She put the pen in the lock. She turned it. Nothing happened. She turned it the other way. Nothing.
"Come on, Alyx, think."
And then she had an idea. She took out her notebook, tore out a page, folded it into thin strips, put them in the lock one by one until it was full, then put the clip in and pushed.
The lock clicked.
"Seriously? That worked?"
She opened the door. The hallway light blinded her for a moment.
"Alyx? What are you doing there?" asked a voice.
It was Robin.
"I've been locked in. Scooter locked me in."
"Scooter locked you in?"
"Yes, in a closet. And I had to pick the lock with a clip, a bobby pin, a pen, and a piece of paper."
Robin looked at her, dumbfounded. "Are you MacGyver?"
"I'm Alyx. And I'm getting married today."
They ran to the suite, but when they arrived, Lily wasn't there.
"Lily?" called Alyx.
No answer.
"Lily?"
"She went out," said the harpist, who was sitting on a chair, breathing with difficulty. "She said she needed air, that everything was a disaster."
"Which way did she go?"
"Towards the garden."
Alyx ran out, with Robin behind her.
The Garden
Lily was under a large tree, her dress stained with dirt, the veil broken, and her eyes full of tears.
"Lily," said Alyx, running towards her.
"Alyx. Where were you? I've been looking for you."
"Scooter locked me in a closet."
"What?"
"It's a long story, but I'm here now. Are you okay?"
"No. Everything is wrong. The flowers didn't arrive, the harpist is in labor, the photographer is knocked out, my veil is broken, and Scooter is going to read 'November Rain' at my wedding."
"Our wedding," corrected Alyx.
"Our wedding," repeated Lily.
They were both silent.
"You know what?" said Alyx. "I didn't want a perfect wedding. I just wanted to marry you and Marshall in a nice place, with music and the people we love."
"That's what I wanted."
"Well, that's what we're going to have."
"How? Everything is wrong."
Alyx looked around. The garden was nice, with a big tree. The sun was shining. And in the distance, she saw Marshall, coming out of the house with Ted and Barney.
"Marshall," she called.
Marshall ran over. When he saw Lily, he stopped.
"Lily, you look beautiful."
"And your hair?" asked Lily.
"Your cousin cut it. I'm bald on one side, but Ted put a patch on me."
He pointed to his head. He had a black fabric patch, like an eye patch but on his head.
"That's a head patch?"
"It's Ted's aunt's patch. She said it was vintage."
"It's Ted's aunt's handkerchief," said Alyx.
"It's a vintage handkerchief, period."
Lily smiled. For the first time all day, she smiled genuinely.
Barney approached. "What's going on? Why is everyone out here?"
"We're getting married," said Lily.
"Here? Now?"
"Here. Now. Under this tree."
Barney smiled. "Can I officiate?"
"Do you know how?"
"I'm an officiant. I registered at the Lafayette Street courthouse. The Pakistani guy who helped me said I was the strangest person he'd ever met, but he gave me the card."
"You're a marriage officiant?"
"I'm many things, Ted. I'm also an amateur astronaut."
"You're not an astronaut."
"That's what NASA wants you to believe."
Ted intervened. "Guys, is this legal?"
"The first wedding will be ours," said Lily. "The real one we want. Later we'll do the church one with the flowers, the harpist, and the photographer."
"And Scooter?" asked Robin.
"Scooter can read his poem to the flowers," said Alyx. "We're getting married here."
"And the music?" asked Marshall.
A guy passing by with a guitar stopped. "Do you need music?"
"Who are you?" asked Ted.
"I'm a guy with a guitar, and I know how to play."
"Do you know how to play anything for weddings?"
"I know how to play 'Here Comes the Sun.' Will that work?"
Lily looked at Marshall. Marshall looked at Alyx. Alyx looked at Lily.
"Yes," said the three of them. Then Lily asked for his hat and placed it on Marshall giving him elegance.
The church guests were inside waiting, but the real friends were outside, under the tree.
Barney stood in front, adjusted his tie, and took a paper out of his pocket.
"Let's see," he said. "Where did I put my notes?"
"You have notes?" asked Robin.
"I'm an officiant. Officiants have notes."
He read the paper. "Dear friends... no, that's not it. Ladies and gentlemen... too formal."
"Barney, just start," said Marshall.
"Okay, okay. Here we go."
Barney put the paper away. He looked at the three of them.
"Marshall, Lily, Alyx. When Ted asked me to officiate this wedding, I thought he was joking. Because I don't believe in marriage. Or I didn't. But then I saw the three of you, and I saw that what you have isn't a normal marriage. It's something more. It was... three people who loved each other so much they couldn't be apart. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is real love. Even if it's strange, different, and people don't understand it."
Marshall smiled. Lily and Alyx did too.
"Lily," said Alyx, "you are the person who has made me laugh the most, and also the one who has made me cry the most. But don't tell anyone."
Lily laughed.
"Marshall, you are the kindest man I know, and the sweetest. And that's why we love you."
"So without further ado," said Barney, "do you have the rings?"
Ted handed over the rings. There were three. One for Lily, one for Marshall, one for Alyx.
Barney held them in his hand. "Marshall, do you take Lily as your wife? And Alyx as your wife?"
"Yes. Both of them."
"Lily, do you take Marshall as your husband? And Alyx as your wife?"
"Yes. Both of them."
"Alyx, do you take Marshall as your husband? And Lily as your wife?"
"Yes. Both of them."
"Then by the power vested in me by the most bitter Pakistani guy at the Lafayette Street courthouse, I pronounce you husband, wife, and wife. You may... well, you know, kiss."
The three of them kissed. Lily kissed Marshall. Marshall kissed Alyx. Alyx kissed Lily. And then all three.
The guitar guy started playing "Here Comes the Sun." And the sun, which had been hidden behind the clouds, came out right at that moment.
"Was that a coincidence?" asked Robin.
"Nothing is a coincidence," said Ted. "It's destiny."
"Or a stroke of luck."
"That too."
The guitar guy's name was Dave. No one ever knew where he came from, but years later, on the tenth anniversary of the wedding, he appeared again. He played "Here Comes the Sun" once more and then left, as if he had been waiting all that time to play the same song again. That was Dave, or so they said, but no one really knew who he was. Only that he had a guitar and that he knew how to play.
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