Despite being the first week of November, the weather was temperate thanks to an expected heat wave. Neither too hot nor too cold and with only a few clouds in the sky, it was a perfect week for an outdoor wedding. Guests took their seats as the wedding party made the final preparations. As the maid of honor and one of the bridesmaids, Jess and Sasha were with Macy trying their best to calm her nerves. Drew and Jeff found their seats at the front row. Given they were the only tinies in attendance, Macy convinced Aaliyah to assign them special seating in the front. Their chairs, each an inch tall, were situated on the seat of a normal size chair with tiny ladders set up for them to reach them. The large chair was painted a deep red to stand out among the sea of white and hopefully prevent any other guests from trying to sit in it. Macy wanted to add spikes along the rim to really get the message across, but Aaliyah shot that idea down posthaste.
Drew and Jeff sat and waited for the ceremony to begin. It was kind of uncomfortable being the only ones their size because how hard it was to socialize. The two got a few looks, some people cooed at them thinking they were cute, but nobody wanted to crouch down and talk to a couple of strangers two inches tall. They stuck to conversing with each other, simple pleasantries like the weather and how’s the girlfriend, until a shadow cast over their chair. A woman glued to her phone was standing with her back to the mini duo, thoughtlessly lowering her rear over them. Before they could get a word out, an outstretched arm halted the woman.
“Excuse me, that seat is taken,” a late-middle aged woman said. The unobservant woman looked back and finally noticed the tiny pair.
“I’m sorry,” she blushed before walking off. The older woman sat down beside the tinies. She had long blonde hair and full lips. The skin on her face was stretched back and her breasts were very perky given her age.
“You must be Drew and Jeff,” she pointed at each one as she said their names, somehow getting them right in spite of never meeting them. “It’s so good to finally meet you. I’m Macy’s mother, Linda.”
“Nice to meet you,” Drew returned the greeting. “I’m surprised you know of me.”
“Of course I do. Those three have been thick as thieves since they were in diapers; I’m going to know when two of them start dating tinies.” Drew chuckled and scratched his head, finding it awkward to be the center of attention. Jeff was unphased, too busy checking out the sights. He’d never thought he’d attend a big’s wedding, and his heart filled with the kind of excitement Drew once held back in his college years when the borders first opened. “But the girls have only good things to say about you. You must’ve met the Walkers already, Drew?”
“He sure has,” Jess’ father spoke up, seated with his wife one row back. He was a portly, balding man with a thick moustache; crossing his arms and looking stoic, he had the air of a retired police commissioner, like he built a career on intimidating guys brazen enough to date his darling girl. “Congratulations, Linda. At least one of our kids found someone that can give a man a real handshake.” Drew got off his seat and stood at attention, arms and legs straight and square.
“Good to see you again, sir!” he announced. Drew didn’t dare look him in the eye.
“At ease, soldier,” Mr. Walker grumbled. “We’re here to enjoy a wedding, not report for duty.”
“Right, sorry,” he bowed.
“And quit apologizing all the time,” he barked. “I don’t want my daughter dating some wuss.” Drew sat back down, sweat pouring down the back of his neck as he felt eyes bore holes in the back of his head.
“Oh, Hank, quit your teasing,” Linda remarked. “He’s just trying to please. I’d be intimidated too if my father in-law was that much bigger than me.”
“He’d be intimated by me if I was a centimeter tall. And rightfully so.” Drew felt like he was at the kiddy table with the adults talking over him. At the very least, it meant he no longer had to engage with the conversation.
“He makes Jess happy, right? Isn’t that all that matters?”
“For now. But the missus wants grandchildren. Preferably the kind that don’t fit in one hand,” he said smirking. Mrs. Walker sat quietly, reading the wedding schedule pamphlet and occasionally shooting glances at Drew. She always told her daughter that she’d accept her no matter whom she fell in love with, hoping to God she’d find a nice, handsome, successful, tall man to have many beautiful children with. Drew was at least three of those things, but the statistical unlikelihood of a tiny and big giving birth to a child made her old heart uneasy.
“Don’t listen to him, Drew. He’s like this with every boy who so much as looks Jess’ way,” Linda encouraged.
“Your damn right, I am,” he proudly declared. Drew laughed uneasily, unsure how serious Mr. Walker was about anything. All the seats filled up as the music swelled and the ceremony began with the wedding party proceeding down the aisle. Jess and Sasha were adorned in modest, turquoise dresses; Jess waved to Drew as she walked up to her spot in front of the crowd, and all the anxiety he felt melted away at the sight of her. Mr. Walker noticed the smile on Jess’ face: nothing showy, nothing forced, just the unfiltered joy of being with that special someone. Like Linda said, all that matters is that she’s happy.
…
Once the wedding concluded, the guests gathered into the reception hall. Friends and families were seated together, with the brides and wedding party seated at the front. Given that they take up no room, Drew and Jeff were seated on the table alongside their girlfriends. Drew was relieved to be at Jess’ side again.
“Your parents hate me,” he said, sitting at his own miniature table. He was fidgeting with his napkin, shooting nervous glances at the Walkers. Jess was leaning over him, looking out at the crowd of familiar and unfamiliar faces.
“No, they don’t. Dad’s just putting on an act. He believes the best part about having a daughter is playing the overprotective parent. And Mom’s just at that point where she’s desperate for grandchildren.”
“But it’s too soon for that, right?”
“Definitely. If we have children before we’re married, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“And what if they’re tiny?”
“Then she’ll have to get used to it,” Jess grabbed his chair and tilted it back so that Drew faced her. “Stop fretting so much. Your only concern should be how I feel about you,” she bent down and kissed him, “which is to say, you shouldn’t be concerned at all.” Drew smiled, the warmth of her breath still lingering on him.
…
After speeches and dinner, the dance floor opened up. No one expected either tiny to take to the floor, but stealing the show were Jess and Drew, the latter doing the Macarena in perfect sync with her all while standing on her shoulder. No matter how much she moved, his balance didn’t falter. The two were too busy laughing and grinning at each other to notice the audience they had amassed.
“Should we join them?” Jeff asked, seated at his table with Sasha.
“If we tried that, you’d be on the floor by the first ‘ay’,” she chuckled. She kept watching Jess and Drew, neither missing a beat. “Seriously though, they’re good. They must have practiced, right?”
“There is one way we could join them.” Jeff gave her a look, and she knew exactly what he meant. She looked around, making sure no one was watching. With everyone’s attention drawn to either the dance floor or their own conversations, Sasha scooped Jeff up and brought him under the table. Slipping her foot out of her flat, Sasha dropped her boyfriend in, feeling his body roll against her arch as she slid her foot back in. She got out of her seat and practically skipped to the dance floor, only to be blocked off by an older man with short, black hair.
“Woah, Sash, is Jeff around?” her father asked. “I wanted to speak with him.”
“Uh,” Sasha’s face burned bright red, “he went to the bathroom.”
“Dang. You know, I got that old guitar collection. I was wondering if he’d want to drop by sometime, check it out. I know he can’t play them, but he’s a music guy, right? I’m sure he can still appreciate…”
“That’s great, Dad. I’m gonna dance with my friends now.” Sasha rushed passed him, too embarrassed to regulate the weight she laid on Jeff as she made for the dance floor. He didn’t mind of course; he was always begging for more pressure, which he got when Sasha started dancing beside her friend. Jess gave her a once over and smiled.
“Is Jeff where I think he is?”
“Duh.”
“How’s he holding up?” Drew asked. He’d been tossed in Jess’ socks on occasion, but had never been into the idea of being walked on. It actually impressed him how much punishment the other tiny could withstand.
“Judging by how much he’s kissing my sole, I’d say he’s doing great.” Macy barged her way between the two and got her groove on, her newlywed conversing with relatives by the bar.
“Stop stealing the show, you two. This is my day, remember?” she laughed. The three plus two tore up the dancefloor as guests on all sides joined in on the jubilation.
Mr. and Mrs. Walker were sitting at their table, watching the girls, and Drew, and technically Jeff, dance together. Mr. Walker tapped his foot to the beat, considering himself too old to dance to anything other than slow music and jazz.
“What do you think of that Drew?” Mrs. Walker asked.
“The kid just needs some confidence,” her husband replied. “Other than that, he’s a good guy. You can tell by the way Jessica looks at him.”
“I haven’t seen her look this alive since she was a teenager. After what happened with her last boyfriend, I was afraid she’d wallow away forever.”
“I never liked that scumbag. It was clear to me from the get-go that he was up to no good.” It wasn’t. “No, Drew’s a good kid, I can tell just by looking at him.”
“I agree, but is it selfish of me to want a normal sized grandchild? At least one?”
“Of course not! After everything we’ve done for her, we’re owed that much.”
…
Jess and Drew were back at their table. A slow song was playing, and Drew was dancing with Jess’ fingers. Drew’s left arm was wrapped around Jess’ middle finger and he held her thumb which she had pressed up to her index. The tips of her middle and index fingers moved like little feet as Jess followed Drew’s lead around the table.
“You two look like dorks,” Sasha joked as she sat down next to them.
“At least we don’t look like perverts,” Jess retorted. Sasha snickered as she pulled Jeff out of her flat and placed him back on the table. He grabbed a big napkin and did his best to wipe Sasha’s sweat off him. Macy and Aaliyah were slow dancing together in the center of the dancefloor, everyone’s eyes and phones on the happy couple. Jess sighed.
“I always thought I’d be married first. Figured Macy’d be too scared of the commitment.”
“Well, I’m still certain I’m getting married last,” Sasha responded.
“So, if I propose to you tomorrow, you’re gonna say no?” Jeff teased. Sasha lightly flicked him, knocking the tiny onto his back.
“Try again in five years. I’ll maybe consider accepting then.” Jess pulled her fingers away from Drew before wrapping her hand around him and picking him up. She held him up to her face, resting her chin in her free hand.
“I don’t want to rush things either,” she said. “Weddings get me thinking of the future, but let’s enjoy everything the present has to offer first.” She leaned in and pecked him, Drew returning the kiss.