“I’ve stopped trying to figure out my parents years ago,” I tell her. “They’re not good people.”
“I’m sorry you have such a bad relationship with your parents. You don’t have any brothers or sisters either?”
“No,” I shake my head. “It’s just me.”
“All the more reason I don’t understand why they wouldn’t be here to support you.”
“Well,” I try and look embarrassed, hoping that I succeed. “There was a girl back home in Connecticut. We dated for a long time and she’s the daughter of one of my parents’ oldest friends. I think they were all hoping I would propose to her this Christmas, but once I saw Sarah, I just knew she was the only woman meant for me.”
Sarah’s mother touches her chest with her hands.
“That’s so romantic, Daniel. I’m happy for you and Sarah.”
“You have no idea how much that means to me. To both of us,” I correct myself.
I hold her chair for her sit down and take a seat next to Sarah.
I can’t help but notice Julianna down at the end of the table. Her presence is like a dark cloud looming over this entire celebratory dinner. She doesn’t interact with anyone else at the table and she’s barely touched her food.
“Is Julianna okay?” Sarah’s mother asks. “I don’t think she’s touched a morsel and this food is delicious! She’s not her usual bubbly self.”
“She’s not been herself for a couple of weeks,” Sarah says and I squeeze her hand reassuringly. “I keep asking her if everything is okay, but she just nods and says she’s fine. But she’s not fine, mom. You can look at her and tell that she’s just not the same life-of-the-party Julianna we all know and love
“I keep telling Sarah that Julianna is jealous,” I inject. I can’t have them pressuring Julianna to tell them what’s really bothering here.
“Jealous? Of you and Sarah?” Sarah’s mother doesn’t seem to be too impressed with my assessment of the situation.
“She did notice him first,” Sarah defends me. “But he came and talked to me and asked me out.” I give her hand another gentle squeeze and lean over and kiss her cheek.
“That doesn’t sound like the Julianna I know,” her mother frowns, sipping her iced tea. “Julianna has always had a move-on-to-the-next-thing attitude if something doesn’t work out. She’s always been positive and upbeat about life. Something has happened and before the night is over, I’m going to find out what it is.”
My hand tightens on Sarah’s and she pulls away from me.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, shifting her body away from me. “Your grip got a little too tight there for a minute.”
“Sorry,” I apologized and kiss her again. “I think I’m just a nervous groom and didn’t realize what I was doing.”
“It’s okay,” she says and seems to relax. “Tomorrow is going to be wonderful.”
“It will be the first of many wonderful days for us,” I assure her. “I cannot wait to make you my wife.”
The meal continues with me consciously ignoring Julianna’s morose existence. I walk Sarah and her parents to their car where I grab her and give her a deep and passionate kiss.
“The next time I kiss you, you will be my wife,” I promise. “You’ll be all mine.”
I release her and wave goodbye, a happy smile pasted on my face. I watch their taillights vanish in the distance before turning around and heading in the opposite direction. It’s time to deal with Julianna.
Sarah
Today is our wedding day. I nervously twist the engagement ring Daniel bought me. Julianna hasn’t shown up yet and the wedding starts in less than thirty minutes.
“Try her again,” I tell Kaitlyn, wringing my hands. “I know she didn’t approve of this marriage, but she wouldn’t miss my wedding because of it would she? I need her here!”
Kaitlyn grabs her phone and presses the contact icon for Julianna. She looks as worried as I feel.
“Nothing?” I ask.
Kaitlyn shakes her head. “She’s not picking up and she didn’t come home last night.”
A text bings my phone and I pick it up.
“It’s from Julianna!”
I quickly scan the message before handing my phone to Kaitlyn to read.
I have no interest in coming to this wedding. Our friendship is over.
“I can’t believe this,” Kaitlyn says as she hands the phone back to me. I’m not sure whether I want to cry or hit something.
“Why?” I ask. “Why would she do this, today of all days?”
Kaitlyn shakes her head.
“She hasn’t been herself for a long time. I don’t know if she took one too many drugs and it affected her personality, or if it’s like Daniel says and she’s jealous. Remember when Jason and I got serious? She practically ignored me for over a week.”
I nod my head and sit down on the chair next to the window.
“I’d forgotten about that. She did seem to be a bit upset over Daniel’s interest in me that first day.”
“When something makes her angry, she can freeze you out. Remember when she gave me the silent treatment last year? It was like I didn’t exist. Then, suddenly, for no apparent reason, I was back in her good graces again a week later.”
“I remember,” I nod my head. “But to miss my wedding? To end our friendship? Why?”
“Look, let’s not worry about Julianna’s reasoning right now. We can mend that fence later. You’re getting married in less than a half hour. It’s time to get into that gorgeous dress of yours and get married!”
I take a deep breath, smile and nod. I watch as Kaitlyn carefully unzips the dress bag and removes my wedding gown.
“I cannot believe how beautiful this dress is,” I exclaim. “Or how quickly they altered it.”
“Daniel has good taste,” Kaitlyn remarks and holds the bottom of the dress as I step in. She buttons up the back of the dress and steps back, her admiration clear from the expression on her face. “It fits like a glove and you look stunning.”
“Isn’t it? I don’t know that I would have picked it out for myself. You know I like things simpler in design, but Daniel was so insistent that he wanted to gift the gown to me I couldn’t say no. Especially since he was the one paying for it.”
“It’s beautiful, but not as beautiful as you are,” she smiles and gives me a gentle hug.
At that point, my mother reenters the room and gasps. “Is that the dress Daniel picked out for you?”
“Yes. Do you think it’s too much?”
“No,” my mother smiles. “It’s beautiful and you look beautiful in it. I just didn’t think that would be something you would pick out for yourself.”
“It’s not,” I agree. “But I want to look pretty for Daniel and this is what he picked out for me. It’s very ornate, isn’t it?”
The dress was heavy, with a lot of lace, beading, sequins and crystals sewn into the body of the dress. It was also very form fitting and a little low-cut for my taste. But it was beautiful and obviously cost a small fortune. Daniel was so involved, he even sent me the hairstyle he thought I should wear with it. I took it to a local salon and fortunately, the stylist knew exactly how to replicate the look.
“You look so glamorous and grown up,” my mother says, barely touching my hair. Her eyes are glistening with tears as she looks at me.
“Where’s my baby girl?” my father asks, coming into the room and stopping cold. “Oh my.”
“Isn’t she lovely?” my mother says, walking over to him.
“I barely recognize her. You look so …”