Act V Read Free Page B

yellow wrapped packages covered with
ribbons and bows sat. She dropped off her small package, a salad
plate, tea cup and saucer that cost enough to feed a family of four
for a week, and went to congratulate Sissy. This place looked like
a listing from the society page. Her friend was surrounded by women
of all ages, some from the Junior League, some of them old
classmates and many aunts and cousins. Glynnis recognized Sissy’s
mother and a woman who looked like another version of Sissy, only
50 years older. Glynnis figured that had to be her grandmother.
Conversely, there wasn’t a man standing anywhere near the gift
opening area. All the guys, including Sissy’s fiancé Terrence, were
crowded around the food table, most holding beer mugs, a few with
wine or mixed drinks. There were a few women at the table, one
Glynnis thought she recognized somehow—a local celebrity, like a
news broadcaster maybe. Low, uncomfortable laughter echoed from the
group. Well, what else would you expect besides discomfort when you
bring men to a wedding shower? It went against every southern
wedding tradition, but as Glynn’s daddy was fond of saying, “You
either gotta run with the big dogs or stay on the porch”. That
expression was a multi-purpose adage meant to apply to many
situations, but in this case the implication was—change with the
times or be left behind.
    “ Sissy, how’s it going?”
Glynnis hugged her friend who seemed to be the centerpiece in a
growing pile of pastel paper and ribbons.
    “ I’m great! The wedding is
only a few weeks away. The calligrapher has finished the
invitations and mailed them, but we haven’t hired the band for the
reception or made a final decision about whether to have
bacon-wrapped scallops or shrimp canapés. Other than that, peachy!”
She and Glynnis both laughed. Sissy had always been the queen of
last-minute. She never knew her lines until the last possible day,
and yet she always pulled off a great performance, leaving their
drama coach, Mrs. Cartee, and more recently, Glynnis herself with a
few extra frayed nerves. “Hey, do me a favor,” she leaned in and
whispered to Glynnis. “I’m starving but I can’t leave until all the
presents are opened and duly recorded. Mama would die at the
rudeness.” She rolled her sparkling, brown eyes and pantomimed
fanning herself with a lace fan like a real southern bell. “Would
you please go get Terrence away from the boys club over there and
tell him I need food? Why did we invite them anyway? They’re
useless.”
    “ I’ll do better than that,”
Glynnis told her with a pat on the hand, “I’ll get it myself. Is
there anything special you want?”
    Sissy considered that. “I’ve got to fit
into a white gown soon, so keep it light. Maybe just a few nuts, a
couple of carrot sticks.” She hesitated then added…and a huge chunk
of that strawberry cake with the pink icing…lots of
icing.”
    “ Got it.” Glynnis went
toward the food table, a woman on a mission. Sissy had always been
one of those girls who could eat anything and look like a runway
model with curves. Not fair.
    She reached the table and pushed her
way through the mob of ill-at-ease men to take a plate from the
stack. Every shower she’d ever attended used plates like these,
glass with a vine or flowers etched into the border. She began
piling the etched-glass dish with nuts, carrots, chicken strips,
and a large chunk of pink cake. Then she reached for a punch cup
and promptly dropped the plate onto the perfectly glossy, hardwood
floor, not even noticing as it broke into pieces and scattered pink
goo and nuts everywhere. Glynnis stood there wearing the same
expression as every possum she’d ever seen dead on the road while
several women tried to help her by cleaning up the mess on the
floor at her feet. Glynnis failed to respond to the hands shaking
her, or questions like, “Honey, are you okay?” and “What’s wrong
darlin’?” The best she could do was stare.