Lost Cousin

My husband’s family is a family of boys. Something my mother-in-law likes to point out, with pride. John the oldest is a mean brother, as sometimes older brothers can be. He is aggressively competitive, big of ego, small of heart, and tight with his wallet. He trumpets his numerous successes as a dentist, and amateur athlete. And, he never loses an opportunity to belittle the achievements of his younger brothers.

Isaac, the youngest, still dreams of being John’s favourite brother. Even though, deep down, Isaac knows John only loves one person on the face of this earth; and that is John. Still, he asks John to be his best man at his wedding. He believes John will take over for their father, who has not been invited to the wedding because it would mean inviting “that slut” and Isaac couldn’t possibly do that to their poor abandoned mother.

I’m Isaac and John’s sister-in-law. I’m married to Joseph, the black sheep of the family. Who would have thought, a middle child being a black sheep? When we receive the wedding invitation, we toss a coin to decide whether we’ll go or not. Tails… we’ll accept.

Isaac and Julia, his bride, hire a Big Wedding. They hire a large conference hall, catering service, DJ, and even a local dance group to put on a performance part way through the buffet dinner. Hiring the dance group was John’s idea.

There are six dancers in the troupe. None of us quiet know how we should behave during their performance. Should we keep eating while they dance? Should we applaud after every piece? Are we allowed to go up and get more food from the buffet table?

One dancer, Elsa, is the head of the troupe. She’s beautiful, exotic looking. John leans over to me at one point during one of their performance and informs me that she comes from Venezuela, which was where I was born. I wonder why he talks about this fact with pride, much as his mother does about having a family of boys.

The last dance of troupe is a tango duo between Elsa and her very handsome, but effeminate, partner. It doesn’t matter that the man is not a man’s man, or actually, is a man’s man; Elsa pours in enough erotic sensuousness for the two of them. When the tango dance is over, John is up on his feet applauding, much to the embarrassment of his wife and family.

Isaac thanks the dancers and invites them to stay awhile. Only Elsa remains. She dances one dance with each of the brothers, and then stays on the dance floor with John: dancing well into the night.

Later that night three cousins are conceived: Isaac and Julia’s son, Joseph and my daughter, and John and Elsa’s son.

No one knows the name of Elsa’s son. Nor, where she lives. The dance troupe left the city. One presumes Elsa as well. John’s wife “forgave” him his affair. They also have a son, about six months after our John’s illegitimate son is born.

I wonder sometimes where my daughter’s lost cousin is. I light a candle and send him my blessings and hopes. Perhaps one day he will come back. He might not have a father, but he does have family.

After note: This story belongs to a friend of mine and is based on true facts. I am telling it as if it was my story, but this time at least, it really did happen to someone else.