Bright Side

by Rose Fresquez

  Copyright © 2020 by Rose Fresquez.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Bright Side is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Get your free copy of Complex when you sign up for Rose’s weekly Newsletter.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  BRIGHT SIDE

  First edition. June 11, 2020.

  Copyright © 2020 Rose Fresquez.

  Written by Rose Fresquez.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright Page

  Copyright Page

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  First of all, I want to thank the Lord, my Savior. Without you, Father, there’s no point in trying to do anything at all.

  To my friend and editor, Elizabeth Proske. Not sure how I would manage, without you.

  My amazing betas and critic partners, Trudy, Julie, Lynn and Elizabeth. Thank you so much.

  Thank you to my Street team members. You guys are amazing. Your eagerness to read my stories, motivates me to keep writing.

  To my husband Joel, and my four children, thanks for filling my heart with joy, through your giggles and encouragement.

  CHAPTER 1

  Andrew Buchanan’s sister had been a beautiful bride, but it wasn’t Renee that he’d been watching during the wedding ceremony; it was his sister-in-law. Leila’s normally dark skin was pale, and sweat glistened on her upper lip, which curled in pain each time she rested a hand on top of the growing mound beneath her bridesmaid’s dress. Andrew suspected his niece might decide to greet the world before the day came to an end.

  Another bridesmaid had caught his attention, as well. He’d sensed Bianca Perez staring at him now and then, but whenever Andrew swung his gaze her way, she would instantly divert her eyes. He’d run into Bianca a few times before the wedding, but never long enough to exchange more than a few words with her.

  “Okay, guys, that’s it for now.” The photographer dismissed Andrew and the other men from the wedding party who had been posing for the last several minutes.

  Andrew let out a relieved breath as he walked from the risers, tugging at his tie to loosen it. Leaning against the cocktail table in the center of the marble tiled floor, he turned back to watch the photographer line up the bridesmaids in the flower-draped altar area.

  His sister Renee’s blue eyes sparkled when her new husband, Jake, whispered into her ear, his white teeth flashing against his mahogany skin. Jake dropped Renee’s hand to allow her to join the row of bridesmaids assembled for the photo.

  “I can’t stand wearing ties.”

  Andrew tore his eyes off the bridesmaids and turned to Dalton, another groomsman, who was yanking off his tie. Tossing it onto the table in front of them, Dalton complained, “It’s hard to breathe, and this place is blazing hot.”

  Andrew had to agree with Dalton about the heat. Despite the late February snow outside, the interior of the two story building was extremely warm. He would have to speak to the wedding coordinator to help them adjust the temperature.

  “It was a pretty cool ceremony, though.” Dalton tugged at his blonde hair, which had been slicked back for the occasion.

  “Yeah, the minister did a great job!” Andrew agreed, remembering how the wheelchair-bound pastor had reminded them about love being kind and patient right before the couple had exchanged their vows.

  Jake joined Andrew and Dalton. “It was getting a little warm up there with all those lights above the risers.” He adjusted the collar of the white button up shirt he wore underneath the gray suit.

  “Tell me about it.” Andrew crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Honestly, my cheeks were starting to hurt from all that smiling while we got our pictures taken.” Dalton made a show of squeezing his cheeks back into place.

  Andrew stared up at the ceiling, where white linen and twinkling lights were draped through the beams. The ceremony had taken place on the lower level of a renovated ranch house. After the ceremony, the guests had been sent upstairs for the reception, while the bride and groom’s families and the wedding party stayed behind for pictures.

  “This place is huge.” Andrew turned to look out the big window overlooking a valley. “Why did you guys choose a ranch, again?”

  “Because Renee wanted Jake to have a cowboy experience.” His brother Ezra had joined their loose circle and clamped a hand on Andrew’s shoulder. “...him growing up in Texas and all.”

  Ezra, a little over six feet tall and physically fit, was younger than Andrew by two years. His features were similar to Andrew’s, except for his eyes. Ezra’s eyes were gray-blue, while Andrew and their sister, Renee, had both inherited their dad’s blue eyes.

  “Hey.” Jake pointed to Dalton’s neck. “You need to get that tie back on. We still have to get a few pictures outside with the view of the mountains.”

  Dalton groaned. “More pictures?”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Andrew complained, just to give his new brother-in-law a hard time, since Jake was the most gentle person he’d ever met. The way he’d ended up with his sister was proof that opposites really did attract.

  “The view was one of the primary reasons Renee chose this venue.”

  The secluded two-story ranch sat on a hill at an expansive property that Andrew guessed to be twenty miles from the main road. He hadn’t calculated the distance on the drive up because they’d been shuttled in for both the rehearsal and today’s ceremony. Same with most of the wedding guests.

  “Quit being sissies,” Ezra said. “I have a toast to practice, and you two are whining about posing for the camera.”

  Andrew eyed Ezra, then said to Jake, “Would now be a good time for me to tell you, I told you so?” He squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “Having second thoughts about making this guy your best man?”

  In one quick motion, Ezra’s arm went over Andrew’s shoulders and he pulled him into a headlock. Andrew jerked to the side, trying to escape, but his brother moved right into the table, knocking it over and sending everything on it to the ground.

  “Boys! Knock it off!” Their mom Crystal’s voice jolted them from their huddle. They both stilled and pointed fingers at each other, speaking in unison. “He started it!”

  Still coughing and breathless, Andrew straightened his suit. Just as he was about to lunge at his brother again, he sensed sharp lasers aiming at him, as if he was being watched.

  His mom called Jake to the side, and Dalton was waving around a picture that he’d snapped of their huddle. Andrew gave it a cursory glance and turned to see who was staring at him, even though he already
knew who it was. His assumption was confirmed when his eyes landed on the row of bridesmaids and collided with Bianca Perez.

  Unlike all the other times when she would turn away the moment Andrew caught her staring at him, this time she held a steady gaze...long enough for him to finally notice how her brown eyes sparkled in her animated face. The camera shutter snapped, and she shifted those eyes to the photographer.

  Andrew’s gaze tracked upward to a mass of shiny, dark brown curls that loosely danced around her shoulders. Bianca was slightly shorter than average, and her gray party dress hugged her curves in all the right places, curves he’d never noticed before. Her radiant olive skin was free of makeup. Had she worn makeup the last two times he’d seen her?

  Andrew glanced at her face again and found her staring back. He held her gaze captive once more, and suddenly felt as if he was standing on a loose wire or something.

  Not that she was attractive. At least, he hadn’t thought so the first two times he’d seen her. Tonight, Bianca looked...well, almost beautiful. He tried to dismiss that thought when she gave him a tight lipped smile and fumbled with the straps on her dress before staring down.

  “Hey, Drew. Do you know where they keep a fire extinguisher in here?” Ezra asked.

  Andrew tore his gaze away from the woman. “What for?”

  Ezra looked around the room, empty now, since all the chairs had been moved upstairs for the reception. “If you stare at that poor girl any harder, she’s going to burst into flames,” Ezra said, jerking his chin at Bianca.

  “I wasn’t staring.”

  “Weddings are great places to find dates,” Dalton said. “Exactly why my eyes are on the lookout.”

  “Looks like my brother just found someone already.” Ezra skeptically stared at Andrews’ face. “You’re all but blushing, dude...”

  “Keep blurting and you’ll have a black eye by the end of the day.”

  “If you’ve got a crush on her, you can tell me,” Ezra said, ignoring Andrew’s threat of a black eye. Andrew would never punch his brother or anything, except maybe tackling him for fun. “She’s best friends with Leila and Renee. Once Renee finds out, she’ll have a date set up for you by ...”

  Andrew gritted his teeth. “Renee is not finding out anything and I don’t have a crush on anybody...”

  “Hmm.” Dalton tapped his fingers on his chin and spoke meditatively. “Aren’t you the reason she dislocated her ankle at the Christmas Party?”

  That was another story entirely. Andrew couldn’t help it if Bianca somehow got into all sorts of fixes whenever he was within close proximity of her. “She’s just... interesting, that’s all.” His words were barely audible, and his eyes slid back for another glance, despite him resisting the urge to stare.

  As if Bianca realized they were talking about her, she stared back, biting her lower lip. This time Andrew shifted his attention back to Leila. She clutched flowers in one hand, but her other hand gripped her lower back.

  Ezra slapped him on the shoulder. “She’s still single, last time I checked.”

  He whipped his head back to his brother. “I’m staring at your wife, dude.” It was half true. “Been doing so through the whole ceremony. I just have the feeling that my niece is coming today.”

  Ezra glanced at his wife, then back to Andrew. “She’s been having contractions and holding her lower back throughout the pregnancy, so that’s normal.”

  “This would be a terrible place for her to go into labor.” Dalton looked around. “I don’t think this place has cell service.”

  Ezra’s brows furrowed as he dug out his phone from his pocket, then squinted at the screen. “Of course there’s cell service. I checked before the day of...”

  “That would be so epic if she came today.” Jake joined them. “That would mean you will never forget our anniversary.”

  Ezra gestured his chin between the three guys. “That’s not funny guys. She needs to have that baby in the hospital.” His face was now serious, panicked, to say the least. “Plus she’s only thirty six weeks.” He shook his head. “Or is it thirty seven now?”

  “That’s full term, man.” Andrew slapped Ezra’s shoulder. “But don't worry—if the baby comes, there’s four firefighters here, and we’ve delivered babies before.”

  Jake held up a hand. “Never have!”

  “Me, neither,” Dalton said.

  “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” Ezra tucked his phone back in his pocket. “First babies are supposed to be late, anyway.”

  A young man in a white button up shirt and black slacks appeared at that moment with a tray of hors d'oeuvres. Jake hungrily grabbed four of the mini-sandwiches. “Sorry, I gotta take some for my wife. She hasn’t eaten anything today.”

  “My wife could eat everything on that tray,” Ezra said as he stacked several mini sandwiches on a napkin. “She’s eating for two.”

  “I’m gonna go upstairs and scout out where that food is coming from,” Dalton said as he strode off. “Be back in time for the outside pictures.”

  Andrew insisted Ezra take the last two sliders on the tray. “I’ll wait for another round,” Andrew told the waiter as he watched the two men hand food to their wives.

  Everything around him seemed to be moving forward, while his life was stuck in a holding pattern.

  Being the oldest of three, it was hard to believe that both his siblings were married, and he didn’t even have a bride-to-be. He’d been the first of his siblings to be in a serious relationship, and his family had thought he would be the first to get married. Andrew had thought so, too, but apparently God had different plans—plans for him to remain single. He was starting to believe that would be the case. He just didn’t have it in him to start a relationship again. For now, he needed to focus on plugging in to his new community.

  TWO HOURS LATER, ANDREW leaned back in his chair, his belly comfortably full after the steak dinner.

  His eyes wandered, surveying the room packed with over three hundred people. Eight to ten guests occupied each of the round tables, which were covered in gray linen and adorned with red porcelain vases filled with flowers.

  The bride and groom table was centered at the front. To the far corner, three DJ sound speakers were stacked on top of each other, and Ezra stood holding a microphone, a wide grin lighting his face, as he gave the toast.

  Laughter rippled through the crowd when Ezra described the time he found out that Jake was in love with Renee. “Has anybody ever fought his best friend for falling in love with their baby sister?”

  More laughter ensued as Ezra continued his anecdote.

  Andrew was glad that Jake was the man his sister was marrying, since he was like a brother to the siblings. It was hard to imagine himself and Ezra approving of any other man for their sister.

  Andrew glanced back to Leila, who sat two seats over at a rectangular table with the rest of the wedding party. She was hunched over in her chair.

  Next to him, Dalton guffawed at something Ezra said, but it couldn’t pull Andrew’s attention to his brother when his sister-in-law appeared to be in pain, if her wincing was any indication.

  In case he needed to call an ambulance, Andrew discreetly pushed back his chair and went around Dalton. He lowered himself to the empty chair next to Leila, which Ezra had just vacated to give his speech. She’d grown paler, and her breathing was heavy as she gritted her teeth.

  “Leila, you okay?”

  “I think...” she whispered between labored breaths, then placed a hand to her round stomach. “It’s my stomach...I hope the baby is not coming today.”

  Despite Leila’s hopeful words, Andrew had seen this happen several times during his almost ten years as a firefighter. More than once, they’d been called on scene when the mother-to-be was thirty six or thirty seven weeks pregnant, and they’d had to deliver the baby either at home or on the ambulance because they couldn't get to the hospital in time.

  “Is it okay if I help you get outside o
f this room?” How could he say this? “To get some fresh air, perhaps.”

  She nodded and pushed her folding chair back. Andrew pushed his chair back, too, and let her lead the way. She wobbled, so Andrew prepared to catch her from behind should she fall.

  Once outside, he helped her sit on the bench close to the stairs.

  Applause sounded from inside, followed by the DJ announcing the first dance. Thankfully, Leila had not originally planned to give the matron of honor speech, because she didn’t seem to be in a condition to do so.

  “Honey...” Ezra’s sudden voice came from behind. He tore past Andrew to get to his wife. “You okay?”

  Andrew stepped aside as his brother slid out of his gray suit jacket, tossing it to the side. Ezra then crouched to brush a kiss on his wife’s lips before he clasped her hands in his.

  Leila half smiled. “I’m okay, Honey.” Her face showed otherwise. No doubt she didn’t want to scare her husband. “I hope that Adalee can stay in there a little longer, though,” she breathed, and settled a hand on her lower abdomen. “Call the... cab...” She winced, then screamed out the last words. “Call 911!”

  Why hadn’t Andrew done that as soon as he brought Leila out? He patted his pants pocket with urgency, searching for his phone. He frowned when he found the pockets were empty. He’d left the phone in the reception room.

  He turned to go get it and slammed into a hard chest, his dad’s.

  “What’s happening?” Dad asked abruptly.

  “Call 911!” was Andrew’s response.

  Richard spun around to his wife, who was approaching. Crystal hastily dug the iPhone out of her small purse and handed it to him.

  Ezra’s face reddened with worry, although he continued to rub his wife’s back, whispering words of comfort.

  Dad trekked down the stairs as he gave directions to 911 dispatch. Mom stood, hands to her heart, eyes wide in panic.

  Jaw tight, Andrew rubbed his hands together while he considered a backup plan should things fail with 911. Walking around, he stepped in front of Leila and Ezra. “We need to carry her down the stairs, just so it will be easier to get her to the ambulance as soon as it arrives.” Also to increase her chance to deliver the baby in the hospital, but he was not going to say that out loud.