Chapter 16. Part 5

Pleasantview, same day

Chapter 15, Part 5.

continued…

Chapter 15, Part 4.

Saturday, May 3rd, 1997

The date had finally come. They had talked about it for so long, planned it, she had dreamt of it, prepared for it, and now it was finally here. It hardly seemed real to Cassandra as she was checking herself in the mirror. Everything had gone so well too. The dress fit her perfectly, and her mother had only objected to it once, and then remained quiet. She had the flowers she wanted, the small garden wedding she wanted, and she had him.

Ajay. Her perfect guy. Too perfect. Everything was perfect. It made her wish something would go wrong. Something small, insignificant. A miscalculation in the kitchen. Someone spilling wine on someone – not on her or Ajay. Maybe she could even ask someone to make a scene. Chloe would, she thought with a smile, remembering the wild bachelorette party she had found herself on the night before. Those friends of Ajay’s knew how to party. Dina and Nina had been there, and even Mary Sue, who had looked very uncomfortable when the stripper who had recognized her started talking to her about a dirty park near his daughter’s preschool. Mary Sue had left early, but Cassandra had enjoyed herself more than she usually did at parties. Except now she had a slight headache. Maybe that was the thing that should go wrong with her perfect wedding. The bride with a hang-over.

Or maybe her mother would steal her thunder by going into labour.

“Are you ready, sweetheart? Do you need me to help you with your makeup?”

“No, I’m fine. How are things downstairs?”

“Almost done. I’ll do another check before the wedding starts. Nothing for you to worry about. You just think about your vows.”

Bella grimaced and placed a hand over her belly.

“Are you alright, mom?”

“Yes. This is just Braxton Hicks. I had them with both you and Alexander so late in the pregnancy that your father drove me to the hospital at least three times before labour actually started. It’s okay. I just need to drink some more water, and if it gets worse, I’ll go lie down after the ceremony for a little bit.”

“Are you sure?” If her mother went into labour today, that would be all everyone ever spoke about when they mentioned her wedding. It was silly, she knew, but she didn’t want that.

“Don’t worry. This is your day. Hopefully I won’t have the baby until after you come back from your honeymoon. Now, I need to make sure the chairs are evenly spaced. I’ll be back to look in on you a little later. Mary Sue and Darren are here already, and Mary Sue is being a great help. You couldn’t have picked a better maid of honour, and Darren is keeping the little ones busy.”

“Thank the watcher for good friends.”

*

“Thank the watcher for good friends!” Ajay laughed as he checked his tie in the mirror. “I don’t usually have a problem with these.”

“It’s your nerves,” Lazlo said.

“I’m not nervous,” Ajay objected. “There’s absolutely nothing to be nervous about. I love her, she loves me, that’s not going to change. This is just a party. After the party is what matters.”

“You’re pretty lucky. I mean, Cassandra is no Kristen, but she’s a great woman. And it’s pretty obvious you’re besotted. Are you really just going to slip into some kind of step-dad, brother-in-law, legal guardian function for that little boy?”

“Well yeah. I do like that boy. I’ve been around since he was born. You know what, scratch that. I love that kid, he’s great, and he’s going to grow up with us knowing he’s loved. Not that much different than you and the little ones, is it?”

“Except I’m not planning on sticking around to raise them. Hoping me and Kristen can move in together soon, and it won’t be here. Cher has her eye on my room.”

His face grew serious for a moment. “Speaking of Kristen, or rather, her place. Erin wanted me to tell you something.”

“Uh-oh. What is it this time?”

Last time Erin had an important message, it had been that Abe was still alive, and it had upset Chloe deeply. Ajay didn’t much believe in that sort of thing.

“She said something bad’s going to happen today. She had one of those dreams.”

“I ought to tell her about the dream I had about being eaten by a giant turtle.”

“Well, she says they’re different from regular dreams. That they feel different.”

“Do you believe it?”

Lazlo laughed, but it seemed forced. “Nope. But maybe just keep an eye out anyway?”

“Yeah, yeah. I should get going now. Will you guys be okay with that rental? It looked a little sketchy.”

“Considering what you drive, you’re one to talk. Your car looks like it’s held together with gum and masking tape.”

“Oh you’re so funny. Remind me again why I made you my best man?”

“Because I know how to tie a tie. And because your only other option was Vidcund, and you know he’d be in here with pompous advice for relationships even though he hasn’t had a girlfriend in five years.”

“Oh right. That’s why.”

“You should be getting going, shouldn’t you?” Pascal said as Ajay and Lazlo came out of Lazlo’s room. “Don’t want her to think you’re not showing up.”

“I just need to make a stop on the way. With your crappy rental car, I bet I’ll be there before you anyway.”

“What are you doing?” Vidcund asked.

“I completely forgot. My grandmother had a necklace that was left for me, and I want to give it to Cassandra tomorrow morning as a gift. It’s in a storage space, but it’s almost on the way, so I won’t be late.”

“We need to get going too, to pick up the girls,” Pascal said.

“I guess we’ll see who gets there first,” Ajay joked. “But it’ll be me, for sure. See you guys there. Time to get married!”

*

“Time to get married?” Alexander said poking his head into Cassandra’s room.

She  hugged him. “Yes. So if you don’t like my guy, now is the last chance to say so.”

“He’s okay.”

That meant he liked Ajay. “He likes you too. He’s good that way.”

“I guess. He’s fine.”

“Are people arriving?”

“I heard a couple of cars, yeah. Your coworker friend is here. I didn’t know you invited him.”

“Oh, Caleb? Yeah, he kept fishing around for an invite, and honestly, I thought if he could actually see me walk down the aisle and get married, he’d stop trying to hit on me.”

“I think he’s here to hit on Mom.”

“The pregnant belly didn’t deter him?”

“Doesn’t deter anyone else, does it?”

She laughed. Men flirting with their mother was something that never would stop.

Alexander wasn’t laughing. He wanted to say something, she could tell.

“What is it?”

“Did you stay here this long just for me? I mean, you’re pretty old to still live at home, no offence.”

“Dad needed me after Mom disappeared.”

“So, you’ve lived here all this time because you had to?”

“No, I wanted to. You were pretty adorable as a little kid. And I wanted to make sure you had someone around you could count on.”

Alexander looked down and she could see the single tear running down his face.

“So raising me was something you felt you had to do? Was I burden?”

Cassandra quickly pulled him into another hug. “No, Alex. Raising you was not a burden. Or a chore. It was a damned privilege, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I promise. And if I hadn’t lived here, maybe I wouldn’t have been here when Mom came back, and then I wouldn’t have met Ajay.”

“You could’ve met someone else.”

“But I wouldn’t have been this happy. And I promise you, leaving you is the only bad thing about moving out. You need to promise to come and visit often. Every day if you want to. And we’ll make sure there’s always room for you to spend the night. I promise.”

“Yeah? Really promise you’re not just saying that?”

“I’m not just saying that.”

He finally smiled. “I’m really happy for you, you know.”

“Good. I wouldn’t want it any other way. Now, I think I need to go down and greet the guests. Is Ajay ready?”

“No, he hasn’t arrived yet. Or he hadn’t before I came up here.”

Cassandra frowned.

“Really? That’s strange, he should’ve been here by now.”

*

“Ajay isn’t, here yet? That’s strange, he should’ve been here by now.” Lazlo said after kissing Cassandra on the cheek. “He had an errand, but he still should’ve made it here before we did.”

A sick sort of feeling hit Cassandra in the gut and she tried to ignore it. “Then I expect he’ll be here any minute,” she said. “Do you remember what to do and all?”

“Not much to remember. Walk your friend down the aisle, go right, hand off ring, and then later, give speech. I’ve got the ring. I’ve got my speech. I’ve got feet that hopefully I won’t trip over. Don’t worry about my part.”

She gave him a warm smile. “Thank you for being here, Lazlo. It wouldn’t be the same without you guys.”

“Cassandra!” Pascal said, coming over to greet her, “I need to congratulate you. That final conclusion was perfect, I was riveted the entire time.”

“What are you talking about?” Lazlo asked.

“Cassandra’s paper, the one that was published in the Quantum Physics Journal. I finished reading it yesterday.”

Lazlo laughed. “Is that all you have to say to her today? Congratulations on her paper?”

Pascal frowned in confusion. “Well… no. I was going to give her my best wishes later. But that paper was damned impressive and I think it’s worth mentioning too.”

“With someone as talented as Cassandra, I agree, it’s absolutely worth mentioning,” Darren interjected as he joined them. “But may I also say, you look beautiful?”

“You really do,” Mary Sue agreed. “And so does the garden, I just checked. Your mom is making my job as maid of honour really simple. Everything is going to be perfect.”

Perfect, perfect, perfect. Cassandra thought. But what if it isn’t? She was growing desperate for something small to go wrong soon, just so she could have it over with.

Her coworker, Caleb Forrester, came in from the other room and smiled broadly at her. “Ah, there’s the bride! And where’s that fellow who’s taking you out of the dating pool? I can’t wait to meet him.”

“I haven’t been in the dating pool for the past two years,” Cassandra reminded him, “or frankly, ever. Ajay isn’t here yet.”

“Oh? But the wedding starts at two, correct? Maybe he skipped town.” He laughed at his own joke but Cassandra felt that awful feeling in her stomach grown even stronger.

“Ajay will be here soon,” Lazlo insited firmly. “He’s probably just stuck in traffic.”

“Certainly,” Darren added. “I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation. We should just go to our seats, and he’ll be here any minute.”

Mary Sue gave Cassandra a smile. “He’ll be here. He loves you, that’s obvious everytime I see him and talk to him. It’s probably just traffic. Do you want me to get you some water or something? I was pregnant at both my weddings, so I never got to have anything more fun than that, but I can get you something else to drink too if you’d like?”

“No, no” Cassandra said. “I think I just need the bathroom.”

He isn’t here, she thought as soon as the door closed. He isn’t coming. He changed his mind.

She had wanted something small to go wrong. Not something like this. Not the groom deciding he didn’t love her and leaving her standing there, with friends and family, and no groom.

She could feel the panic rising in her chest. Ajay wasn’t coming. He didn’t love her. He didn’t want her. It was the only explanation. Ajay had changed his mind.

*

Bella had changed her mind, but it was too late now. She should’ve pushed for the red flowers. Nothing said a Goth wedding like red roses after all. Cassandra had wanted these purple things, and Bella had, for the moment, agreed and let the gardener plant them in time, but now it looked all wrong. People were starting to sit in their chairs, and it all looked wrong. Even her own dress looked wrong. Maybe she should’ve agreed to wear the same colour Mary Sue wore after all.

If only her baby would stop complaining. It was just Braxton Hicks, she was certain of that, and that lie-down she had mentioned seemed awfully tempting. But the wedding was going to start soon, and the mother of the bride had things to worry about.

Like the absence of the groom.

“Excuse me everyone,” she said. “It seems Ajay is running a little late, so we’re pushing back the wedding for a little bit. No more than 30 minutes I think. There’s plenty of champagne in the back if you don’t feel like remaining in your seats. Please be patient, and enjoy yourself.”

She hoped it wouldn’t be more than 30 minutes. When Ajay did arrive she was going to give him a good talking to about punctuality.

“Darling, did Ajay call?” Mortimer asked her in a hushed voice.

“Yes,” she lied. There was no point in worrying – or angering – her husband. “He’s stuck in traffic.”

“That’s pretty damned irresponsible of him! He should’ve left earlier!”

“He should’ve,” she agreed. Worthless young man. Cassandra would be better off if he didn’t show up at all. “Mortimer, darling, will you please go and talk to the guests, keep them occupied and happy?”

Bella went to talk to Cassandra but saw Mary Sue hurry up her. “Bella, I can’t find Cassandra. She was in the downstairs bathroom, but she’s not there now, and I can’t find her anywhere. She’s not in any of the rooms upstairs. I even checked the attic.”

“She’s gone?”

“It seems that way. What are we going to do?”

The groom was gone. The bride was gone.

Bella sighed once, took a deep breath and then put on her most reassuring smile.

“You’re going to keep everyone entertained until Ajay shows up. And I am going to go and find Cassandra’s phone book and call everyone I can think of who isn’t here. And then Ajay will arrive, Cassandra will come back, and the wedding will be late, but it will happen.”

“But what if Ajay doesn’t get here?” Mary Sue asked, but Bella kept her smile.

“Then I will find him. And I will kill him.”

*

…to be continued