The thing that surprised Eddie most was the fact nothing happened during the first part of the ceremony. It was an outdoor wedding and he stood with George at the makeshift altar in the garden while Judy came down the aisle with her entourage.
Judy was lovely in her getup, all right, only Eddie could have done without all the pomp and ceremony. And lately there had been something about Judy—little meannesses, some annoying petulances—which had left Eddie on the irritable side.
It was her mother as much as anything, a fat overbearing dominating windbag.... Eddie-boy, stop talking to yourself that way about your future mother-in-law....
Why should you? Go ahead, keep thinking like that if it's what you feel. Assert yourself.
"Who said that?"
"Said what?" George wanted to know. "I didn't hear anyone. And be quiet, Eddie—people are looking at you."
You don't have to be quiet unless you really want to. Don't let them rope you into anything, Eddie—it still isn't too late.
Eddie looked in vain for the source of the voice but everyone around him seemed so utterly unperturbed that he could only conclude that he was hearing things. Could this have been the voice of his conscience, telling him to get out while the getting was good?
Conscience, smonscience. No such thing, Eddie. It's me.