She needed a minute to collect herself, to process this new information about Ben. But Bergen had never been a place that allowed the luxury of privacy or reflection.
"There you are," Celia's voice cut through her thoughts as her sister materialized beside her. "What were you and Dad talking about?"
Her sister's smile was fixed in place, a perfect wedding rehearsal mask, though her eyes were hard with annoyance.
Don’t take up poker, sis. You suck at hiding your feelings.
“It’s not important.”
"You're making a scene," Celia hissed, her perfect bride smile never wavering as she steered Kelly toward an arrangement of flowers near the wall. "I could see you and Dad talking."
"We were just talking," Kelly repeated. "No big deal."
"It looked like an argument from here," Celia insisted, her voice low but sharp. "You had that look on your face, the same one you always get when you're about to start trouble."
Trouble? I’m trying to keep away from it.
"I'm sorry," Kelly apologized reflexively, the words coming out automatically after years of practice and conditioning.
Then she caught herself. Why was she apologizing? She wasn't the one who had started this. She didn’t see her dad being sorry about anything. Ever.
Celia pressed her lips together into a thin line, a sure sign of being pissed off.
"Everything is so calm until you show up. Then everybody is upset. Mom's been checking her blood pressure all day, and Rob had to take an antacid after lunch. Can't you just try to blend in for once?"
Kelly felt a familiar weight settle on her shoulders, the burden of being the family disruption, the problem child who couldn't conform.
She had carefully planned this weekend: fly in, attend the wedding, fly out. Minimal drama, minimal interaction. She hadn't counted on shocking revelations or her dad complicating everything.
I am so tired. Just so very tired.
"Then maybe I shouldn't even come to the wedding tomorrow," Kelly said, the words slipping out before she could stop them.
Celia's expression hardened, the bridal glow momentarily eclipsed by genuine anger.
"Do whatever you want."
The dismissive tone, the implication that Kelly's presence or absence was immaterial to her sister's happiness, stung more than it should have. Years of feeling like the family afterthought crystallized in that moment.
Kelly's patience, already stretched thin by her father's revelations about Ben, snapped completely.
"You should take your own advice,” Kelly said as her sister turned to go back to the party.
Instead, Celia stopped in her tracks, an expression of genuine puzzlement on her face.
"What do you mean by that?" Celia asked.
This was a mistake. Kelly shouldn’t even have brought any of this up, but she was simply exhausted. Just a few days with her family, and she was worn down to the nub emotionally.
There was also a part of her who didn’t have many fucks left to give. Her family didn’t care about her and clearly thought she was a nuisance. They were all happier when she wasn’t around.
"I mean that you don't make your own decisions," Kelly heard herself reply, stepping closer to her sister. "You just givein to what everyone else wants. Mom chose your college major. Dad picked your first apartment. Trevor's mother selected your wedding colors. When was the last time you actually decided something for yourself?"
Color flooded Celia's cheeks, bright spots of pink against her carefully applied foundation.
"That's not true,” she hissed,
"Really? This entire wedding has Mom's fingerprints all over it, from the venue to the menu. I bet she even helped pick out your dress."
