THURSDAY, JUNE 20

chapter 6

“Is Lola still saying the kids have to pay for the wedding?” Arthur stood in front of the mirror and did up the collar of his mauve shirt.

“I told the kids we would pay for it.”

Arthur turned and looked at him. “When were you going to tell me this?”

“Now.” Lane stepped into the closet to get his dress pants, which were hanging next to his blue shirt.

“Sure we can pay for it. I’d just like to be involved in the decision.” Arthur flipped one end of his tie over the left shoulder.

“My apologies.” Lane pulled on his grey pants.

“All will be forgiven as long as you are here for the entire day, don’t get called away, do exactly what Christine asks you to do and pay one hundred percent of your attention to her.” Arthur checked the knot of his tie in the mirror.

“What’s your job?” Lane looked sideways at Arthur, then pointed. “To charm Lola and appeal to her vanities?” Lane fed his belt through the loops.

Arthur turned and smiled. “Actually, she was the one who went to charm school.”

Lane laughed.

There was a knock at the door. Arthur reached over and opened it. Matt stepped inside with one hand holding his pants up. “You guys got an extra belt?”

Lane cocked his head to the left toward the closet. “I think so. It’s hanging up in there.”

“Any emergencies yet?” Arthur sat down to put his dress shoes on.

Matt shook his head. “Not yet. Okay if I come back in a few minutes with Indiana?”

“Has the surprise arrived yet?” Arthur asked.

“Nope.” Matt left.

“The surprise was supposed to be here by now.” Lane grabbed his shirt.

“This is Cuba, remember. Things seem to take the time they take.” Arthur grabbed his jacket and hung it over the back of the chair.

They could hear the sound of footsteps pounding back and forth across the floor upstairs as Christine rushed to get ready.

Dan, Matt and Indy arrived at Lane and Arthur’s room five minutes later. Indy was fast asleep in his tuxedo T-shirt, black onesie and black shoes. Dan, in his black suit, white shirt and black shoes, set Indie down in slow motion on the couch.

Matt hung his black jacket on a doorknob. “These clothes are gonna get real hot real quick.”

Lane turned to Daniel. “How’s Christine?”

Dan looked worried. “Running late. She wanted to feed Indy first and that took longer than planned. Did the surprise get here?”

Arthur and Lane shook their heads.

They heard the sound of high heels on the tiled floor above their heads.

Outside they heard a golf cart pull up.

Arthur peeked through the curtains. Dan looked over his shoulder. “The surprise made it.”

They heard high heels climbing the stairs to the second floor. The second pair of heels stopped. The four men looked up at the ceiling.

Another pair of high heels tapped across the floor of the room above.

An instant of quiet, then a scream that reached out through the open sliding door to the room below.

Arthur said, “Now that is what I call timing.”

“Alex always did know how to make an entrance,” Lane said.

The wedding took place on a platform overlooking the beach at dusk. Christine wore a white form-fitting, mid-calf dress with a slit up the side to accentuate her long legs. The look was finished off with a pair of white stilettos and a black onyx pendant on a silver chain. With Christine between them, Lane and Arthur walked up the stairs to where Dan waited on one side of the Cuban equivalent of a justice of the peace named Laura. Matt, the best man, stood on the other side. He held the still-sleeping Indy. Alexandra stood on the right side of Laura. Alex wore the same dress as her sister, but in yellow, the same pendant, the same shoes and a smile that brightened the evening.

Christine reached the top of the stairs.

Lola looked back at the bride but did not smile. Her husband turned, saw Christine and did a double take.

When they arrived in front of Laura, Arthur sat down. Lane took Indy from Matt and sat down next to Arthur. Indy slept with the serenity only a child can manage at events minor and major. They watched as Laura raised her white-turbaned head, which matched her white flowing top and skirt, and began to speak. Her skin was almost the colour of the onyx the sisters wore. Lane began to smile as he thought, I wonder what she would do if I told her about Lola’s attempt to make Christine white? He looked over at Lola and realized she must be thinking the same thing. Lola did something completely unexpected. She smiled nervously at Lane.

Later, at the dinner table in the Italian restaurant on the resort, Lane saw Christine was still smiling as she bent to kiss her son. She stood tall to kiss her sister’s cheek, then leaned over to stroke Dan’s cheek.

Deylis showed up thirty minutes later wearing a red dress, white pumps and a silver chain around her neck. She carried an acoustic guitar and was followed by a man with a cello. A woman trailed them with a pair of African drums.

Christine spotted the trio, frowned and looked at Lane.

Deylis smiled at the three and began to strum her guitar. It took a moment for the cellist and drummer to find chairs. They joined in and began to play a rumba.

Alexandra grabbed Arthur and they danced around the tables. Christine smiled and took Daniel’s hand.

John stood up and tried to get Lola to do the same.

Lane got up with Indiana. The baby lifted one eyelid, then closed it again. Lane sat back down and watched. Dan and Christine danced as Deylis sang a Spanish love song. Alex and Arthur danced ballroom. Matt smiled, sat back and sipped a margarita.

Lola lifted her chin and marched away with her notice-me heels. As far as Lane could see, he was the only one who noticed.

John stayed. He sat alone for a minute, then got up, walked over and asked, “Mind if I join you?”

Lane shrugged. “Not at all.”

John sat down. He looked at Daniel and Christine, then at Indiana. “The kids are having fun. I wish my daughter could have been here.”

Lane waited while Indiana flexed his fingers.

“She works for an American company and they frown on anyone who goes to Cuba even now that the embargo’s been lifted.”

“Would you like a drink?” Lane asked as the waiter approached.

“Don’t mind if I do.” He turned to the waiter. “Mojito.” The waiter nodded and turned to Lane.

“Same for me, please.” Lane watched the dancing and listened to Deylis as she sang another Spanish song. She has a beautiful sultry voice.

John reached over and cupped Indiana’s head with his hand. “Okay if I hold him?”

Lane nodded and began to lean forward. John did the same; then his phone rang. He held up one finger and reached for his cell. He looked at the screen, then said, “Yes?”

Lane recognized Lola’s voice on the other end.

John nodded once and frowned. He took the phone away from his ear, pressed end and slid the phone into his jacket pocket. “I have to go.” He got up, went to his son and daughter-in-law and hugged them both. Then he left.

Lane watched Daniel’s shoulders sag. I wonder what it was like for you growing up, Daniel?

Christine hugged Dan and brought him over. “We wanted to thank you for the music. They’re wonderful.”

This is one of those times when everything just comes together. “It was a surprise to me just as it was to you.”

Christine turned to watch the band, then turned back to Lane. “She did this because you helped her out?”

Lane shrugged. “You’ll have to ask her.”