by Emily Camp
“Mindy, it’s time to go.” Parker headed for her.
Mindy flinched away from him, slapping Bree in the arm with her sudden movement. Bree winced and grabbed her stinging injury.
“Are you okay?” Mindy gasped, then turned toward Parker, “Now look what you made me do.”
“Mindy, let’s go find you some coffee before the ceremony starts. My mom might have some made …” Garrett started toward her.
“Your mom,” Mindy slurred and swayed. “She’s super mom, aint she? Not happy enough with the kids she’s got, she’s gotta steal mine, too. Where is she anyway? I got a few words to say to her.”
Parker stood with his shoulders wide as if he was trying to make himself more intimidating.
This was the reason why Bree didn’t want to invite her. She hoped that she really had changed for good, but it was all an act.
“God, I feel old.” Mindy slapped the fallen hair out of her face. “My baby’s getting married.” She swayed again, this time almost falling over the chair beside her.
“Yeah, let’s get you sobered up so you can remember it,” Carly said, trying to link her arm through Mindy’s.
“I almost got married once.” She turned her glossy eyes toward Parker. “To your daddy, did you know that? We were gonna get married and he …” She waved a hand in the air and hiccupped. “Yeah, he died. Too many drugs. Did I ever tell you don’t do drugs?” she was in Parker’s face now.
“Mindy,” Garrett said, as commotion started behind him; first Randy, then Maggie and Isaac. Bree prayed nobody else would witness this.
“All right, all right, I’m going.” She held her hands up in surrender. Then just as Bree started to allow herself to breathe, watching Mindy walk away with Garrett and Carly, Mindy turned toward Bree. She opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but instead convulsed, drenching the beautiful white dress in caramel colored vomit. Bree’s front grew warm and wet. Bree flung her arms out like that was going to keep it from hitting her.
“Oh no, my bad.” Mindy started to wipe her mess off with the palms of her hands, only smearing it in.
Bree didn’t know what to do. She stood there in shock, her arms extended and hands splayed to not get any on her skin as Garrett and Parker tried to pull Mindy away from her.
Mindy jerked away from them. “Let me be. I’m going to help my baby. We’ll make you pretty again.” She touched the side of Bree’s face with her slimy hand.
Bree pressed her lips together, swallowing the bile rising in her throat. The room smelled like a mixture of disinfectant and vomit. Not exactly how she envisioned her wedding day.
Everyone surrounded her, but she just wanted to disappear. Garrett pushed Mindy aside as he came toward Bree with a box of tissues as if that would take the stain out of the dress.
“It’ll be okay,” Mindy said, “It’ll be okay.” With the repeat, her voice began to crack and she shook her head.
Bree barely heard the commotion as Carly and Parker discussed going to the bathroom and wetting paper towels.
“I made a mess of everything,” Mindy wailed as she plummeted to the floor.
“Bree, it’s going to be okay,” Garrett whispered, now wiping the front of her with a tissue. For what it was worth, she pulled one out of the box herself, even though she knew tissues were not going to be enough to fix this mess. That’s like what her entire life had been like. An impossible mess trying to be cleaned with a crumbling tissue. She wiped the slime off the side of her face.
“Mom,” Maggie knelt down on the floor next to Mindy, who was still sobbing.
“I would have had a husband and kept my kids if … he hadn’t …” Mindy’s voice was muffled. Bree’s stomach churned now for an entire different reason. Could that have been her one day, without Garrett?
Soon, Randy appeared with a mop and a bucket. Bree hadn’t even realized he left the room. Robin shuffled in behind him, heading right toward Bree. Parker and Carly were back with handfuls of soggy brown paper towels. Carly’s brother Hudson was with them as well as a couple of other guys from Garrett’s team.
Bree shook her head. “It’s not going to work.”
Robin set an arm carefully around Bree’s shoulders. “Let’s get you to the restroom and see what we can do there.”
Throw up myself, Bree thought.
“I’m sorry, Breanna.” Her mom called behind her.
She heard Parker’s low, scratchy voice respond, but couldn’t hear what he said.
Though as Robin talked calmly and helped her out of her dress without getting any bile on her, she couldn’t help but think maybe this was a sign? Should she and Garrett even be married, after all?
Chapter 30
Garrett knocked on the door to the restroom, his heart in his throat. He hoped Bree was all right. Guests had begun to file in, but he let his dad, Parker, and Declan take care of entertaining. Carly cracked the door and peeked her head out.
“How is she?”
“Okay, if she doesn’t mind getting married in ripped jeans and your football tee shirt.”
He tried to stretch his neck out to see beyond her, but she had the door pressed tight against her cheek.
“This is the women’s restroom, perv,” Carly gave a small smirk when he huffed.
“There’s only one woman I want to see.”
Carly raised her eyebrow. “Good answer, but you know what seeing your bride on the wedding day did. I tried to tell you it was bad luck.”
“I don’t believe in luck.” He stood on his toes, again trying to see past Carly. “I need to talk to her.”
“Carly, it’s okay.” Bree’s hoarse voice worried him even more.
Carly opened the door wider and Garrett slid in, “Direct anyone who needs to go to the restroom in the back.”
“Got it.” The curls on Carly’s head didn’t budge when she nodded then closed the door behind her.
The room smelled much better than the little one he’d just come from, where he tried to help his dad, Hudson, Ezra and Carly clean up Mindy’s mess. They insisted he find Bree and talk to her. Maybe he was more to the team than what he thought. All this time he spent feeling like an outsider, now he’d really be one. He tried not to think about what it would mean when he quit.
Bree sat on a small bench with a decorative cushion, directly across from the large mirror and two sinks. Why didn’t they have a bench in the men’s room? That wasn’t fair. Her arms were crossed and she was nibbling her bottom lip when she looked up at him. He couldn’t deny he wouldn’t be disappointed in marrying her in his tee shirt that said his name across the back, but he figured that might be a sore subject, considering what he’d kept from her.
When he sat beside her, he slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him.
“This day is horrible,” she sighed and leaned her cheek against his shoulder.
“It’s okay.” He knew the words weren’t what she wanted to hear, but he didn’t know what else to say. He stared at her in the mirror across from them.
She made eye contact and he skimmed his hand up and down her arm. “This should have been the happiest day of our lives.”
“Hey, as long as we get to the alter, it will be for me.”
Bree let out a small laugh, that he could tell was fake. Then her smile turned serious, “She showed up trashed to my kindergarten graduation.”
With his eyes still focused on her in the mirror, he kissed her forehead.
“I remember being so excited when she showed up. I kept asking my dad if I got to go home with her. That’s when I was living with my dad and he was fighting for permanent custody. It wasn’t her that I wanted to see, though, I wanted to see Maggie and Parker. I was bummed when she didn’t have them; of course, I didn’t know that Parker was in school himself at that moment, or that he was over an hour away and it’d be years until I’d see him again.” She sighed and looked down at her hands. He was glad Parker was here for her now. “It was in the
middle of the alphabet song when I watched her being escorted out by my principal. I stopped just after the N and left the line to run after her, tears streaming down my cheeks. I didn’t want her to leave without me. I didn’t understand that she’d been loud and disruptive and smelled like beer. I just wanted to go play with my brother and sister.”
“Your mom has a problem, and it has nothing to do with you,” he whispered as she lifted a hand to her eye.
“I know, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt me.” She took in a deep breath, “Sometimes I wish she would just disappear, you know?”
Garrett really didn’t know; though he’d been mad at his own mom numerous times thinking she ruined his life grounding him or not letting him do certain things he wanted to do, she never humiliated him. “If she wants help, though, she couldn’t be in a better place for that.” He motioned toward the bathroom door. “My mom and dad and Pastor Jack will get her that.”
“Does she want help, though? She keeps saying she’s getting better, but every time she just turns around and does it again.”
“I don’t understand it, either, Bree, but addicts need more than just saying they’re going to quit. I do know that much. If she’s truly serious, my mom will find her a good rehab center.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, she doesn’t like your mom much.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, my mom doesn’t care about that.”
Bree didn’t say anything, but lifted her head and met his eyes in the mirror. “What are we going to do now? I can’t get married in this?” She looked down at her shirt and jeans.
“Why not?”
She shrugged. “Miley offered to go get her dress, but I’m sure it won’t fit around the stomach.”
“I don’t care what you wear.” He glanced up at the clock on the wall, again, why didn’t the men’s restroom have a clock? “We have about an hour before it starts. I’ll be right back.”
He stood and Bree looked up at him, “What are you doing?”
“I’ll be back,” he winked, then slipped out the door.
***
Bree didn’t know what to think, back in the little room her mom made a mess in. It now smelled like pine cleaner and flowery air freshener.
She hated sitting here in the jeans and tee shirt she came to the church in. She wished she would have at least worn something a little bit nicer. And where did everyone else go, anyway? She bounced her knee as she waited, alone, watching the time ticking by. It had crossed her mind to postpone this event, but how much longer should they put it off? Would it even happen if she did?
A knock on the door was a wonderful welcome. “Come in.”
Please, she thought, because sitting alone in her own mind after everything that happened was not what she needed. She wished she was thinking about her soon-to-be husband, their babies and their future together, but the sting from her mother’s presence was too fresh.
The door crept open and, one after one, her friends and family filed in, all wearing tee shirts and jeans. Parker, Carly, Maggie, Isaac, Bryson, who looked more than happy to be in comfortable clothes now, and, finally, Garrett. Garrett held Bailey on his hip. She, though, was still in her dress.
“Bailey wouldn’t change,” he dipped his head toward her.
“Bailey pwincess, Mommy.”
Bree laughed through the tears in her eyes, as she popped up to her feet. She flung her arms around Garrett’s shoulders, squeezing Bailey between them. Bailey giggle. “You’re the best,” Bree whispered.
“I know,” he pressed his lips against hers.
“Hey, now, save that till after the wedding would you?” Parker nudged Garrett.
Bree pulled away and looked at everyone behind her. “This wasn’t exactly what I thought my wedding would be like.”
“It’s a casual themed wedding,” Carly said, threading her arm through Bree’s and handing her the flowers that now looked kind of weird with her jeans and tee shirt.
“Thanks.”
“Zeke, Garrett, Bryson, times getting close, you three head on out of here.” Carly clapped her hands together, “let’s get this party started.”
Epilogue
Three months later.
It was a cold winter day, Bree stood at the rehab center entrance with a promise that her mom truly had changed this time. She entered with her brothers and sister by her side.
It’d been a hopeful three months. Maggie and Bryson were, once again, staying with Parker, though this time, when Mindy got out, they hoped she was finally clean and would be the mother they’d always needed.
Mindy was waiting in the foyer with her bags by her feet the minute they stepped inside. Her face brightened at the sight of them. For the first time in the last few months, Bree felt like her mom was proud of her. When they’d visit with her, she’d brag to the staff and others they were her kids, all four of them, not just Maggie and Bryson.
Bree had to admit that she never thought she’d see the day Parker accepted Mindy, but there were several visits where she told them all about Parker’s dad and her. Her first and only love, outside of her kids, of course.
Bryson shouted at the sight of his mom and ran right into her open arms. Maggie wasn’t far behind, though she tried her best to stay cool. At that point, Bree’s walk was becoming a waddle, especially bundled up in a thick winter coat. Parker stayed behind with her, holding her by the elbow like she was crippled or something, but they made it to the hug.
Mindy’s eyes leaked tears of joy, “I get to go home.”
Though right now she didn’t technically have her own place, she would stay with Parker until she got a job and was stable.
When the reunion was over, they each grabbed a bag off the ground.
“Where’s Garrett?” Mindy asked, as they broke away from the hug.
“He’s working, but he said to give you a congratulations from him,” Bree said rubbing her belly. Now that he wasn’t playing ball, he enrolled in the work study program to help finish his way through college. He was working for the football team, who to his surprise, took him quitting well. He’d told Bree he was even surprised when the coach he thought didn’t like him was disappointed, but understood. He was the one who offered Garrett the job.
“How’s the baby?” Mindy nodded toward her belly.
“We found out it’s a girl last week,” Bree said, as Parker took the bag she tried to carry from her. It was light, it wasn’t like she was straining herself.
“Oh no,” Mindy sighed and Bree’s gut twisted at the thought of her saying something negative. “That’s the same age difference as you and Red,” she nodded toward Maggie.
Bree thought the same thing herself, of course. She worried about how much Maggie and her fought, but they also loved one another and were there for each other.
“In my experience, girls are harder to raise, but you have Garrett,” Mindy said, as they pushed out of the front doors.
Parker’s Jeep beeped from the front row of the parking lot.
“I call shot gun.” Bryson sprinted toward the Jeep.
“Whoa, there, I don’t think so,” Mindy laughed.
It was weird seeing her in a good mood without being sloppy drunk, but it was a nice weird.
“Red and I’ll have to plan a baby shower, since I didn’t even go to the last one. Now that I’m sober, I can be a good grandma.”
For the first time in years, Bree believed her mom.
****
“Honey, I’m home!” Garrett loved being able to say that, and he did every time he stepped into the apartment. It wasn’t much, but it was a home for now. As long as he’d waited to be married to her, he didn’t mind being so close to her now. There were only two small bedrooms, an even smaller bathroom and one more room that served as both the kitchen and living area.
Bree walked out from the hall, her belly poking out. “Shhh, Bailey just fell asleep.”
Garrett tossed the mail and his keys on the kitchen counter
and waggled his eyebrows at Bree.
“I’m exhausted and starving,” she sighed. When she finally made it to him, she greeted him with a hug, pressing her face against his chest. He looked forward to coming home to this every day.
He kissed the top of her head and said, “What do you want to eat?”
She lifted her face toward him, resting her chin on his chest. “Burgers? Or Pizza, or Chinese?”
Garrett laughed, rubbing her back. He was hungry too, but as far as he was concerned they could stay like this all night. “That’s a broad appetite you have tonight.”
She bit her bottom lip and when she did, her nose wrinkled. “I know.”
Garrett felt a nudge from her stomach. “Whoa.” Then another.
Bree giggled and moved away from him. “You’re invading her space.”
It was the first time he got to feel the baby move. Since they were in high school and living in different houses when she was pregnant with Bailey, he remembered only feeling her a couple of times. “Maybe she’s hungry, too.”
Bree smiled and glanced down at her stomach as she ran her hand down it. “She can’t decide what she wants either.”
“We’ll just order everything then.” Garrett opened the drawer they kept the menus in.
“What?” Bree belted out a laugh. “I know I’m eating for two and all, but I can’t eat that much.”
“Have a little of each.”
Bree shook her head and eased onto the sofa that took up the majority of the living room. “Gare.”
But he didn’t listen. One by one, he called three different places, ordering exactly what she would at each. After he had that taken care of, he sat beside her on the couch and pulled an arm around her. “How’d it go with your mom?”
“Good we got her all moved into Parker’s place. Bryson was bouncing off the walls to have her and Parker both in the same house.”
Garrett loved the smile that beamed across her face. He loved seeing her happy and hoped always see it there.
“How was work?” She asked.