Chapter 7 The Deal is Done #6
“Thank you. And she really does beautiful work. Midas’ cousin is getting married next month and she pulled together ideas that I’ve never seen before.
She’s incorporating his Persian heritage with his mother’s Creole background so beautifully.
So I think she could do a great job with the two of you.
” Nev was looking excited and I couldn’t understand why she hadn’t had a wedding of her own.
Midas told her she could have whatever she wanted but she didn’t bother.
Of course she kept getting pregnant so that probably had something to do with it.
“Well, let me know how that goes and take photos.”
“You’ll be there so I won’t need to.”
I couldn’t have heard her right and put down my wine bottle thinking I’d had too much to drink and wasn’t lucid. “Nev, you can’t just invite me to someone else’s wedding.”
“I’m sure that you’ll be getting an invitation soon. This will be the first time that people are getting a chance to look at her so I guarantee they’re going to be more than interested to see who Ori is going to be with.”
“I’m not a spectacle. A bloody mare for inspection. Christ, this sounds like something I’m going to be sick for.”
“Won’t matter. I’m sure they’ll have some magic cure that will heal you.
Ask him. He’ll tell you that when the family gathers you’re expected to come.
Birth and death are the only excuses and they have an on-call OBGYN so that first one is shaky.
” She shrugged, my attendance was seemingly a foregone conclusion.
“You must be joking.”
“Ask your fiancé the next time you see him. Frankly, I can’t wait to see how the two of you interact.” The smug look on her face was grating on my nerves and souring the wine in my stomach.
Sasha’s lips were in a pout as she folded her arms over her chest. “How is it fair that you get a front-row seat but I’m relegated to the sidelines?”
“I mean… you could always marry in. Then you’d be right there with us. Tee would too if she gave Omega a chance.”
“Hard pass. You forget I do the psych evals on everyone in the company. He passed with flying colors.” Teegan shuddered and she had good cause.
My eyes bugged out at her words because that was a giant red flag.
“Why does Asha look worried? Why is everyone alarmed?” Sasha was staring at the screen in mild panic and Teegan wasn’t saying anything.
“Acing something like that is what you see from psychopaths, sociopaths or others that would be considered on the fringes of society. It’s the reddest of red flags.”
“And this is who you’re setting Teegan up with!” Sasha was sitting up and the look of mortification on her face made me think she was going to book a jet to rescue Teegan.
Nev waved her off as if her reaction wasn’t warranted. “You act like it’s a bad thing. As long as it’s not directed toward her—”
Sasha looked distraught and her gaze was trained on me yet again. “Christ, Asha, she’s normalizing madness. Maybe you should rethink this.”
“Too late! She’s agreed!” Nev clapped her hands thrilled I was trapped in all of this with her.
“Besides, it’s not as though we aren’t all a little mad.”
“That much we can’t deny.” The line went quiet with Teegan’s words as we all reflected on the things we had done or endured.
“It won’t be so bad, Asha. I’ll find out whatever I can from Midas because I’ll cry if he tries to deny me.”
Teegan shook her head empathetically. “Don’t even have a positive test yet and you’re using it against that man.”
“Damn right. He enjoys the trying as much as I do but only I have to worry about the results. Sasha, if she were in a bad spot I’d say something but maybe this is what she needs.”
“She is on the phone by the way.” The three of them ignored my sarcasm and continued on.
“Anyway, on to lighter topics.” Teegan tried to lighten the mood by giving us something else to think about.
“Exactly! Asha, what are you thinking for our bridesmaids’ dresses?”
I wasn’t sure if it was the wine clouding my judgement or if my sister was really behaving this way. “You’re pivoting from outrage to fashion? How?”
She smoothed her hand over her hair and smiled. “It’s my coping mechanism don’t judge me.”
“I mean it seems like Asha is completely set on this course of action so the only thing we have to do is to go along with it. Make the best of the situation and make her wedding one that’s memorable.
Hell, I don’t know about you but I didn’t think this day would come. We might as well make it beautiful.”
“Well, dang, Nev, just give me away to anyone.”
“I’m sorry to tell you but I’m probably going to go overboard. I know that we’re your maids and matron of honor so it’s up to us to make this perfect especially since we know you don’t care.” Sasha’s warning was received and she fully intended for me to heed it.
“You’re right I don’t.”
“And frankly, I know that they’ve got a bunch of rules and protocols so you’re going to get annoyed quickly. We can be your voice and you won’t have to stress about any of this.” Sasha was smiling again and I could see the excitement about this wedding she had been lamenting only minutes before.
“And who knows it might be a good way for you and your fiancé to get closer.”
I huffed at the dreamy look on Tee’s face. “Ever the romantic, Teegan.”
She stuck her tongue out at me and I laid my head on a throw pillow since these three were not about to let up anytime soon.
“Stop being a cynic. Life has a funny way of working out for you. Nev is proof of that so maybe this is your fairytale coming true.”
“I would make a wager but that’s the quickest way for life to prove me wrong.
I’m sure that it’ll just be one of the great tragedies and I’ll learn to live with it.
” I let my eyes close because they were going to continue on with or without me.
I was going to relax on this sofa and let them have their way.
Sasha’s voice invaded my quiet as I drifted off. “I guess only time with tell but right now, what colors do you all think we should wear?”