The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen

Author:Megan Bannen [BANNEN, MEGAN]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2024-06-22T00:00:00+00:00

Like every other couple married in the town of Eternity, Bushong, Hart Ralston and Mercy Birdsall held their reception in the city hall community room. Unlike every other wedding reception held in the community room of Eternity’s city hall, this one was catered by Proserpina’s, featuring the most elegant buffet Twyla had ever seen as well as a three-tier chocolate wedding cake (baked by Zeddie Birdsall) and three blueberry pies (also baked by Zeddie Birdsall) artistically arranged on small risers of different heights.

“I have walked this earth for over half a century without ever stepping foot inside the swankiest restaurant on the island, and now I’ve managed to stuff my face full of Proserpina’s twice in one month. How is this my life?” Twyla commented to her daughter-in-law as the band was setting up. They were the only two left at the round table with its yellow tablecloth. Everyone else who had been sitting with them was milling about the room or getting more dessert.

“When do I get to meet this new boyfriend of yours? I’m surprised you didn’t bring him to the wedding.”

Twyla tried to imagine Quill sitting on a metal folding chair in the city hall community room, wearing tweed and sipping brandy. She was glad that she wasn’t having to fret about whether or not he would be having a good time at this gathering. She hoped he’d received their note via Hermia; she didn’t want him worrying about the fact that she and Frank hadn’t returned to camp yesterday. “Quill and I have only gone on one real date. He definitely hasn’t qualified for bring-to-a-wedding status.”

“You came with Frank, so has he reached bring-to-a-wedding status? Or did he bring you?” Anita sipped her wine, her eyes twinkling with a combination of mischievousness and tipsiness.

“Pfft. You know it’s not like that.”

“Haven’t you ever been the teeniest, tiniest bit curious?”

“About dating Frank? No.” Her answer was the same knee-jerk response she’d given dozens of times over the years, but then she remembered his face in the mineshaft when he thought she was hurt or worse. She thought of his hands stroking her bare skin in the infirmary.

Stop that! she scolded herself.

“Not even when he wears that suit?” pressed Anita.

“Nope.”

“He looks good in that suit.”

“All men look good in suits.”

Twyla scanned the room and found Frank chatting with Duckers and Zeddie by the double doors, which had been thrown open to let in the cool evening air.

He looked good in that suit.

“He looks really good in that suit,” said Anita.

Wade came to sit beside his wife with his third slice of chocolate cake. “Who, me?”

“Yes, you.” Anita leaned over to kiss his cheek, leaving red lipstick on his skin, and it made Twyla’s heart swell to see them in love and happy. She often worried that Wade was too oblivious to the needs of others to be a good husband to his wife, but maybe she wasn’t giving him enough credit. Something about this small window into his married life made her think he and Anita would be fine.

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