kiss her,” the judge joked, elbowing Aleksandr’s arm.
This time Auden leaned in, took Aleksandr’s face in her hands, and pressed her lips to his. His arms enveloped her as he pulled her body in to his. The kiss wasn’t too long or too intimate, but their embrace was. They stayed wrapped in each other’s arms, staring into each other’s eyes and whispering for an extended moment.
They kissed once more before releasing their hold on each other. Auden’s grandparents were the first to step up to congratulate the couple.
Jason tugged me toward his sister and released my hand to extend his to Aleksandr. “Congrats, man.”
Instead of shaking, Aleksandr pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for being here.”
“Thanks for letting me.”
Jason sounded choked up, so I jumped in.
“Congrats, Auden.” I gave her a quick hug. “Are you guys having a reception?”
Auden glanced at Aleksandr and they shared a look before Auden spoke. “I’ve agreed to a small gathering.”
“What does ‘agreed to’ mean?” Jason asked. Everyone else had gathered around to listen to the conversation. Evidently, I wasn’t the only curious one.
“She didn’t want big party,” Aleksandr said, shrugging his shoulders and raising his hands. “She tell me, ‘We party if it last fifty years.’ ”
Auden hid her face with a hand and shook her head, embarrassed at being called out.
“Then I say,” Aleksandr continued, “we enjoy life now. Who knows if we have even one year, yes?”
Everyone in the group nodded. And a solemn silence suffocated the room.
“Well, I’m glad you agreed to the party,” KK piped up. “Because I might break a hip dancing in fifty years. And my third husband won’t be too happy with me.”
KK, always the jokester. The ray of light through a dark cloud.
“Third husband?” Auden asked.
“I’m already a serial dater.” KK shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll be a serial wife, too.”
“And on that note,” Auden’s grandpa interjected. “We should probably get going, unless your first marriage is up next, Kristen?”
“Not yet, Gramps.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “But I’m working on it.”
Jason slung his arm across my shoulders and pulled me close. “That girl is crazy,” he whispered in my ear.
“She’s fun. And sweet. I’ll miss her when she gets a real job.”
KK graduated this past May, but stayed in Bridgeland to work while she hunted for a full-time job. When I’d asked why she didn’t want to live at home during her search, she claimed she had crazy, overprotective parents and she wanted to keep her independence as long as she could. I’d met them on a few occasions when they came in to Peak City, and they seemed fine.
But you never really know what someone else is going through. Or what constitutes crazy for another person.
“Jason!” Auden’s grandma called out.
The realization hit me that Auden’s grandma was also Jason’s grandma. I hadn’t felt strange being at Auden’s wedding, because I’ve known her for years, but standing here for a conversation with a grandma he hadn’t mentioned having any kind of relationship with seemed kind of surreal.
I took a step back so Jason could have a private moment, but he pulled me to his side.
Mrs. Berezin continued. “You haven’t been over for lunch all week.”
“She even bought those pickles you like,” Mr. Berezin added, clapping his palm onto Jason’s shoulder.
Jason had lunch with them? I got the impression that he didn’t have any interaction with his biological grandparents. Then again, I never asked.
“I’ve been having lunches with Linden.” His hand slid from my waist to the small of my back as he introduced me. “Have you guys met her?”
“You look familiar.” Mrs. Berezin tilted her head to the side and adjusted the strap of her purse on her shoulder.
Mr. Berezin leaned toward Mrs. Berezin’s ear and said, “We’ve met Indie many times. She works at the Peak
This time Auden leaned in, took Aleksandr’s face in her hands, and pressed her lips to his. His arms enveloped her as he pulled her body in to his. The kiss wasn’t too long or too intimate, but their embrace was. They stayed wrapped in each other’s arms, staring into each other’s eyes and whispering for an extended moment.
They kissed once more before releasing their hold on each other. Auden’s grandparents were the first to step up to congratulate the couple.
Jason tugged me toward his sister and released my hand to extend his to Aleksandr. “Congrats, man.”
Instead of shaking, Aleksandr pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for being here.”
“Thanks for letting me.”
Jason sounded choked up, so I jumped in.
“Congrats, Auden.” I gave her a quick hug. “Are you guys having a reception?”
Auden glanced at Aleksandr and they shared a look before Auden spoke. “I’ve agreed to a small gathering.”
“What does ‘agreed to’ mean?” Jason asked. Everyone else had gathered around to listen to the conversation. Evidently, I wasn’t the only curious one.
“She didn’t want big party,” Aleksandr said, shrugging his shoulders and raising his hands. “She tell me, ‘We party if it last fifty years.’ ”
Auden hid her face with a hand and shook her head, embarrassed at being called out.
“Then I say,” Aleksandr continued, “we enjoy life now. Who knows if we have even one year, yes?”
Everyone in the group nodded. And a solemn silence suffocated the room.
“Well, I’m glad you agreed to the party,” KK piped up. “Because I might break a hip dancing in fifty years. And my third husband won’t be too happy with me.”
KK, always the jokester. The ray of light through a dark cloud.
“Third husband?” Auden asked.
“I’m already a serial dater.” KK shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll be a serial wife, too.”
“And on that note,” Auden’s grandpa interjected. “We should probably get going, unless your first marriage is up next, Kristen?”
“Not yet, Gramps.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “But I’m working on it.”
Jason slung his arm across my shoulders and pulled me close. “That girl is crazy,” he whispered in my ear.
“She’s fun. And sweet. I’ll miss her when she gets a real job.”
KK graduated this past May, but stayed in Bridgeland to work while she hunted for a full-time job. When I’d asked why she didn’t want to live at home during her search, she claimed she had crazy, overprotective parents and she wanted to keep her independence as long as she could. I’d met them on a few occasions when they came in to Peak City, and they seemed fine.
But you never really know what someone else is going through. Or what constitutes crazy for another person.
“Jason!” Auden’s grandma called out.
The realization hit me that Auden’s grandma was also Jason’s grandma. I hadn’t felt strange being at Auden’s wedding, because I’ve known her for years, but standing here for a conversation with a grandma he hadn’t mentioned having any kind of relationship with seemed kind of surreal.
I took a step back so Jason could have a private moment, but he pulled me to his side.
Mrs. Berezin continued. “You haven’t been over for lunch all week.”
“She even bought those pickles you like,” Mr. Berezin added, clapping his palm onto Jason’s shoulder.
Jason had lunch with them? I got the impression that he didn’t have any interaction with his biological grandparents. Then again, I never asked.
“I’ve been having lunches with Linden.” His hand slid from my waist to the small of my back as he introduced me. “Have you guys met her?”
“You look familiar.” Mrs. Berezin tilted her head to the side and adjusted the strap of her purse on her shoulder.
Mr. Berezin leaned toward Mrs. Berezin’s ear and said, “We’ve met Indie many times. She works at the Peak
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