Kenny Wylie blinked and Gina Kerchman was really standing there in a t-shirt and underwear.
Her hair was still did up all weird from the wedding, but it was hot ass, unattainable Gina Kerchman.
Kenny belched and Gina turned.
“How ya feeling Wylie? You were hammered last night, even for you.”
Kenny Wylie rolled out of the hotel bed, tuxedo pants still on.
Gina was on her tiptoes, leaning toward the mirror outside the bathroom, messing with her head.
Still drunk Kenny Wylie thought she might be taking the bobby pins out of her hair to crawl in bed with him.
“Whatcha doin?”
“Trying on these beautiful earrings Melissa gave the bridesmaids. She gave us scratch off lottery tickets. I won two bucks.”
Gina smiled and Kenny failed to smile back, as pretty as she was.
“Oh,” Kenny said. His horrible best man speech was coming back to him. Memories of doing dozens of shots of tequila were creeping back in like exhaust from a car that burned oil.
“Brad didn’t give us shit.”
Gina turned, a flash from one of the earrings hitting Kenny in the eye. He slammed his eyes closed, but then opened them to look at Gina.
His pants hurt, though it would hurt to think they slept together and he couldn’t remember.
“Yes he did,” Gina said. “You left your box at the hotel bar when they kicked you out. I grabbed it for you.”
Gina turned and pointed.
It was a nice hotel room.
Brad and Melissa and their families had really spent some dough to make it a great wedding, and rented a bunch of rooms so no one had to drive drunk.
And I fucked it up with a horrible speech. I’m a fucking loser.
Kenny started to think about how hard it was to stay sober all day.
Woulda been a better speech if I had a buzz.
“We weren’t supposed to share a room, right?”
Gina laughed, but it wasn’t too mean.
“No, Wylie, but hotel security wanted you gone, and I think all you guys were on the third floor, so I just said ‘he’s with me,’ and dragged you in here. You passed out within like, a minute.”
“We didn’t make out?” Kenny asked.
Gina laughed and it was sweet and melodious.
“No, Wylie, I wasn’t that drunk.”
The words hit the floor with a thud.
Kenny Wylie hung his head.
“I don’t blame you.”
He wanted to die. He wanted to move to Iowa and scrape up cowshit on his uncle’s farm. He wanted to go to Hollywood and put on a Spiderman costume. Anywhere. Just not be a drunk in Monroe, Michigan anymore.
He smelled and felt Gina on him.
Her arm was around his shoulder.
“I didn’t mean it like that, Wylie, I’m-”
“Yes you did. I don’t…fuck it. I’m leaving.”
Gina had her hand on his neck now, rubbing.
“No, Kenny. Wait. We’re supposed to have brunch, remember ? Here. Open your Best Man gifts while I get ready.”
Gina handed Kenny a black box with a silver ribbon.
His initials were on it in silver paint pen.
Gina went in the bathroom and turned on the shower.
She peeked back out.
“Find your shirt. You can’t go to brunch without a shirt.”
She went back in the bathroom but didn’t close the door all the way.
Kenny listened to the hiss of the shower.
He pulled the ribbon and opened the box.
A silver goalie figurine.
Kenny remembered his Fletcher Ham Midget Hockey Days.
Long gone.
Goddamnit.
All he was was a drunk now who couldn’t give a speech sober.
Next to the figurine were three scratch offs, some kinda St. Patrick’s Day theme.
Kenny Wylie dug a quarter from his pants and started scratching.
Match three like symbols and…ohh, who gives a fuck, I’ll never win.
The first one was a loser. Of course.
He started to scratch the second, chunks of his speech coming back to him.
I should just rip it up.
There were two pots of gold on the top row.
He scratched. A shamrock.
Two rainbows. Dammit.
Wylie scratched so hard he thought he might rip his tux pants. Bottom corner was a third pot of gold.
10000 bucks.
“Gina! Are these real lottery tickets?
No answer, then:
“No, I don’t think hotel security can issue tickets, Wylie.”
Kenny approached the bathroom door, wobbling. Still drunk for sure.
He leaned toward it, his shoulder hit it and it flew open.
Gina stood with a towel partially around her.
“Sorry, are these tickets real, not gags? I think I won 10000 bucks.”
Gina said “They’re real Wylie. No way. “
Kenny held the ticket out.
Gina leaned.
Then she reached.
“Holy shit! You did! Oh my…”
The towel dropped.
Kenny Wylie looked, swallowed years of lust and bent to grab the towel for Gina.
She bent too, and their heads hit.
Gina fell back , Kenny lunged and caught her head before it struck the tub.
Gina looked terrified.
Kenny Wylie was kneeling between her spread, naked legs holding Gina’s head.
He slammed his eyes shut.
Gina said wow, that was crazy.
Kenny realized he was holding his breath.
He didn’t think he could exhale without opening his eyes.
“It’s ok, Kenny, I have the towel now.”
Kenny exhaled and opened his eyes.
Gina was sitting down, mostly covered in a towel.
“Thanks for catching my head, Wylie, that would have sucked.”
Kenny Wylie could only nod.
Gina picked up the lottery ticket.
“Ummm…Wylie?”
“I fucking won 10 grand”
Gina bit her lip.
“No, no honey. You need the leprechaun symbol here. You only won ten bucks.”
Kenny grabbed the ticket from her hand. He read the instructions. His face shivered, and he started to cry.
Gina sat up and hugged Kenny Wylie.
Their bodies pressed together held the towel up, just barely.
Kenny sobbed.
He was sobbing about more than just the money.
Gina could feel it.
I could give the poor guy a blowjob, I suppose.
She rubbed Kenny’s hair and he sobbed louder.
Jeezus Gina, you’re not gonna give Kenny Wylie a blowjob. Sell those ugly earrings Melissa gave you and give the guy a couple hundred bucks.
***
Kenny Wylie's rollercoaster of emotions in "Maid of Honor" is a vivid illustration of hope, disappointment, and the complexities of human connections. Your ability to balance the harsh realities of Kenny's life with moments of tender human connection is remarkable. It's a reminder of the unexpected ways life can surprise us, for better or worse, and how we find humanity in the most unexpected moments.
Explore captivating Contemporary, Romance, Thriller & Suspense, Science Fiction, Horror, and more stories on my Substack for FREE at https://jonahtown.substack.com
J - this may just be the sweetest story you ever wrote. Romance and redemption at last.