts tricking me into believing I’m some sort of corporate CEO.” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. His natural side was coming out to play. Embarrassing be damned. 

“Well at least the rest of your attire is appropriate for the occasion.”

“Would you believe me if I told you I bought this suit yesterday.” he asked with a retort. He did too,  and went to the Kohl’s in the next town over just yesterday. Dressing up had never been his thing. In fact, he wore jeans to his junior and senior prom. His date at the time had been exasperated.  Before she could answer his question, their conversation was cut short by a loud voice coming from the speakers above them.

“Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin.” the speaker man announced.

A loud round of applause erupted from the crowd around them as his cousin walked in with his new bride. Surprisingly, Maggie’s sister. What kind of person would put her own sister in the back of the room? Something serious must have happened. He was getting curious. “I’ll have to ask,” he thought. Not now, though.

Sam and Jessica walked to the dance floor right in front of the bride and groom’s table and the opposite side of where his table was. They immediately began their first dance as the song God Bless the Broken Road by Rascal flatts began playing softly over the speakers. They looked lovely, he thought. That sentiment surprised him. To ever think of his cousin as ‘lovely’. Yuck.

Soon enough, the first dance was over and it was time for everyone to join them on the dance floor. He waited as a plethora of family and friends made it over. Then, he made his move.

“Dance much” he asked Maggie. Of course, he couldn’t seriously ask her. That's just not who he is.

“ I don’t.” she responded slowly,”but, I’m willing to give it a try. If you have someone in mind, that is.” 

“Oh, do I ever.” Honestly he loved her sense of humor. Someone he could banter back and forth with would make the whole idea of a relationship a little more tolerable. Was he starting to go soft?

He slowly reached across the gap between them and grabbed her hand, hoping they were on the same page. It appeared they were as she smiled and got out of her folding chair as he got out of his. They slowly made their way to the center of the auditorium, but halfway they were cut short of their destination.

“There you are. I was starting to wonder if you were even here.” said a voice that came from someone that looked an awful lot like Jessica, Maggie’s sister.

“Of course I’m here. Do you really think I’d miss this?” Maggie responded surprised, but also looked a little nervous. 

He stood there quietly and watched, a little confused honestly. He’d assumed that because of where Maggie was sitting, that the two sisters weren’t close. Obviously he had it backwards. He wondered how Maggie had gotten seated clear in the back. With him.

“ Well, I’d better get going. I’ve got plenty of people to greet.”

As soon as Jessica had walked away, he whipped around to look at Maggie. “So. You two are close?” he asked, his voice a little high pitched. “How’d you end up in the back with me of all people?” Maggie visibly shrunk at his questioning.

“I may or may not have moved my card to a more isolated table.” said Maggie quietly “I have a touch of social anxiety and didn’t think I’d be able to sit with the rest of the immediate family, in front of everyone”

“I see.” was his response. Still mulling over what she had told him. “Well, I never would have guessed” 

Maggie then smiled at him, a small hint of apprehension visible behind her eyes. The smile, nevertheless, had the same effect on him as it did earlier in the evening.

“Do you still want to dance?” he asked her.

“Do I ever” she replied a little relieved.

And so, they danced