They were looking at me. They were all looking at me. With pity. Why were they looking at me with pity? On my wedding day? I knew at least ten expressions that were to be on the surrounding people’s faces on the day of the wedding, and none of them included pity.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, shakily. “Why is everyone looking at me like that?”
“Jess,” my best friend and chief bridesmaid, held my hand. “You have to calm down.”
Bristling, I yanked her hand away. “Do not tell me to calm down. I’m asking you to tell me what’s wrong and you’re telling me to calm down.”
When she kept giving me the stupid, piteous look, I groaned in exasperation picked up my phone from vanity and dialled Chris. For the umpteenth time.
“Not now Chris. Seriously, why isn’t he picking up his phone??”
It was at that moment that Mom came barrelling through the door. She had a weird expression on her face but it wasn’t pity, it was something else. Anger. Now that was an expression I could recognize. And instantly I knew. The faces filled with pity, Chris’ inability to pick up his phone, everything.
“He’s not coming right?”
Before Mom could reach me, I’d already slumped on the floor. Letting the black spots that had been forming behind my eyes since Mom walked in, take over.
“I still think this a silly idea, Jess.”
Marge blinked at me. “Girl, I know you’ve always been such a bore. But even on your wedding? Really?”
I sighed. “You know Mom’s reservations towards bachelorettes and I think I share her statements. You never know what happens in these things.”
“Hey, look at me,” Jess turned my face to her. “We’re just inviting a few girls from high school. What’s the worst that could happen? Besides, I’ll be there the entire time. It’s going to be alright.”
“You sure you’ll be there? You know none of these high school girls were really my friends. They-”
“Shhhh. Leave it all to Jess. I’ll handle everything.”
Jess was running late.
I looked at the other girls who had already made themselves comfortable in my hotel room, rummaging through my fridge, chattering like bees.
“So,” Maxine called. “You finally hooked Chris down, didn’t you?”
I wished I could wipe the snarky expression from her face with my doormat. It was an utter betrayal for Jess to invite Maxine of all people to my bachelorette party. She was literally the bane of my existence in high school. But it was fine, I’d give her hell for it when she arrived. If she arrived. I swear I didn’t get why her phone was switched off.
“I didn’t hook Chris down,” I smiled sweetly at Maxine. “We fell in love.”
Her expression turned sour. “Did you now?” My sickly sweet smile followed her sashaying back to where the other girls sat.
“I’m bored. How long do we have to wait for Jess?” That was Ella, reasonably sweet but spineless.“The party starts when Jess arrives.” I hoped my face wasn’t a glower. It was unfair for a lady who was getting married the very next day to be this stressed. But hey, welcome to my world.
“Well we can’t keep waiting,” Maxine said. “I say we begin and she’ll meet us whenever she arrives.”
“You don’t have a say, Maxine. You’re not the bride.”
“And you’re the bride but you’re just sitting there like a porcelain doll. Have a little life maybe?”
I opened my mouth and closed it. I guess she was right. “Okay.” I’d barely gotten the word out of my mouth when Ella immediately switched on the party lights and turned off the normal ones. In front of me, I heard a loud pop. Maxine had opened a bottle of champagne.
It went south from there. One minute I was sitting and glowering at the girls. The most unusual sight at any bachelorette party, I’m sure. And then the next thing, it was one glass of champagne after another. The sparkling liquid went down my throat continuously till everything began to spin. In the recesses of my consciousness, I remember how I’d dialled Jess’ line repeatedly. Live a little, live a little, Maxine kept telling me as she took the phone from my already wobbly hand and spun me around.
I remember seeing her open the door to let someone in. Was that Ben? What was he doing here? Who had been so disrespectful as to invite a guy, let alone my ex to my bachelorette party?
“Hey Tracy-pie,”
“You don’t get to call me that,” Was that a slur? “You’re not invited here...”
“Shhh, Tracy-pie. Let’s dance.” I stared into his dark eyes. Wait, why was it hazel?
“Chris?”
“Yeah, it’s Chris. Now, let’s dance.
I woke up with a start to the worried faces of Jess and Mom. Oh no, oh no. “Where’s my phone?”
“Why?” Jess looked startled.
I fixed her with a glare. “My phone, Jess. Now.”
My heart pounded hard as I got the phone from her. With trepidation, I opened my last messages with Chris. I gasped as I saw a whole line of pictures I never sent. Of things I don’t even remember.
“Shit!”
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