Chapter 12: Rehearsal Dinner

RENESMEE CULLEN

The family bounded into the clearing that had been set up for the rehearsal dinner. Insectosaurus stood at the very edge, with the other monsters gathered at a large table in front of him, and six other tables around the clearing.

"Okay, Nessie," Momma said, looking at the guest list. "You're at the kids' table. Jacob will be at the table right next to yours. Daddy and I are with the wedding party."

"Bye!" I said. I found my spot at the kids' table. Nudge was the only other one there at the moment; Angel and Gazzy were off playing.

"Hi, Nudge," I said.

"What's up, Nessie?" she said glumly.

"Aaron never stops talking about you, you know. He really loves you."

Her expression didn't brighten. "I love him, too," she said. "But..." she sighed. "I love my family more."

"What are you talking about?" I said, shocked.

"I think the flock wants me to pick between them and Aaron," she sobbed. "They say I'm spending so much time talking to him that I'm barely part of the flock anymore. Normally, given the choice between my family and Aaron, of course I'd pick the family... but if they're going to do something so underhanded as make me pick, I just might choose Aaron!"

I gaped. "That's terrible, Nudge!" I said.

"Yeah..." she said shakily. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to bring you down. I don't know who else to talk to."

"That's okay, Nudge," I said. "I've always considered you a friend."

"Thanks, Nessie," she said, smiling weakly. "So... I mean, I know you're just a kid like me, but do you have any advice?"

I thought. "Well, your family loves you, right?"

"Yeah."

"And you love Aaron?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then your family should love Aaron," I said simply. "If you really love him, he's part of your family, and the flock should accept him."

She blinked. "Wow, that's incredible. Can you tell Max that?"

"Me? Why can't you?"

"Oh, well..." Nudge was cut off as the Missing Link stood up and began to tap his champagne glass with a fork.

"Hey, everybody," he called out. "Uh, I'm Link. I'm a groomsman. I'd like to make the opening toast." The conversation around the clearing halted. "Thank you. Okay, um... well, I promised myself I wasn't going to make some sappy toast, but... I need to get this off my chest." He took a deep breath and jumped onto the head table. He seemed to be mentally preparing himself, before he yelled out, "I fucking love this couple! They are the greatest people on the planet, no contest. This guy..." He wrapped an arm around Dr. Cockroach. "This dude taught me everything I know. Taught me my first word. It was 'go-kart', 'cause he'd made some and I thought it was really cool. Then he showed me how to drive it. Oh, man, good times. We'd just race around the common room all day. And he taught me martial arts, which is my passion, of course. But Susan! Ah, yeah, Susan. Like I said, Doc taught me a lot, but it was Susan who helped me see the important things, and I think my three fellow monsters would agree with me on this. Susan made us realize who we are." He began to sob. "I love you two. I hope your eternal life is filled with endless happiness. And I love everyone else in the wedding party, and everybody here. Man, I just love everybody and everything." He looked around, clearly embarrassed, and adjusted his tie. "Uh, yeah, I'm gonna go drink beer and hammer up some drywall. See you guys tomorrow."

Link loped off into the woods. Nudge looked at me blankly. "Uh... what were we talking about?"

"Oh, you wanted me to tell Max what I told you. About Aaron."

"Yeah, that's right," she said. "About how if I love him, he's part of the family. Yeah. Can you tell her? I can't say that."

I blinked. "You just said it, Nudge."

"Oh. Well, you can say it more elegantly than me. And you're cuter."

"No, Nudge," I said. "It will mean more to the family if it comes straight from you."

"Okay," she said. She grinned broadly. "Thank you so much, Nessie. See you at the wedding tomorrow. I'll be the one... you know, carrying you."