by Michelle Day
She sat with a plop on the cushioned seat of the telephone stand in the hallway when she read the words on the card. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She did know that she was having trouble catching her breath. The rumours she had heard had just come true. The invitation was for her plus one. There was no way her husband would attend with her. She didn’t want to go. She considered sending an apology and making up some excuse but knew she couldn’t. She had to see this with her own eyes and maybe then she would get some closure.
Before she could change her mind, she R.S.V.P.’d the invite, slipping her feet into her heels as she sealed the envelope. This must have been on the cards for a long time as the date was only three weeks from now. Suzanne picked up her hand bag and headed out of the house to do what she did best, shop for a new outfit for what would surely be the event of the decade.
Eve’s smile was wide and genuine when she and Paul were snapped in all the top end restaurants with the current “In” crowd. She’d had to jab him in the ribs a fair few times to jog the surly expression from his face as she flashed her engagement ring.
So far, they had clashed about everything. Paul knew she had him over a barrel but it didn’t mean he was going to make things easy for her and she had underestimated just how belligerent and stubborn he could be.
They told Monica of their impending nuptials over lunch. Eve was hugged and warmly welcomed to the family but Monica couldn’t fail to notice her sons less than enthusiastic response to her congratulations. She waited for an opportunity to speak to him and fortunately, socialite Eve, presented her with one.
“Darling, you don’t seem very happy.” She stroked his arm, her eyes boring into his.
He hated this. He had made a promise never to lie to his mother and so far had been able to keep it. Today he was going to lie his perfect arse off. “I’m ok Mum. Wedding prep, Eve getting touchy about absolutely everything and house hunting all at the same time is a major ball ache. I’ll be glad when it’s all over.”
“The timing is horrible. The day after your birthday? Can’t you re-arrange it?”
“Trust me, I’ve tried.” He shook his head. “The date is set. My suit is being made, she has her dress, it’s all systems go.”
“Are you happy?”
And now for the biggest lie of all. “Yes, I’m happy.”
Lying next to his now fiancé later that night, sleep once again hard to come by, he found himself racking his brains for a way out of this without screwing up the more than lucrative council contract that would be ongoing for many years to come. So far, he had come up with nothing short of hiring a hit man and even he wasn’t that much of a bastard.
Eve stirred next to him, he’d barely glanced at her since she had announced her intentions. He didn’t think he had ever argued with anyone as much as he had with her over the past few weeks. She sat up and turned to face him. Dread filled him as she spoke.
“I want you to wear a wedding ring.” She announced.
Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he pushed his fingers through his hair as he stood and turned to face her. “No.” he stated.
She huffed out a sarcastic laugh, “Oh I think you will.”
He shook his head. “The whole fucking world is going to know I’m married. I have exactly zero incentive to wear a wedding ring for someone who is blackmailing me in to marriage so dream on honey. Not happening.”
“If I buy it, you will wear it.”
“If you buy it? What? With my money? Get it into your head. I am not wearing a wedding ring. Next subject, your whineyness.” He bowed.
She scrambled out of bed. “Fine, as you seem to want to go at it again. That tattoo. I want you to get it removed.”
Running his hand over his new ink, he really should get it finished. “No. If anything, it needs completing, not removing. Be content with the fact that you get my name. I won’t be making any changes to me just to satisfy a whim of yours.” He walked towards the door. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”
He made sure to be up and dressed by the time his Uncle surfaced the following morning. It wasn’t worth piquing the older man’s interest by lazing about on the couch in his underwear. It would lead to questions he didn’t want to answer.
Twenty-one today, he thought, married man tomorrow, huh, not a whole lot to celebrate there. He was driving towards a small bistro to meet his mother and brother, he’d left early to avoid another argument and he would need to collect his suit before returning home. He found a parking space between the bistro and the tailors, turned off the engine and just sat for a few moments. It was now or never. His relationship with Carmen had become even more strained since he’d told her of his upcoming marriage. He couldn’t blame her. He should have bitten the bullet years ago and married her instead.
She answered on the first ring and sounded genuine as she wished him happy birthday and good luck for tomorrow. Paul found himself apologising to her, trying to explain his actions but she soothed his worries and for that he was grateful. She got off the phone pretty quickly though and he could swear he heard a break in her voice as she called to Gavin to come and wish Daddy happy birthday. She didn’t take the phone back from her son, she allowed him to say goodbye and hang up leaving Paul a little melancholy for something that could have been.
He heard the cough of his old Escort Mexico driving by and climbed from his own, far more sophisticated vehicle to meet up with Monica and Matt as they waited outside the Bistro. With drinks served and starters ordered. Monica wished her sons Happy Birthday with the requisite gushing and hugs of a mother coming to terms with her youngest children entering bonafide manhood. Delving into her Mary Poppins sized bag that held a myriad of just about everything and quite possibly the kitchen sink, she produced two what appeared to be identical boxes. After the sufficient amount of scrutiny, she nodded, smiled and slid the boxes across the table, one in front of each son.
“You know what they are but I didn’t want to just give you something without any thought as its part of your birth right. I think I got it right but feel free to tell me if you don’t like it and I will let you pick out something more to your taste.” She told them.
Glancing from his brother to the box in front of him, Paul smiled. Yes he knew what was inside before opening it but he was keen to see what Monica had picked out for him.
Peeling the decorative ribbon and bow away, he opened the box and looked again to Matt. His brother was smiling broadly and reverently stroking the item in the box. Looking down, he felt his face crack into a smile that mirrored that of his brother. He was looking at a watch. A Rolex Daytona Cosmograph in Rose Gold with a black face.
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” Matt’s voice cut through his thoughts of his mother had nailed it once again.
Nodding, Paul grinned at his brother, “Three, two, one” they both spun their boxes around, both reverting to their childhood cry of “Whopah” upon the reveal.
Matt’s watch was the same model as Paul’s but his was white gold with a white face. Each time piece reflecting each man’s colouring and personality with precision.
Matt nodded his approval “Niiice bro.”
“Yeah, likewise.” Paul dragged the watch, kicking and screaming from the box to examine it more closely. The back was engraved “On your 21st. Love Mum x” Smiling still, he removed his old watch with the worn leather strap and snapped the heavier, classier Rolex in place, holding out his arm to admire it and seeing Matt mirror his actions.
“What do you reckon Matt? Two pronged attack?” He asked as he inclined his head in his Mother’s direction. Matt nodded as they began to rise. Both enveloping their Mother in a bear hug at the same time.
Patting her hair back in to place, Monica tried hard to scowl at her son’s public display of affection but it was mighty difficult to scowl when she was smiling so hard. She enjoyed her time with her son’s, something that didn’t happen enough in her opinion.
She decide
d to accompany them for the final fitting of their suits for tomorrows wedding. The staff at the tailors making a huge fuss of the mother of the groom, making sure she had a comfortable seat and a drink while she waited. Her son’s took her breath away when they came out of the changing rooms. They were each beautiful in their own way.
Matt fiddled with the collar of his tailed jacket as Paul stood silently while the master tailor smoothed his jacket across his shoulders and checked the fit. Watching his brother in the mirror, Matt saw the tension in Paul’s shoulders and noticed his lips were drawn into a tight line as he waited for the tailor to finish fussing.
“Damn we look good.” He spoke, drawing his brother’s gaze.
Paul nodded and shrugged off the tailor, enough was enough. “Yeah we do.” He shot Matt a grin then caught sight of Monica struggling to contain her tears behind them. “Mum?” He asked, moving towards her and crouching in front of her chair.
Monica reached out and stroked his face, smiling. “You both look incredible. I can’t believe my baby is getting married.”
Paul leaned in and kissed her cheek before standing and going back to the bank of mirrors, muttering “I’m having trouble with that myself.”
“You ok?” Sidling closer, Matt kept his voice low.
“Yeah. Just nerves, you know?” Paul answered but he didn’t meet his brother’s gaze.
“Bullshit.” Matt whispered but he didn’t push the point further. He cleared his throat, did a little dance. “I am going to be breaking hearts tomorrow.” He laughed.
Paul slipped the jacket from his shoulders, laughing at his brother has he walked towards the changing room. “Yeah well me being off the market is going to break a few hearts too. I mean, have you seen me?” He asked, laughter in his voice. “I’m fucking perfect bro, I will be missed on the party scene.”
“You’ll be missed when you actually stop partying.” Matt quipped.
“Which will be never.” Paul answered.
Matt peered around the changing room, checking they were alone. “Ok. What the hell is going on with you?”
“I told you. Nerves.”
“And I told you bullshit.”
Paul sighed and dragged a hand through his hair, he still had to get it cut before the end of the day. “I can’t tell you Matt. All will become clear very soon.”
Matt scowled as he continued to undress. “You don’t want to do this do you?”
Paul shook his head. No. “I don’t have a choice right now. I’ll tell you but not now.”
“Paul…..,”
“Don’t.” Paul held up a hand to silence his brother. “I know what I’m doing. I’ll be ok and it will get sorted.”
Matt sighed “Ok. I’m going to take Mum home. I’ll see you bright and early.”
“Yeah, oh and Matt?” Paul waited for him to turn back. “Happy birthday.”
Matt wrapped his arms around Paul. “Happy birthday Paul.”
Leaving the tailors, two suits in his hands, he carefully put them in his car and pondered his next move. Hair cut or…….? Grinning to himself, he did a swift U-Turn and drove in the opposite direction from his barber, he’d whack some product in his hair and make it look fashionably tousled. His afternoon was filled with laughter and pain but it was a welcome distraction to what awaited him the following day.
Chapter Thirty
She spotted him as soon as she stepped out of her car. Hands in his pockets, rocking from his heels to his toes as he stood on the top step of the church, an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips, hair being ruffled by the breeze.
He stopped rocking as she approached, his eyes never leaving hers. He stepped back, giving her space to join him on the step. She slipped her hands beneath his jacket and around his waist, pressing her cheek to his chest, listening to the hammering of his heart as she held him and was held in return.
Paul released her while he was still able to do so and turned to lean on the handrail, looking over his shoulder at her as she leant back against the same handrail and regarded him.
“You look edible.” She smiled.
He barked out a laugh. “I’m surprised you came.”
“I’m hardly likely to miss the wedding of the decade now am I?” She scoffed. “Are you actually going to smoke that?”
“That’ll depend on whether or not you have a light.” He took the lighter she produced from her bag and took a deep drag as he handed it back to her. “Ahhhh, can’t tell you how much I need this.”
“Nervous?” She asked.
“Second thoughts.” He confirmed.
She nodded to the car park. “My car is just there.” She offered.
“I wish it was that easy.” He shook his head. “But at least I don’t have a poufy dress to try and squeeze in to it huh?”
Not beating around the proverbial bush at all, she asked. “So what’s the deal with you and the society hottie?”
“You know me far too well. It’s unnerving at times. I have a mega contract that I need to keep. I signed a clause to prevent me from creating any sort of scandal or negative press and everyone knows how well I do scandal. She has something on me that could negate that contract. It’ll cost me millions to lose it so here we are. Wedding day.”
“She has something on you? She really didn’t strike me as being all that bright when I met her so it’s something personal. Hmmm.” She tapped her lips in thought, drawing his gaze. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. “You knocked her up didn’t you?”
Pushing off from the handrail and dragging his fingers through his already messy hair, he nodded and shrugged before offering his arm to her as he turned into the church. “Yeah. I did it again.”
“Even I can’t get you out of this one lover.” She patted his arm.
His hand closed over hers where it rested on his arm. “I got myself in to this, I’ll get myself out of it. A few years, a quiet divorce, it’ll all be cool.”
“Only you would be planning your divorce on your wedding day.” She shook her head.
“How is married life by the way?” He asked, turning the subject to her.
“Boring. He’s old school in the women shouldn’t work department so I sit at home all day looking pretty. I have a few private customers who he thinks are close friends of mine so I maintain my own money but for the most part I am so freaking bored.”
He stopped by a pew and guided her in to it. “Looks like we both excel at making lousy decisions.” He said as he stepped back. “Save a dance for me Suzie.”
Matt was fiddling with something in his pocket as Paul stepped up beside him and gave him a quizzical look. Matt rolled his eyes at the suggestion of anything inappropriate and pulled his hand from his pocket to reveal two plain gold bands. His eyebrows shot up as Paul snatched the larger band away and pocketed it. “I told her I wouldn’t wear a ring.” He said. “Back me up on this and say you lost it ok?”
“Yeah. Of course. Sorry, I didn’t know. She didn’t say.” He paused. “Do you want a mint?” He asked, pulling a battered packet from his other pocket. Paul shook his head “Dude, you stink of cigarettes.” He whispered as the wedding march began to play.
Paul grinned. “I know. No-one said I had to make this easy.”
Eve didn’t react to just the one ring being produced. She had banked on Matt being blissfully unaware of his brothers abject refusal and hoped upon hope that when presented with a ring at the alter Paul would go with the flow and allow her to slip it onto his finger.
She had underestimated the relationship between the siblings and in retrospect, as Paul moved in to kiss his new wife and she caught the smell and taste of cigarettes, she realised she should have known better. Presented with a ring in front of a church full of people, Paul was more than capable of making a scene and he wouldn’t suffer a guilty conscience about doing it either.
Paul reached out and grabbed Matt by the shirt front as they moved to a side room for the signing of the register. If Eve was going to kick o
ff, he wasn’t going to take it alone.
Straightening his shirt as the door closed behind them, Matt looked up to see Eve’s parents glaring at Paul and his mother looking rather tense.
Eve turned on him the second she saw him look in her direction. “I gave you two rings.” She hissed.
Matt shrugged. “Looks like I misplaced one of them.”
“Some best man you turned out to be.” She sniped.
Matt laughed, “That’s rich. You should have told me he didn’t want to wear a ring, I wouldn’t have had to lose it then now would I? I owe you nothing. My loyalty will always be with him. I don’t know what the hell you have on him to make him go through with this but I will always have his back, don’t forget that.” He snarled.
“Matthew!” Monica gasped. “I raised you with far more manners than you are currently displaying.”
“It’s ok Mum. It’s not undeserved.” Paul spoke.
“And you!” Eve shrieked. “You reek of tobacco and you were supposed to get a haircut.”
Paul grinned, messed his hair up further and shoved his hands in his pockets. “You wanted me. You got me in all my glory. I didn’t feel like spending my birthday doing as I was told so I did what I wanted instead. If you think from here on in it’s going to be an easy ride. Think again.”
“What on earth is going on here?” Monica asked.
Niles stepped forward, too close to Monica for either brother to stand. Matt bristled and moved to his Mother’s side, Paul put a hand out and stopped the advance of his new father in law.
“Your irresponsible son got my daughter pregnant then refused to have anything further to do with her.”
“That last part is not true.” Paul murmured.
“He forced her hand, she nearly had to go public with the knowledge which I understand would have been quite costly for him.”