18
18
SOMEONE OLD, SOMEONE BLUE
D espite my dread, Saturday, June 26, dawned bright and hopeful. It was a perfect 72 degrees, the thin cloud cover still hovering over Marin County predicted to burn off by noon. I wondered when my own gloomy cloud would burn away as I called for breakfast in my room: pancakes, turkey bacon, fresh-squeezed orange juice, coffee, the works.
“It’s just like a hotel,” observed Andrew, who was trying not to act impressed. This was old hat to Mikey now, but I remembered how thrilled he used to be about this type of thing.
I was both ducking out of seeing anybody and hording my brothers today. A cot was called in last night for Andrew. We’d had a full room: Andrew, Mikey, Shadow, me, my regret, my dread, my indecision. And Pete. A pang, sharper than any I’d had in a while, pierced my heart. I’d dreamt of him last night. A dream so vivid it felt real. I’d awoken to a wet pillow and a hollow feeling in my gut that I tried to fill with food. As I picked at my pancakes and listened to my brothers bicker good naturedly, I recalled my dream. We’d been standing on a beach at sunset, facing each other. Bare feet digging into the warm soft sand, rolling waves in the background in lieu of music. It was just the two of us. I was holding a fistful of wildflowers we’d picked along the way. No time-worn traditional vows. His soulful brown eyes were staring into mine, heartfelt words coming from his beautiful mouth. Only I couldn’t hear them, or touch him. Because he was standing behind a wall of glass.
Pete had felt so close lately. The right end of that telescope I was peering at my fiancé through. He was magnified in my mind. Every glorious detail enhanced. I could even see the wet glisten of his eyes and the individual hairs filling in the shape of his hairline. The feeling was so strong, I almost went to Dr. D with it. But we were on a head-nod only basis. Since our last spat-chat, she’d been directing my GAP training from afar. We tended our garden on alternate days, emails to communicate instructions. Still, she was on tonight’s guest list. And despite everything, I still wanted her there and still thought of her as a stand-in mother-of-the-bride (I apologize for the tasteless choice in words considering her circumstances.) Mother-in-law . . . I couldn’t even go there without breaking down.
After I awoke, I even picked up the phone to call my fiancé. To call off the charade. Our brother awakening with a loud whoop reminded me of why I was going through with this.
As if sensing my betrayal, Mikey cocked his head to the side. “Who’re you callin’?”
Maybe it was just my imagination or guilt, but I thought his voice sounded suspicious. “Room service,” I replied, right as a chime alerted me to a text. I read it aloud.
Big surprise headed your way, (very soon-to-be) Mrs. Nealson
I felt a sick twist in my gut. Mikey had the correct reaction. “Yay!” He threw his hands in the air. “This is the bestest day ever!” After this declaration, he jumped from his bed to mine and attacked me with a hug.
Today my littlest brother and I were on a whole different wavelength. Andrew and I were more in sync. He was less than thrilled by my marriage to Ranger. Not as forgiving and forgetting as young Mikey. The last impression he’d had of Ranger was a lasting one. Plus, he was Team Pete all the way. We had to be very careful when talking in my room, so after breakfast I was going to take him swimming at the Nat. Swimming pools were still an anomaly to Andrew, and I wanted to surprise him with a swimming lesson from Stewart—his wedding gift to me. Since he felt the same way about my upcoming nuptials as Andrew, they should get along swimmingly. (Ha-ha.)
As I packed my bag for the day, I hardly wondered what surprise my future husband (stomach lurch) had in store for me. Probably some kind of bling to compliment the ring. I snorted right as a rapid knock rattled the door. I knew Mikey would bound over, so I didn’t even bother until I heard a familiar high-pitched voice rise above Shadow’s sharp barks. My head shot up.
“Well, hi, y’all. Fancy seein’ you here!” the voice exclaimed, with just a little too much twang.
I huffed out some incredulous air. Freaking Ashley-Leigh? Like I didn’t have enough to deal with on my wedding day. I poked my head out of the closet to witness a pink track-suited Ashley-Leigh roll into my room, with her Chanel sunglasses still propped on her head shamelessly.
When she spied me, she let out a squeal. “OMG! Katie-Lee!” She threw her arms wide, and my eyes widened at how different she looked.
I snapped out of my shock to go in for an overly effusive, perfumed hug. “Oh my gosh! Ash, what are you doin’ here?” I hoped that didn’t sound as accusatory to her ears as it did to mine. Despite our spotty past, a part of me was kind of glad to see her.
“Whatdoya mean what am I doin’ here?” she gushed. “My best friend in the world is gettin’ hitched. Of course, I would show up!” She tossed up her arms as though she were my gift, which I guess she was. Ta-da!
Thanks, Ranger.
Leave it to Ashley-Leigh not to be bothered by trifles like me not calling, texting, emailing, messaging, or inviting her in any way, and then show up as though she were the main attraction.
“Wow” was all I could say.
“I know! It’s so excitin’! When your fiancé called me up yesterday morning to invite me, I just about d-i-e-d! He apologized that someone hadn’t contacted me sooner. Apparently, there was some kind of mix-up with the addresses or something.” She waved it away airily. “I couldn’t believe it! You must’ve been so sad when you didn’t hear back from me.” Exaggerated frowny face. “I almost couldn’t come because I was on location, ” she stage-whispered.
“Wow” was all I could say again. It seemed to be the correct thing.
“I know!” she burst out. “Can you believe I’m doing it?” She shrugged out of her jacket, revealing breasts that had shrunk two cup sizes. “I mean, it’s only bit parts here and there, but it’s gonna lead to bigger things. And I get to meet all the biggest actors!”
I nodded dumbly. Mikey and Andrew stood off to one side, taking in our new guest with the same amount of enthusiasm as me. I finally got it together enough to pull Mikey to me, some kind of shield against this blast-from-the-past.
“Mikey,” I said, “Do you remember Ashley-Leigh?”
He nodded his head, unsure. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Ashley-Leigh dramatically bent over to waggle his hand. “Silly, we’ve already met lots of times.” She turned to Andrew. “And you!” she gushed at the golden boy. “Those Wildcat girls had better look out. You’re gettin’ so big. And cute!” She actually reached out to ruffle Andrew’s surfer hair, but he stepped away. She giggled and returned her attention to Mikey.
“What happened to yower mouth?” he asked.
“Mikey . . .” What could I say? I’d been staring too. Her lips looked like someone had just socked her one. And every time she gushed, they were the only things that moved. Her forehead appeared to be frozen. And she was skinny in places where she used to be fat, and fat in places she used to be skinny.
She let out a brittle laugh and flipped her big blonde spirals. “Oh, he’s just talking about this lip venom stuff they give away in swag bags. All the celebrities use them.” She shrugged. “Thought I’d give it a try . . . it really works.” Toothy smile.
“Are you a movie star?” Mikey wondered.
Ashley let out a delighted giggle. “Actually, I’m an actress ,” she corrected. “And if you want, I can take a picture with you and I’ll even autograph it before I leave, if you get it printed on time. I’m due back on set right after the wedding.” She aimed her high beams at Mikey.
Mikey shuffled his feet and flashed his eyes at me. “Uh, okay.”
“Okay, then,” Ashley repeated brightly before rounding on me. “So . . . Katie.” She draped a tanned, well-toned arm around my shoulder. “Tell me all about your hunky fiancé. He sounds like a smooth talker.”
I cast my eyes to the camera. “Oh, he’s a smooth talker all right.”
She giggled like this was a euphemism for something else. “Ranger . . . is that his name or, like, what he does for a living?”
I had to smile at this. “It’s his name, actually.” I realized that’s about all I could, or wanted to say. “Hey, would you like some breakfast?”
She took in my half-eaten pancakes and made a face. “I do not do carbs, girl. Can’t believe you still do, especially since today is your big day !” she trilled, adding marquee hands. “I’m juicing right now . . . it’s all the craze in Hollywood.” She tossed her jacket onto my bed and pounced on it, beaming up at me. “So . . . married, huh?” She swung her gold sandal, showing off the logo and matching toes. “That’s so cute of you.”
The bit of nostalgia I was feeling wasn’t enough to overcome my frenemy’s infringement on my special day. I’d already had enough, but how to get rid of her gracefully? “Um, Ash, this is just the best surprise ever.”
She beamed her acknowledgement. “I know. When Ranger asked me if I’d like to be one of your maid of honors, I said I’d be honored.” She flashed a manicured hand to her heart.
“Wait. What?” I was pretty sure maid of honor wasn’t supposed to be plural.
“Well, because of the mix-up, and it being such late notice and all, Ranger said that any little black dress will do. And it just so happens that I nabbed one . . . from wardrobe ,” she announced as if she’d just pulled off a bank heist. She popped back up and began unzipping a garment bag hung over her shiny pink rolling bag.
I was speechless. Good thing Ashley-Leigh had a lot to say.
“Now I can be your maid of honor, just like we’d always planned!” She whirled around to hug me, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say she was trying to conjure some tears for the occasion.
“Ashley,” I began, working my lips over nervously, “That’s so sweet of you, but I already have a—”
Ashley thrust her little black dress (emphasize little ) in front of her whittled-down frame. “A size zero, just like you! Now we’re totally twinning!”
“I’m actually not a zero anymore; I’m a two,” I stated for no good reason I could think of.
Just when I didn’t think Ashley could glow any brighter. “Oh, well, that’s okay, Katie. You can do a cleanse for the rest of the day, try to lose those last couple of pounds,” she counseled before rummaging in her bag. “I think I have something that’ll do the trick.” She brandished a bottle of pills and shook them at me.
I waved them away. Mikey took that opportune time to tug on my sleeve. “Hey, Katie, aren’t we meetin’ Stewart at the—” He glanced up at Andrew, remembering himself.
“Yeah, you’re right, hon. You and Andrew go ahead and take Shadow to the kennel. I’ll catch up with y’all before the hour.”
Mikey beamed and shrugged into his backpack, and Andrew began collecting his things. They were just getting ready to walk out the door when my phone rang. No doubt my fiancé searching for a gushing thank-you and gratitude for his latest and greatest idea for our wedding. Ashley-Leigh began nosing around my room. She was just about to poke her pointy nail on my PAC, when I snatched it shut before the alarm could sound. She popped her lips open in surprise. The phone was still ringing, preempting an apology or excuse. I heaved a sigh and shot the camera another side-eye before snatching up my phone.
“Well, hello, Future-Mrs.-Nealson!” Ranger boomed.
“We’re not supposed to have contact today, remember.” In my periphery vision I could see Ashley-Leigh’s brows attempt to rise above the toxin. “It’s bad luck,” I finished, trying for a different tone. I gave her a weak smile through the awkward pause.
“That rule only applies if we see each other, not talk to each other,” he pointed out.
I eyed the camera, knowing he was watching how his little surprise went down. “Right.” Pause. “Um, thanks for bringin’ in Ashley-Leigh,” I supplied dully. “I was really surprised,” I added.
“Yeah, with all the changes going down, I figured you could use a little piece of home today.”
I eyed my two little pieces of home, who were tapping toes to get out the door. “Yeah, thanks.”
“Before the Connelly Clan runs off for the day, we need to talk a little wedding biz,” he said.
“Okay . . .”
“Well, now that your high school BFF has joined the wedding party, I need another groomsman,” he announced.
“Okay . . .” I rolled my eyes back, wondering who he was going to choose. I came up blank. Davies ?
“Actually, can you put me on speaker?”
“Okay . . .” I warily pressed the correct button. “You’re on speaker now.”
“Hey, Clovis Clan!” Ranger greeted, a little over enthusiastically if you asked me. “I was just telling the Katie-Kat that now that she has another bridesmaid, I’ll need to add a groomsman.”
Mikey jumped up and ran over to confiscate my phone. “I’ll do it, Wanger!” he screamed into the receiver, even though it was on speaker.
Ranger chuckled appreciatively, probably a little soothed by the affection of his number one fan. “Not you, Little Mac. You’ve already got a job . . . the most important one—ring bearer.”
Mikey glowed pink with pleasure. “I know! I can’t wait. And I pwomise I won’t lose the wings, okay. You’re not wowried about that are you, Wanger?” In his excitement Mikey’s speech therapy always failed.
Ranger laughed again. “Not at all, little man. I know you got this. But, since I’m down a man, I was wondering . . .”—big throat clear—“if your big brother would like to step up?”
My heart dropped. Oh shoot . Our eyes met. Andrew looked like he’d rather put his neck back in that noose. I nodded my encouragement, knowing there was really no other option here. Andrew plodded forward, eyes pleading with me to do something to prevent this from happening. If only.
Ashley-Leigh thought of something to sway the stakes in Ranger’s favor. “That means you get to walk me down the aisle, lucky you.” As soon as she said it, she began to rethink that option. “Wait, I’m your maid of honor, right? So that means I’m walking with the best man.” She turned to me for confirmation.
“I . . .” Andrew and I exchanged glances again.
Ranger butted in. “I’ll let you gal pals decide all that. And if you change your mind about the spa, just let me know and I’ll set it up. Andrew, you’ve got to get fitted for your tux before five.”
Andrew glanced up from where he was bent over, rabidly petting Shadow.
A hard beat later. “Andrew, confirm that.”
Andrew looked at me, and I nodded again. “Uh, okay,” he said. Pause to swallow. “Sir.”
Ranger chuckled, back to jovial now that there was no hitch in his plans. “You can cut the sir for today, pal. You’re one of my groomsmen. I guess that’s it until tonight then. You crazy kids have a great day!”
“Um, okay. Thanks.” I hung up on his “Can’t w—”