Chapter Sixteen MAE
Chapter Sixteen
MAE
Phoebe sat across from me at Firehouse Café, blinking back tears.
“Oh, wow. That's really shitty,” I said.
She lifted her cup of coffee and took a quick swallow before setting it down with a thump. “I know. Trust me, I know.”
“You and Tasha were like best friends in high school.”
“Sure were.”
“Oh, god. And the wedding’s going to be here in town?” I asked slowly.
“Yep.”
“Well, none of us are going to stand up for Tasha. I don't care who she asks,” I said firmly.
Phoebe had just broken the news that her high school best friend was engaged to her ex-fiancé. Apparently, right after they had broken up this summer, Phoebe walked in on her friend and her ex. Now, they were already getting married and planning a wedding here in this tiny town.
“Maybe your mom should talk to the pastor or their friends. Maybe they won't even hold the wedding here.”
Phoebe rolled her eyes. “You know they will.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“Dirk and I broke up before I found out.
I didn't want to marry him, and I don't want him back.
It's just—” She let out a frustrated sigh.
“Fuck. It feels like being emotionally dropkicked.
She was my best friend. Who does that? I found out after the fact that they'd been screwing around for months behind my back, and now they're getting married.”
“How did you find out they were getting married?”
“Tasha called to beg for my forgiveness, and she wants me to be there. She feels like she needs to close the loop and heal the circle or some bullshit. You don't fuck your friend’s fiancé behind their back. That's like a rule, right?”
“Yep, that is definitely a rule in the unwritten friendship handbook,” I said firmly.
Phoebe knuckled at a tear that escaped and slipped down her cheek. I stood, rounding the table to give her a quick hug. “She's a shitty friend.”
Phoebe gave me a hard squeeze in return, and I returned to my chair across from her.
“I know she is. It’s just I really don’t want to deal with having it thrown in my face here in town.”
“Honestly, I'm a little shocked she's having the wedding here,” I commented, breaking off a piece of my scone and popping it in my mouth.
My friend twisted her lips to the side as she rolled her eyes. “I know, right? It’s fucked up.”
“For what it’s worth, you always had more friends than Tasha did.” I was feeling a little petty, but it was true.
Phoebe laughed. “I guess so.”
“How can I help?”
Phoebe cast me a quick smile. “You already did. Do I have to forgive her?”
“Maybe for your own sanity, but forgiveness doesn’t mean you have to be her friend again. Nobody would expect that.”
Phoebe stared at me quietly, her brow knitting. “What do you mean?”
“Just that. I'm not saying right this second you need to forgive Tasha for screwing around with your fiancé. Even if you didn’t want to stay with him, that is off-limits for anyone who claims to be a friend. What I mean is you can let it go when you’re ready, but that doesn’t mean you have to be her best friend again. ”
She studied me for a moment before cocking her head to the side. “I think that's what she wants. She says she misses our friendship.”
“Yeah, well, she doesn’t get to define how your forgiveness looks. Letting go is healthy for everyone.” In defiance of my own words, I silently shrugged inside. I wasn't sure I could ever forgive one person—Chet. He had a shitty name, but I knew letting go might be healthy for me.
“That helps me think about it. I don't think I'm there yet with the forgiveness,” she said honestly.
“Well, you don't have to be. It's pretty freaking fresh, and she's got some nerve. You know what we should do?”
“What?”
“We should book up everything in town so she can't find anywhere to hold her reception. I doubt the pastor will refuse to do the wedding, but we can make the rest difficult for her,” I offered with a sly grin.
Phoebe laughed softly. “I’ll deal. The less I think about it, the better. On another note, you know who's moving back to town?”
“Aside from me?” I teased.
“Yeah, aside from you, although that's news, and I'm glad you're here.”
“Who?”
“Archer Cannon.”
I rifled through my memories. “Archer from elementary school? The kid you hung out with all the time?” At her nod, I asked, “Didn't he move away before we even got to high school?”
“Yup. He was my best friend back when we were little.”
“I remember. He was getting kind of cute before he moved. Maybe you guys can have a fling?”
Phoebe’s eyes widened comically. “Um, Archer wasn't that kind of friend.”
“It was elementary school,” I countered.
She burst out laughing. “True. Like, no guy is hot in the fifth grade.”
We laughed again, and I was grateful for something to focus on other than my own worries.