Another Call

"So what were you so busy with yesterday that you couldn't send me a text? I've been freaking out that someone stole that carefully made package." Karina was completely back to her relaxed self, shedding that brief appearance of bridezilla.

I sighed. "Oh my gosh, this is like the third time I've repeated this story, but you wouldn't understand unless I give you all the information." So I began again. Explaining Raquel's relationship with this foreigner and their great big plan to get married in the next few months.

"I've already booked September 26th." Karina said. "Make sure she knows she can't steal you away from me that week!"

I laughed. "No worries there. I think they're shooting for something even sooner."

"Damn." She sighed. "She dates a man for less than two weeks and gets a proposal, meanwhile I dated Justin all of college, plus two more years after that, to get this ring."

"Hey, at least it wasn't all for nothing." I told her.

She got quiet. We were both thinking of my ex, who I had dated since freshman year of college and then...yea...caught him cheating...at our friend's wedding.

I laughed. "Hey, I'm okay now. It's in the past. It's whatever. New year, new me, and all that nonsense."

"It's okay to be sad about it." She told me.

"I'm done with being sad, mad, and sad again. I'm just me now." I told her. "Not every emotion that I show has something to do with him. I've moved on."

"Have you though?" She asked. "Have you gone out with anyone? Like on a real date?"

"I've been a bit busy. Now just isn't the time." I pointed out. "Maybe after all these weddings, I can focus more on me. Maybe be ready for cuffing season!"

She laughed. "Not a bad idea. Get a boy right before the holidays so you get a bunch of gifts. And maybe if you're lucky, you'll find 'the one'."

Ha. Ha. Ha. 'The one.' Ugh, I hate that phrase. I tried to redirect the conversation. "Is that all you called for? To demand my attention, princess?"

She laughed. "Sorry, I was just super worried. You're usually good about texting me back. I also wanted to talk about my bachelorette party. I'm thinking of doing a weekend in Asheville, North Carolina."

"..." I stayed silent.

"I've looked it up. It's very cute in the summertime. We can go dress shopping and bar hopping. One day we can float down their river and just relax. Doesn't that sound nice??" She elaborated.

I sighed with relief. "Yea, that does sound nice. Just let me know the exact dates and I'll book my flight. Are you and your other bridesmaids going to fly or drive?"

"We'll drive! Make it a cute little girls trip. It's a bummer you can't be in the car with us though. Unless you want to fly to me first and then you can join the drive!"

I laughed. "No thanks. Isn't that like a ten hour drive?? I don't think I can fly from my coast to yours and then do an additional long drive. That'd be a killer." It's already going to be hard with the time change.

"Okay, let me run the dates by the other girls since they have more restrictive schedules. Any blackouts for you?"

I checked my wall calendar. "Well, I'm going to be gone the whole last week of July so I'd prefer if you didn't pick the first weekend in August. I don't know about Raquel's wedding yet. We're going to look at some venues in Vegas on Easter weekend."

"How religious of you!" She laughed. "Most people go to the church of god on Easter and you go to your holy casino."

I laughed. It was kind of funny. "Yea, I'll have to call tomorrow to see if I can even get a reservation. I don't know if it's usually busy on such holidays."

"Probably. It's a three day weekend." She said. "What are you going to do there besides look at venues and gamble?"

"Maybe look at dresses? Not sure. I gamble enough to where I have a casino host. Maybe he can help me plan something. It's not exactly her bachelorette party, but I want to be supportive."

"You're too nice." She sighed. "I would have told her to snap out of it. I don't care how well you know someone...you shouldn't just marry them on such short notice. That can end in disaster."

"Let's hope not." I couldn't handle anymore drama.

"That reminds me of that girl who dated that basketball player. At school." I hummed, letting her know that I was following along. She spent the next half hour gossiping about some old college classmates. Even telling me that they made the first list of their guests. They were going to start doing cuts soon depending on the feedback they got from their friends.

After our long call, I went down to grab some food that had been cooked. I said my pleasantries to the familiar faces, but hurried away before I could get sucked into a full blown conversation.

I ate alone in the front yard and enjoyed the spring breeze. Summer was around the corner.

In the middle of my meal, my phone went off again. This time, my friend Brittany, also from college. And also a future bride.

I picked up and mumbled. "Hello?"

"Val! It's awful! My dress! It's so ugly on me! What am I go to do?!?" Cries could be heard from the other side of the line. The more she spoke, the harder it became to hear.

"Britt? Brittany?" I swallowed the food in my mouth. "Calm down. Deep breaths. Start from the beginning."

I could hear some very loud deep breathing as my friend tried to regain her composure. "My wedding dress is...it's hideous." She let out a sob, unable to hold it back.

"Don't say that." I soothed. "Have your mom take some pictures of you in it and send it to me. You're probably just overreacting."

"That's what I said!" I heard her mom yell in the background.

"I. AM. NOT. OVERREACTING." She cried and yelled at the same time, trying to get her point across.

I sighed, putting my phone on speaker again. I'm starting to wonder if every bride I knew was going to yell at me today. At least Raquel isn't the type to yell; she rather cry and pout until she got her way.