Never a Bridesmaid

  “Out of the way, Southpaw.” He gave me a wink as he nudged my hand away. “I let you win the first round with the nacho dip, but this one’s all mine.”

  “First round?” Phillip seemed perplexed.

  “Nacho dip?” My sister gave me a curious look.

  I didn’t take the time to explain. I was too busy looking at Derrick and trying not to giggle as I remembered that night we’d met over the nacho dip. “Oh yeah?” I gave him a playful “You’d better watch out” look, then pushed his hand away. “Over my dead body.” I took another bite, then licked my fork clean. “Mmm.”

  Okay, so maybe I flirted . . . a little. Who would blame me?

  Across the table, Crystal cleared her throat. “Mari?”

  I glanced her way and realized she was glaring at me. “What?” I wiped my lips with a napkin.

  She pointed at the empty plate. “Excuse me, but Phillip and I didn’t even get one bite of the chocolate hazelnut. You two ate the whole thing.”

  “Oops.” I laughed.

  “Guess you’ll just have to trust us that it’s the best.” Derrick flashed a boyish smile. “And if you can’t trust your best man and maid of honor, then who can you trust?”

  “I . . . I’m not the maid of honor, remember?” A little shrug followed as I fought the temptation to allow jealousy to surface. The look of compassion in Derrick’s eyes brought comfort and wiped away any feelings of angst that might threaten to rise up. Was this guy great, or what?

  It took him a moment, but he eventually nodded. “Oh, right. Well, you might as well be, Mari.”

  Thank you! I knew I liked him.

  Crystal mumbled something under her breath about Sienna, but I didn’t hear all of it. I was too busy staring at the smudge of chocolate frosting on Derrick’s upper lip. I gave him a little nod and gestured to it. He reached for a napkin and wiped his mouth, then leaned back in his chair with a satisfied look on his face.

  I felt pretty satisfied, too, but it had nothing in the world to do with cake. It had everything to do with the handsome guy smiling at me from across the table.

  On the first Saturday in March, all the bridesmaids met Crystal at the All Things Wedding boutique. Finding her wedding gown was my sister’s main goal, but selecting our bridesmaid dresses—in a lovely shade of pink—was also high on the agenda. I’d never cared much for pink, but I vowed to keep my opinions to myself, at least in my sister’s presence.

  We arrived promptly at ten. Well, all but Sienna, who was noticeably absent. She came meandering in several minutes later with a massive shopping bag in her hand.

  “Sorry!” She giggled. “I just can’t come to the mall without going to the shoe store. They have the best sale going on right now. Aren’t these adorable?” She pulled out a shoe box and opened it to reveal some strappy sandals with high heels. Very, very high heels.

  “Shoedipity.” Cassie whispered the word in my ear. When I turned to give her a curious look, she added, “Wearing ridiculously uncomfortable shoes just because they look good.”

  I bit my tongue to keep from laughing.

  “They’re cute shoes, Sienna,” Crystal said. “But we really need to stay focused. Today’s all about the wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses, remember? We can talk about shoes another time.”

  “Right, right.” Sienna gave the shoes another glance and then closed the lid on the box and pressed it back into the shopping bag. “What did I miss?”

  You missed being on time, I wanted to say. But didn’t.

  “We’re just about to start the hunt for my dress,” Crystal said. “Mama and Grandma are going to be here in a few minutes. This is a special day for all of us, and I really want to—”

  “Oh, look!” Sienna squealed. “It’s Derrick and the other guys!”

  Through the opening between the bridal salon and the tuxedo shop, I could see all the groomsmen standing with Phillip.

  Sienna let out a whoop and took off running in their direction.

  “So much for telling her what’s on the schedule.” Crystal sighed. She walked over to Phillip and gave him a kiss on the cheek, then whispered something in his ear.

  Phillip’s gaze shifted to Sienna, who stood entirely too close to Derrick. Not that Sienna appeared to care. Her gaze never left the good-looking baseball player. On and on she rambled, her animated voice traveling the distance over tuxedos and bridal gowns.

  Derrick’s eye caught mine. He waved and called out, “Morning, Southpaw.” I couldn’t much tell what he said next because Sienna reached to touch his face—Really? Who does that to someone she barely knows?—and turned him, literally, back to her. I remained in the bridal shop, deliberately keeping my distance. Well that, and responding to the snide comments from the other bridesmaids, who all took aim at Sienna. I couldn’t stop thinking about her hand on Derrick’s face. A wave of jealousy washed over me, but I did my best to push it aside.

  Minutes later Crystal dragged the reluctant maid of honor back into the dress shop, but the giddy young woman couldn’t stop chattering. “Ooh, Derrick is going to look great in a tuxedo. Almost as good as he does in his uniform. Speaking of his uniform, he’s got a game in just a few hours. I asked if he could get us tickets, but he didn’t answer. Do you think I should text him and ask again? Of course, I’d have to ask Phillip for Derrick’s number. Do you think he’d give it to me? Ooh, I hope so. Maybe Derrick will get me seats near the dugout. That would be amazing.” Off she went, talking about her impending trip to the ballpark.

  Crystal clapped her hands together, just a few feet in front of Sienna. “Sienna.” When the chattering didn’t stop, she did it again. “Sienna!”

  Sienna startled to attention. “W-what? What, Crystal?”

  “We’re not here to talk about Derrick. We’re not here to talk about baseball. We’re not here to talk about shoes.”

  “My shoes!” Sienna looked around, her eyes widening. “What did I do with my new shoes?”

  I pointed to the floor, where she had dropped the shopping bag before running to the tuxedo shop. She picked it up and hugged it to her chest. “Oh, thank goodness. I’d hate to lose these. They cost me a fortune, even on sale.”

  “Sienna.” My sister crossed her arms at her own chest. “Do you even remember why we’re here?”

  “Well, duh. To try on dresses that are going to make us look fat.” Sienna rolled her eyes.

  Crystal’s jaw clenched. “We’re also here so you can help me choose my wedding dress. Remember?”

  “Your dress? Isn’t that why your mama and grandma are coming? I thought we were here to pick out bridesmaid dresses. And by the way, I can’t stay long. I have to be at the tanning salon in an hour.”

  Crystal groaned. “Mom and Grandma are coming, yes. But I need other opinions too. You are my . . . Maid. Of. Honor. Sienna.”

  I loved the way my sister stressed those last few words.

  “Right, right. But just so you know, it’s not my shift. I’m working on my tan so I’ll look good in my bridesmaid dress. So, really, it’s all for you.”

  Crystal groaned again, this time with an added, “Ugh.”

  Sienna didn’t seem to notice Crystal’s distress. She appeared to be more than a little distracted by the guys. She turned to give Derrick a little wave, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he and the other guys disappeared behind a group of mannequins. Thank goodness. Now maybe Sienna would pay attention.

  My mother and grandmother arrived a couple of minutes later. Crystal headed off with them to start looking at wedding gowns and left Sienna in charge of bridesmaid dresses. Great. Just what we needed—Sienna making the selections.

  We looked at a variety of dresses in pink, but the irritated maid of honor turned up her nose at every one. “I don’t want to look like a big ball of cotton candy.” She groaned as she held up a floor-length gown in a soft shade of pink. “Ick.”

  “But that’s the color Crystal wants.” Why did I even have to argue this point?

>   “And the bride always gets her way.” Cassie gave Sienna a stern look.

  “Always.” Gillian emphasized the word with a nod.

  Sienna’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Unless some clever bridesmaids convince her otherwise. You know what I mean?”

  “Um, what do you mean?” Brianna’s gaze narrowed. “You’re up to something, Sienna.”

  “Are you saying we need to somehow change her mind?” I shook my head. “That’s not going to happen. She’s wanted a pink wedding for as long as I can remember. We’re not going to ruin this for her.”

  “Did I mention I look terrible in pink? It totally washes me out.” Sienna rolled her eyes. “And anyone who’s anyone knows this season’s hot color is teal. You girls can talk her into that.” Sienna launched into a lengthy dissertation about how great teal looked against her tanned skin, but she lost me a few words into it. I would not be sucked into this game, no matter how much manipulation she used.

  “Nope. We’re not going there.” I glared at Sienna.

  She stopped cold and stared at me. “Huh?”

  “We’re not going there. My sister’s going to have what she wants. End of discussion.” I pointed to the rack of pink dresses and pulled out a really cute mid-calf gown in a shade of pink that had suddenly grown on me. “I think Crystal will love this one. What do you girls think?”

  With the exception of the cranky maid of honor, everyone agreed.

  Soon we had plowed our way into the changing rooms and emerged, a quintet of—I admit—silly-looking, bubble-gum-pink bridesmaids. Well, not exactly a quintet. Sienna slugged her way out of the changing room with a scowl on her face.

  Crystal loved the dresses and pronounced them, “Amazing! Perfect! Just what I always dreamed of!” Likely she didn’t see the somber look on her maid of honor’s face. Not that it would’ve mattered, anyway. My sister was far too busy narrowing her list of potential wedding gowns.

  I slipped out of my bridesmaid dress and back into my jeans and T-shirt. Then I joined the other girls to watch as Crystal tried on dress after dress. Mama sat nearby, tissue in hand so she could dab her eyes, which she did repeatedly.

  My grandmother, ever practical, shook her head a lot.

  Until she saw the gown. From the minute my sister appeared in the gorgeous princess gown with full tulle skirt and Austrian crystal bodice, my mother and grandmother could scarcely speak a word. They were too busy wiping their eyes and sniffling. I found myself sniffling a little bit too.

  So, I was surprised to see, was Sienna. In a moment of endearment, I slipped my arm around her shoulders and whispered, “It’s perfect, isn’t it?”

  She shook her head and whispered back, “Perfect? Are you kidding me? It’s the farthest thing from perfect. I look awful in pink.” She rolled her eyes and then pulled out a tube of lipstick and smeared it across her pouty lips.

  I pulled my arm away at once and did my best not to groan aloud. If this girl didn’t take her eyes off herself—and Derrick—this irritated southpaw might just have to throw her some fastballs and strike her out.

  The first couple of weeks of March sailed by. I settled into a fun routine, working at the bank during the day and helping Crystal in the evenings. We pored through magazines, looking for ideas for everything from centerpieces to bridesmaids’ gifts, and we had a blast putting wedding plans in motion. I even helped her address wedding invitations. Talk about exhausting. But I didn’t care. Anything for my sister.

  I felt closer to Crystal than I had in years, and I tried not to feel sad that she would soon be a married woman. Would we still get to share these precious sisterly moments we’d grown to love? I grabbed them while I could and hung on for dear life.

  On the third Friday in March, I hosted a fun get-together for the bridesmaids to complete plans for the bridal shower, which would take place in April, a little less than a month before the wedding. We were also going to put together centerpieces for the event.

  With Grandma Nellie’s help, Mama made a great dinner for everyone—grilled chicken Caesar salad and fettuccini. The girls arrived at six thirty. Well, all but Sienna. She told Cassie and me she’d be late, but no one commented on her absence, and neither did we. Weird. Maybe we were all just getting used to it by now.

  As we settled in around the table, Crystal popped in just long enough to say hello. I sent her away in a hurry with a bit of a scolding. After all, the plans for the shower were top secret. She gave us a little wave, then headed out the door to meet Phillip for dinner, with a promise that she would return in time for some cheesecake.

  The bridesmaids were in good spirits. Even Dad seemed to be in a great frame of mind. On the other hand, he did head into the living room to get away from all the estrogen at our dining table after Mama and Grandma left for their ladies meeting at the church. I didn’t blame him.

  As we ate, I filled the girls in on the idea Cassie and I had come up with for the centerpieces.

  “Each table will have three clear vases in different heights. We’ll drop in marbles—pink, of course—and then add a silk magnolia blossom. On the day of the bridal shower, we’ll fill each vase with water and place a floating candle on top. Simple, right?”

  “Simple but beautiful.” My cousin jabbed her fork into her salad. “Best idea ever.”

  “Cheaper than those centerpieces I’m having to rent for the wedding reception.” My father’s voice rang out from the living room. “Those suckers are twenty-five dollars apiece, and we don’t even get to keep them.”

  “Well, don’t tell anyone, Dad, but we got all the supplies for these centerpieces at the dollar store. I’ve done my calculations, and it’s going to cost less than six dollars per table.”

  Was that a happy grunt we heard?

  As I shared some other ideas, the girls chimed in, and before long ideas flowed like water. I hadn’t had this much fun since . . . wow, I couldn’t remember when.

  By seven fifteen we’d finished our meal and prepped the table to work on the centerpieces. I gave each girl a specific task, then put them to work.

  Cassie seemed a little preoccupied. “Okay, I just have to say I can’t get over the fact that Sienna’s not here yet.” She looked around the room, as if expecting the maid of honor to magically appear. “I mean, we knew she couldn’t be here for dinner, but she promised she’d come by seven. She’s really supposed to be in charge of the shower, you know?”

  I knew, all right.

  “She’d better get here quick.” Brianna dumped a handful of marbles into one of the vases. “I’ve got to write a paper for my psych class.”

  “Write it about Sienna.” Cassie rolled her eyes. “You won’t have to go far to find your information.”

  That got a laugh out of everyone. Well, all but me. “We should probably stop taking aim at Sienna.”

  Cassie sighed. “She’s just such an easy target.”

  “Maybe too easy. But she has her good points too. She’s helping with the flowers. Did you know that? She even got Crystal a great discount through her aunt Catherine.”

  Cassie reached for some marbles and rolled them around in her palm. “Did you have to go and say that? I was enjoying being mad at her.”

  “I know. We all were.” I glanced at the clock. Seven thirty. Hmm.

  “The groomsmen are coming by at eight for dessert,” Cassie told the other girls. “All except Tyler because of some school event. Anyway, we thought it would be fun to hang out with them.”

  The moment she said the word groomsmen I thought of Derrick. I couldn’t help but smile. Of course, he wasn’t a groomsman. He was the best man. And what a great man he was turning out to be. My face heated up as I thought about his nickname for me: Southpaw. I glanced down at the silk flower in my left hand and giggled.

  “What’s so funny, Mari?” Brianna looked my way.

  I snapped back to attention. “Oh, nothing. I think we’d better get busy. We’ve got to settle on our final plans for the bridal shower b
efore everyone else gets here. That’s the point of our little meeting tonight—besides making these centerpieces.”

  My cousin kept looking at the clock on the dining room wall. I knew she was still fretting over Sienna’s absence. By the time seven forty-five rolled around, we could deny reality no longer.

  “Maybe I’d better check my messages.” I dug around inside my purse and came up with my phone. A quick glance down, and I groaned. I’d missed a text from her, all right.

  “Let me guess.” Gillian rolled her eyes. “She’s not coming.”

  I shook my head. “She has a headache.”

  “She is a headache.” Cassie laughed, but I still didn’t join in. Not just because I was trying to set a good example, but because I realized just how painful her disinterest had become for Crystal.

  I typed a response and then tossed the phone back into my purse. “Oh well. Her loss. She had no idea Derrick was coming tonight.”

  “She doesn’t know?” Gillian asked.

  “She does now. I just told her.” I wanted to add that Sienna would no doubt have a miraculous recovery, but I had just advised we stop shooting arrows at her, hadn’t I?

  An awkward silence filled the room. I cleared my throat. “Let’s go ahead and talk through our final plans for the shower. You all seemed to like the idea Cassie and I came up with for the tea party theme the best.”

  Gillian clasped her hands together. “Yes, we loved it!” All the girls nodded.

  “In addition to the centerpieces we just made, each table would have its own teapot and teacups and finger sandwiches cut out like teacups. We could also have a variety of teas and even some ornate cookies shaped like teapots. How does that sound? I even saw the cutest mini cupcakes online with chocolate-covered pretzels on the side that looked like handles. Get it? They look like teacups.”

  Gillian gave me a hopeful look. “Sounds great, but who’s going to make all that stuff?”