In the last few weeks that Victor had spent in Fur Rivers, it wasn't until Caesar announced the wedding that Victor heard about Selena, the first time he knew someone by that name lived in the town. It began when, after helping Dvorak load hay bales onto his truck for the last time before the family moved to Devils Wept, Victor wanted a drink to cool off. Instead of heading home for beer, he considered paying old Sam a visit. All this while, he had wanted to pay the old man a visit for squaring him up with Dvorak.
He mounted his bike and rode hard and fast to Sam’s bar.
When Sam saw him, the old man's face lit up. He greeted Sam affectionately with Sam asking after Dvorak and his family, and him asking how Sam was managing the bar.
Now sitting across a bar stool, twiddling a glass of whisky in his hands, Victor watched the customers swim in and out of the bar, and Sam, sweating and smiling, his leather face calm, as he coped with the rush.
One of the customers, a thin, lanky man with a friendly face, sat on a stool beside Victor. He greeted Victor and hollered at Sam to come fix him a drink. Sam finished attending to the patrons and came over to where they were.
“What can I get you?” He asked.
“Scotch! I want it straight.” the man said.
Sam nodded, moved away to fix the drink, fixed it and came back to them.
“Here you go.” he said and turned to go.
“I heard the news and I came rushing here to get my one last drink before everything gets busy,” the man said. “What the hell are you still doing here, Sam? I thought you would be preparing for the wedding.”
Sam's face twisted into a frown.
“Wedding? What wedding?” Sam said uninterestedly. Some patrons were hollering at him now and he needed to attend to them.
“C’mon, Sam, are you kidding me right now?” the man said. “Caesar is getting married today right? right?” The man’s eyes peered at Sam.
But Sam and Victor became attentive as a gun dog. Sam: because Caesar was somehow involved with his daughter; Victor because Caesar was Marianna's sister.
“You say what now?” Sam said thickly, his patrons totally blurted out of his mind.
“Caesar's marriage is today. It’s all over the town. He’s getting married to Selena, right?”
Sam's face became white as chalk. Blood went out of his face, leaving it white and taut. He stared at the man, in utter shock. He tried to talk, but his mouth refused to move. Victor thought the old man was going to faint.
“Hey Sam! You okay?” Victor said unconcerned. He started up from the stool.
Sam shook his head and the whiteness cleared from his face. He gestured to Caesar to sit back down.
“I’m fine, I’m fine!” He murmured.
“What’s wrong, Sam? Why are you not involved in this?” the man inquired.
“I mean, are you trying to say your bar it’s more important than your daughter's wedding?” He leered.
“I don’t……I don’t know anything.” Sam croaked, his face blank. She told me about Caesar. But I thought she didn’t really mean it. I thought it was just foolish talk.” his voice was coming out in slurs. “Damned girl. How could you do this to old Sam? How could you go behind my back and do this bad thing? You didn’t even let me know anything. You are my daughter, Selena but if this is the way you want it, then I guess there’s nothing I can do. I can’t force my will on you and I won’t force it on you.” And he shrugged and with an aghast expression on his face, he ambled away to go attend to his other customers.
Victor watched him go and, still puzzled by all that was going on, he turned to the news monger.
“Who is this Selena?” He asked.
“You haven’t seen her?” The man said. Victor shook his head and the man gave a hard barking laugh. “Wait till you see her? The finest girl in this parts. She’s got that arrogant Caesar all fired up. I heard the wedding was impromptu. He wanted it rushed. Well, who could blame him?” The man shrugged. “You can’t have that kind of woman and want to waste time. You will definitely want to hook her up as soon as you can.” and he tossed his drink down his throat and stood up to go.
Victor, his interest fully piqued now, grabbed the man’s arms.
“What time is the wedding?”
“It’s at six. Venue’s the town’s church,” and he nodded at Victor and went his way.
Victor sat like that for a long moment, brooding. Just then, his cellphone rang. He dipped his hand into his pockets. Marianna was calling. He pressed the receive key on the screen.
“Hey baby!” Marianna purred. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing much really.” he answered, thinking whether he should tell her about Caesar but she beat him to it.
“Listen, my brother is getting married today to some stupid girl who everyone seems to be crazy over.” Her voice was full of irritation and spite. “It’s a rushed wedding by the way. I want you to be with me in the church. And don’t worry about what to wear. I’ve got some nice suit fixed up for you. Come over to the garage. Please be careful. It’s going to be pretty busy here at the house. Can’t wait to see you. I love you my love.”
“Wait, wait! Wait!” Victor quipped. “I thought you don’t want your brother to see me with you? Don’t you think it’s best if we don’t go together?”
There was a long silence at the end of the receiver, then he heard her voice.
“Victor! I don’t care about what my brother thinks anymore. I’m tired of being in his shadows all the time. He’s getting married to the love of his life today. He knows I don’t like Selena and yet he’s getting married to her. I’ve got to make my own choices and decisions too. I love you, my wolfman and I’m never gonna hide you from the world,” and she ended the call.
Victor took the phone off his ears, his mind busy with what Marianna had just told him. So after all, he was going to meet Caesar, Fur Rivers finest werewolf hunter. After a while, he turned his mind to Sam’s daughter; Selena! The name had a kind of ring to it, he admitted and he found himself anticipating, an excitement he could not suppress surged through his body, to see this girl everyone was speaking of.
************************
Victor took a deep breath as he and Marianna entered the church together. Earlier, after leaving the bar, he helped Dvorak pack his truck before bidding them farewell. After a quick bath, he sped to Marianna’s house on his bike. They had made hot wild love, freshened up, and Marianna had given him one of Caesar’s suits for the wedding. Arriving at the church in Marianna’s Porsche, Victor was surprised to find the pews nearly full. Walking down the aisle, he noticed the townsfolk staring at them, some covertly, others openly. Men admired Marianna, while women frowned at her and smiled warmly at him, leaving him feeling a bit overwhelmed by the attention.
Up ahead, he saw the officiating priest, dressed in an immaculate white garment embroidered with gold, standing at the altar, his eyes behind the rim of his glasses, stern and solemn. There was a young man standing beside the priest. He was tall and powerfully built. He had a roguish, rugged face which would definitely appeal to a lot of women. He was dressed in a black suit and the shoes on his feet glittered. Instinctively, he knew this was Marianna's brother; the Caesar everyone had been speaking of. Marianna led him to the center aisle and they both sat down.
Caesar's eyes fell on them instantly. His face lit up when he saw Marianna and he smiled at her. She inclined her head and turned her face away. Then his green eyes fell on Victor.
The two men stared at each other.
Caesar's eyes regarded him for a long moment, his eyes, at first bewildered, then questioning. He dragged his eyes to Marianna then to Victor, back to Marianna again and finally back to Victor; as realization crept up his face; an angry glint jumped into his eyes, and his face had the expression of a cool rage.
Victor held Caesar’s gaze, unperturbed.
He had seen that mad glint in Caesar’s eyes and he knew the other man was pissed off. Marianna’s brother was one of those brothers that couldn’t bear the thought of another man getting involved with their sister. Victor could tell. Remember, he’s a werewolf hunter. Don’t try to be his target. To hell with that! Who cares? I will beat the shit out of this fool. Look at him! He hasn’t even seen me before and yet he knows I’m already fucking his sister, and he laughed to himself and to piss Caesar the more, he took Marianna’s hand in his lap, squeezed it gently, and close one eye with a heavy, jocular wink.
Caesar’s handsome face twisted to a dark scowl as he regarded him. The town folks were already looking oddly at him, noticing the sudden change of his countenance and wondering what had got into him.
“What’s the problem, Caesar?” Priest Rupert asked.
The scowl on Caesar’s face disappeared instantly.
“What? What is it?” He snapped, breathlessly.
“You looked like you swallowed a bee,” the priest replied. “Bring your thoughts together, young man and compose yourself. Everyone’s looking at you.” he quipped.
“Thank you,” Caesar said earnestly. He squeezed his face into a warm smile and turned his attention to the door of the church; his eyes and mind awaiting the arrival of his bride.
Few moments later, there was a little commotion at the entrance of the church. Everyone on the pews stiffened to attention. Dressed in a white, immaculate wedding gown, holding a banquet of flowers, a veil on her face, Selena stood at the entrance of the church. A girl behind her, held the flock of her gown.
Father Rupert inclined his head to a man sitting behind a big keyboard.
The man nodded his head and his hands hit the piano keys instantly. A wedding hymn song began to filter out. The wedding procession had begun.