Well, I can see her now
With her walkman on
Jumpin' up and down
To her favorite song
I still remember when
she used to want to make a lot of noise
Hoppin' and a-boppin'
With the street corner boys
She used to wanna party
She used to wanna go
I knew the bride when she used to rock and roll
I knew the bride when she used to rock and roll…
-Nick Lowe, “I Knew the Bride”
Saturday, April 10, 1999
9 a.m.
The sound of Taryn’s alarm clock pierced the early
morning quiet.
Isaac rolled over and hit the snooze button. He felt remarkably good; Gregor hadn’t steered him wrong. He had gotten a sufficient buzz at the bachelor party, and had come home to find Taryn already asleep.
When the alarm went off again, Isaac shut it off and gently touched Taryn’s face.
“Hey, are you in there?” he said.
Taryn’s eyes fluttered open, and she smiled when she saw Isaac. “You made it home,” she said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t wait up for you. I was pretty wiped out.”
Isaac grinned. “Good party?”
“Most of it.”
“What do you mean?”
“I got sick.”
Isaac laughed. “What do you mean you got sick?”
“I mean I was in a heap in the bar parking lot heaving. It was most attractive.”
“I’ll bet. Are you okay now?”
“Fine,” Taryn said. “That’s the one good thing about night-of puking … you feel good in the morning. How was your night of male bonding?”
“Educational,” Isaac said.
Taryn cocked her head. “How so?”
“Well, I learned that six rum and Cokes make me feel pretty good, Gregor isn’t that bad of a guy and I don’t like strippers.”
Taryn giggled. “How drunk was Cam?”
Isaac let out a low whistle. “Puh-lastered. He was drinking anything without a skull and crossbones on the bottle.”
“I hope he’s okay.”
“He told me that he took aspirin before he started drinking. According to Cam, that’s the secret to hangover prevention.”
Just then the phone rang. Taryn picked up the receiver.
“Hello? Hey! What? Yeah, he’s here. Hang on a second.”
She handed the receiver to Isaac. “It’s Gregor,” she said.
Taryn listened curiously as Isaac talked to Gregor and agreed to do something. When he was finished talking, he put the phone back on the cradle.
“What was that all about?” Taryn asked.
“Gregor’s just running a little behind, and he asked me to pick up the flowers,” Isaac said nonchalantly.
“What, are you two best buddies now?”
Isaac grinned. “I wouldn’t go that far, but we have reached a compromise.”
Taryn hopped out of bed. “I’d better get going. I have to pick Iris up at Melissa’s and we have to go get our hair done,” she said.
Isaac turned on the TV set and sat back to watch while Taryn showered. When she reappeared, she picked up her car keys and leaned down to kiss Isaac quickly.
“Meet you at the church at 4:30?” she asked.
Isaac nodded. “I’ll be there.”
