“Oh, no. I think he sent them all, baby, there are dozens of them.” He laughed.
“You don’t mind?” she asked confused.
“Of course I mind that you have been playing the bride for a young, handsome model, but I am not that crazy that I’m going to forbid you from sharing oxygen with members of the opposite sex, well, not until after the wedding,” he added and Tasha was unsure whether he was serious now. “Tasha, honey, the fact that I will be your only real groom makes up for the sight of you playing the bride for another man.”
She considered her response, but he spoke again before she could respond.
“Tasha, I have to go now, honey, but I will text you later.”
“Okay, I love you,” she told him as the three girls around her laughed and mimed vomiting.
“I love you too, baby. Be good,” he warned with a short laugh.
****
“I still can’t believe you’re getting married, and not to me,” said Gerry seriously as he sat on a bench next to Tasha waiting for Dan, Pippa and Lizzie to return from aseriously sickride they’d already been on twice.
“I know what you mean, but we’ve both moved on and I love Jim.” She needed this not to be an issue if she hoped for them to remain friends without it becoming a problem for Jim. She knew it would be to some extent but if Gerry insisted on pouting and trying to push them back down an old path that only involved the two of them it would become a huge issue. A huge issue that would see her having to choose between the two of them and there really would be no choice. Her only choice without hesitation would be Jim, always. The thought shocked her, so much so that she Gerry’s next words didn’t register for a few seconds.
“A quick bunk up for old time’s sake is out of the question then?”
Once she realised he was smiling at her, joking, she laughed loudly. “You are outrageous. But no, I love my fiancé,” she told him, still amused as she gave his shoulder a shove.
“I know. I can see that and he is obviously crazy about you.”
“Some would just say crazy.” Laughed Tasha to a confused Gerry. “Does Kara know where you are?”
“Yeah, she’s fine with it and knows we’re friends still.” He paused for a second. “She is so sorry that you and she aren’t.”
For the first time Tasha could hear that he sounded like Kara’s boyfriend rather than his usual spiel as the father to her child who was forced to put up with her.
“Is she?” Tasha surprised herself that she was discussing this rather than changing the subject as she usually did.
“Of course she is. You were her best friend, her only friend really. Lucy and the others came as part of the Tasha package and when you cut Kara off, they did too.”
“I never forced anyone to choose, Gerry.” And she hadn’t, not even implied that anyone should choose a side.
“Of course you didn’t, but they did and obviously they chose you. Who wouldn’t? Even I had chosen you until Kara found out she was pregnant, and then you chose her for me,” he replied a little sadly.
“I know, and I had chosen you again at that point, but Lottie changed everything for me, Gerry. Even if I could forgive you, which I probably could have, I couldn’t get over that. A constant reminder of you cheating on me with my friend,” she admitted calmly.
“I get that, Tash, really I do and I’m glad that we can be friends, but Kara...” His voice trailed off.
“But Kara?”
“She would never try and stand in the way of us.” He pointed between himself and her.
“But?” asked Tasha again.
“But she misses you too and whilst we remain friends we’re all linked,” explained Gerry taking Tasha’s hand in his and squeezing it tightly.
“Are you asking me to make friends with your girlfriend?” Tasha’s wry response made him grin at her.
“I like to think of it being more a case of asking you to make friends with your old friend.”
“I see,” Tasha mused. “Look, I can’t believe I’m saying this but why don’t you come to L.A. for my wedding, you and Kara, Lottie too if you want, if that’s not too weird.” She found her nerves suddenly kicked in. What was she thinking? Her and Kara had barely exchanged words over the last few years and now, Tasha had invited her to her wedding along with the child she’d just said she would have been unable to get past and now she’d invited them all as a family without even mentioning it to Jim.
“I’ll speak to Kara, but I’ll be waiting for my invitation with baited breath.”
