“We aren’t going to talk about it, Anna Banana,” Marie chastised with a condescending tone. “But Jenn and I both know you are not ready to date since he ripped your life apart.”
“Iwas the one who called it off!”
Jenn and Marie turned to me in unison, hands on their hips with identical expressions of accusations.
“What? I’m fine!” But the whiny tone in my voice made me sound bitter, and I wished I could take it back. Instead, I cleared my throat and said, “Really. I’m fine—”
“Good. Because this guy I want you to meet is so hot! He’s successful. Charming. Single.”
I laughed at the last bit. “Single shouldn’t be an enticing quality but, rather, a requirement.”
Marie clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “She’s not ready!” she emphasized on my behalf, and I winced.
“But this guy will not stay on the market. I guarantee it,” Jenn argued.
“Well, she doesn’t need to rush.” Marie’s hands are on her hips now. She was five years older than me, but she assumed her significant sister role to the extent that I sometimes wondered if she was my mother in another universe.
My head bounced between my sisters while they discussed my love life.
“This is insane,” I muttered, passing the bouquets to the other bridesmaids.
“Ten minutes!” the wedding planner, Lulu, called into the room.
One would assume my sister would have been a ball of nerves before she waltzed down the aisle and signed her life away to the love of her life, but no, she’d much rather berate my puny, pathetic, nonexistent one.
“You ready?” I asked, hoping to distract her from the topic.
She ignored me. “You won’t miss him. He’s like six-foot, with dark hair and dreamy eyes. He went to undergrad with Tony.”
“Cool. But um...” I cleared my throat, nervous to say it out loud for fear that he wouldn’t show up. “I actually have a date coming.”
The entire room fell silent, and my sisters gaped at me. “Anna Joy McKinley!” Marie scolded.
I blanched. “What?”
“Who?—”
“When?—”
“I knew you were smiling all weird and googly-eyed at your phone last night...” Marie shook her head.
“I was not—” I try to argue, but my cheeks flame and the memory of last night’s kiss makes my lips tingle.
“Oh my God! Does Mom know?” Jenn asked.
“Know what?” Mom said as she poked her head in. She looked straight at her daughter dressed in white, and tears filled her eyes. “Oh, my baby girl! You are just prettier than a picture!” she gushed, dabbing her eyes.
“Oh, Mom! Don’t cry! You’ll make me cry,” Jenn said as my mom embraced her by the elbows and rocked her side to side.
“Oh, my! Jenn, darling, you look all grown up,” my dad said, entering the room in his three-piece suit.
“Mom! Anna said she is bringing someone to the wedding!” Marie practically hissed.
I scolded her with my eyes. “Timing, sis.”
Mom and Dad looked at me. “Really? Why wasn’t he here last night?” Dad asked.
“He had a parent-teacher conference,” I explained, and my dad nodded, but Marie drew her head back.
