Marching On

Lavin rushed up the stairs with hands wrapped around two wine bottles, a giddy feeling in her gut and her heart light. The laughter of her brothers and cousins around her as they bounded up the stairs for the third floor drawing room.

Peter was the first one to reach the door and throw it open, holding it for the rest of them.

Alex popped his iPod into the dock sitting in the corner bookshelf, the speakers hidden around the room, and an ancient Christmas song hummed throughout the room. He sang along to the tune as he settled into an over-sized plush armchair but not before knicking a bottle of wine from the coffee table.

"I would say it was another successful Christmas," Ben said, kicking off his black leather loafers and reclining into the love seat he shared with Peter, feet resting on the coffee table.

"I agree," Lavin said, popping the cork out of one of her bottles. "That dress is absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to wear it."

They talked about the night and laughed about the funny gifts they had gotten each other in past Christmases but soon the conversation changed.

"So," Gen began, swirling the white-yellow liquid in a glass. She had been the only one that managed to swipe a glass from the wine cellar. "When do you think it'll be us down in the library and our kids in our spot?"

Alex nearly choked. "Us with children?" He was not even eighteen, and Gen was bringing up having children!

"Well, marriage would have to come first," Peter said. "Or at least our parents would prefer it to be that way."

"Who do you think will be first?" Gen asked, peering around at the others faces.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ben shrugged, thrusting his bottle towards his sister. "It'll be Lavin, of course. I guarantee Harry will propose within the next year."

Lavin snorted, amused. "No way!" she exclaimed, dismissing her brother's assumption with a delicate wave of her hand. "I'm not one of those girls who have been planning her wedding since she was a girl--"

"Like Gen," Peter interjected.

"Oh, shut up, you tosser," Gen said, tossing a throw pillow at Peter's face.

"Besides, Harry and I haven't spoken of getting married. We only just got back together," Lavin finished.

"Yeah, yeah," Ben said, matter-o-factly. "But when Harry's head over heels, he's head over heels. He's a very instinctive person."

Gen laughed, her head thrown backwards against the cushioning of her armchair. "You act like you know Harry better than Lavin does."

"Almost as well as she does," Ben defended. "I have been friends with nearly as long as she has."

"Hello!?" Lavin exclaimed. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here. But please let me remind you that I will not be the first that will be tying the knot or having kids."

"Oh yeah?" Peter questioned. "Then who?

Lavin pointed to Peter. "You."

"Me?" He pointed to himself, bewilderment in his eyes.

Lavin nodded. "You are the oldest of us all."

"That means nothing," Peter told her.

"Do you have a girlfriend hidden away in Paris?" Alex asked.

Peter shook his head.

"You have a girlfriend and you didn't tell me?" Ben said, sounding hurt. They told each other everything.

Peter shook his head, his expression flat. "I do not have a girlfriend tucked away at home." Peter kept his eyes away from Gen.

Gen was staring at him, a steely gaze. "Oh, you don't?"

"No, Genevieve, I don't have a girlfriend!"

Lavin snorted into her bottle. Peter never used Gen's full name unless she was pissing him off. He's lying, of course, she thought.

Gen poured herself a half-glass of wine. "Then who is that brunette woman you've been ditching Dad for during your lunch breaks?"

Peter looked betrayed but Lavin, Ben, and Alex yelled out in an array of different noises. Lavin was even clapping and laughing, glad that the spotlight was off herself.

"What's her name?" Alex asked.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" Ben cried, now sounding deeply offended.

"There's nothing to tell," Peter told them, dismissing them much like Lavin had.

"Oh, please tell us who this mystery girl is!" Lavin instigated happily, hoping to truly turn Gen and her brothers on Peter.

"Her name is Simone, if you must know."

They continued to pry into Peter's personal life, his romantic life. He rarely told them about this part of his life and to get even just a sliver of it was more fascinating than any business story he would usually tell or the never-ending discussion of Lavin and Harry's relationship.

Lavin settled farther back into her seat, pleased with herself to have someone else answering questions of their life. But, still, talking about the future...which of them would get married first, last or even at all was an interesting and frightening topic.

And to think that she was going to be the first one? Absurd in every way.

Lavin spoke true when she never planned her wedding day. She always thought herself odd during her primary school years when other girls mused about bridesmaids dresses and flowers, or time of year to get hitched in.

I wonder what Harry's feelings are about marriage? she wondered to herself.