15

"How'd you get that cut?"  

I glanced at my hand with which I held my spoon. Today the whole family was having breakfast together. It happened for the first time ever since we got here. Even Dylan was seated right beside me. When Selena asked that question he paused.  

"I uh. I ..broke a glass. I broke a glass and cut my hand while cleaning."  

"Is it deep, dear?" Clara asked her forehead creased.  

"No, it's just like a papercut not exactly but yeah..." And I shut up before I would fumble.  

"Okay. So how are the wedding preparations, Selena?"  

"Fine today I have to check out the wedding dress and the bridesmaids dress with Tessa."  

"Today?"  

"Yeah, today. You don't remember? We both made the schedule together Tess."  

"Right. Yes....umm.. I do remember."  

"You need to put reminders on your phone if you keep on forgetting stuff. I mean I am getting married in two and a half weeks. And-"  

"Two and a half weeks?"  

"What?"  

"Huh?"  

"You said two and a half weeks suddenly."  

"Oh." I stopped to think that why I said it aloud.

"Yeah that some work-related stuff I just remembered."  

"What? Work-related stuff?" She shook her head and said, "You are not paying attention to me. Seriously Tessa."  

"I am-."  

"Girls discuss this later." Edward interrupted. Selena half glared at me and was a little bit confused too.  

When I saw Dylan he was unfazed by what was going on. The two and a half weeks reminded me about our upcoming anniversary and divorce. Funny both are at the same time and to top it Selena's wedding. I hope he remembered about it. I will have to talk it to him soon. But I am scared that how would he react to it. Of course, he wouldn't be angry about it he must be eagerly waiting for this marriage to be over soon. As for me. I just didn't know. How would it matter what I thought about it? I couldn't deviate from our original plan because I was the one who suggested it anyway. No matter what we have to do it.  

"What are you thinking Tessa?" David tapped on my shoulder as everybody was leaving the table.  

"Nothing." I simile  

"You fine?"  

"Yeah, I am." I got up half smiling, "How's everything going with Selena?"  

"Ah she's a little cranky these days but it's alright. What about you though?" He put an arm on my shoulder. "You and Dylan?"  

"Yeah, we are alright." I had to talk to him at least to remind him. "I need to talk to him?" I whispered. 

"I think he just left for work."  

Leaving Dav I walked, half ran, and then walked again. I was about to call for him but the doors were closing and through a slight gap I saw him for a moment he turned slightly behind stating at me with those deep eyes which didn't let anything get through them and then I couldn't see them anymore the gap closed, the doors shut.  

"Shit." I cursed softly. I will have to talk to him later but when I had no idea. We barely got any time.  

Selena and I were in her car on the way to see her dress and the others. I avoided any argument and tagged along with her on the dress hunt. The car stopped and we got out of the car. I went ahead but a hand stopped me.  

"Listen."  

"What?"  

"I am sorry for you now at the breakfast. I kind of, I am sorry for snapping at you. I shouldn't have done that. I don't know why I snapped it's not me." She waved her hands and I caught them.  

"Hey, it happens. You really don't have to say sorry. It's really my fault I haven't been following. It's fine." Staring down at her I gently squeezed her hands and smiled to reassure her.  

We entered the shop and were greeted by the shop assistant. The shop was decorated with many dresses. It looked like a museum. Museum of wedding dresses. 

"Angelo!"  

"Ah, Selena you finally come."  

"Yes, I did. Meet my maid of honor-"  

"Tessa Gray?" Angelo came ahead taking my hand in his wrinkled one.  

"Nice to meet you too, Angelo."  

"You wore your mother's dress on your wedding day. Am I right?"  

He caught me by surprise. My mouth hung open and that day replayed in my head. How did he know?  

"How I know? Clara had called me to cancel the order for the dress. I asked her why then she told me." He smiled at me. "Nice work with the trimming."

Okay, I did not tell that to Clara.  

"How did you know that?"  

"What do you think?" He winked at me and led Selena to a room along with his assistant.  

Of course, he is a professional designer but there was something about him which told me he knew a lot to more just than my dress. With a curious frown, I went after them into the room. The assistant was pulling a rack full of white puffy ornate dresses.  

"Here let me help you." I threw my bag aside and pushed the rack from the opposite end.  

"Here are the nine dresses you selected." Selena's eyes sparkled at the site. She was a little bit jumpy running her hands through the dresses and she mouthed 'wow'.  

"Alright, shall we?" Angelo announced. 

"Yeah see you in a bit guys." She sang and went into the fitting room.  

I slumped into the couch and Angelo sat beside me at a distance crossing over his legs and sitting straight. My sprawled legs made me conscious.  

"It's alright get comfortable you need it. It's going to be difficult anyway." I was glad that he didn't mind it.  

"Here I come...Again!"

She popped out again in yet another white gown twirling a bit. That was the sixth dress a beautiful one but.

"So?"  

"It's as beautiful as earlier."  

"You are saying the same thing over and over again." She stamped the floor in frustration.  

"It is true."  

"Say something else then, Please. You are not helping."  

"Okay." I paused and asked. "Do you want this dress?"  

She turned to look at herself in the huge mirror. After two minutes.

"Okay there are two more and after that I am doomed." She went back inside with the assistant tailing her. I slumped back into the couch massaging my head and Angelo was still sitting like that scribbling something in his book.  

The curtains slid announcing her presence. The dress she wore somewhat started as a corset with dainty curly designs at its edges. Layers of white cascaded down reaching the floor. It looked like an upside-down white rose. They were white beady pearls which looked like the dew sprinkled over the 'petals'. Her chest was enhanced too due to the but it defined her curves. She looked amazing. That blonde messy bun didn't even matter. It actually looked cute. She looked beautiful. She made it look better. Finally with a nervous smile and weak voice which desperately hid her excitement she asked. 

"How is it?"

I got up walked towards her and turned her by her shoulders facing towards the huge mirror.  

"You tell me?"

She breathed at her own image and stared at me through the mirror. Her nod and growing smile confirmed everything.  

"Promise me one thing?"  

"What?"  

"Our bridesmaid's dresses are going to be as good as this."

She laughed and looked up. I was captured in a tight hug and she thanked me and seemed to vibrate. I warned to get that she would crush the dress and then she gained some consciousness.  

"We'll take this."  

I took the seat near the window in the nearby cafe while Selena stopped to order. The bridesmaid dress went with a lilac one-shoulder gown which wasn't so bad at all, as promised. Selena came with our drinks and snacks selling down. Through her full mouth, she went on ranting about the wedding and especially about the dress. I played with my straw observing the busy street through the huge glass window. The streets looked slippery and the sky was a bit dull. It had rained for quite a while. I thought about random stuff mostly about Dylan.  

"Hey, Tess. Tessa?" 

"I am sorry. I was-" I touched my head. 

"Yeah, I noticed. I was asking you something."  

"About what?"  

"How's Dylan?"  

"He must be fine I mean he is in the office right now I didn't-"  

"I didn't mean that."  

I looked back at her and she gave me a 'you know' look. I blankly stared outside for a while taking a deep breath. How's he?  

"He is closed off doesn't share anything. Nothing. We ignored each other mostly for quite a while. Sometimes I went to the office even when I didn't have any work just to escape the silence. It went on like that."  

"And now?"  

It still the same nothing has changed and now we are divorcing. Very soon.  

"It's better. We have improved a lot. We are not so strong as David and you but still. I guess time will improve us."  

"I understand it's not easy but glad to know it's better."

The streetlights came on one by one and it has started to rain again, drizzle actually. A four-year-old kid who sat ahead of us drew something on the foggy window. He showed his mother what he drew and his mother laughed at him pinched his nose, playing with him.  

"But sometimes there are these moments when I see him clearly. When he shows his true self. And it's nice and warming. But as soon as he realizes it he withdraws leaving me cold again." I smiled when the mother messed with her son's hair and he made a face at her.  

"But do you like him?"  

I was distracted from the little happy moment the 'two' enjoyed.  The same question was asked by Robbie before all this and I had said 'I don't know'. I still don't know.  

"Sometimes I miss him when he is not there. Time passes by and I don't realize it." She grinned at me and caught my hand.  

"I am happy for both of us. Things are turning out nice aren't they?"  

She thought I liked him. I just told her lies to cover up the truth letting her be happy. It was her wedding after all and she was so happy. I felt responsible for her. It's funny she is elder to me but I felt responsible for her happiness. Lying was the only option left. The conditions of the will were fulfilled anyway. We had to conclude this. And God I wasn't happy to know that we would separate. I wasn't.  

"Yes, they are. Things are turning out good."