Caleb brought a dog to the wedding and left him tied to a tree though out the ceremony. The wedding lasted most of an hour toward the end of which the dog, a shorthaired mix, barked in a rhythmic way so that the vows were punctuated by his hiccupping yelps. Someone untied him, leaving the stained leather leash draped over an isolated chair that had been festooned, like the others, with a cherry bow.
Later, the dog wandered the reception, held on the lawn behind the beach house, looking for food, or Caleb, who left early with someone’s sister. Night turned up and dimmed the whiteness of the bride‘s dress. The band thumped out unmemorable music, and finally, the dog curled up under a pink skirted table where several elderly attendees sat, wanly watching the young people, drink, argue and flirt. The brown dog appeared to be sleeping, but any movement at the table, and there was little, caused him to open one eye and look around without seeming to find what he wanted. In the end, he went home with a waitress.
Cecilia Pinto's work has appeared in Esquire, Fence, Diagram and elsewhere.
