Morning all I hope you are having a fabulous Friday morning. Like the prompt says, I feel good about today. I doubt I’ll write about me in the prompt though. So let’s see what does come out of the brain this morning shall we? Timers at the ready and off we go.
I think this could be expanded before getting to the wedding but I like the set up for the family disaster that looms. It would be interesting to contrast the work and family life so maybe career soars while family destroys itself and she ends up safe on the other side with lessons learned. Don’t know, but it could be a very dramatic story. I might think about this over lunch today. I kind of like when that happens.
Friday, December 8th: I felt good about today.
I felt good about today. I didn’t think I would. In fact even the night before I was dreading it. But today I felt good. I could set the past behind me and let it go. Would I like to skip the wedding? Yes, of course I would. It would be my preference to skip the wedding. I was informed that it was not allowed.
Today my former fiancé was marrying my step-sister.
There was time between the official break up and their engagement and now marriage. Officially. I was certain they were seeing each other well before Henry and I split as his cheating on me with Stacy was what caused us to split in the first place. But that was private.
My step-mother Patricia would never allow anyone to think ill of Stacy. After the break up I went away for a work trip, which was not unusual. What was unusual was that I found my break up was repackaged into an amicable split. No mention of Stacy was given and even though they continued to see each other, their relationship didn’t become official until six months later.
Patricia orchestrated it so there was clear space between and no overlap would be mentioned.
She was also the reason I was going to the wedding today. There were too many people who remembered when he was my fiancé. No matter what she did she couldn’t wipe that fact from their minds. So I was ordered to attend and to look happy for the couple so that everyone would know I was fine with the way things worked out.
I was annoyed, but agreed. It was pointed out that if I didn’t look happy I would just be the bitter and discarded one people would pity. I didn’t want pity, I just wanted to forget the whole mess. In truth I wanted to forget Stacy since about two weeks after her mother married my father.
I figured that as soon as the wedding was complete I could do that. All I had to give them was this day.
‘At least I am not in the bridal party.’ I told myself as I slipped on my heels.
Even Patricia knew to draw the line there, even if Stacy had pushed for my inclusion. I was in general, fairly amiable where my family was concerned, but Patricia saw the storm clouds on my face and knew there was a limit and didn’t risk pushing it.
As ready as I was going to be I drove to the chapel. I sorted through all of the possible emptions and came back to the conclusion that I was good. I was settled in myself and fine with the way things ended up. I parked in the parking lot and got out of the car. I walked over and greeted the family with polite smiles, ignoring the look of concern I saw on a few of my relative’s faces. I sat in the chapel and maintained a polite smile during the ceremony.
Actual joy for the couple was beyond me, but I could manage a polite smile. It was the same one I used when work meetings dragged on and I didn’t want to offend the person droning on. It wasn’t my best, but it was adequate to the situation.
At the end of the ceremony I left the chapel with the rest of the crowd. The reception was a short drive away. I returned to my car and checked my cell phone messages. While it was on silent during the service, I now saw that I had several missed messages from work. Quickly reading them over, I realized there would be no reception for me. Patricia would have to adjust. I had an emergency on my hands.
Ten til Midnight 