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Wedding guests arrive, sign the guest book, and enter the sanctuary. When the door opens, organ music pulses into the foyer, then fades again as it closes.
Drew checks his watch. “They should be here any minute. My understanding is Vera and Maria go in first, get everyone situated, and then Todd comes out with the groomsmen.”
I nod. “I’ll be backup.”
“You’re going to stay up front to help if things go south?”
“I should have worn flats.”
Drew nods, his mouth pressed tight. “This is going to go south.”
Several old ladies are startled when the ruckus begins. They glance back at the exterior doors and hurry into the sanctuary.
As if that is any kind of escape.
Drew and I rush forward to help.
Seven dogs on leashes.
Seven.
There’s a border collie, two Labradors, a boxer, a Yorkshire terrier, and two pugs.
Vera looks harried, her pink dress already askew from managing the dogs. “Now this is what I call a blended family.”
Maria shakes her head. “Their house must be insane all day long.”
The dogs go in random directions once they’re inside the foyer, sniffing at everything. The boxer is about to lift his leg when Drew extracts a clicker and punches it three times.
The dog lifts his head, and Drew pulls out a treat. “No peeing,” he says, and feeds the dog.
The other dogs rush to Drew’s feet, begging for treats of their own.
“Don’t overdo it,” Maria warns. “I only got half of them to do their business in the grass.”
Drew is right. Zero chance of this going perfectly. But Todd and Tatiana insisted their wedding day wouldn’t be right without their fur babies.
“Why didn’t they do an outdoor wedding?” Vera says.
“Catholic mass,” Drew says. “Tatiana wanted it.”
Vera shifts the leashes, which have gotten tangled while Drew gives each dog a treat. “And how long will it be?”
“Close to an hour.” Drew holds out a finger to the collie, who is trying to jump over the back of the boxer to get another treat.
“I’ll be there to help,” I say, but Maria looks skeptical.
“In those shoes?”
Dang it. I’m the worst about practical footwear.
“I think I’ll walk you in,” Drew says. “You’re going to need all hands on deck.”
“Thank you,” Maria says. “We probably should have gotten more help.”
A family with two teen boys arrives, and Drew has them open the doors wide for the dogs.
The music swells, and the guests turn to see what’s happening.
