Butterflies the size of vultures are slamming against my insides. My father is not happy about us getting married so quickly. If not for my mother stepping in, I think he would be a lot more vocal.
Several times over the last several days he’s resorted to a few passive tactics. Instead of accusatory dictations such as, “Why are you getting married so quickly, are you pregnant?” he says, “You know, you don’t have to get married. If you’re having second thoughts, you can stop. You know your mother and I support you no matter what. Just let us know what we can do.”
He’s trying to be supportive. They both are. I understand why they’re nervous and concerned.
But when you meet your soulmate, you just know. You’re willing to make sacrifices for them. When Daniel proposed and a week later suggested I leave school and we elope, I was shocked. But the arguments he brought up made sense. We would get married, he would graduate, and we would move to Texas together. I will just start back to school once we move and settle in.
Obviously, that upset my parents. What parents wouldn’t be upset? But despite their concerns, they’re here to support me on what is, up until this point, the happiest day of my life.
Daniel’s family on the other hand want nothing to do with this wedding. They wouldn’t even agree to meet with me. He says he’s always been the black sheep of the family and that he could never do anything right in his parents’ eyes.
I even asked Daniel if I should call them and talk to them over the phone. I thought maybe after they spoke with me they’d be more inclined to want to meet me.
Daniel wouldn’t hear of it. He told me how uncompromising and snobbish they were and how they disowned him when he told them about our upcoming marriage.
At least my parents didn’t do anything like that.
According to Daniel his parents gave him an ultimatum. Leave me, come work for the family business and find someone more suitable to marry or else. When Daniel refused, they cut him off. Physically, emotionally and financially.
I cannot imagine my parents ever doing anything like that to me.
No matter what I do.
My heart breaks for him on what should be one of the happiest days of his life.
Our rehearsal dinner is set for seven at the same restaurant where Daniel and I had our first date. It’s a bed and breakfast as well and we’ll spend our wedding night there tomorrow night.
I’m so excited!
Daniel is always so kind and thoughtful. I cannot wait to be Mrs. Daniel Rothschild. We are going to have the best life together in Texas!
One of few things that’s put a damper on my excitement is Julianna. For whatever reason, she has distanced herself from me and been less than enthusiastic about my upcoming marriage. I know she thinks I’m too young for all of this and that the relationship has been rushed, but there’s something else. Something she won’t talk with me about.
Daniel thinks Julianna is jealous of our relationship because she doesn’t have a steady boyfriend. I don’t buy into that reasoning.
Whatever is wrong with her started a couple of weeks back. I wonder if her live-life-for-the-moment attitude got her into some kind of trouble, but she’s not talking. She stays home every night and only goes to class. She never goes out anymore. Ever.
As far as I know, she hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol either. She goes to class, comes home and stays in her room pretty much every day. Kaitlyn couldn’t even get her to go to any of the Halloween parties this year, which was one of Julianna’s favorite things last year.
She won’t talk about whatever happened either. It’s like she’s shut down and shut the rest of us out.
Last night, I could hear her crying through her door, but when I asked her what was wrong, she said, “Nothing.”
Tonight, I decide to stop in front of her door, knock and let myself into her room without waiting for an invitation.
“Is every okay with you, Julianna? I’m worried. Kaitlyn and I both are worried about you.”
Julianna gave me a half-hearted smile. “I’m fine. I just want to know that you’re happy.”
“Of course, I’m happy,” I reply and sit down next to her. I hug her as tightly as I can. “Julianna, what’s wrong? What happened to you? What can I do?”
She shakes her head and says, “Nothing. I just realized I needed to grow up and be responsible.”
“But that doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun,” I tell her.
“I will. I just wish …”
“You wish what?”
“Never mind. I’m fine and all I want is for you to be okay.”
“I am,” I tell her. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life. Daniel is the perfect man and I love him more than anything in this world.”
She kisses my cheek and gives me a big hug.
“I love you,” I say, perplexed by the change in her personality.
“I love you, too, Sarah,” she says and gives me one more kiss on the cheek and another hug before getting up.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I call after her.
“I’m fine,” she says and quietly walks to her bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
“Should we wait for you?”
“No,” she answers from behind the closed door and I hear the shower being turned on. “I’ll meet you both there.”
“She’ll be okay,” Kaitlyn assures me from the doorway as she slips her heels on. It occurs to me this will probably be the last night I spend in this house with my two best friends.
“I’m worried about her.” I turn to Kaitlyn and see that despite her smile, she too, is worried.
“Maybe this is a new phase of Julianna,” she explains, crossing over into the room. “The serious, responsible Julianna. Remember for about a month last year she went through that 80’s phase? Maybe this is just something like that.”
“But the 80’s phase was fun. This is something else. I’ve never seen Julianna look so depressed.”
Kaitlyn nodded her head. She looks as worried as I do.
“Let’s not dwell on that right now. Today and tomorrow are your days,” she says cheerily. “This is the time for you to celebrate getting married to the man of your dreams. Don’t hate me for saying this, but I am green with envy. You’re marrying one of the handsomest men I’ve ever seen in real life and he’s crazy about you!”
I smile. “He is gorgeous, isn’t he?”
“And smart. And rich. And nice. And a gentleman. You have got the unicorn of men, Sarah.”
I momentarily forget about my concerns for Julianna and turn once more to my reflection wondering what in the world Daniel Rothschild saw in me that made him want to make me, of all people, his wife.
“Ready?” Kaitlyn asks as we head out of the door to the rehearsal and dinner.
“Ask me that tomorrow,” I say, leading the way.
A short walk later and we’re entering the tiny restaurant. I am struck again by the fact that Daniel’s parents and relatives are not here to celebrate our upcoming marriage. It’s odd and my parents think so too.
“Why aren’t Daniel’s parents here?” my mother asks.
“They don’t approve of me,” I tell her.
“What? Who wouldn’t approve of you? And why? You’re beautiful, smart, and while we may not have Rothschild money, we’re certainly not poor.”
“I don’t know, Mom,” I whisper, afraid Daniel will overhear our conversation and feel bad for not having any family here. “I think they are just a very dysfunctional family.”
“All families are dysfunctional, Sarah. Just in different ways.”
“At least we’re not dysfunctional that way,” I smile and give my mother a hug. “I just hate it that he doesn’t have a single family member here. Not even a cousin.”