“Exactly, that’s even worse! He’s my exandmy arch nemesis.” Lily looks back at Sutton again. “Put her next to Wes so she can see how it feels.”
“He reallyismy arch nemesis, so no let’s not.”
“Yeah okay,”Lily mocks in a deep voice. “Have you seen the way you two look at each other? The sexual tension is so strong it practically makesmyclothes fall off.”
“She does have a point.” Sutton shrugs.
“Now whose side are you on?” I narrow my eyes.
“The one where you both get over yourselves and admit you like the guys.”
“Never,” I state firmly.
“Not gonna happen,” Lily says at the same time as me.
“Fine.” Sutton sighs. “But the seating chart stays how it is.”
Lily grumbles something under her breath, and we continue working on the arrangements. Then, Sutton speaks up again and I’m pretty sure it’s purely to cause more chaos.
“Though Wes did look really cute with that dog of his.”
“Oh my God.” I shake my head. “I’m just waiting for the dog to realize who it’s living with and start to pee in his shoes.”
“That reminds me of this stray cat I took in.” Lily perks up, and I brace myself for some insane story because that seems to be how she is. I’m not sure how so many crazy things happen to one person, but apparently she’s just lucky in that regard. “My dad didnotwant us to keep the cat, and I think she knew that which is why she would make sure to pee on his ties he laid out for work. Every. Single. Day.”
That is probably one of the tamest stories I’ve heard her tell.
And shortest.
“Did you keep the cat?” Sutton asks.
“Of course we did, her name is Petunia.”
“Does she still pee on your dad’s ties?” I clarify.
“No, he learned to not lay them out anymore.”
I’m still waiting for more to the story, but she goes back to arranging flowers, and I think that may actually be it.
“Oh that reminds me, when I came back from class one day and learned my roommate was a furry.”
There it is.
Brynn: I miss you.
I sigh,looking at the text for way longer than necessary before scrolling up through the dozens of unanswered texts from my sister. I used to give her simple responses, but when she mentioned she was going to be in Washington and wanted to meet up, I just couldn’t do it.
And I haven’t answered her since.
I don’t want to throw her life off balance. I don’t want to go back to the dark place we both escaped from. I don’t want to be the reason any more of my siblings lose their lives because they remember where we came from. It’s just best if I stay away.
That’s why, even though I want to answer her and tell her I miss her too, I don’t.
It’s better this way for all of us, even if she doesn’t see it. She’s always seen the best in people. She’s positive and bubbly. She just wants us all to be together again, but that’s something that can’t happen.
I lock my phone and finish getting ready to go to the rehearsal dinner, hoping the smile I paste on my face is believable and that no one around knows how deep and dark my thoughts can go. Tonight, I’ll be the Bailey that stays quiet and is happy for her friend before I slip away to my quiet, lonely house once again where the thoughts can swallow me whole.
As soon asI walk into the large farmhouse, Lily’s voice is the first I hear. “I just don’t understand why the males always have to be the pretty ones.” That sentiment has me shaking my head and forgetting about everything else for a little while.
