He stood on the 2nd story balcony of the Myrtle-Mason Reception, gazing below at the row of chrysanthemums that lined the lip of the hill. How vibrant and stoic, he thought – each having blossomed with the November mist and meticulous care of the grounds crew. He looked out at the fields behind the beautifully manicured plants where the winery tours took place, wishing his parents had made the trip to see his brother at the altar. He was glad the wedding was over, along with the immeasurable months of social and familial ballyhoo it had created. His brother’s marriage to Muriel had been two years in the making, but the Catholic processional that had taken place earlier that day felt more like a lifetime. In fact, Muriel was the kind of woman who reflected her wedding in the sense that she was entirely too much. She was also boisterous and cynical and struggled to sustain her face without the application of beauty products. It didn’t matter. She was family now, and it was none of his business. The thump of the disc jockey's speakers inside brought him back to reality, as he pulled a crinkled Parliament from his suit pocket. He thought about going back in to the reception where the dance floor continued to pulse with inebriation, sweat and disco - but the air on the balcony was too sweet to leave. He needed some time to collect himself before delivering his speech as the rightful best man. His initial thought was to take the microphone and talk about the works of D.H. Lawrence; how weddings and marriages were pompous and overblown; lavish precursors to failed unions. And the cost of them - reflecting that of an education or an extended stay abroad. But to say such a thing on behalf of his beloved brother and his new wife would prove dishonorable; maybe even a travesty. He puffed at his cigarette, took a look at his watch and glanced out at the Hill Country. It was a good night for love. And he was happy for his brother. Kid Cudi Feat. Sharam - She Came Along*AWT
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