After dinner, Cynthia gathered the engaged couples in the family room while everyone else continued talking in the dining room. She sat in the chair next to the fireplace while all of her clients sat on the sofas across from her.
“TNT Event Planning would like to thank all of you for entrusting us with the happiest day of your life. That’s the professional side, personally I am so excited to be planning four Lassiter weddings in one year. Just to be clear, all of you want to get married this year, correct?” Cynthia asked.
“We sure do,” Blake said as he kissed Jade’s hand.
Jade smiled. “Before anyone claims it, we want a Christmas wedding in Connecticut.”
“Okay,” Cynthia nodded as she keyed into her tablet. “December for Blake and Jade. Who else has a month in mind?”
“We think July would be great for us,” Phire stated. “A Fourth of July wedding for a politically focused couple.”
“I like July because the weather is nice,” LT added.
“You do realize how hot it gets in July,” Cynthia advised. “Are you planning an outdoor wedding?”
“No.” Phire smiled at LT as he pulled her closer. “I want the old-fashioned, traditional wedding. I want a ten-foot train with a tiara like the one you had when you got married.”
Cynthia smiled. “I’m surprised. You really want a full-out Princess Di-like wedding?”
“I really do.” Phire smiled blissfully.
“Wow,” Leah exhaled. “I would have thought you would have the hi-tech blowout-type wedding.”
“I tried. She knocked down the idea.” LT sighed.
“Okay, Phire and LT, traditional church wedding in July.” Cynthia nodded then looked up. “What about you, Leah?” Cynthia asked. “When and where?”
Leah glanced at Matt. “We were thinking September.”
Matt nodded. “It’s not too cold or hot. We can get married before school starts.”
“All right, the beginning of September, since school starts after Labor Day.” Cynthia made notes on the tablet. “That doesn’t leave a lot of choices for you, Sasha.” She looked up. “When do you two want to tie the knot?”
“As soon as possible,” Luke replied then cleared his throat. “We want to do a destination wedding.”
“Destination wedding? To where?” Cynthia asked.
“Europe,” Sasha replied.
“Whoa!” Phire exclaimed. “Europe, really?”
Luke smiled as he glanced at Sasha. “We were thinking of taking everyone on a European cruise near Barcelona.”
“Then we want to honeymoon in Paris.” Sasha added, smiling.
“A cruise to Spain?” Cynthia raised an eyebrow. “Just the two of you?”
“No,” Luke shook his head. “We want all of our family and friends to cruise with us.”
“Really?” Jade sat up excited.
“One of my teammates rented a cruise ship for his birthday party,” Luke stated. “I was thinking we could do the same: get married on the ship, then have Joshua fly us to Paris for the honeymoon while everyone continues to celebrate on the ship.”
“You want to rent a cruise ship for the entire family to go to Barcelona, Spain?” Cynthia questioned. “It’s going to be expensive as hell.”
“My father and Uncle Tucker said they will contribute to the cost,” Sasha added. “They actually said they would pay for it all.”
“The cost isn’t an issue,” Luke stated. “Can you make it happen?”
Cynthia glared at him as if she was offended. “I am Cynthia Lassiter. I can make any event happen. The question is, how soon? Do you have a month in mind?”
Luke and Sasha glanced at each other. “What do you think?” Sasha asked.
“May,” Luke replied. “Memorial Day Weekend.”
“May, July, September and December,” Cynthia stood, turning off her tablet. “Well, this is going to be a challenge. However, TNT is up to the task. All of you will have memorable weddings, and you all will get the Lassiter family discount. Except for you, Luke,” she continued as she walked towards the door. She turned. “I’m going to make it happen, Sasha. You will have a beautiful wedding. I have to get to work.” She huffed then called out, “Samuel.”
Phire and Jade laughed.
“Is she upset?” Sasha asked. “We thought a cruise would make planning a little easier.”
“Listen,” Phire responded, “with the resources we have and Cynthia’s determination to outdo everyone else, it will happen. I’m just happy you are going first.”
Sasha turned to Luke. “Is that a bad thing?”
“No,” Luke replied, “Cynthia is a wedding coordinator bridezilla.”
“Yes.” Blake stood. “That means she will go through hell and high waters to make your wedding wish come true.”
“Yeah, while killing us in the process,” Matt laughed.
“That’s not what’s going to kill us,” Blake stated. “Trying to pull these families together is going to be a headache.”
Jade rubbed her hand over his shoulder. “Are you worried about your mother?”
Blake exhaled. “Can you imagine her and your mother sitting across the aisle from each other?”
Luke laughed. “After what happened in New York, I can’t even imagine them in the same state together.”
“What happened in New York?” Sasha asked.
Blake, Luke and Matt glanced at each other.
“It was a beatdown,” Phire answered. “Plain and simple. I don’t mean any disrespect Blake, but Sally gave your mother an old-fashioned ass whipping in your condo.”
“No disrespect taken,” Blake replied with a wave of his hand.
“Sally?” Sasha questioned. “I don’t believe that.”
“Oh, it happened,” Luke replied. “We had to get her out of jail.”
“I could not stop laughing when they told me about it,” Leah chuckled.
“It was funny as hell,” Matt nodded.
“Well, at least she didn’t shoot her.” Leah exhaled. “My mother shot my father in the balls, on the football field during a homecoming game.”
“What?” Jade sat forward.
“And I thought my family situation was bad.” LT shook his head.
“Yours is not bad,” Phire corrected. “It’s more like unknown.”
“My stepmother tried to kill you and my father successfully killed my mother.” LT glanced at her. “You don’t call that bad?”
“I don’t feel so bad now,” Sasha exhaled. “My mother hasn’t tried to kill anyone.”
“No, she just tried to get busy with your man,” Phire hissed. “You should have been the one killing her.”
“It seems like we all have parent issues to deal with,” Luke stated. “Here’s what I know. Matt, you love Leah, Blake, you love Jade, LT, you love Phire and I love Sasha. Nothing our parents do or say will overshadow that love.”
“He is right,” Blake added. “We are all in this room because we love each other. Jade and I know we are dealing with the mother from hell.”
Sasha raised her hand. “I’m dealing with the same.”
“Father from hell.” Leah raised her hand.
“Family,” LT chuckled. “Entire family from hell.”
They all laughed at the expression on his face.
“As long as you keep the lines of communication open with each other, we may get through these weddings without having to attend a funeral.” Luke added. “If we run into a few obstacles, pick up the phone and call Sally.” He laughed.
“Yeah, she’ll whip a few asses for you,” Matt nodded in agreement.