Shattered Appearances ✓

Epilogue: Wedding Bells

In my twenty-seven years of living, I'd never thought I would wear a pink dress. Then again, I also didn't think I would be the maid of honor to my sister's wedding either.

I looked at the mirror with uneasiness as I separated the tight dress from my body.

"This is too small." I called out to Stephanie as she observed the other bridesmaid dresses in stock. She had her eyes set out on pink bridesmaids dresses, and although it annoyed me, I didn't say anything. This was her wedding.

She ignored my comment and continued to look at the price tags. Steph visibly flinched when looking at the sequined dress and quickly put it back on the rack.

"Are you inviting Henry to the wedding?" She said instead.

I rolled my eyes at her question. It wasn't the first time she's asked this, and it was clear who she wanted me to invite when she said that I could have a plus-one.

"No. That's weird."

"Why? Aren't you two dating?"

"No." I might've answered too quickly. Taking a breath, I added, "He's just my roommate."

It was obvious that she was trying to hold in a laugh as her delicate blue-painted fingernails adjusted my dress. "Sweetie, he's a thirty-year-old successful lawyer. I'm pretty sure that if there wasn't something going on, then he would've moved out years ago and bought his own condo."

"Also," she added at the last second, "if he was just your roommate, why would he drive you here all the way from Maryland to a wedding he wasn't even invited to?"

She did have a point there. My stubbornness, however, didn't let me drop the subject. "He's my friend, and he was on vacation. He wanted to visit Maine."

"Sure." Steph drawled out to signify that she didn't believe the excuse. After looking at the mirror for a second she said, "I don't like this dress. Try out this one." Handing me another pink dress, this one lighter, I went into the changing room to try it on.

This went on for a while, and after the fifth dress she had me try on, I started getting annoyed.

"Where is Giselle anyway? Why do I have to suffer through all this torture alone?"

Rolling her eyes, Stephanie said, "She's coming straight from New York. Her boss wouldn't let her get out of work early, so she's coming after her shift ends."

"Her boss is still giving her a hard time? Chief Kinnely, was it?"

"Yeah. Giselle seems to have a love-hate relationship with her boss. I don't know why she still works there."

"They give her the best cases." I stated simply. I remembered her calling a few months ago telling me how excited she was over a case she's been given. If I remembered correctly, it had to do with a series of bank robberies in the Harlem area.

I checked the time on the wall and saw that it was already a quarter to five.

"I'm taking a break. Tell me when you found the dress you want. I don't want to try anymore. I'm starting to feel fat."

She chuckled at my joke and waved me off. I walked out and sat on the chair in the main area. There were a few couples waiting for their appointment and other little girls looking at all the dresses with wide eyes, probably wondering when their big day would come.

This dress clung to me at odd places so I readjusted my position of the couch and took the phone from my purse. Just then, I heard a voice I thought I would never hear again.

The voice of Thomas Morgan.

"Zoey?"

I froze in place, not knowing what to do. After a few excruciating seconds I turned my head around and came face to face with the man I thought I onced loved.