The first time I ever found myself at a wedding where the bride bolted was a shock Ill never shake off. If someone had told me such a thing could happen, I would have laughed it off, chalking it up to a movie plot. But life sometimes writes its own dramas, and you just have to hold on.
Let me set the scene. It wasnt my own wedding I wasnt even invited. My friend Lucy was supposed to attend with her boyfriend Tom, who turned out to be a distant relative of the groom. The day before the ceremony Lucy was rushed to hospital, leaving Tom to go alone. That didnt sit well with Lucy; she feared the crowd would be full of single ladies.
Imagine the toasts, the endless chatter. Then some old flame could swoop in, drag him away, and wed be left with a mess, she muttered, inventing scenarios where Tom would be caught in scandal or end up pregnant. She swore shed keep everything proper and civil.
Dont trust a man these days! she snapped. We cant leave a single bloke on his own theres a shortage of decent fellows. One wont do, period! Tom looked crestfallen, though he still wanted to be at the wedding. Lucy gave me a silent, pleading glance.
No, dont even ask, I began to refuse, though I knew Id eventually give in for Lucys sake.
Tom told me the groom, Alexander, was 45, divorced once, owned a couple of shops, a petrol station, and a few other ventures. He had no children of his own, but hed raised a son from his first marriage. The lad had become a bit of a freeloader, always asking for cash and gifts, yet Alexander still sent him money out of old habit.
All Tom knew about the bride was that she was considerably younger than Alexander.
The big day arrived. Tom and I drove straight to the register office in Brighton; we didnt take part in any of the usual prewedding rituals. The groom was a solidlooking gentleman, athletic build, a dimple on his chin, an eaglesharp nose and deep blue eyes that spoke reliability. The bride was a natural blonde, though shed dyed her long hair black. Very pretty, but something about her seemed dour.
She looked no older than twentyfive I guessed correctly later. The ceremony went off without a hitch until a handsome young fellow slipped through the doors, a boyish grin on his face, eyeing everyone with a mischievous sparkle. The guests were all focused on the rites, but the brides gaze snagged his. Her expression changed instantly and the rest of the wedding turned into chaos.
The lad pointed toward the exit with his eyes; the bride spun around and followed him. It happened just as the officiant was about to say, In the course of life, there are days that leave the deepest impressions, and this day will stay with you forever The crowd gasped. A woman in a hat shouted, Sophie, my dear, stop! Where are you going? while the groom, composed as ever, merely smiled.
The ceremony was ripped apart. Guests were bewildered. The brides mother wept in the hall. A man approached her and, between sobs, muttered, She left in the car. Shame. She wont answer my calls. No one could make sense of it. The parents of the bride, a pair named Ethel and George, scrambled to apologise to Alexander.
There were about fifty guests, some travelling from far off. Eventually, the chatter turned to the inevitable question: What now? Do we head back to the train, or still go to the pub? a mustached man in a striped shirt asked. His wife, a tall, elegant blonde with wavy hair, sighed.
What surprised me most was the groom. He glanced at the disoriented crowd and said, Ladies and gentlemen, why not head to the pub? Weve already paid for the drinks. Everyone followed him cheerfully, as if nothing had happened. He kept his composure, though you could see the hurt in his eyes. He slipped his wedding bands into his pocket.
During the dinner we learned that the runaway bride, Sophie, had fled with Alexanders own son. It played out like a soap opera: shed dated the lad, hed dumped her after two weeks and vanished. She later met Alexander, he fell for her, and despite the age gap proposed. Were thrilled, dear, her mother whispered, wiping her eyes. A respectable, welloff man we never imagined this. It turned out Ethel didnt know that her future soninlaw was the father of Sophies recent lover. Whether Alexander knew is unclear; perhaps he didnt. Hed been sent the invitation at the last minute and, upon seeing his bride, recognised an old school friends ex.
I never liked the young man whod caused all this; he seemed slick, the type who would cling to anyones throat. He might have been able to stay quiet, but he needed to be seen, to be noticed by Ethel and taken away.
Tom, who could barely dance or eat, spent the whole time on the phone with Lucy in the hospital, regretting he couldnt be there for such a memorable ceremony. Guests chatted, ate, drank. The groom earned the whispered nickname the saintly man. Alexander remained as calm as a seasoned crocodile, perhaps simply good at keeping a straight face.
Two hours later, most had forgotten the fiasco, except for a grizzled aunt who kept grumbling that Ethel should be sent away for causing such a mess! The MC was nearly dismissed, but a quickthinking young lad promised to keep the guests entertained, and the show went on.
Then Sophie reappeared at the doors, her mother lunging at her again. Her father rushed in, perhaps to discipline her properly, while the groom chased after her. The drama finally settled; Sophie fell to her knees before Alexander, begging forgiveness for abandoning him at the register office. After a few heartfelt minutes she rose, and Alexander, true to his word, forgave her. They sat together at the head of the table, and the guests finally shouted a relieved thank goodness! as the real wedding resumed.
I might not have handled things perfectly, but I couldnt help but wonder why Alexander chose to forgive. Everyone deserves a chance, he said later. We all make mistakes. One should not give up on a person just because theyve slipped once. Forgiveness is essential. That was his creed.
Officially, Ethel and Alexander tied the knot two months later, filed the paperwork at the register office the next day, and the rogue who caused the chaos disappeared, though rumors say Alexander still supports him financially. In any case, the couple welcomed twin girls shortly after.
As for Tom, my friends husband, he sums up the whole episode with a wry, Well, at least we have a story to tell! And Id agree though Id never wish such a wedding on anyone.
