Going to the Chapel Read Online Free Page B

or the palsy than I might have gotten some sympathy. But my shortness looked deceptively ordinary.
    The reason I knew God had thwarted me, however,was because my mother was tall, willowy and beautiful. I might not have inherited my mother’s beauty, but I figured I was at least entitled to her height. And, inside, I felt tall. Much taller than Elaine. I don’t know what had happened on the outside of me that I didn’t grow to the height I was supposed to be.
    It was bad enough having to get the hand-me-downs, but what was much worse was that on the first day that I wore any of the clothes to school Elaine would announce where they came from in front of everyone.
    “That’s the dress I got in Palm Springs,” she’d say. “Now my half cousin gets to wear it.”
    Then Elaine would give me The Look, the one that said she knew she was better than I was and I’d best know it, too. That’s the same look she just gave me today. She doesn’t call me her half cousin when she gives me The Look anymore, but she doesn’t need to. I know she’s saying it inside.
    I don’t even know if there’s a word like half cousin, but I knew Elaine wanted it to be clear that I was not her real cousin. Somehow the half part always made me feel as though I didn’t quite measure up to a full anything.
    If I hadn’t been convinced God hated me back then, I would have gotten down on my knees and prayed for some clothes that were all mine. I almost did once when the minister at Aunt Inga’s church read that verse about the lilies of the fields not needing to worry about what they were wearing. That was one sermon I listened to with hope.
    But it had been a long time since I’d even tried to pray and so no words came. I knew God didn’t like hypocrites and I couldn’t bring myself to pray forclothes one minute and blame Him for not listening to me the next. Finally, I let the urge to pray pass. I decided to be content with the prayers Aunt Inga said for me. At least she didn’t call me half anything.
    I don’t know why Elaine’s engagement party is bringing back all of these memories. It should be a time for looking forward. I decide I will, at least, enjoy myself with what’s left of the evening.

Chapter Two
    O h, no, here comes Elaine walking across the ballroom with me in her sights. Her evening gown is a shimmering pale blue sheath and, if it was on anyone but Elaine, I would say it made her look like an angel.
    “Tell her Doug got called in to work,” I whisper to Cassie, who is still standing beside me.
    “I know. That’s what he said he was going to check,” Cassie says.
    “Perfect.”
    Then we both turn around to face Elaine.
    “I’m so glad you could both come,” Elaine says.
    Elaine is tall, blond and should be a model, at least according to Aunt Ruth, who swears, if Elaine weren’t so delicate, she would be on the cover of the JCPenney catalog by now. That’s because our local grocery store once ran a picture of Elaine in the paper eating broccoli along with their advertised special on the vegetable.
    The clerk in the grocery store said she’d never soldas much broccoli in one week as she had because of that picture of Elaine. Aunt Ruth had a copy of the ad enlarged and laminated so it wouldn’t fade when she put it in her scrapbook. No one could talk to Elaine for weeks after that without her giving them that broccoli smile of hers. To this day, I can’t eat broccoli.
    “Congratulations,” I say as I hold out my hand.
    “Thanks,” Elaine says as she takes my hand and gives me The Look.
    Even Cassie can see The Look so she interrupts. “I’d love to meet him.”
    “Him?” Elaine’s face goes blank for a moment and then she remembers, “Oh, yes, Gary—you’ll love him.” She looks over at me as if she doesn’t realize I’ve already heard story after story from the aunts about her wonderful Gary. “He’s studying to be a dentist you know. Mother says that marrying a dentist is even better than