Her Day was Still Happening

Jenny had been planning this wedding for two years. No damn flu epidemic was going to stop her. The news reported that hundreds were getting sick everyday, but damn it, when would she reschedule?

She grabbed her phone and dialed her mother.

"How's the church?" she asked without saying hello.

"The church is fine, sweetling. Everything's been scrubbed and the priest is in perfect health."

"And the masks? Have the masks arrived?"

"Yes. All 20 boxes are sitting in the voyeur."

Jenny sighed and hung up without saying goodbye and refocused on her hair. Samuel, her stylist, was braiding the veil into a bun.

"Samuel, I'm not stupid, am I?" Jenny asked.

"No, of course not. This is your day."

"The flu hasn't even reached here!"

"You're right, Jenny. It hasn't. We'll be fine."

Samuel was wearing a mask and gloves. Jenny plucked at the pearls hanging around her neck.

"Jeremy said he felt a little tickle in his throat this morning."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Samuel cooed as he combed the hair behind Jenny's ears.

"Half my guests canceled."

"That's their loss. It's going to be beautiful."

Samuel let go of her hair and stepped back to check his work. Seeing nothing wrong, he grabbed a mirror and held it up for Jenny to see.

"Voila, my dear. What do you think?"

"OH! It's so good, Samuel! You're the best!"

"I do what I can. Don't worry about payment right now. I'll contact you after your honeymoon. You just go put on your dress and stop worrying so much."

Jenny held back the tear that threatened her makeup.

"Thank you, Samuel. Again, you're just the best."

"You're welcome," Samuel said as he packed up his things.

Jenny stood up and walked to the dressing room.

"Jenny," Samuel called out. "It's going to be beautiful."

Jenny smiled. Her day was still happening.

~~~~~~~~~

Jenny held her father's hand outside the church. She was shaking.

"Feeling alright?" her father asked.

Jenny stopped herself from shaking and breathed.

"I'm fine. I'm not sick or anything."

"Oh, no, no. I just meant, are you nervous?"

Jenny reached up and adjusted her mask. It smelled like lavender.

"I'm fine. I just want this day to go perfectly, Daddy."

"It will. Everything's turning out great."

"Even with the masks?"

"Even with the masks. I even forgot I was wearing one until you just mentioned it."

Jenny smiled behind hers and tried to ignore how the paper muffled her father's voice. She couldn't imagine how the priest would sound.

"It's almost time to go," her father said and placed her hand inside his elbow. "I'm so proud of you for going through with this. You put a lot of work in."

"Thank you, Daddy," Jenny said and concentrated on her breathing.

The church doors opened and the flower girl entered. A waft of bleach, lemon and honeysuckle hit Jenny in the face. She gagged.

"It smells clean," her father said and shook his arm. "It's fine."

They stepped up and got ready to make their entrance. Jenny saw through the open doors that half the pews weren't filled. She pushed the thought from her mind. She quickly straightened her gown, checked her mask and gripped her bouquet and father's arm. The church doors opened. Jenny took a deep lemony breathe and took her first step.

Jeremy smiled at the end of the aisle, and subtly waved his fingers at Jenny. The mask hid his face, but she could tell he was smiling the biggest smile she could imagine on him. His eyes sparkled. A tear escaped and Jenny let it roll down her face.

Her day was still happening.

~~~~~~~

The service took 30 minutes, and was filled with giggling at the priest's voice. Every word he said was muffled, and he sounded like Kenny from South Park. Jeremy and Jenny could barely get their vows out with laughing through them. Now they stood outside the church doors and waited for the limo to pull up. The crowd threw confetti over them.

"Kiss! Kiss!" they called out.

They skipped the kiss in the service because of the illness fear of lifting the mask. Jeremy turned to Jenny.

"Kiss with the mask?" he asked.

Jenny guffawed. "Sure, what the hell!"

She leaned in and they kissed through the paper. Lavender scent crammed up her nose but she didn't care. The limo pulled up, and the driver opened the doors. Jeremy and Jenny ran down the steps, waving at the crowd and dove into the fresh, clean leather seats of the car. It smelled like lemon and windex, but Jenny just didn't care.

Her day had happened. Hundreds of people got sick that day in the worst flu epidemic in years, but she still had her wedding. And it was beautiful.

Jenny leaned in and kissed Jeremy again. He ripped off their masks and kissed her, lips to lips. Jenny smiled and let the tears flow.

Her day had still happened.