Chapter 71

"Not if we can find something a bit more formal. Let's go!"

In the store, the first store we went in, Colleen found a dress. Flowered print made of a material so thin it looked to me like it was made of woven spider webs. It buttoned right from the scoop neckline to the hem with tiny white buttons. She also found a pair of sandals. Next door I found a pair of gray slacks and a white shirt. We were ready. With our new clothes in a bag we walked to the Sows Ear. As we were seated the waitress noticed the new ring on Colleen's hand. She called to the other waitresses and they made a big deal of the whole engagement thing.

In the midst of that one of the waitresses asked, "How long have you two been a couple?"

We looked at each other and Colleen answered, "This is our first date."

We had a visible demonstration of shock and awe. They stood there shocked into silence for a long moment.

I added, "We've know each other for a while but never really got together until now. It's Colleen's birthday and..."

"And I get Pete as my present!" Colleen finished my statement. The shock passed into awe and the manager came to us and said dinner would be their gift to both of us.

The manager kept bringing people to our table so they could see the ring and meet us. The whole restaurant sang Happy Birthday when a small cake was delivered to our table as dessert. Talking with people as we met them and after the singing we felt like we were really with friends. Colleen surprised me.

She said, to everyone in the restaurant, "We have some friends who are getting married tomorrow at two o'clock at Nepenthe. I would love to surprise them by having lots of new friends attend their wedding. Right now it is just Pete and me who will be there. Please, if you can, come join us."

Cheers and clapping let us know that the wedding would be another adventure. As we left the Sows Ear another couple was also leaving. They walked with us for a block and the man asked, "Where's your car parked?"

"We walked from the cottages where we're staying."

"You're the couple on the motorcycle?"

"That's us."

"We are in one of the other cottages. Can we walk back with you?"

"Sure, but we stop along the way."

"For?" The woman asked. Colleen turned and we kissed. She held my ass and I held hers.

"Oh. I should have known."

We laughed and walked on. At another corner I turned to Colleen and we kissed again. I whispered, "I love you" and she pinched my nipple. When I looked, our neighbors were kissing. We waited and then crossed the street together.

At the front of our cottage they thanked us for a wonderful walk and left us. We went inside and hung up our new clothes. Colleen showed me her new ring twice more before we fell asleep.

In the morning over breakfast we discussed things. Things like, do we attempt riding to Nepenthe in our fancy clothes? Like, what time should we leave for the wedding? We decided to bring the wedding clothes not wear them and leave at a little after eleven. The couple that had walked home with us joined us near the end of breakfast and said they had decided to attend the wedding. They would take our good clothes in their car and they would follow us to Nepenthe.

I warned them, "We stop along the way."

They both smiled.

We left at a few minutes after eleven and stopped twice along the seventy-three mile trek. We arrived at five minutes to one. Helen was standing in the parking lot in a white sun dress. Mike was not in sight.

Colleen said, "I'll bet it's the old thing of you shouldn't see the bride in her dress before the ceremony."

We told them we had invited some friends to the wedding. Colleen took Helen and Sue with her to get changed and Sue's husband Alan and I took my good clothes and went to see where the wedding was going to happen. The far patio was set up for the wedding and I left Alan there to greet people as they arrived. When I had changed and returned Alan told me that Sue had come out looking for me. I went to the door of the ladies room and Sue came out.