Bachelorette
Abby
Those seated on the far edge of the restaurant began to scream, nearly pushing over tables and children to get away. Wineglasses broke and silverware clanged on the floor. A pineapple-shaped hurricane was knocked over, rolled off a table, and broke. America rolled her eyes at the twenty or so people gathered a few tables over. “Christ on the cross, people! It’s just a little rain!”
The waitstaff and hostesses scrambled to release the rolled-up walls of the outdoor restaurant.
“And you were grumbling because we didn’t have an ocean view,” Harmony teased.
“Yeah, those snobby bitches aren’t smirking now, are they?” America said, nodded and smiling to the six-pack of blondes now huddling and wet.
“Knock it off, Mare. You’ve had one too many glasses of wine,” I said.
“I’m on vacation, and it’s a bachelorette party. I’m supposed to be drunk.”
I patted her hand. “That would be fine if you weren’t a mean drunk.”
“Fuck you, whore, I am not a mean drunk.” I glared at her, and she winked at me and smiled. “Just kiddin’.”
Harmony let her fork fall to her plate. “I’m stuffed. Now what?”
America pulled a small three-ring binder from her purse with a devious grin. It had small, foam letters glued to the front that read TRAVIS & ABBY and our wedding date. “Now we play a game.”
“What kind of game?” I asked, wary.
She opened the binder. “Since Cami couldn’t be here until tomorrow, she made you this,” she said, turning the front over to read the words painted on the front. “The What Would Your Husband Say? Game. I’ve heard about it. Super fun, although typically it’s about your future husband,” she said, shifting excitedly in her seat. “So . . . Cami asked Travis these questions last week, and sent the book with me.”
“What?” I shrieked. “What kind of questions?”
“You’re getting ready to find out,” she said, waving the waiter over. He brought a full tray of brightly colored Jell-O shots.
“Oh my,” I said.
“If you get them wrong, you drink. If you get them right, we drink. Ready?”
“Sure,” I said, glancing at Kara and Harmony.
America cleared her throat, holding the binder in front of her. “When did Travis know you were the one?”
I thought for a minute. “That first poker night at his dad’s.”
Errrr! America made a horrendous noise with her throat. “When he realized he wasn’t good enough for you, which was the moment he saw you. Drink!”
“Aw!” Harmony said, holding her hand to her chest.
I picked up a small plastic cup and squeezed its contents into my mouth. Yum. I wasn’t going to mind losing at all.
“Next question!” America said. “What is his favorite thing about you?”
“My cooking.”
Errrrr! America made the noise again. “Drink!”
“You suck at this game,” Kara said, clearly amused.
“Maybe I’m doing it on purpose? These are good!” I said, popping another shot into my mouth.
“Travis’s answer? Your laugh.”
“Wow,” I said, surprised. “That’s kind of endearing.”
“What is his favorite part of your body?”
“My eyes.”
“Ding, ding, ding! Correct!”
Harmony and Kara clapped, I bowed my head. “Thank you, thank you. Now drink, bitches.”
They all laughed, and popped their shots.
America turned a page and read the next question. “When does Travis want to have kids?”
“Oh,” I blew through my lips. “In seven . . . eight years?”
“A year after graduation.”
Kara and Harmony made the same face, their mouths forming “oh.”
“I’ll drink,” I said. “But he and I will have to talk about that one some more.”
America shook her head. “This is a prewedding game, Abby. You should be much better at this.”
“Shut up. Continue.”
Kara pointed. “Technically she can’t shut up and continue.”
“Shut up,” American and I said in unison.
“Next question!” America said. “What do you think Travis’s favorite moment of your relationship was?”
“The night he won the bet and I moved in?”
“Correct again!” America said.
“This is so sweet. I can’t take it,” Harmony said.
“Drink! Next question,” I said, smiling.
“What is one thing Travis said he’ll never forget that you’ve said to him?”
“Wow. I have no idea.”