SUDDENLY I FELT uncomfortable in my wedding dress. The thousands of white lights looked overdone. The band played, but no one was dancing. I was sitting at the family table, holding Lizzie’s hand. So was Tallulah.

“What are you thinking?” I asked her. “Talk to me, Lizzie.”

“I’m thinking that Mike’s going to be so embarrassed that he caused this big commotion,” she said.

“If I hear an apology, from you or Mike, I’m going to do something I never did when you were a child.”

“Hit me?” she asked.

“Very hard,” I added. Lizzie smiled and said, “I’ll be right back. Stay with Tallulah.”

As Lizzie walked toward the barn door, a waiter asked me if I wanted more coffee. “Only if you put a stiff shot in it,” I replied.

“Whatever you say. You’re the bride.”

In a moment, Lizzie returned.

“Uncle Marty’s car is still there,” she said. “I can’t find anybody.”

“Maybe they went to the hospital in Bart’s car. I’m sure that’s it.”

I drank my brandy-spiked coffee. It warmed me. I thought how glad I was that Marty was with Mike and Bart. And then—

A crash of cymbals. A loud staccato beat of drums. A trumpet blare. Then suddenly the band was playing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”

I spun around, and to my amazement I was looking at Marty, Bart, and Mike walking back into the barn. All three of them were smiling.

Mike gave a small wave to the crowd. Lizzie and I practically ran a race to his side.

“Didn’t you go to the hospital?” Lizzie asked.

“Apparently not,” Mike said as he kissed his wife and then leaned in to receive a hug from Tallulah, who had joined us.

“There’s nothing they could do for him at the hospital that we couldn’t do here,” Bart said.

“Like what?” I asked.

“Like have him relax a little, rest a little, and have a nice big glass of Coke.”

By this time several more members of the family had gathered around Mike. He was clearly touched by everyone’s concern. How did I know that? The tears in Mike’s eyes were a dead giveaway. Also—no jokes for the moment.

“I knew you couldn’t stay away from our weddings,” Seth said as he gave Mike a hug. Then Andie put her arms around her new brother-in-law, and as I watched the warmth in her eyes and the tenderness in her touch, I knew she was now officially a part of the family.

“I’m sorry for stealing the limelight, Gaby,” Mike said. “But—that’s what I do.”

The band was striking up “The Bride Cuts the Cake.” I had forgotten all about the crazy ritual.

“I think we’re wanted back at the cake stand,” Marty said to me, “unfortunately. Nice try, Mike.”

Mike put his hand on Marty’s shoulder. “Thank you for everything. I don’t know what I would have done without you and Bart.”

Marty and I took each other’s hands and walked to the center of the barn. I purposely cut a huge hunk of cake and slid the silver cake server under it.

“Don’t you dare do that, Gaby.”

So I cut a much smaller piece. I held his chin with one hand and put a perfectly sized portion of cake in his mouth. Marty returned the favor, and as I was savoring Stacey Lee’s magnificent concoction of chocolate cake, mousse, and chocolate ganache, the crowd applauded. The band played on.

And I watched Gus and Tallulah slip out the side door of the barn. Oh, I just couldn’t believe it.