Chapter -8:
...William's Wedding...
Two years have gone by since we moved
to Southwark, London. I’ve adjusted pretty well. My friends have been the
reason I was able to adjust so well, to be honest. The biggest differences I
felt between Southwark and Thiruvananthapuram were – One; is the lack of space.
Our house in Thiruvananthapuram was huge and and an even larger garden. The
garden here is not even a fourth of the size of the one back in Kerala. Two;
you can’t just climb any tree here. Besides there aren’t that many trees to
climb either. Three; there is no beach. These were all the reasons I didn’t
like London as much and the reasons why I missed Kerala.
But I pulled through the
homesickness. My friends and family always tried to make me feel more at home
any time I got too homesick. And we’ve settled down pretty well. My dad got a
promotion last year and we moved to a new neighbourhood. I got along with our
neighbours pretty well, unlike our last neighbours who were idiots. There was
this one time when if it weren’t William, I would have ended up crossing
limits. I guess I got along with them mainly because they were an old couple
who had two cats that I liked to play with. My new house is a lot closer to my
college and also a lot closer to Sawyer’s apartment. Sawyer lives alone on
lease because his parents live in Cambridge. I’ve visited his apartment many
times since we moved. Sarah and Luther are also very close to us now. They’ve
always been regular visitors but their visits have become even more regular
since the move. Jennie has also been able to visit me since then.
College has been going pretty well
too. My grades are good. Good enough that I have enough credits to graduate a
semester early. But I won’t be. I’ll complete my degree. I’m in my final year
after all. Sawyer graduated last year. He was able to get a job in a really big
company just a few months after he graduated. He finished training and started
working last month. I finished my novel ‘Return’ quite a long time ago but
decided to publish it only after I graduated. My graduation is just two months
away.
William also got a promotion last
month. And boy was that a special night. Sarah and Luther were here for a visit
to celebrate William’s promotion when he got down on one knee and asked Sarah
to be his only. Cheesy? I know. Anyway, that meant that they were
getting married. I had imagined my brother’s wedding very differently but I
still like the way it’s going. Mainly because of the person he is getting
married to. William had moved out like six months ago. He found a nice
apartment that was closer to work. But he visits us almost twice a week. So,
the wedding is about four days away. They decided on a court marriage. Well, it
is called a civil marriage here in the UK but it’s the same thing. They needed
documents, especially of my brother since he is a non-UK resident so he had to
give proof of his residency. After all that was out of the way, they needed two
witnesses. My father said that he could be William’s witness but William
insisted that I should be his witness. My dad eventually agreed. Luther is
going to be Sarah’s witness. I must say, I do not understand court or civil
marriage. But you’re technically still married so I’m not against it. Since the
‘wedding’ thing is in the air, my mother asked me how I would like to get
married. It was completely out of the blue but it was a reasonable question. I
told her that I’d decide when it actually was time for my wedding, which was at
least three years away.
I just got out of the shower. I’m
getting ready for a movie. It’s Friday, and Jennie always plans a double date
on Friday. We’re going to a movie tonight. I put on a white knee-length dress
and let my hair down to the side. I don't really put on any makeup, to be honest, since nothing really sticks to my skin. I still put some lip balm on since my lips keeping getting chapped even after two years of staying here. I walk
downstairs, unplug my phone from charging and go outside. I wait standing in my
driveway for a few minutes before I see them. It’s Theo’s turn to drive so he
and Jennie are sitting in the front seat. The backseat is empty, for now. I get
in and Jennie and Theo greet me. I wish them back and Theo continues driving.
Jennie and Theo have been dating ever since the spring dance two years ago. Our
last spring dance went by pretty nicely but we couldn’t double date since
Sawyer had to work late.
Theo stops in front of Sawyer’s
apartment building gate and he gets into the backseat with me. He gives me a
kiss on my forehead and we continue on our way to the cinema hall. “So? How are the preparations for
William’s wedding going?” Jennie asks along the drive. I lean back into my
seat, “Well, since it’s a court, I mean civil marriage, we don’t have many preparations
to do.” Jennie nods and then Theo says, “Well, we’re all invited, right?” I
laugh slightly, “You’re all invited to dinner after the wedding, as for the
ceremony, only Jennie’s coming.” Sawyer trys to protest but I tell him to shut
up. Jennie laughs at my childishness.
We just got out of the hall and
Jennie stretched, “That sure was a waste, didn’t expect that ending. Ruined the
entire movie.” We all agree. The movie was a waste. “Well, we could go out to
eat to make sure this night isn’t,” Sawyer says. “Yeah sure, where are we
going?” I ask. Theo suggested pizza and that’s where we’re going. We talked
about how that movie was a waste the entire time we ate.
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