Her Best Friend's Wedding

Chapter 5

Why Melody, Virginia wondered? Why was everything centered on Melody? It was as if no one else mattered and it appeared as though, no one else did. Upon seeing Tamara, Melody smiled and headed straight towards her, ignoring guests calling her.

"It's about time you got here." Melody threw her arms around Tamara, who embraced her awkwardly. Then she stepped back to get a good look at her. "I told you it would look good on you, didn't I?"

"Yes, you were right."

Melody began to fuss with Tamara's clothes and hair for a moment, losing herself in getting them just right. "Where are the earrings?"

"I didn't like them," Tamara sighed and swatted Melody's hands away, "so I didn't wear them."

"But they would have gone so nicely with this outfit."

The exchange that played out before Virginia clued her in on Tamara's fashion sense, it was evident it came completely from Melody, who she remembered was in the fashion industry. The closest thing Virginia believed to be her boss' taste was what she saw Tamara dressed in at the airport.

Melody had finally become aware of Virginia's presence. "Who is this?" Melody asked with a tone that was mixed with disinterest and polite intrigue.

"This is Virginia," Tamara presented her assistant/date to Melody, whose eyes scrutinized her.

"So, this is the girlfriend you were telling me about."

Tamara grabbed Virginia's hand and gave it a squeeze before letting it go. Immediately, Virginia understood what it meant, 'just go with it'.

"Virginia, this is Melody. Melody, this is Virginia."

"Nice to meet you."

Melody hummed as her eyes continued to assault Virginia and Virginia was almost certain that Melody was criticizing her outfit in her mind. "It's strange, I've never heard of you before yesterday." She turned back to Tamara, "But that's T for you, always so secretive about everything."

"I'm not secretive. You never asked so I never told you."

"I shouldn't have to ask, T."

"And if I had told you, would it have mattered?"

Virginia was beginning to see that what she had signed up for was something else entirely different and Tamara had refused to fill her in on the intricacies of the lifelong friendship with Melody.

Amidst their standoff, filled with an air of jealousy and tension, Virginia tapped Tamara to get her attention. "I'm leaving."

She left the two friends behind and headed outside as she dialed her mother's number. "I might need you to pick me up," she informed her mother when she answered.

"What's wrong?"

"I think I'm in the middle of a lover's quarrel." Virginia turned back towards where she exited and saw Tamara chasing after her. "Let me call you back, mom." She hung up the call and fully turned towards Tamara.

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"But why?"

"I don't think you're being honest with me about what's going on and why my title keeps changing."

"You're right," she admitted, "I'm not being honest with you," Yet, she didn't take the lull in the exchange to divulge what she was lying about.

"Were you two ever more than just friends?" Virginia took the reins of the conversation.

"How could you tell?"

"It's pretty obvious." Virginia would have to be blind not to pick up on all the signs that Tamara was doing a poor job at hiding.

"I...uh..." For an instant, she appeared overwhelmed by the idea of Virginia knowing, and then with a breath, she gave in. "Maybe we should go somewhere to talk."

Virginia followed Tamara back inside and they sequestered themselves in a corner to talk, away from most of the guests.

The truth was what Virginia had already suspected; Melody and Tamara had some sort of a reoccurring thing going on for years but it wasn't a relationship, according to Tamara, as much as Tamara wanted it to be.

Tamara had always harbored feelings for Melody, feelings she didn't confess until tenth grade and it wasn't until their last year of high school that anything physical happened between them. Over the years they would get together and "enjoy" each other's company that was until things came to a tense halt when Melody got engaged to John during the holidays.

"That's why you were upset during the Christmas party."

"Yes. I was angry because she was supposed to come and be with me but she didn't because of him."

Tamara had been waiting, planning, and had made up in her mind to ask Melody to move in with her and finally make whatever they had official.

"Honestly," Tamara continued, "I always thought we would end up together. I always felt like she was or rather is my soulmate." Her voice grew low when someone walked past. "I can't remember a time when I wasn't in love with her but I think she's too afraid to be honest with who she is."

With that, Virginia knew that there was no hope for her. There was no hope for anyone when Tamara's heart belonged to Melody.

"Have you been with anyone else or had it always been her?"

"There have been others but Melody was my constant," Tamara answered, "inconsistently constant, really," She corrected, "but constant, nonetheless. It's complicated."

It definitely seemed so and Virginia was at a loss for words, at a loss on what to do and if she should continue this facade. She was almost certain she would get hurt in the end if she did.

"Why would you do this to yourself? Stand in her wedding?"

"Because I can't say no to her and I'm an idiot." Tamara's honesty about herself was refreshing, yet heartbreaking. "I should have said no but I thought that maybe if I was here, she wouldn't go through with it."

Virginia wanted to agree out loud that she was an idiot for thinking that way and that she herself was an idiot for still thinking in the back of her mind that she had a chance. She didn't. She was there for one reason.

"Am I just here to make her jealous?"

"Yes," Tamara seemed apologetic without uttering the words. "Now that it's said out loud, I feel terrible but I didn't want to be alone. I'm always alone and waiting for her. I thought you would be able to help me."

Help was an understatement, Virginia conceived, especially if Melody was styling her. "Tell me something, does Melody often tell you what to wear?"

The look of embarrassment flashed across Tamara's face but she admitted that it was a fact. Aside from sending Tamara certain items of clothing, she helped Tamara pick out her wardrobe and on occasion, she would seek advice from Melody via a message or video call on what to wear on a daily basis. "Her fashion sense is better than mine."

"In her eyes or yours?"

The question caught Tamara off guard and because she hesitated before answering, Virginia knew her work was cut out for her if she stayed.

"I don't think I can do this for you."