"I said, do you, Judy...."
_Don't let him go on, Eddie. The rain will add to the confusion. Tell
him you never said yes--you never did, you know._
"That's true. I didn't."
"Didn't what?" George demanded as several men ran out to them with
umbrellas.
"I never said yes," Eddie told him, but the thunder all but drowned him
out. "I never said yes!" he fairly screamed.
Since everyone had heard him that time, the ceremony had to begin anew.
"Do you, Edward...."
_Better, better that you don't, Eddie._
"Will you _please_ be quiet and let me make up my own mind?"
"Eddie!" This was George.
"... to have and to hold, through...."
Judy was trying vainly to pull the entire length of her gown under the
umbrella and the fact that she couldn't made her pout. Her makeup was
running in the rain too--and quite suddenly she looked rather unpretty.
Definitely positively irrevocably unpretty--a younger thinner somewhat
more attractive image of her mother. A thoroughly revolting thought.
"Uh-unh," said Eddie.
_You tell 'em, Eddie-boy._
"_Uh-unh._"
George whispered, "What does that mean? Say yes so everyone can hear
you, especially with this thunder."
"That doesn't mean yes," Eddie explained patiently. But then, because
the thunder roared still louder, he shouted, "In fact, it means the
opposite of yes."
_You tell 'em, Eddie._
"It means that this is all a mistake. I will not marry Judy. The answer
to the question is no, _no_, NO!"
No one did anything. They all just stood there, looking at him, and
Judy even forgot to see how the rain was ruining her gown. Eddie became
embarrassed--they all just stared. Presently he kissed Judy's cheek
politely, said he was sorry, turned on his heel and strode down the
muddy aisle.
Everyone looked but no one tried to stop him.