White As A Lie

12: The Wedding

Another month went by, and soon it was March 21st. The Parkes-O'Quinn wedding was in Alton's hometown of Silver Springs, about thirty miles from Fairview.

I debated for hours and hours on whether or not I would go, but ultimately decided going was the better option. I had already said I'd go, and it's easier to go than to try to make up an excuse why you didn't show.

The only reason I thought I shouldn't go was because of Alton. He didn't believe me, I knew it. He somehow knew it.

But I sucked it up and drove the thirty miles thinking that would somehow prove I wasn't the robber.

Despite the fact that I was.

I found my best shirt, a grey buttoned down one, and some black slacks and made my way. When I arrived, I got no dirty looks from anyone, except one person.

I got out of my car and went across the street to where the white chairs were set up and the people were standing. I didn't know a soul there, so I stood in the back along the line of trees. There were ten tables with about six chairs at each one.

One woman eyed me from across the crowd, but I tried to ignore her. When she began making her way over to me, I began bracing myself.

"I know who you are," she said in a honey-sweet voice, despite the anger on her face. She wore a red dress with spaghetti straps, and her dirty blond hair was piled high in a curly mop on her head. Her green eyes bore into me. "You're that guy who killed his pregnant wife." She spat. She was speaking softly so she wouldn't cause a scene.

I didn't know how to respond, so I looked at her and said: "I assure you, I didn't kill her." I tried to look sincere without looking annoyed. I didn't drive all this way for this.

She nodded. "That's what they all say." She looked me up and down. "I can't believe Crystal would allow you to come to her wedding. You're just an ugly, ugly man. Much like-"

"Benjamin." I interrupted and said: "Yes, she told me about him. Awful guy. But as you can see, I'm not him." I gestured to myself. She seemed surprised that I knew of him.

The woman didn't back down, though. "No, you're worse than Benjamin. You're the type who can smooth talk your way out of anything. You think you can just flash that smile and no one will catch you. Think again." She smirked.

Now I was getting pissed. Who was this woman? And who comes up to someone accused of murder and makes them angry like this? "If you think my life has been easy ever since my wife died, you think again. I lost my wife, for Christ's sake! I lost my job, I lost my child, I'm losing money. I had to-" I caught myself before I said 'I had to rob a place to get money'. "I had to resort to applying for little nothing jobs that wouldn't pay half as much as I got before."

"Then you're getting what you deserve. In time you'll get the real punishment." She walked away after that.

Only then did I realize nearly everyone was looking at us. If they didn't know me before, they knew me now.

For the next half hour I sat at the furthest table from everyone else. Of course other people were there at the table, too, but they didn't speak to me. Luckily. I was worried people would only talk to me to try to get me to confess, or something.

Finally Alton and the groomsmen appeared in front of everyone. "Thank God." I muttered to myself. "Let's get this over with." About fifteen minutes later, the Wedding March began to play.

We all stood as Crystal walked down the aisle laid out by a dark purple carpet. A little girl, the flower girl, walked down the aisle first. She was followed by the bridesmaids, and finally Crystal and her father.

I have to admit, she looked beautiful in her long, white dress with lace at the top and on the sleeves. Her red hair was in a bun with two strands sculpting her face. Alton smiled when he saw her and lifted her veil.

***

After the wedding, people began dancing and talking, congratulating the newlyweds.

"Nolan! You made it!" Crystal beamed when she made her way to me.

I nodded. "Thanks for the invite. You look beautiful." I smiled at her.

She smiled back. "Thank you."

Alton joined her side. "Nolan McCain. Nice to have you." He smiled, but he was uncomfortable, I could tell.

What I couldn't tell was whether it was because I was there, or if it was the suit or all the attention.

"Nice to be here." I was just as uncomfortable anyway. "Beautiful wedding, by the way."

"Thank you." Alton said. His face was kind, but his blue eyes were accusatory. He doesn't want me here. He's convinced I'm the robber, and he probably thinks I killed my wife.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but we still have a lot of people to talk to." Crystal said.

"Of course. Continue on." I smiled.

"I'll catch up in a minute, babe." Alton said, then turned to me. "I'm sorry if my cousin Wendy upset you. I noticed her making eyes at you."

That was Alton's cousin? Kinda makes sense. "It's fine. I'm used to being accused of things I didn't do." I tried to subtly direct that at him, and he caught on.

"I do like you, Nolan. You know that?" He said as genuinely as possible.

I nodded. "Sure."

"You have a way of putting people under a spell. Crystal was convinced you killed your wife, then suddenly she dropped it. She has complete trust in you." He hesitated a little before he continued. "I don't." He looked me over. "I'll be seeing you."

Then he left.

And so did I.