by T. Torrest
The girls are all in the back bedroom conducting some sort of witchcrafty, sun-inducing rite at this very moment. Once they broke out the cinnamon incense, I had to get out of there. They know I can’t stand the smell of that stuff. So, I set up shop in the living area of the suite, keeping company with Tess’s dad who hasn’t sat still for more than a thirty second stretch all morning.
He sees me falter and leaps off of the leather club chair to come to my rescue.
“Livia, give me that shoe right now. Claude! CLAUDE!”
Tess’s wedding coordinator practically drops the flower arrangement he’s carrying down the hallway and rushes into the bridal room to see what service he can render unto Louis Anthony “Big L.A.” Valletti.
“Yes, Big Lavalletti?”
Big L.A. practically spits in Claude’s face, “For the last time, it’s either ‘Big L.A.’ or Mister Va-LET-tee. Lord knows I’m paying you people enough money for this wedding. The least you could do is get my name right.”
Poor Claude glances at me and I give him an apologetic shrug. Mr. Valletti is loud and boastful, but he’s not normally rude. In fact, he’s probably one of the most sane and composed people I’ve ever met. But I guess even the best of us is feeling the pre-wedding jitters right now. Can’t say that I blame him. After all, his daughter is getting married in two hours.
Two hours.
I still have two more hours of peace.
“Yes, sir. Yes, Monsieur Valletti. My apologies. It will not happen again. What can I do for you, sir?”
Mr. Valletti holds my shoe with its dangling heel out to the harried wedding coordinator. “See if there’s anyone who can do anything about this.” He must realize that even though he’s stressed, it’s no excuse to act like a jerk because he adds, “Please.”
Claude takes my shoe and scurries off to places unknown, while I decide to take that bathroom break after all.
CHAPTER 41
Sunday, May 26, 1996
1:05 PM
Bridal Room at The Breakers
Spring Lake
My bag is near the bedroom door, which is only opened a sliver. While I’m rifling around, trying to find my other shoes, I can hear the energy coming from the rest of the bridal party as they perform their voodoo chanting.
I hear Tess light up a ciggie. “Hey guess what?”
Vix, Sam, and Isla stop their mantra. “What?”
Peeking through the crack in the door, I can see Tess lounged out on the king-size bed, arranging her crinoline underskirt around her legs. She tips her head back and blows out a perfect smoke ring before answering, “I’m getting married today!”
“You sure are, sister.”
Tess lets out with a “Whoohoo!” and then asks, “Hey, Sammy, hand me my glass, will ya?”
Sam dutifully fetches her mimosa as Tess sits up and adjusts her strapless bra. “Thanks, BM.”
I can hear the exasperation in Vix’s voice as she says, “Tess, for godsakes, will you pleeease stop referring to us as poop.”
That makes me chuckle to myself. I dig underneath my pile of clothes and come up with one of my slip-on sandals. Great. Now where the hell is the other one?
I’m still scrounging around in my bag as I hear Vix continue, “If I knew agreeing to be your bridesmaid was going to be this degrading, I would have told you to shove that unity candle right up your—”
“Okay! Jeez. Got it,” Tess cuts in. “Don’t be so uppity, girlfriend. No more BM references, okay?”
“Thank you.”
“Even though you are my NUMBER TWO.”
I can hear Vix gritting her teeth as Tess giggles and resumes blowing her smoke rings. “Speaking of, where did Number Two Chadwick Sister disappear to?”
I stop digging around in my bag and go completely still. I haven’t necessarily been trying to hide all this time, but I guess they have no idea I’m anywhere within earshot. Now that my name has been brought up, however, I find myself unabashedly eavesdropping.
Isla stops applying her mascara to answer, “She couldn’t take the incense and went out to the living room to put on her makeup. She said to let her know if you needed anything. Do you? Should I go get her?”
Tess leaps off the bed and starts to adjust her undergarments in front of the mirror, and I flatten myself against the wall so I won’t be seen. “Nope. Let her be.” Then she asks Vix, “How’s she been all week?”
Vix must be peeking over to make sure the door is still closed, because there’s a distinct pause before she lets out with, “Oh, you know. A nervous wreck.”
“Shit.”
“I know. She’s been on a cleaning rampage. The apartment has never looked better. And she’s been absent-minded as hell, too. Yesterday, she spent a good hour packing a bag for this weekend. Good thing I checked it before we got down here, because she would have had to wear her bathing suit to your rehearsal dinner.”
“She spent an hour packing and forgot clothes?”
“No... She packed clothes. But no underwear. And no toothbrush.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Wish I were. Oh- and no shoes. None at all. She actually walked out to the car barefoot which is what made me check her bag.”
“Oh my God.”
Sam cuts in. “It’s been a year, already. She can’t still be thinking about Him, can she?”
No one ever says Jack’s name out loud in front of me, and I appreciate the effort they all make. Even though I’m not in the room right now, avoiding the J word has become old habit.
“I don’t think she sits around all day thinking about him,” Vix replies. “It’s just knowing she’s going to see him today that’s got her rattled. He destroyed her when he left, you all saw that. Now to have to face him... knowing he’s going to be married...”
I’ve heard quite enough. Aside from the fact that their commentary is only serving to make me feel worse, I’m not too proud of the fact that I’ve been spying on their conversation. The jig is up.
I cough as I enter the room, trying to give them all a one second advance notice of my arrival. When four sets of wide, overly-innocent eyes greet me, I call them out. “Okay. What’s going on?”
They all avert their guilty faces, but Tess fesses up. “Sorry. We were talking about you.”
“I’m sure I can guess why.”
Tess flops backwards on the bed, and as we all protest that she’s going to ruin her hair, she lets out with, “I can’t believe I let Ron talk me into inviting him! Who would have thought that swine would have actually said ‘yes’? And he’s bringing her with him!”
The girls stop dead, but I almost fall over. Tess sits bolt upright and bites her lip.
Sam is the first to speak. “What do you mean ‘he’s bringing her with him’? Not the girlfriend!”
Tess looks guilty as she snubs out her cigarette. “Okay, look. I didn’t say anything about it because I thought it was bad enough that he was going to be here today at all.” She aims a guilty look at me, then acknowledges Vix’s gaping jaw. “Vix, you’d better shut that trap before the flies move in.”
I can’t do anything but stand here and shake my head, trying to rattle her words into some sort of sense. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this!”
“I know, I know. It’s just that you were so upset when I even mentioned that he was coming, I couldn’t tell you the worst of it. But he clearly marked down ‘plus one’ next to his name on the response card. I couldn’t believe it either. The nerve, right? I meant to say something, but...” Tess trails off as we all try to absorb the newest bit of drama in an already complicated soap opera.
Vix slumps down onto the bed as she asks me, “You’re going to freak out right now, aren’t you.”
I want to curl up into a ball and die. As if it wasn’t bad enough having to face Jack today as it was, now I have to steel myself to face his fiancée, too?
I take a look at Tess who’s sitting on the edge of the bed, tensely wringing
her hands.
For crying out loud, it’s the girl’s wedding day.
With a deep breath, I grab her hands and say, “Look, Tess, it’s ridiculous for you to spend your wedding day worrying about me, so let’s just pretend you didn’t say anything, okay? Truth is, I’ll be fine. All I want is for your big day to go perfectly and as long as you’re happy, I’ll be happy, too. Can we please all just focus on the more important story playing out today?”
I meant what I said about the importance of Tess’s big day. I was lying when I said I’d be fine, though. I must have put on a convincing performance, however, because Tess shakes off the sour puss and snaps immediately back into Bride Mode. “You’re right. I’m getting married today! Come, maids. Hold my skirt so I can pee.”
As the girls head into the bathroom, I snuff out the incense before bringing up the rear. When I open the door, Vix, Isla, and Sam are all in there, laughing while trying to hold Tess’s crinoline out of the toilet. She’s practically buried within her underskirt. Her body is contorted in such an awkward stance and she’s surrounded by such an ocean of tulle that I can’t help but laugh, too.
“Oh, Jesus. Why the hell didn’t I do this before putting this stupid thing on? How are we gonna handle this when I’m wearing my gown?”
“I don’t know,” I shoot back. “But you’d better hurry it along, sister. Some of us are waiting to use the bathroom, too.”
Tess looks up and catches my eye. “Don’t tell me you need to go again.”
I thought I’d been holding up pretty well all morning. My only tell was the frequent trek to the bathroom. Guess she noticed.
“Yeah. But obviously, I’ll have to hold it until you’re done. Are you even in there or are the girls just holding a hundred yards of tulle over the toilet? All I see is a mountain of white.”
Vix snips, “Ballsy, no? Where does this slut get off wearing white?”
Tess’s arm emerges from the fluffy mass in an attempt to backhand Vix. She misses. After she gets situated near drier land, I help her smooth the garment back into place. She cranes her neck to look down at my feet.
“Hate to break it to you, girlfriend, but you’re wearing two different shoes.”
I had only found the one before I was forced to stop my search and terminate my eavesdropping. “I am aware of that, thank you. My heel broke clean off, can you believe that? Your dad sent Claude to go fix it. I didn’t want to get a run in my stockings, so I put this one on.”
Tess moves over to the huge wall mirror, vying for space with her bridesmaids. “Is Big L.A. still out there? How’s he holding up?”
I take the opportunity to utilize the vacant throne. “Seems okay, I guess. Definitely stressing.”
“Great. That’s all I need. Do you know he’s referred to me as his ‘little girl’ no less than seven hundred times today? The poor sap.”
“Aw, don’t be too hard on him. His ‘little girl’ is getting married today. Even my father has been emotional about it.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah. He can’t believe that ‘Theresa’s all grown up.’ He keeps getting misty-eyed whenever we talk about the wedding, right, Vix? My mother said she was going to make sure to pack extra Kleenex in her purse for the old man because she’s sure he’s gonna lose it during the ceremony.” I nudge my way to the sink, saying, “So make it good when you say your vows. Lots of emotion. Don’t leave a dry eye in the crowd.”
“Done.”
I head into the bedroom and call over my shoulder, “Speaking of the wedding, we’d better hurry up and finish getting ready. Wanna put your dress on?” I start to unwrap Tess’s gown from its plastic bag when there’s a knock on the bedroom door.
Tess lets out with a sigh. “Liv, can you go distract my dad for a few minutes? Tell him I’ll be out ASAP, just as soon as I’m dressed and can touch up my hair.”
I tell her I have it covered and slip out the door. Mr. Valletti hands me my shoe.
“Thanks, Mr. V!”
“Oh, don’t go thanking me. Claude is the one with the power tools.”
I move into the living room and peek out the suite’s door. Tess’s wedding coordinator is in the hallway, looking very proud of himself. I inspect the two flathead screws at the bottom of my insole and direct my approval to Claude. “Wow. Good work, MacGyver. Jeez. Like you both don’t have enough other things to do today.”
“It was my pleasure, Mademoiselle.”
I thank him again and he scurries off to attend to more pressing wedding matters.
Big L.A. assures me that he was grateful for the diversion. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but my nerves...” He holds out his hand and exaggerates a shake. He assumes his post again, sitting in the leather club chair while I slide the repaired shoe back onto my foot and attempt to finish my makeup.
“I just can’t believe my little girl is getting married.”
“Yep. She sure is. To a great guy.”
I’ve always thought Ron was a great guy, but over the past months he’s proven that he’ll be a great husband now, too.
Tess’s husband. Wow, that sounds weird.
Big L.A. interrupts my thought. “The photographer wants to get started. That guy you recommended better be good. He sure charges enough. Is Theresa ready yet?”
Why is it that the people with the most money are always the ones to complain about the cost of everything?
“Um... I think so. Let me go check.”
I head into the bedroom to find Vix helping Tess arrange her veil. She’s standing in front of a large wall mirror and catches my reflection as I walk in. When she turns around I am blown away at the sight of my best friend, looking more beautiful than I have ever seen her, which is saying a lot.
Tess hadn’t let any of us see her dress until today. She only let us peek at it as it hung in the suite this morning. From what I could make out, it looked lovely on the hangar, but on Tess? It is breathtakingly stunning.
I try to take it all in, the sight of her standing there like a page torn out of Vogue Bride. The gown has layers of cream fabric and tulle which drapes artfully from under the bustier bodice and elegantly to the floor. Her golden hair has been pulled off of her forehead with a crystal headpiece and the thick, round curls spill over her shoulders like a china doll’s. The accompanying veil is whisper-thin and flowing down her back, almost to her knees.
A more beautiful bride there never was.
I put my hand to my heart. “Oh, Tess. You put Wedding Barbie to shame. You look so gorgeous!”
I can feel the tears welling in my eyes and I catch Vix swiping at her cheek. Who knew we’d turn into such cornballs? But I allow the both of us a little sentimental sniveling. Our friend is getting married today.
Tess says, a little worriedly, “I’m going for ‘princess.’ Do you think this is princess enough?”
Vix replies, “Tess, honey, I’d say you’ve skipped right past ‘princess’ and are headed for ‘queen’.”
We all nod in agreement.
“Okay, good. Thanks.” She fans herself with her hand. “I’m all sweaty already. It’s hot in here, right?”
Sam offers, “It’s just your nerves. There’s a nice breeze blowing on the beach. You’ll be fine once we get out there.”
Tess gives us all a round of high-fives. “Alright, BMs. Let’s do this!”
CHAPTER 42
Sunday, May 26, 1996
3:26 PM
The Beach
Spring Lake
Sam was right about the breeze. I’m hoping it’s not windy enough to mess up my hair, but the other girls seem to be holding up well, so I take that as a good sign.
Despite the draft, my hands are clammy and I am mentally trying to keep my body from breaking out into a full-on, allover cold sweat as the string quartet breaks into “Canon in D.”
Zero-hour.
I peek over Vix’s head to watch Isla and Ron’s cousin start the procession. Then Sam and another cousin. Then Vi
x and Tommy. I throw a nervous smile over my shoulder and wish Tess good luck before I take Ron’s brother’s arm and head down the aisle.
I’m worried about tripping on the white aisle runner, wondering how in the world my heels aren’t going to sink into the sand on my route. But, thankfully, it turns out that there’s some sort of platform under the runner and now all I have to concern myself with is not snagging my shoe on the fabric or landing a foot between the seams of the plywood pieces.
That and not breaking my heel again.
Or passing out from my nerves.
Or throwing up.
Other than all that, I’m fine.
I plaster a convincing smile on my face and hold onto Kevin’s arm for dear life.
I don’t have the courage to look at the crowd on my right, even though I know Monty and Walter are sitting on the Groom’s side. I can’t chance seeing Jack right at the moment.
Instead, I smile brightly and cast my eyes over the guests seated on my left, recognizing and acknowledging some of Tess’s friends and relatives. My parents are seated in the third row and I can see the water works already underway on my father’s face. I give a little wave and then focus my eyes on a beaming Ronnie, standing on top of the world.
I separate from Kevin and take my place in the lineup.
Phew. Made it.
The processional music winds down and there’s a silent pause. Despite Tess’s threat to have the quartet play “Another One Bites the Dust,” they start in with “Here Comes the Bride,” and the entire crowd stands at attention to do a one-eighty toward Tess and her father.
If I’m going to look for Jack, now is the time to do it. I quickly scan the crowd and spot him instantly.
He’s the only one facing front.
Fuuuck!
My traitorous heart slams into my stomach as I immediately avert my eyes and proceed to concentrate on Tess coming down the aisle like a beauty queen… Ron’s elated expression… every single one of the priest’s words… the beautiful and tear-inducing exchange of vows… the thunderous applause from the audience… Kevin’s arm… the white runner… crossing the street. I don’t exhale until we reach the temporary haven of the reception hall.