Chapter XV
June 30, 2007
“Have a drink or two, William,” Emily Further told her husband. “It's your baby
sister's wedding day. Relax.”
They were sitting at a small table in the cocktail hour between the wedding and the
reception. There were a few waiters walking around handing out hors d'oeuvres.
Emily would take at least one thing from every waiter who passed them.
She was eight months pregnant and told people it felt like she was ten months.
“I'm fine,” William responded. “But if you do get uncomfortable, I can take you
home.”
“You're not going to take me home,” Emily told him. “I'm not missing your sister's
big day because a baby is kicking my kidney.”
“I won't ask again,” William told her.
“Just twenty-three more days and then they'll rip the baby out,” she whispered into
William's ear, rubbing her belly. “Then we'll spend the next eighteen years chasing
after her. You may as well loosen up and try to enjoy yourself.”
“Next time a waiter comes around, I'll ask for a cocktail,” William responded.
“Good. Just don't get too drunk tonight,” Emily commanded. “I don't want you
putting on another drunken sock puppet show.”
William wasn't sure if it had happened or not. He didn't remember ever trying to