33. Ivy Jade
Ivy Jade
We were all in the bridal suite, had been since six this morning.
Coffee brewed, makeup dusted the air, and hairspray polluted the rays of light that fell through the window.
Most of the bridal party had been asleep at their makeup chairs.
Every so often, the makeup artists would jolt them awake with a question about their product preferences.
We were up early, yes, but I’d be mortified if I fell asleep in the chair with a flute in hand like Desiree had—one of Tallulah’s employees from her shop.
With such a large bridal party, though, there were fifteen of us total, including Tallulah, which meant starting early.
Tallulah looked radiant in her corner, as if she’d slept a whole day and a half just to walk down the aisle later.
Hollie, Jasmine, and I sat near her, and we were all smiles for her as we helped her get ready for her big day.
All the bridesmaids wore cute matching black bridal robes, with each of our names stitched on it.
I’d been to so many weddings in my life, but none were as beautiful as Tallulah’s. And being this close in the bridal party offered a fresh perspective.
“Did you ever think you and Gustav would ever marry?” Jasmine asked.
“No, never. I hoped for it, though. He was always so cute. Oh, and the way that man can make me laugh, I'll never get over it,” Tallulah said with the biggest smile ever.
“Gross,” I teased.
“You don’t count, Ivy Jade,” Jasmine had to say. She loved putting me down whenever she could; it was a good thing I didn’t give two shits about her opinion—let alone one.
“I, for one, am very happy you two found each other. He’s one of the goofiest guys I have ever met. You two somehow fit perfectly,” Hollie said, sipping on a mimosa. We were all on our third at this point.
As much as I wanted to be in this conversation and be happy for Tallulah, I struggled mentally.
Not that I showed it, nope. I was all laughs along with them.
But the only thing on my mind had been High Jynx—those damn words of his and how he held a mirror to my soul.
I stayed up all night thinking about him and Romeo, how each of them pulled me towards the center of their world.
What would forever look like without them?
Would it eventually look like Tallulah now, smiling in a bridal chair, living her dream come true? Or would it be the opposite?
My happily ever after lost for good?
“Has anyone seen Ro?” I asked.
“Ummm, I saw him in the kitchen earlier,” Hollie offered.
“Thanks!” I said, setting out to talk to him. “I’ll be right back,” I told Tallulah.
“Not so fast this time, Ivy Jade.” Tallulah stopped me. “Since you’re headed that way, maybe I can trust you to give this to your brother in the groom’s suite?”
Damn it, I wasn’t expecting to do something right now. Don’t sigh out loud. Don’t sigh out loud.
She flashed a black envelope with a blackish-red wax seal. It was really pretty, in a Gothic way, and it matched her dress.
“What is it?” I asked. Hollie and Jasmine popped their heads over my shoulder.
“Wouldn’t you three nosy little bitches like to know?” Tallulah said, admiring the envelope, kissing the front of it before handing it back to me. Her red lips were permanently stamped onto it. “Don’t lose this one, Ivy Jade.”
I nodded and made my way over to the kitchen. I practically jogged and ended up running into Antonio instead of Ro.
“Good morning, gorgeous,” he said, kissing both my cheeks in greeting.
“Have you seen Ro?” I asked without hesitation. There was no time to lose.
He shook his head. “I don’t know who that is, but I did run into your mother… again. How you put up with that woman, I don’t know. She seems to be under the impression we’re going to be engaged by the end of tonight. Do you know anything about that?”
Although I heard Antonio’s stern words, I looked everywhere but at him. I just wanted to talk to Ro.
“Do you?” he asked once more.
“Do I what?” My attention was on him now.
“Never mind. Look, Ivy Jade, we should really talk about this arrangement… Like, how is this going to work?”
“Totally,” I said, securing the envelope in my hand, desperate to find Romeo. I didn’t catch him walking down the hall last night, and I didn’t even see him leave his room this morning.
At this point, Antonio had been talking for a while, and his mouth just kept moving and moving. It looked dry, like the conversation had sucked up all his spit.
“Do you know what I mean?” he finished, asking a question I wasn’t listening to. “I just think there's some logistics we need to sort out.”
"Yes. Logistics!" I nodded. “Got it!” I gave him a quick pat on the shoulder. "We’ll get it figured out! Now, go talk to Mami,” I said, distracted, running away.
“Oh, god... I can’t do that again!” he hollered, snapping his fingers to pull me back into this conversation. “Where are you going? I think we should talk now, Ivy Jade!"
“Later! I swear!” I said from across the room. I wished him well and sprinted to the other side of the chateau to give this envelope to my brother.
When I made it to the groom’s suite, I pushed through the large twenty-foot doors. All the groomsmen seemed to be there, but I still didn’t see Ro anywhere.
A few of the men whistled when I came in, including Vann. “Get a grip!” I scolded them.
Gustav turned around to yell at his men. He was all the way in the corner of the room, checking himself out in the mirror. “Hey, leave my sister alone, you animals.”
I walked all the way across, with my bridal robe on, fuzzy slippers, my freshly styled waves bouncing in the air.
“Here, it’s from Tallulah,” I told my brother. “Where’s Romeo?”
“He’s around here somewhere,” Gustav said, opening his envelope quietly.
The rest of the groomsmen were chattering about, all dressed up and ready to go.
Of course, they were ready; they only needed a suit.
They didn’t have to worry about pantyhose, shaving their legs, arms, pits, or makeup and hair styling. Being a woman could be so exhausting.
Gustav whistled lowly so as not to draw attention to himself. “Look. I have something for Tal, too. Can you give it to her?”
“Isn’t that what your best man is for?” I asked.
“Yes, but my best man isn’t here right this second. Is he? Don’t be a brat, and send it over.”
“Fine!” I let out an exaggerated huff and took his black envelope, which came with a black bear dressed as Maleficent. “Okay, this is adorable. I’ll give you that.”
“She’s my moon goddess, my little terror, my queen,” he said in a daze.
Twiddling my thumbs, I waited for Gustav to snap out of it, ready to leave.
Wherever Ro was, I knew he was avoiding me now, and I couldn’t blame him for it.
Between Antonio's arrival and Ro admitting that he’d lost his job and was living with his sister, there was still so much we didn’t get to discuss…
so much about where that left us and the relationship we formed.
“Hey, look at me, Ivy Jade,” Gustav stole my attention back.
“What?” I asked impatiently, worried, concerned.
“Tallulah told me what’s been going on with you,” he said.
“Ugh! I shouldn’t have said anything to her.”
“No, we shouldn’t trust you with our valuables,” my brother laughed. His comment lightened the mood.
“Is that it? I’ll be better about not losing your stuff. Promise,” I said, still distracted.
“One more thing. Before you leave, I have to say this.” Gustav placed his heavy hand on my shoulder, turning into Mr. Serious.
“What?” I asked impatiently.
He chuckled, smiling warmly. “Find love with someone you want to be with, not someone Mami or Papi arrange for you. That’s bullshit and control, and you don’t deserve that. This world is much too grand for you to be tied to them for life.”
“But that’s the only life I know of…” I said, feeling self-conscious.
This was supposed to be Gustav’s special day, and here he was, dressed in his suit, trying to help me through a problem he shouldn’t have even known about.
But he did. And he cared. “I can’t just walk away… I have nothing going for me.”
“Is that what Princess Isla would do?” he lowered his voice and winked.
I stared at him like a ghost. “Princess Isla? You know about—”
“‘Unmasking My Bright Knight?’ Of course… you think you’re fooling anyone with that dust jacket?” He looked around at the groomsmen, all of them preoccupied with figuring out their boutonnières. “I’m on book three. Can’t get enough of it.”
I don’t know if I was humiliated or totally impressed. Maybe Gustav and I actually had something in common.
“Listen, I understand the situation you’re in. I was there once, right where you are now. But I found a way, and don’t let anyone else tell you it’s not possible… not even yourself.”
Without thinking, I pulled Gustav in for a hug.
I squeezed him tight as he kissed my head, hugging me back.
The veil of sibling angst lifted, even if it was for just a moment. I didn’t want to let him go because now he wasn’t just some emo freak I grew up with.
He was my brother.
And he loved me like one.
The entire wedding unfolded so beautifully in front of the chateau.
The reception area was set up indoors, the ceremony outside, and while it had been partly cloudy all day, I still thanked my morning angelitos for a beautiful, sunny-ish day.
The sun was in the perfect position, curving around the Earth, starting that gorgeous golden hour light.
There were five hundred chairs, ready to witness Tallulah and Gustav's wedding.
My parents were so extra. In anticipation of Antonio's arrival, they hired an entire orchestra to play outside. There were at least ten violinists alone, and they sounded really beautiful.