My Last(11)

Katie maneuvered herself until she was standing in front of the door. “Um, hello, it IS a big deal! And of course I’m gonna worry about it, are you kidding me?”

There was a loud knock on the door and the girls looked up to see Aunt Wendy tapping on her watch indicating that it was time for Katie to go. She didn't look happy.

“You see?” Chelle said, “Seriously Katie, go. I’m fine. Really.”

Katie shook her head and waved off her Aunt, indicating she wasn’t leaving yet. When she turned back to Chelle, she wore an earnest expression, and she said, “What are you going to do, Chelle?”

Chelle wanted to laugh. Katie asked ‘what are you going to do?’ as if she assumed that Chelle had formulated some sort of a plan. Honestly, Chelle thought Katie was giving her more credit than she deserved.

Chelle felt the hysteria bubbling back up, “Umm...get a hotel, I guess?”

Katie looked taken aback, “Get a hotel? You mean while he clears his stuff out?”

Chelle shook her head, “Oh, no. He has no intention of leaving. He's given me five days to get out. The skank's gonna change my locks.”

Katie's eyebrows raised and her voice became deadly calm as she said, “Yeah, that's not gonna happen. It's forty different kinds of illegal, and I'm going to make sure he's aware of that fact.”

Chelle shook her head, “Katie, it's your honeymoon. You should just be having fun.”

“Believe me,” she replied grimly, “The conversation that he and I are going to have will be a LOT of fun. For one of us. Quick hint – it's not going to be him.”

Chelle shook her head, “Oh, Katie. I'm just sorry this whole thing happened on your wedding day.”

Katie wrapped her up in a warm embrace, “Seriously, don't give that a second thought. Besides, it's not like you chose the timing. But, honestly, sweetie...what's the plan? I can't just fly off to paradise not knowing what you're gonna do!”

“I’m not sure, but I’ll be fine. Really,” Chelle did her best to sound convincing, “How did you find out anyway?”

Katie’s arms flew up as she animatedly explained, “Well! Jason and Eddie both cornered Alex because they thought he was trying to hook up with you all day today, and they were pissed. Eddie because, well, you know how he is about his baby sis. And Jason just because he thought that it was super tactless to be trying to score with you at his wedding reception. Alex cracked under the pressure, or maybe they gave him a wedgie? I'm not totally clear on that part. At any rate, he spilled. I’m not sure exactly how it came down, but the end result was that he sang like a canary. Of course, he told Jason not to tell me, but, come on, please. Jason knew I would have killed him if – make that when – I found out that he knew what happened and waited until we got to our honeymoon to tell me.”

Panic swept from the top of Chelle’s head to her tippy-toes. “Oh, no! I have to get in there! If Eddie sees David he might actually kill him.”

Katie shook her head and remained standing in front of the glass door, “Don't worry, DFF. Jason and Alex have Eddie in the back room and David already left.”

Chelle felt her shoulders slump as she sighed in relief, “Oh, good.”

“But for the record, I think he deserves to get his ass kicked,” Katie crossed her arms.

Chelle shook her head, “Sure, but not at your wedding reception!”

Katie barked out a bitter little laugh, “Please! That would have been the Best. Wedding Gift. Ever! In fact, I'm actually kind of pissed that you deprived me of it.”

Chelle laughed regretfully, closing her eyes as she let the reality of the situation – and the fact that most of the people who were important to her in the world now knew about it – sink in just a little further.

Katie, however, was not done discussing. “When did you find out? How did you find out? Have you confronted the little home wrecking ho? Is she really only 18?!” Katie’s voice was getting louder and more strident with each question, so Chelle decided she'd better jump in and try to bring it down a notch before a passersby decided to come over to the glass door and eavesdrop.

Chelle answered the inquiries one by one, ticking them off on her fingers,” I found out right before I got to the church this morning. David told me. No, I haven’t talked to Kayla. Yes she is 18.”

This marked only the second time that Chelle had actually spoken the words aloud, and it didn’t feel any less surreal than the first.

Katie took a deep breath, shaking her head back and forth, her face a mask of disbelief. Then, a look of determination crossed her face, indicating that her mind was made up. Chelle recognized that expression from many exchanges with Katie, starting way back in the second grade. It was a “Katie Classic.”