Chapter 22

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Chapter 22

                Being a bridesmaid was a complete and utter exhausting task.

                You would’ve thought that being a bridesmaid had its luxuries- getting to wear a custom picked dress by the bride, being in literally all of the pictures, having the best seat at the ceremony and being recognized as one of the bride’s most important people. Yes, it did include all of the listed perks, but being a bridesmaid definitely had its downfalls, especially if you’re a bridesmaid for someone like Mrs. Lopez, who was a perfectionist.

                I barely got more than a few hours of sleep last night just because Mrs. Lopez decided to call all of her bridesmaids at the crack of dawn to rush over to her beautician’s spa. She insisted that the earlier we started getting prepared for the wedding day, the better.

                So at six in the morning, with my flannel shorts and baggy sweater still on, I was getting groomed at a spa. I was half way asleep, as a manicurist sat on one side of me, doing my nails, while a hairstylist stood on my other side, curling and pinning up my hair with an endless amount of bobby pins. Every now and then, I felt a soft brush fanning over my cheeks or eyelids, and something sticky and wet swiping over my lips. I was too tired to even peer open my eyes to see what was going on, and I could tell that Maria wasn’t too ecstatic about waking up at five in the morning either.

                “Hon,” Margaux, the make-up artist, said with her thick French accent, nudging my shoulder gently to wake me up from my deep slumber, “I need you to open your eyes for a second.”

                I let out a low grunt, before opening my eyes tiredly with all the energy I had inside me. She began to swipe a thick brush over my eyelashes, making me flutter my eyes every so often. “There, we are done Miss Riley.” Margaux exclaimed, her lips coated with bright red lipstick stretched into a broad grin. “You look beautiful!”

                I stared at my reflection through the long mirror, noticing how well of a job Margaux did, covering up my dark circles and all. I gave her a sleepy smile, before nodding in appreciation. “Thank you, Margaux.”

                Once Cecelia, the wedding planner that Mrs. Lopez hired, saw that I was done with my hair and makeup, she rushed over towards me with my bridesmaid dress in her hands. The satin blue material peeked out from the plastic wrapping covering the dress, as she gestured it towards me. “I need you to put this on real quick. The photographers have already arrived at the rose garden and none of us are even ready yet!”

                I pushed myself off the chair with all my might, finding an empty dressing room to change into my dress. The royal blue dress was simple, but it wasn’t any of our intentions to outshine the bride, so none of us minded. The bust of the dress wrapped around my top tightly, flaring out just slightly at the bottom, making the dress look as if the panels reflected ripples of water. I grabbed a pair of sparkly silver heels to match my dress, sticking in a pair of diamond studs my mother let me borrow. I snapped a matching bracelet around my wrist, before hurrying out of the dressing room.

                I noticed Maria leaning against the wall, her head snapped up when she saw me. “Oh good, you’re here!” she said, wrapping a hand around my arm. “Come on, everyone’s waiting in the limo outside.”

                The sun had just rose half an hour ago, making the sky look clear blue. While we were in the car, driving towards our destination to take wedding photos, Cecelia passed us each a mug of coffee. I gratefully took it from her hands, knowing that I was going to need a lot of coffee to keep me awake for the rest of the day and night. Once I took a sip, I made a face from how bitter it was. Cecelia must’ve noticed my expression, along as Maria’s, because she nodded. “It’s extra dark.” She explained. “It’ll keep you all energized.”

                “Is there actual food?” Maria asked, clearly irritated by Cecelia, her tone almost mocking. I figured that Maria wasn’t a morning person, even if it was her mother’s big day. “Like breakfast?”

                Cecelia shook her head. “No, no breakfast for anyone who’s going to be photographed. You can’t expect to eat and now have your gut showing in the pictures. Photoshop is expensive!”

                Maria looked at Cecelia with disgust, before pushing her extra dark coffee aside.

                Once we hauled to a stop at the rose garden, we all hurried out to meet the photographer, who had been waiting for us at a grassy field of flowers and vineyards of roses hanging from the fences. I stood staring at the varieties of flowers for a long moment, completely awestruck. Everything was just as beautiful as I had imagined it to be.

                I noticed that Mr. Rosenfeld and the groomsmen were waiting as well, wearing their tuxedos with royal blue bow ties to match our dresses. The photographer advised Mrs. Lopez, who was wearing a white dress that cascaded across the floor, to stand in the middle with Mr. Rosenfeld, while the bridesmaid and groomsmen stood on separate sides.

                “Give me your best smiles!” Cecelia instructed, as one flash went off after another.

                We continued to take many group photos for another hour, before the photographer requested to take single shots of just the bride and groom. My face was aching from forcing many wide smiles nonstop for an hour. I overheard the photographer telling Cecelia that he would be back at this very spot in an hour to take a few more photos of just the bridesmaid and groomsmen.

                Cecelia came towards all of us with a clipboard in her hands. “Okay, you all get an hour break.” She pointed towards rows of picnic tables that were covered in all sorts of breakfast goods. “Food is served over there, but I advise the bridesmaids to eat something light.”

                Maria gave Cecelia a death glare, rolling her eyes at her while she left to follow the photographer. “Who is she to tell me what not to eat?” Maria cursed under her breath, before letting out a sigh. “I’m going to grab some breakfast. I’ll save you a seat at the tables if I get there before you, okay?”

                I nodded, giving her a weak smile. Maria walked off towards the buffet of food with her aunt, the maid of honor. Before leaving, I watched as Maria grinned upon the display of food, before grabbing a plate and adding a heap of eggs and bacon onto her dish.

Although I was quite famished myself, I figured that food could be put on hold, for now. My eyes immediately scanned around the garden to find Everett, who I had seen just a few minutes ago, when we were being photographed. I spotted Everett, his back turned, facing Cecelia’s daughter. From what I’ve heard, her name was Katarina and she was just a year younger than us. She was supposed to be here to assist her mother, but instead, she was shamelessly flirting with Everett. I watched with fury burning up inside of me, as she flipped her poorly dyed brown hair over her shoulder, placing her hands on Everett’s chest as she suppressed a giggle.

                I was already grumpy from my lack of sleep and my empty stomach, but seeing Katarina flirt with Everett was really pushing me towards my limit. I balled my hands up in a tight fist, as I turned around, storming away. Margaux saw me marching my way angrily towards Maria. Before I got to reach her, she stopped me, placing her delicate hands on my wrist. “Riley, I’ve been requested by Cecelia to fix up your makeup for the bridesmaid shots.”

                I wasn’t in the mood to be groomed at the moment, as I crossed my arms stubbornly. “Do I have to?” I asked, not recognizing how snappy I was sounding. “I’ve hardly even smudged my makeup.”

                Margaux’s expression softened, as I immediately felt guilty. She hadn’t done anything to be, so I shouldn’t be lashing out at her. “I’m sorry.” I quickly apologized, letting out an exhausted breath of air. “I’m just really tired.”

                Margaux gave me a weak smile, placing a hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay, honey.” She said, before guiding me towards the tent that was set up for redoing hair and makeup. “We’re all feeling the pressure.”

                I sat on a stool, as Margaux began to touch up my makeup. As she was dabbing my eyes gently with a brush, my stomach let out an embarrassing grumble. My cheeks immediately turned red, as Margaux let out an amused laugh. “Honey, are you hungry?” she asked.

                “I’m starving.” I admitted, clutching onto my stomach. “Cecelia wouldn’t let any of us eat on our way here.”

                Margaux gave me a knowing smile, before she set her brush down on the counter, making her way outside the tent. She returned moments later with a plate in her hands, filled with food. Margaux gestured it towards me. My mouth watered at the sight of the juicy strips of bacon, and the smell of sweet fruit lingered in my nose. “Margaux, I really shouldn’t. Cecelia would kill me if she saw my stomach bulging out my dress.”

                She shook her head, raising her index finger to her lips. “It’ll be our little secret then.” She winked. “Besides, you’re as skinny as a stick! A few pieces of bacon wouldn’t kill you.”

                I let out a laugh, the first time I’ve smiled for real since this whole wedding day began. I gave Margaux a thankful smile, so touched by her kindness to me. “Thank you so much.” I said.

                As Margaux was fanning a brush over my eyelids, I couldn’t help but finally notice that she looked oddly familiar. She noticed me looking at her, as she gave me a smile. “What’s wrong? Am I pressing down too hard on the brush?”

                I shook my head, before licking my lips. “No, you aren’t.” I mumbled. “This is going to sound crazy, but have we met before?”

                Warmth spread upon Margaux’s face, as her deep green eyes ignited with happiness. “I might’ve babysat you and Everett when you two were kids.” She said casually. “Colette was a close friend of mine and she helped me a lot during our high school days when I first moved here from France. I used to only babysit Everett, but then when he turned four, you started showing up around his house more often.”

                I stared at her with awe, as she let out a light chuckle. “How come you didn’t tell me earlier today?” I asked, blinking from shock.

                Margaux finally finished my makeup, as she set her tools down quietly. She shrugged gently, before smiling. “I thought I’d be nice for you to figure it out on your own.”

                I licked my lips, as Margaux shook her head, gesturing for me not to mess up my lipstick. Cecelia would flip out on me if she saw even one imperfection.  “Does Everett know?” I asked.

                Margaux laughed, before nodding. “He does.” She paused. “Are the two of you still friends?”

                I pursed my lips, thinking about an exact answer for Margaux’s question. Where Everett and I still considered friends? We had a major fall out, but we’ve been slowly picking back up the pieces between us. I stared down at my lap, suddenly wishing that the two of us were more than friends.

                “Everett and I are-“

                “I need all the bridesmaids and groomsmen to meet me at the Shakespeare Garden, pronto!” Cecelia shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.

                I gave Margaux and apologizing smile, before slipping out of the tent. “I’ll try to catch up with you later.” I assured, before following Maria towards the Shakespeare Garden.

                “Hey, where were you?” Maria asked, as we walked carefully towards the garden in our new heels, which were already making our feet hurt. “I had to survive by myself eating with Tricia and Kina constantly whining.”

                “Sorry about that.” I mumbled. “I was just talking to Margaux. It turns out that she knew Everett and I since we were four. Did anything happen between you within your hour break?”

              Maria snorted, before shaking her head. “Other than Tricia and Kina arguing about who gets the last piece of bacon? No.” she paused, before a small smile appeared on her face. “Although, Jared has confirmed that he’s coming to the wedding for me tonight.”

                I rolled my eyes playfully, before gagging. “I’m sickened already.” I teased, poking her shoulder. “Max and Cassandra are going to be there, too.”

                “Good,” Maria nodded, “because you know that I’m not about to dance with any of my relatives. That would be beyond weird.”

                Once we had reached to the Shakespeare garden, everyone was already there, as Cecelia jotted down notes on her clipboard. “The next shots will only be the bridesmaids and groomsmen, no bride or groom.” She instructed. “We’ll start by taking pictures of couples.”

                Cecelia pulled Maria away from me, pairing her up with one of the groomsmen- Mr. Rosenfeld’s twenty two year old nephew. I suddenly noticed that Everett was being pushed towards me, as my heart when into panic mode. I was definitely not ready to see him, not after I had just witnessed him flirting with Katarina. “You two will be partners, alright?” Cecelia nodded, before pairing up the rest of the people. I stood uncomfortably beside Everett, noticing that he was frowning at me. Once everyone was paired up, Cecelia instructed for us to all come in a line. “Hold hands with your partners, and run towards the camera with smiles!”

                Holding hands?

                I stared down at Everett’s hand, noticing that he was holding it out towards me. Without looking at him in the eye, I placed my palm into his, feeling my skin burn from his touch. I sucked in a deep breath of air, putting on my best smile. Everyone ran towards the camera, as flashes went off one by one.

                After a few minutes, my hand never leaving Everett’s, the photographer stopped. He called Cecelia over, pointing straight at me. Cecelia nodded, before her eyes snapped up to reach mine. “Riley, I need you to stop looking so stiff. Relax your shoulders and have some chemistry with your partner!”

                I nodded weakly, as Everett turned towards me. “Riley, is everything okay?” he asked, frowning with concern clear in his eyes.

                “Yeah.” I lied, before turning back towards the camera.

I cleared my mind, erasing any thoughts- especially of Everett. I thought about the one person who loved me more than anyone- Colette. I thought about how she used to smile so proudly at me, how nice her hugs felt and those chocolate chip cookies she used to make every Sunday. The thought of Colette literally bringing me up along with my mother made me smile.

                “That’s so much better, Riley!” Cecelia called out.

                It was already noon by the time things were wrapped up. We all went back to the Rosenfeld’s house to wait until four o’clock, where we would go to the church. Then finally after that, we would drive to the hotel where the wedding was booked. It would be the best part of the night- where we could finally eat and dance. Mrs. Lopez and Mr. Rosenfeld had gone off to the church already- where they would get prepared in the meantime. A limo would come pick us all up to go to the church in a few hours.

                “I think I’m going to call Jared over, have him come to the church with us.” Maria said, before getting out of the seat on the couch to make a call.

                I nodded, before heading towards the kitchen to get myself a drink. My throat had been itchy and dry for a while down, so I pulled out a cold bottle of water. Taking a large gulp, I let the cool liquid run down my throat. Everyone was gathered in the living room, chatting, and I could even hear Tricia and Kina finally socializing.

                “Riley,” Everett said, leaning against the doorframe, “can we talk?”

                I was hesitant, but I reluctantly nodded. I followed Everett out to the back porch, where the winds were gently blowing against my hair. I shivered in my flimsy blue dress, as Everett draped his black suit jacket over my shoulders. I stared at him with surprise, before nodding slowly. “Thanks.” I whispered.

                “You know, it’s weird,” Everett said, after a long moment of silence, “being part of a wedding for your own father but not with your own mother.”

                “It is really weird, huh?” I repeated, staring out at the sky. “You miss her, don’t you?”

                Everett swiped his tongue over his lower lip, making my legs go weak. I held on to the railings for support, feeling my heart hammer against my chest. “More than anything.” He said lowly, before turning towards me. Suddenly, I found him inching closer towards me, until our chests touched. I held in my breath, finding it extremely hard to breathe at the moment. His hands flew up to brush away the small strands of curls that had fallen out of place, before he dipped his head low. I felt myself closing my eyes without control. I felt a slight tickly on my earlobe, as Everett’s lips began to move. “But, I’m glad that you’re here. I’m so glad you’re here with me, Riley.”

*            

                “Max, Cass, you guys made it!” I smiled broadly, running up towards my friends. I leapt into each other their arms, giving the both of them a tight squeeze. After an incredibly tiresome day, I was so relieved to see two of my closest friends together. “You guys are an hour late! I was beginning to think that you two wouldn’t show up.”

                “Cassandra couldn’t decide between on wearing a pink or white dress to the wedding.” Max bit back a grin, as Cassandra’s cheeks turned red. “Then, I finally told her that it was a sign of disrespect to wear white to someone else’s wedding.”

                Cassandra pouted, before playfully slapping Max across the shoulder. “You could’ve told me a whole lot earlier, and we would’ve been on time!"  Cassandra paused, before turning towards me with a small smile. “Sorry, Riley. I hope we didn’t come off as rude for arriving late.”

                “It’s okay.” I suppressed a laugh, looking out at the dance floor, where everyone looked as if they were having the time of their lives. I spotted Mrs. Lopez and Mr. Rosenfeld in the very center together. They both were laughing. They looked happy. “I think everyone’s having too much fun to notice that you two snuck it, anyways.”

                Max laughed, before grabbing Cassandra’s and mine’s hand. “Well, come on.” He smiled. “Let’s not miss out on all the fun.”

                The three of us made room for ourselves on the crowded dance floor, catching the eye of Maria, who was dancing closely with Jared. She gave Cassandra and Max a smile, before returning to Jared- her date.

                I was never one to dance, but after a long and tired day, I figured that I deserved some fun. I began moving my hips to the rhythm of the music, dancing with both Max and Cassandra. Although they were a couple, they made me feel comfortable dancing with them. Suddenly, a chair was raised in the air with Mrs. Lopez sitting on it. She had changed out of her tradition white wedding dress, and was now wearing a strapless red number. Her hair had been

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