T W E N T Y - F O U R
My fingers tingle as I anxiously keep staring at the black screen on my cell that has yet to go off in the last three hours. I hadn’t heard from Charlie since I left his apartment this morning. I’ve texted him twice to affirm our plans to ride to the wedding together, but no response. It’s unlike him to go radio silent.
A feeling settled into my gut that something was off. Then reason crept in and reminded me that three hours of no contact isn’t exactly alarm-worthy.
My hair has been sitting in pin curls for the last forty-five minutes and I just finished painting my nails a subtle glittery gold, needing to busy myself.
Just as I finished applying my eyeliner, the screen finally lit up.
Only it was Perry rather than my boyfriend.
I answer her Facetime and set the phone on the ledge.
“I need you to force me to get rid of this pile of clothes because I have two suitcases and enough clothes to fill four,” she huffs. “Oh, you look pretty! Aren’t you ready a bit early?”
“A bit,” I confess. “I’ve been a little antsy. Distract me with your legging horde.”
“Why are you antsy?”
Perry leans her phone against something on the coffee table while she sits on the couch surrounded by two very large piles of fabric .
“I haven’t heard from Charlie in a few hours is all.” I attempt to downplay it for the both of us.
Perry lifts her brow. “That’s not really that big of a deal?”
“It’s not,” I agree with a sigh. “I’m just…”
“Just what?”
“I just have a weird feeling is all,” I say. “I’m sure it’s nothing and I’m just being clingy.”
“He’s obsessed with you. You have no reason to worry, B.”
“I know. I know.”
“I mean what could he honestly be doing? Robbing a bank? You know he’s far too clumsy for that.”
That gets me let out a hopeless crow. “You’re right. Poor guy is terribly uncoordinated.”
“So put that mascara down and help me,” she smiles.
Perry saw the reason and that’s why she’s my best friend. We keep each other grounded when our crazy brains wander away.
Her call did take my mind off things and that alone kept me from ripping my hair out when I undid the pin curls. She stayed on the phone with me till I brushed my hair and made it somewhat presentable.
Yet, the calm was short-lived when I got a call from my mother asking me to collect Kai because he also had been radio silent for the past twenty-four hours.
I sent Charlie a text, asking him to just meet us there, knowing I would likely need to throw Kai in a shower and get him dressed. That meant I needed to leave like twenty minutes ago.
“Are you shitting me?” I nearly bark when I let myself into Kai’s apartment to find him passed out on the couch with a joint in his hand and a stash of beer bottles littered across the coffee table. The bud seems to have burned out, leaving ashes all over his shirt and luckily didn’t burn the freaking building down.
I nudge his leg with my own after calling his name multiple times. Noting the time, I didn’t have the ability to gently wake Kai. So I did what all younger sisters would do. I got a glass of ice water and threw it on his face.
“What the fuck!” Kai sprung from the couch, startled and ready to swing till he blinked a few times and saw me standing there with my arms crossed.
“Jesus, Banks. What the hell?” he groans, rubbing his eyes.
“Get in the shower. We have forty minutes to get to the wedding and you reek of beer and weed.”
Kai rolls his eyes, but he points himself in the direction of the bathroom. I wait till the door shuts before I muster the strength to walk into his bedroom. I do my best to put blinders on and not see anything unless it resembles a dress shirt and slacks. My brother’s bedroom is a place I never want to enter.
The things I do for my mother.
I had Kai popping Tic-Tac’s like candy by the time I got him in the car.
“Where’s Charlie?” he asks between crunches.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” I mutter.
“You two on the rocks?”
I exhale sharply. I don’t even know how I feel right now, let alone could I explain it to my brother .
“I’m sure he’s just running late.”
Kai seems to accept that response and I focus on getting us to the venue without causing an accident.
We both had more texts from our mother. She gets anxious when it comes to our father’s family. He’s the only one who married outside his race, which made our mother stand out like a glowstick. Traditional Japanese families struggle with change and while my father’s is quite modern, it did take them all a moment to accept my mother. Due to this, she tends to overcompensate. We can never be late and certainly, never tell a nosy auntie to shove it. She always feels like she has to prove herself, though I would imagine that’s more of an in-law thing than a race thing.
Cousin Rei is one of my fairly distant family members, something about a few divorces, but nevertheless, she is one of my grandmother’s favorite grandchildren. Which is why her wedding is happening here rather than where she actually lives in Japan. Rei was born in the States but moved to Japan as a tween, returned once more for college then met her soon-to-be husband while on holiday in Singapore.
This wedding would be nothing short of an event of the decade, given her fiancé is from old Singapore money. Noted that he’s richer than God himself, they have flown in every Matsumara across the globe. Which meant after saying our hellos it would be all too easy to fade into the background, enjoy the cake, and drink a little too much champagne. Or at least that had been my plan when I wasn’t attempting to hide the worry that I hadn’t heard from my boyfriend/date today.
I caught myself picking at my nails as we walked from the valet toward the venue. The venue is the Cinema Gardens , which is the oldest and largest public garden in the state. The cost alone to rent it out had to easily be my yearly salary. They had parts covered in glittery tents and lights strung over every inch.
“Spared no expense, aye?” Kai mutters under his breath at the exuberant show of wealth as we step through the entrance, met with a folding fan that is printed with the program.
“Thank you,” I say to the attendant and tuck my fan under my arm.
The florals hit my nostrils in the most delicious mixture. The kind of scent I would linger for if I wasn’t running every horrible possibility as to why Charlie hasn’t returned my calls.
We find our parents and brother waiting in the cocktail area. Moss-covered bars at three points and a floral arch that goes on so far I can’t even see the end. I assume that is the way to the ceremony.
People in their best dress are everywhere with drinks and jewels dripping from their limbs.
My mom had her blonde hair styled in a classic chignon and wore a chiffon pink dress that hugged her frame perfectly. A matching shawl draped over her shoulders while she clung to my dad’s side with an anxious death grip; till a sigh of relief swept over her brows when she caught a glimpse of us walking toward them.
“Where’s Charlie?” is the first thing my ever-observant mother says.
I pause, unsure what to say .
“Kai.” She pressed her hand to his chest, trying to iron out the few wrinkles. “You couldn’t even iron your shirt?” she scolds him.
“It’s not that bad, Mom.” He flashes her a smile, hoping his charm will calm her.
“You look beautiful, Banks.” My dad offers me a side hug.
“Looks like you need a haircut,” Hawke snickers at Kai.
Jessie appears at his side with a flute in her hand and a peachy-colored dress shimmers down her lean body.
“No Weston?” Kai changes the subject, jabbing Hawke in the ribs.
“Baby free night,” Jessie grins, raising the flute to her lips.
“Pitty,” Kai utters. “He’s much better to look at than this mug.” He pokes Hawke’s cheek.
“Boys, knock it off.” Our father lifts a warning brow.
“Charlie?” My mom asks again, her eyes widen as she steps in front of me.
“Running late,” I sigh, praying he doesn’t make a liar out of me.
“We should probably get seated,” Hawke mentions. “Ceremony is to start in fifteen minutes.” He has Jessie’s fan and purse in hand like a good husband.
In agreement, we head for the floral archway and I regret telling anyone that Charlie would be accompanying me as I glance at my phone once more to find no messages.