More Than Fine. (Complete)

52- MTF Released

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     Allison had thoughtfully coordinated her wedding right before Jolie's spring break so that Jolie could join a ski trip that her friends from her new school were going on, and wouldn't feel left out during the wedding weekend. Gia knew from her experience with Evie's wedding that as a bridesmaid she wouldn't have much time for Jolie. It was another first as Gia sent her to school with a suitcase loaded with her winter skiwear that they had recently purchased.

     As soon as her plane touched down in New York, she could feel her nerves flare up. The next couple of days needed to be about Allison, but the Monday lunch with Nick left her anxious. Just last week she had seen pictures of him with Jill on a mission trip in Haiti with some of the Forever Friends students, who were apparently there while on spring break. They were working with a group called My Life Speaks, in the town of Neply, that ministered to handicapped children in Haiti who were often discarded because of lack of resources. Pictures of the couple holding babies, playing games with children, and even serving food to the community played in Gia's mind as she recalled Jill's posts. Nick had always shown such compassion for others in need, and Jill was obviously good at helping him further that goal. As painful as it was to admit, the two were good together.

~~~

     Allison looked beautiful in her wedding gown as she appeared at the back of the aisle. From her place next to the other bridesmaids, Gia looked around the room at the guests. When her eyes locked on Nick's she froze. This wasn't expected. She knew Allison had invited him, but she figured he wouldn't return from the Haiti trip until the next day. Looking closer to see who he was sitting with, she saw an older woman on one side, who was clearly not his date. The other side, however, was obscured by a large man in the pew in front of Nick's. Thoughts of Jill occupying that seat kept her distracted for the next few minutes of the ceremony. It was only when the person next to Nick shifted and she saw it was another man, that she relaxed and was able to refocus on the wedding. Her previous tension dissipated, but that still didn't change how much just the sight of him affected her. At least she didn't have to watch him with Jill. If she had to see him gaze at Jill with that same look of love that she had grown so fond of, she wasn't sure how she would get through the evening.

     By the time the bridal party was finished with pictures and entered the reception hall, it was packed. There were a number of people in attendance from Morgan Stanley which gave Gia a chance to catch up; it had been months since she had been to the office. She couldn't help but search out Nick, and it didn't take long to find him. He was the one with a swarm of women surrounding him. She was determined not to let his presence affect her, yet all her past feelings for him rushed to the surface.

     "Hi."

     Gia turned to the all too familiar voice. "Nick." The look on his face was cold and blank, not like before when his eyes practically spoke to her with every glance.

     "Gia."

     "Hi." She forced a smile and stared at him, unable to speak.

     "I... I heard you're in the process of adopting Jolie. She's living with you, right?"

     Gia nodded, still trying to reign in her surprise that he approached her, not to mention calm the butterflies fighting within her.

     "Good, I'm happy for you. I had planned to send a gift down for the two of you..." he took a deep breath, "but you made it clear you didn't want anything to do with me. Not only would you not answer my texts, you didn't tell me you were in Charleston. I had to hear it from someone at the office."