The Bridesmaid's Checklist: Laura's Wedding (BCL Book 1) (14 page)

L
aura and Edward’s rehearsal dinner party was held the night before the wedding, Friday, June 5
th
, at 8:00 p.m. Two hours after it started, everything seemed to be going perfectly. It was the best opportunity for both their families to get to know each other and relax before the wedding. We all could relieve some of the wedding tension, and Josh and I enjoyed it immensely.

Everyone important in Laura’s life was there. Natalie, Andrik, Marisol, and Michael arrived in the early evening that same day. Marisol had left her baby with her parents and used this vacation as a short “second honeymoon”. Poor Natalie had tried to leave her baby with her mother, but that didn’t work out for her.

From my vantage point, everything developed exceedingly well. Laura decided that since she would have her wedding on the beach, the rehearsal dinner would take place on the beautiful terrace next to the hotel’s pool, the astonishing view of the sea an added bonus.

The venue started with Laura, Edward, and Denise greeting and welcoming everyone at the door, where they were ushered from the activity center to the swimming pool. Since I wasn’t hosting the event, Josh and I went directly to sit at our table at the Hurricane Bar. It didn’t take Laura and Edward long to detach themselves from the door and catch up with their guests inside.

Waiters walked around the bar, offering beverages and appetizers on trays. At exactly 8:30 p.m., the buffet opened, and dinner was absolutely wonderful. All of the rehearsal dinner guests experienced Polynesian cuisine, combined wonderfully with beachside dining experience under an open, starry-night sky.

Before long, all relatives and friends made their toasts. Edward’s parents were the first to begin. It took a moment for their speech to become a series of compliments towards Laura and how wonderful a wife they knew she would be. Then Edward took over. After thanking his parents for their kind words and good wishes, he too talked animatedly about Laura and his feelings for her. Laura shed some tears and stood up in the middle of Edward’s loving words to kiss him profusely right there in front of everyone. Someone shouted and suggested they get a room—okay, it was Josh—and then Laura took over the microphone, gave another academy-award-like thank you speech, and managed to slip in a few last-minute reminders about the following day.

Some of the older guests left the reception after dessert, but most of us stayed for some dancing and drinking. Josh and I opted for the dance floor and enjoyed ourselves immensely. My man was shamelessly flirty, definitely doing everything within his power to make sure he got lucky as soon as we headed back to our overwater bungalow. Natalie and Andrik joined us in our dancing after Nat’s mom left with the baby for the night. Marisol and Michael decided to go back to their room and get some rest for the following day, although, if you asked me, I figured they just wanted to get some great sex in while they didn’t have anything else to worry about. Good for them.

The rest of our friends had completely disappeared. Laura and Edward were probably going around talking to their guests. I believe I saw Clay by the bar having a few beers, and my instinct told me that Denise was somewhere around the bar handling event issues. Aside from that, everyone at the party seemed to be having an excellent time.

After some more dancing and calorie-burning, I needed a restroom break. I excused myself from my friends and walked around the bar to where I assumed the restrooms were located. I only found Denise and Edward in what sounded like an argument.

“We’ve been through this before, Denise,” Edward said to her. “I don’t want any extra expenses.”

“I did everything possible to avoid it, Eddie, but unfortunately there are situations when it’s not that easy.” She seemed really ashamed of the situation, but despite her apologies, Edward was clearly unhappy.

“It
is
easy. You simply say no.”

“To Laura’s parents?” 

“To anyone,” the groom said, folding his arms.

“Well, I can’t deny them anything,” Denise confessed.

“Then you’re useless.”

I really didn’t understand why Edward complained so much about money. It wasn’t like he didn’t have any. Then again, I guess he wouldn’t have such a large sum if he spent it carelessly.

“The whole idea of having you help with the wedding was so Laura would feel more at ease and so you could earn some extra money to afford the trip. At the moment, I only see the downside of me investing more money in all this. I should have kept Kassandra planning the whole thing herself. You obviously don’t have what it takes to do all this on your own.”

I couldn’t take it anymore. Ed was being completely unreasonable with Denise, and someone had to stop him. I probably should have told someone else to save myself from what was coming.

“Don’t talk to her like that, Edward. You need to apologize.” I surprised both of them when I spoke up. “Denise has done all in her power to give Laura everything she wants. If there’s an issue with
your
budget,
you’re
the one who needs to speak with her about it.”

“This isn’t about you, Kassandra.” As expected, Edward couldn’t care less about my perception of their argument.

What really surprised me, though, was that Denise seemed far more upset by my abrupt interference. “Kassie, it’s okay,” she said. “Eddie and I had an agreement on the budget, and I took it to the limit. He has a right to be upset about it, and I take responsibility for making it right.”

Why did this girl feel it was okay to take crap from anyone, her husband included? Clay should be the one here defending her and asking for Edward to at least show some respect.

“He knows perfectly well how much money weddings cost, Denise,” I told her. “He needs to give you a break, here. We both know how hard this kind of planning is.”

Edward snorted. It was totally unattractive of him. “She’s certainly getting more than fair treatment from me as a friend of my fiancé. I’m paying for all of her and her husband’s expenses, and because of that arrangement, Denise guaranteed me that she would minimize the bachelorette and rehearsal party expenses. She would keep Laura happy
and
respect the budget.”

I couldn’t really tell if that was a good deal or not. It was certainly good that Denise and Clay got to join us as a result of the bargain, but at what cost? Denise seemed mortified that I’d overheard their conversation—were things so tight that she thought putting up with Laura and Edward just to come to the wedding in the first place would be worth it?

“He’s right, Kassie. Don’t worry. I’ll solve it with him.” She seemed focused on reassuring me that they would indeed figure it out. However I couldn't get my head around it.

“See? I know she’s not as worthless as her husband,” Edward added.

That did it. It was one thing for us, Denise’s friends, to worry and comment about her and Clay’s situation. But what gave this pompous asshole the right to voice his observations out loud?

“Edward, do you have no respect for
anyone
?” I shouted.

“How is it disrespectful to voice exactly what I think of her husband? What you all think of him?” Edward snarled back at me. “I’m only being honest.”

“You’re being an ass,” I replied.

I was completely losing it. As usual, Edward’s words just got under my skin more than they should have, and I knew I’d overreacted. The worst part was that he’d just made us all look like hypocrites—we
did
talk about Clay behind Denise’s back, and Edward had been the honest one in saying what he thought out loud.

“Kass, what’s going on?” Josh ran his hand up and down my arm as he stepped up behind me, trying to calm me down.

“Your friend’s giving Denise hell over his stupid budget,” I replied. This wasn’t the first time Edward complained about the money invested in his wedding, and I really didn’t feel like mincing words. That time, though, Josh had been the one defending
me
against Edward’s ridiculous claims. “I’m only asking you, Edward, to treat people with dignity. What you pay for or not isn’t my concern, but how you treat Laura’s friends definitely is. You like overstepping people’s boundaries and humiliating them, and I don’t want to stand by and watch it.”

“Stop talking like you know me, Kassandra,” Edward barked back.

“Oh, I certainly don’t know you,” I agreed. “And I don’t want to. I just hope Laura knows who the hell she’s marrying.”

“Calm down, Kass.” I felt Josh beside me, doing his best to stop the uncomfortable altercation—he pretty much knew the main highlights between Edward and I at this point. I’d spoken with him about wanting to confess everything to Laura, too, but I’d just never found the right time. “This isn’t the place or the time for this argument,” he added, and he was definitely right.

“I don’t care, Josh,” I told him, even though I still faced Edward. “My conversation with Laura is long overdue. It’s time I told her who Edward really is.”

“Well, you can shove your warning elsewhere, Kassandra,” came Laura’s voice from behind me. “I don’t want it or need it. And I’m tired of you acting like everything’s about you.” She obviously had no idea what was going on, and the fact that her first reaction would be to assume I just wanted all the attention just shattered any intention I’d had of leaving this alone.

“I’m sorry, Laura,” I said, knowing full well that I’d turned this into a spectacle now. “I have to tell you what a terrible human being you’re marrying.”

“To tell me
what
, Kassie?” She raised one of her well-maintained eyebrows and folded her arms. “That you had a relationship with him and never told me about it, or that he
abused
you and
forced
you to do things you didn’t want? Like that threesome you always regretted?”

No, I hadn’t expected that at all, and I just stood there, dumbfounded. I didn’t know Laura had that information; I’d never given her any of the specifics. I was too embarrassed about them. She hadn’t covered the complete story, but she certainly hit the main highlights.

“Come on, Kass,” Josh begged. “You said what’s on your mind. Let’s stop this, calm down, and talk about it later when we’re all thinking a little bit clearer.”

“What are you afraid of, anyway?” Laura asked, folding her arms. “Are you such a prude that you can’t conceive of the idea that I like kinky stuff? Or are you just so envious that you can’t accept I’ve finally found love? That Edward loves me, and that I get to enjoy everything he gives
me?
We have an open relationship, and we like having fun. What’s wrong with that, Kassandra?”

I wasn’t surprised that she sided with Eddie—they
were
getting married, after all—but I’d never expected her to attack me in his defense.

“Nothing,” I answered. “There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re right.”

“Great!” Josh rapidly interjected. “Now that everything’s settled, let’s call it a night.” He kindly placed his arm around my shoulders and turned me toward our room. “Let’s leave, babe.”

“Laura,” I added, turning around and pleading with her one final time. I couldn’t let this go; I had to say my peace and make sure she understood me. “I’m not saying that I’m better than anyone. I just believe that you deserve someone better than him.”

“Someone like who? Like Josh?” Laura asked with blatant sarcasm. “Oh, honey.” The words came out far more than condescending and tinged with anger. “Who do you think we’ve been having threeways with?”

Time stopped.

“Fuck,” Josh exhaled frustratedly beside me.

Surprisingly, Edward interfered in an unexpected way. “Laura, you’re blowing this out of proportion.”

“Kass, babe, we need to go.” I heard Josh calling me, but I didn’t hear him deny any of it. “Let’s talk about this.”

I couldn’t move as I felt my heart shatter into hundreds of little pieces.

“Why?” Laura had apparently turned on her future husband now, too. “She wants to tell me about her secret past, but I can’t do the same? I don’t think so.”

I knew this was all my fault; I’d pushed Laura until she felt the only way to get back at me for questioning her relationship was to expose mine. She’d acted defensively, I was caught completely off guard.

I stared at the floor and tried to find a way to get air inside my lungs. They burned. I saw Josh’s shoes in front of me and felt his hands grab my arms. I could even feel him trying to reach my gaze with his own.

I didn’t want to look at him.

I didn’t want his hands on me.

“Don’t touch me,” I said as I stepped back and placed an arm to distance myself from him. “I can’t breathe.” I walked away from the hotel and toward the beach. I needed to process the information. I needed to be alone. 

As I headed toward exile, I could feel I wasn’t alone.

“Don’t follow me,” I told whoever it was.

“Babe, let me—”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Kass,” Josh tried again, “let me explain. It’s not what you think.”

So then, let’s look for the answers which would destroy me completely, shall we?