The Wedding FeastBuck Weiss
2600 words The Wolf and the Thief in the Night were seated next to each other at the wedding reception of their daughters. “It is a bit of a funny story,” said the Thief in the Night. His voice had an old-world charm that made the dark-skinned lady, across the table from the fathers, tingle. She was a lovely woman who had been a House Mother to the Wolf’s daughter during her MFA. She had known both girls during their courtship and was familiar with the story, but she was too polite to interrupt. “They actually met in a therapy group for children who were estranged from their parents. It’s so dull, it’s almost cliché.” “Well,” said the Wolf, who paused for a moment to sip from his Bordeaux. “I understand my Lyall’s need for a womanly influence in her life. After all, I ate her mother in front of her when she was seven.” The House Mother, who wore a lime green dress with white polka-dots and a broad brimmed hat, placed her fan over her face to hide her audible gasp. “Wolf!” the Thief in the Night chided. “There is no need to scare the poor woman.” The Wolf scoffed. “My apologies, dear lady. No matter how we fight it or hide behind our civilized…” He looked around the beautifully decorated room. “...facades. We can only be our nature.” “The story of my entrance into fatherhood is sadly not much more jocund.” The Thief in the Night gazed into the dark red of his glass of Amontillado. “I was collecting the souls of her family. There had been a gas leak and the couple had peacefully slipped away in their sleep. I gathered them into my carriage and moved quietly upstairs to her nursery. As I leaned over her crib, she lifted her little hands toward me.” He paused for a moment to brush the salt of the memory from his eyes. “She caught her reflection in the blade of my sickle and cooed softly. I fell in love at first sight.” “They are all so beautiful at that age,” said the House Mother. The Thief in the Night tipped his glass. “Tasty,” said the Wolf. “She was a teenager when I told her the story. I thought she would be happy that I had saved her from the fate of her family. It was, to use a parlance of my profession, the nail in the coffin of our happy home.” The House Mother started to speak and thought better of it. The Thief in the Night drank deep. “Womanly influence? My dear Wolf, do not tell me you are prejudiced against the union of our only daughters?” “Not at all,” the Wolf said. “I am glad they have found each other.” “Love is love.” The Thief in the Night winked at the House Mother. Drawing up her courage, she lifted her glass of chardonnay in a toast. “To love,” she said. “To love,” repeated the others with glasses lifted to each other and to lips. “I am actually elated at the union,” spoke the Wolf. “These are not times to bear young, and we do not have to worry about that here.” The Thief in the Night cringed as he sat down his glass. “You are illiberal, you old dog. How can you be unhappy about this union? Your master honored love in all its forms. His shield maidens dine alongside the men and love who they please.” “Quite the opposite of your God, Child Killer,” the Wolf replied. He kept his voice low, but it was filled with more than a little venom. “He subjugates the female and persecutes those who, as you say, love who they please.” “His followers,” the Thief in the Night replied. “Do not confuse the god with the blind men who misinterpret his words.” “If I may,” The House Mother had gained her courage. The Thief in the Night thought she was now in the element that her boarding house provided: breaking up the fights of children. Both stopped to look at her. “What do you mean, ‘these are not times for children’?” The Thief in the Night waved his glass to take in the room and gave a little laugh. “He was being facetious, speaking of the end of the world.” “You can mock me all you want,” said the Wolf. “But we are both waiting on the call. The clash of swords and the roar of armies. As you know. You will take the faithful to your master. I will consume what is left.” “Yet, no man will know the day or hour.” “I know the prophecies. Look around you. How can we not be in the final days?” The Thief in the Night started to look a little nervous. “Times have been bad before. You are just ready for the end.” “Well,” the Wolf replied, “your work keeps you busy. All I have is Ragnarök. I am hungry for the taste of the sun.” “Is there no joy in life?” the House Mother said. “Can you not pause to celebrate the union of your daughters.” “You are wise beyond your young years, my dear,” said the Thief in the Night. “I apologize for my morose thoughts.” The Wolf extended his glass in salute. Suddenly a trumpet sounded from the other side of the banquet hall. The Thief in the Night jumped up, pulling his sickle from inside his robe. “I must go!” He cried. “May I have your attention! Please rise to welcome the brides!” cried one of the best men. A slow concerto started as everyone joined the Thief in the Night in standing. As one they all turned to the far side of the room. Double doors opened and the brides stepped through, resplendent in their matching white wedding gowns and bouquets of lilacs and lilies. The two were caught in the dazzle of their perfect day and their perfect love. Their eyes locked on each other as the room exploded into claps and applause around them. It was not until the couple climbed the small steps that led to the head table that they both turned towards everyone standing below them. They blew kisses to the crowd and giggled as people waved and cheered to catch the eye of each. The Thief in the Night waited patiently for his daughter’s gaze, his Eden’s beautiful violet eyes. They finally fell on him, and a single tear flowed for the pride he felt in the magic of this moment. “Sorry for the…” she mouthed from across the room. Placing a thumb to her lips, she held her hands out as if she was blowing a horn. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” She smiled innocently at him. “Yes, she did!” mouthed her wife, pushing herself in front of Eden to take his line of sight. Both women laughed and fell into snuggling. They sat, their attention drawn back to the crowd of friends and loved ones before them. The Wolf turned toward the Thief in the Night and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to dab at his own eyes. “Your pup is a wild one. She will end up getting my innocent Lyall in all sorts of trouble.” “As I recall from their courtship,” said the House Mother. “It was Lyall who had the best schemes of the two. Running naked through the quad, entering butter statues of their privates into the library’s annual edible art contest and taking bets on which would win.” Both heads turned toward the House Mother and her smile melted their hearts even more. “Oh,” she said. “The stories I have for you.” The Wolf and the Thief in the Night reveled in her tales of their daughter’s young love as they all ate their wedding feast of chicken with caramelized onions and green beans. The plates were taken away and replaced with a fresh set for the cake when the Wolf finally laughed at the presumption of his friend. “You should have seen yourself jump when that trumpet sounded. You were ready to reap the world.” The House Mother joined in with a smile. “I will admit,” said the Thief in the Night, “that my first instinct was to duty. However, I would be remiss if I were not here to give her my gift. ” “Oh,” said The Wolf. “Now, we are intrigued. The registry was long but mundane overall. I bought them a knife set.” “I was happy to see that the same brand of cappuccino machine we have at the boarding house was on the list,” said the House Mother. “Gifts with intention are always best.” They both looked to the Thief in the Night expectantly. “Well, my precious lady,” he said, giving the wine in his glass a little twirl. “I am so glad you feel that way because my gift is nothing but intentional. I hope it repairs the problems Eden and I have had these past years.” He took a long drink to prolong the suspense. “I saw you place a card on the table, but no gift,” she said, trying in vain to move him along. The Wolf gave a low growl of annoyance. “Oh, dear boy. You are always the drama king. Out with it.” “As you know,” the Thief in the Night continued, “My relationship with Eden has never been the same since I told her of my part in the passing of her poor parents. She has warmed up to me in the past few years, but I still feel the strain. So, I decided to salve that wound for her as my ultimate gift on the day of her wedding.” The House Mother’s face turned ashen. The Wolf shook his head, trying to dispel worried thoughts like ill omens. He turned to his friend in earnest dread. “What have you done?” The Thief in the Night smiled. “I have brought her parents back to her.” The laughs and music of the party slipped away as the two others at the table sat there, completely foxed. He laughed nervously as he took in their thrown faces. “Eden’s parents are waiting outside in the garden. I hope to steal her away for a moment and introduce them to her once more.” The Wolf shook his great head, and the House Mother rubbed her eyes. “What?” the Thief asked. “Isn’t it brilliant?” “I am sorry, sir,” she said, sitting up to gather her courage. “I do not agree that your gift is a good one.” “What?” said the Thief in the Night. “Why?” “Why,” said the Wolf. “Only the arrogant prick who killed all the firstborn sons in Egypt would think that reuniting his daughter with the family that he took from her, and on her wedding day no less, was a good idea.” “Your barbs are getting onerous, Son of Loki!” said the Thief in the Night, more than a little offended. The House Mother raised her hand to stop them once more. “Mr. Wolf is rough with his words, but his point is solid and it is the strong concern of a friend. Can’t you see what your Eden will think of you?” The Thief in the Night raised a shaking hand to his chest. “If you brought them back today,” she continued, “Why did you not bring them back when she was thirteen? Or when she was still a baby? In that case, why even take them in the first place?” Tears formed in the Thief in the Night’s eyes. “I can see that you are starting to put it all together,” she continued. “Poor Eden has been through therapy and support groups. She has worked hard and forgiven you. Your place here at the wedding is a big step in that reconciliation. What is she going to think when you present her with people that she never knew? People that you took away and never told her you could bring back?” The Wolf reached over and placed a paw on his shoulder. “You are her father, my friend. We are her family now. She has no need for others.” The Thief in the Night wiped his eyes with his napkin. “What am I going to do? I have two people sitting in the garden waiting to be reunited with their daughter and I have no gift at my own daughter’s wedding. I’ve ruined everything.” They sat there in silence for a long moment and then the House Mother raised a finger. “We can help you with this,” she said. “My dear, Mr. Wolf. Was the chicken dish enough for you this evening?” “As a matter of fact,” he said, “It was barely an hors d'oeuvre. I am starving.” The wolf bared his teeth and ran his long tongue over each razor-sharp barb. “Are you saying what I think you are saying?” The House Mother nodded her head. The Wolf leaned forward, “You, my dear are a force to be reckoned with. You have a will and reasoning that could make a demi-god blush.” “I have been the House Mother of young girls for many years. I have met more than one parent that I thought would be better for their daughter, dead.” She turned toward the Thief in the Night. “If you will accept it, good sir, I will take my card from the cappuccino machine and replace it with yours. That will give you a gift.” The Thief in the Night stood and walked around the table to where his savior sat. “You, my sweet lady,” he said, “Will live a long and happy life. Thank you!” After the cake was cut and everyone had their pieces, the Wolf stood. “I believe a walk in the garden will be a welcome venture after such a small dinner.” He was back in time for toasts and, as he stood before the crowd on his hindlegs, the long brown tail sticking out the back of his three-piece suit, he bragged about the accomplishments of his amazing daughter and picked his large canine teeth with a bright white bone. As the Thief in the Night spoke of walks in the park and teaching his Eden how to ride a bike, he saw the House Mother slide over to the gift table and slyly exchange the cards. He thanked the crowd for loving his daughter so much and thanked his lord for new friends and old. Finally, the reception moved on to music and more merriment. The Wolf and the Thief in the Night joined their daughters for a dance. The Thief in the Night held his Eden close and tried his best to capture one more moment with her alone. “Thank you,” she said as she swayed with him and nestled into his cloak. “Thank you for coming. Thank you for everything.” “I bought you a cappuccino maker!” he blurted out. His daughter smiled. “Really?” She paused their dance and looked intently into his shrouded face. “Wow! That is the most thoughtful gift you have ever given me. I know we are going to love it!” She pulled him close. “I love you!” He held his daughter tightly as they danced. Somewhere off in the distance, a joyful trumpet started to play once again. The Thief in the Night tensed to fly, but his daughter clung to him as if she never wanted to let him go. “Please, Lord,” he thought. “Not today. I want to be right here forever.” |
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Buck Weiss
Buck Weiss (he/him) is a writer who lives in Chattanooga, TN. To read other short stories and follow his work, subscribe @buckw.substack.com.
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