my father insists on opening the door
and making me wait
they shake hands in the foyer
the two of them eye-to eye
Ben turns and sees me
and grins

and the sight of him in his tux makes me
wonder why I would want to stop
the possibility
of an “us”

Gabby insists on taking pictures
with my dad helping to direct us
I am mortified
and Ben is amused (I think)
because every time
he puts his arm around me
he grabs that spot
and makes me squirm
trying not to laugh

we go outside and my father
calls Ben back
and has a short conversation with him
that I cannot hear
so when we close the doors to the car
I insist that he tell me what my dad said
but Ben will only smile at me
he starts the car
and when he reaches the end
of our crazy-long driveway he stops
leans over
and kisses me on the cheek
“You look amazing,” he says.
“Ditto,” I say.
and off we go