Wheeler stood nervously in the narthex of the church, straightening his tie when it was already straight, clearing his throat. Six years. It had been six years since Wheeler last saw his friends. Ironically that was at a wedding as well…Linka's wedding. He really didn't want to be here, but he couldn't say no to Kwame when he asked him to be a groomsmen. Ma-Ti and Kwame were like brothers to him and they would always come first…above his own feelings. Wheeler delayed in sending in his response to the wedding invite. When Kwame called to ask him if he was coming, Wheeler hesitated at first.
"I can't…not if Linka is going to be there."
"I do not know where Linka is. We sent an invitation to the address I had for her, but it was returned. She is no longer living at the same address. No forwarding address was given."
Wheeler assumed that she and her husband moved to another house. After all, the place she had in St. Petersburg was meant to be Wheeler and Linka's home. Maybe she couldn't share it with anyone else.
"Yeah right," Wheeler mumbled to himself. Then he looked around to make sure no one heard him. Thankfully he was still alone, but he made the effort to keep all further thoughts to himself.
She probably hasn't even thought of me since then.
"Wheeler?"
Wheeler turns around to see Ma-Ti and his wife, who was carrying a little baby.
"Ma-Ti! Hey buddy! Good to see you!" Wheeler says as he embraces his friend.
"You too. This is my wife, Mutawi, and this little one is our daughter, Nuttah."
"Nice to finally meet you Mutawi."
"You too. I have heard much about you."
"Uh oh…good or bad?" He asks.
"Good…mostly," Mutawi reassures him.
"Nuttah is adorable…may I?"
"Of course," Mutawi says as she hands over the baby to Wheeler.
"Her name means 'my heart,'" Ma-Ti explains.
"Appropriate."
"You are a natural," Mutawi says. "Do you have any children Wheeler?"
"No," he says quietly.
"Have you…is there anyone…special in your life?" Ma-Ti asks.
"Yeah…a blonde."
"Of course," Ma-Ti says.
"She's beautiful."
"I do not doubt it."
"And loyal as hell," Wheeler continues.
"That is an important quality."
"Name's 'Sandy.'"
"Is she here?" Ma-Ti asks.
"Nah. She can't travel out of the country."
"No passport?"
"She'd have to be quarantined."
"Oh?" Ma-Ti asks, confused.
"Sandy is my golden retriever, Ma-Ti!"
"You have not changed one bit Wheeler! Always joking!"
Wheeler smiled at his old friend. It wasn't true though, he had changed. He wasn't the same person he was when they were Planeteers. He wasn't even the same person he was the last time they had seen each other.
"Have you been here long?" Ma-Ti asks.
"No, I just flew in this morning. I help manage a surf shop and didn't want to leave my partner short handed for long. I fly back tomorrow."
"So you are still in Australia?" Ma-Ti asks.
"Yeah."
"That is the last I had heard."
"Sorry I haven't been in touch."
"It is ok," Ma-Ti reassures him.
"No, it's not. I shouldn't have shut you guys out. I should have let you know I was ok."
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine."
"Well, I must say I was relieved when Gi contacted me to tell me that she had heard from you."
Wheeler thought back to the day he called Gi's research facility in an attempt to track her down and get her help. Thankfully, she was there and happy to help. Something had been killing the sea life around Narrabeen Beach. Fish and sea mammals were washing up on the shore. He told Gi where he was and asked her to come run some tests, but once she got there, he came up with a million excuses not to see her. He was working, he had to go shopping, he wasn't feeling well and couldn't go out. He knew that any conversation with Gi would lead to the inevitable…talking about Linka and what happened. He didn't want to know. He didn't want to know how she and Evgeni were. How beautiful the wedding was. How many kids they had by now.
"Yeah, I really appreciated Gi coming down to help. I just wish I could have spent more time with her," he lies. "She solved the problem though and found out that a local factory had been dumping their waste down a drain with no regard for where that drain emptied out. Right into the ocean, that's where!"
"That is horrible," Mutawi says.
"Yeah. Guess I can't seem to get away from eco-emergencies," he says humorlessly.
Ma-Ti senses a need for a change of subject…a subject which will lead to something else he would like to talk to Wheeler about.
"It is about time this wedding finally happened, eh Wheeler?" Ma-Ti says.
"Yeah. Kwame and Georgie have been engaged since before…uh…Linka's…wedding."
"About that…"
"No Ma-Ti, I don't want to talk about it."
"I think there is something you should know."
"Please Ma-Ti…not now. This is Kwame's time. I want it to be happy. I don't want to ruin it by being in a bad, depressing mood. That's why I didn't even want to come, but I'm here for Kwame."
Before Ma-Ti could explain any further, the baby started crying.
"She is probably hungry," Mutawi says as Wheeler hands the baby back.
"Kwame, Gi, and the rest of the bridal party are downstairs. They were just waiting for another one of Georgie's bridesmaids to arrive. She's running late because her kid who is 'co-flower girl' with Gi's kid is refusing to wear a dress!" Wheeler informs Ma-Ti.
Ma-Ti laughs and his smile spreads.
"Are you coming?"
"Nah. I came up here for some fresh air. It was getting a little crowded down there…and weddings aren't really my favorite thing. I'm just gonna hang out up here until we are ready to start."
"Ok, I am going to go down to see the others and get ready," Ma-Ti says. "See you in a while."
"Alright."
Wheeler watches as Ma-Ti and his family head through the door leading downstairs and then he walks over to the window to look outside. He's not looking for anything…or anyone in particular. Just trying to pass the time. He was anxious to get this over with and get back to Australia, where he was just "Wheeler, surf shop manager" not "Wheeler, former Planeteer." He contemplates leaving. Is it really fair to Kwame if Wheeler is miserable the whole time he's here? Kwame and Georgie should be focused on this happy event, not his misery.
His attention is drawn back to the door leading downstairs as a little girl emerges. He can tell by the way that she's dressed that she must be part of the wedding party. The reluctant flower girl probably.
She stops when she sees him standing in front of the exit of the church.
"Hello," she says.
"Hi there."
"Will you tell on me if I leave?"
"You don't want to be here?"
"Not really."
"That makes two of us," he says.
"So…will you?"
"Depends…will you tell on me if I leave?"
"No…how could I? I won't be here either."
"Where's your mom and dad?"
"My mom is downstairs getting the bride ready and my dad isn't here."
"Won't your mom be worried?"
"I don't care. I didn't want to be here…in this stupid dress."
"It's a pretty dress," Wheeler says.
"It'd be prettier on someone else!"
"I take it you don't like wearing dresses."
"Do you like wearing that suit?"
Wheeler unconsciously tugs at the tie.
"I feel like it's suffocating me," he admits. "Do you maybe wanna go for a walk? That way you're not alone, and maybe we'll both feel better about this whole wedding thing."
"I'm not supposed to go anywhere with strangers," the little girl says.
"Yeah, well you shouldn't be talking to them either…and yet here you are."
He can't believe he's arguing with a kid, one who's 4 or 5 years old. She squints her eyes and raises and eyebrow at him, trying to decide whether or not she likes him, especially after he countered her argument. She decides that she'll defeat his argument.
"What's your name?"
"Wheeler."
"That's a silly name."
"I'm a silly guy."
She once again gives him a quirked eyebrow. He's seen that enough to know that when a woman does that, she wants a real answer. Man, they learn that skill at an early age!
"It's my last name," he clarifies.
"My name is Vera. There, now you're not a stranger," she says as she holds out her hand for him to shake.
Wheeler squats down so that he's at eye level with his new friend and takes her extended hand.
"Nice to meet you, Vera. That's a pretty name."
"Yeah, pretty stupid."
"You don't like it?" He asks.
"I just wish I could have a normal name. It means 'truth' or something. That's why my mom picked it."
"I think it's cool to have a different name. You'll probably be the only kid in your class with that name. I have a pretty common first name. When I was growing, there were 5 other kids in my class with my name, and there were 3 of us in my group of friends…that's how I ended up going by my last name. It's how we identified each other. How old are you? Do you even go to school yet?"
"I'm 5. I'll be 6 later this year."
"Really? You seem older…you're pretty smart for your age."
"I get that a lot."
"Well if you don't like your first name, maybe you can be like me and go by your last name?" He suggests.
"No, that's even worse! Petrova."
"Petrova? I used to know someone with that same last name."
"It's pretty common where my mom's from," she explains.
"Where are you from?"
"Pittsburgh…can we go now?"
"Oh. Uh, yeah."
"Good. My mom is going to notice I'm gone soon and come looking for me."
Wheeler chuckles as he stands up, looks down at his new little friend, and pats her head.
"You're trouble, you know that? A little rebel."
"My mom says I'm just like my dad…but when she says it, it doesn't sound like it's a good thing."
"Is that so? Well I think being a little troublesome keeps life interesting. Come on, Rebel. Let's blow this joint. Maybe we'll be happier about being here after a nice long walk to clear our heads."
"You mean we're coming back?"
"Yeah. My best friend is getting married and I need to be here for him…and you need to uphold your duties as…flower girl I presume?"
"Yeah…it's so stupid. I'm sharing the job with another girl. As if TWO flower girls are needed. How many people does it take to drop rose petals on the ground?"
Once again, Wheeler is laughing at the little girl's fiery temper and cynicism.
"Yeah, I hear ya. I get to stand back here and walk people to their seats…like they can't walk up the aisle and find their own place to sit! And then I have to stand up front during the ceremony…and do what? I mean, do you really think I should be up there standing next o the groom? Shouldn't people's attention be on the groom, not the incredibly handsome man next to him?"
Now it is little Vera's turn to laugh.
"Hey? What are you laughing at?" Wheeler asks, feigning offense.
"YOU!" She replies, laughing even more at his response.
"I'll give you something to laugh about!"
Wheeler pokes his fingers into the girl's sides, causing a fit of giggles and squeals.
"Vera, are you…Jason?"
Wheeler stops when he hears the familiar voice saying an unfamiliar name.
To Be Continued...