Her Best Friend's Wedding

Chapter 12

Virginia watched the wedding ceremony with bated breath. She had no idea what was going to happen but her mind ran through possible scenarios; there was one where Tamara would speak when the pastor asked if there was anyone who knew why John and Melody should not be joined and profess her love for Melody, then there was one where Melody would do the right thing, call off the wedding and run off with Tamara and even one where Alti would call her up as a witness as to why they shouldn't be married, forcing her to reveal everything she knew but none of that happened. The only thing that did happen was the union of two people who were probably better off with someone else.

It was done and Melody had made her choice, even if it meant breaking Tamara's heart in a million pieces, which she did when she uttered the words 'I do', sealing her fate to a man she vowed to love until death parted them.

Virginia felt for Tamara, who kept a brave face through it all. Even then, at the reception, moments away from the speech she had to give, she was as settled as the ocean on a calm day. Virginia couldn't understand how when she herself wouldn't have been able to go through with it.

But the time had arrived for Tamara to speak. She took the slightest moment to gather herself before she brought the microphone to her lips.

"For my sake and everyone else's, I'm going to make this short as possible, if possible. I've known Melody all my life, and in all that time, her happiness has been most important to me. No matter the circumstance, whether it pertained to her work life, her social life, even down to the food she ate, once she was happy, I was happy so when it came to her love life, nothing changed.

"There have been a number of people over the years but I never took any of them seriously as she did with the ones I dated because we both knew what the other wanted and none of them were it." She looked over to Melody, a look that only the ones who knew them knew what it meant. "So, when John came along, of course, I didn't take him seriously because I knew he would be like the others. Then she told me they were getting married and I had to come to terms with the fact that maybe this one was going to stick around but there was a part of me that was still hoping that maybe, just maybe she wouldn't go through with it because then I'd be the single one.

"You see, we'd always planned to get married at the same time. In our younger years, we both married her Ken doll at Barbie's beach house. It was a sunset wedding and it was lovely. Then as we got older, we realized marrying Ken was unrealistic. He was destined to be with Barbie and so we were left to find our perfect mate like Barbie did. It seems as though she found hers and if she's truly happy then so am I." She picked up her wine glass and raised it high. "Her happiness is the only thing that matters in this world to me so, here's to John and Melody, I hope you have a lifetime of happiness."

Virginia was speechless. How did Tamara make it through that speech without breaking down into tears? Virginia was amazed by her, amazed by her strength and amazed by her ability to want happiness for her best friend even if it wasn't with her though she was sure she was lying. She kept her eyes on Tamara, in awe but she was also waiting for Tamara's true feelings to show but they never did.

After the speeches were complete and some time had passed, Tamara left her seat, and Virginia followed her. She headed through the kitchen and out the back door, where she took calming breaths while looking up at the sky.

"Are you okay?"

Virginia's voiced startled Tamara and she turned to her. "Please, go back inside." Her voice quavered with the words. "I don't want you to see me like this."

"I'm not leaving you after you went through that." She pointed back at the reception that was still going on. "You are so strong. I don't know how you got through it."

"It's a talent I've perfected," she said with a tired smile, "because when you love someone as much as I love her, you learn how to ignore what you're feeling for the sake of their feelings. So, I shoved everything I was feeling away because it's her day and I just want her to be happy even if it isn't with me."

Then, all the feelings she had been holding back revealed itself in the form of her tears. Virginia attempted to console the inconsolable but it was no use. The pain would go on for much longer than her arms were able to hold Tamara. On the interruption of a kitchen worker, throwing out the trash, Tamara quickly suppressed her tears and appeared to have locked away her emotions once again.

"I need to get back in there."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes." Her voice was tight. "I have to be."

***

The guests were decreasing in number but Virginia remained. She was still hoping for a moment alone with Tamara, other than consoling her but it had yet to happen and now the woman was nowhere to be found.

Asking one of the bridesmaids, she learned that Tamara had gone up to her room to change and the lady was kind enough to tell her that Tamara's room was right next to Melody's suite. Impatiently, Virginia headed up to the hotel room to find Tamara.

Tamara's room door wasn't fully closed and as she raised her hand to knock on it, she heard voices coming from the inside. Tamara wasn't alone and if she could take a wild guess, she'd bet her life savings that the other person was Melody.

"T, please stop crying. You know I hate to see you cry." Tamara said something inaudible over her sobs. "Come on. We already talked about this. Nothing is going to change. I'll still be here whenever you want me and you'll still be here for me, right?" Tamara didn't respond and Melody sighed. "It's done now and you got through it. You said you couldn't handle it but you were great up there." More silence followed. "Talk to me, T. Please tell me it's not over between us. You know my heart belongs to you."

More silence passed and Virginia was holding out hope that Tamara would hold her ground and send Melody away but something happened that Virginia couldn't see or hear, some sort of silent agreement on Tamara's part.

"That's my girl." Melody's triumph was evident in her voice and all Virginia could do was walk away. At least, she tried to but she turned back, pushed the door open, and found them in a heated kiss that stopped on her interruption.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Tamara?" Virginia couldn't help the outburst, she was bubbling over with anger and hurt.

"Don't talk to her like that."

"Melody, seriously, go fuck yourself."

"Virginia-" Tamara tried to speak but Virginia cut her off.

"She just got married. Don't you see how messy this is? How messy this will be if you continue on with this? You're only going to get hurt in the end. Do you enjoy the pain that much that you keep crawling back to her every time she manipulates you? And yes, I think you're crazy, especially when you allowed this to go on for so long without some sort of commitment. Please tell me what makes her so special," Her eyes raked over Melody with disdain, "because I don't see it. She's not worth it, Tamara and I don't think you are either."