How it Happened

Seven

Seven

80 days until the wedding

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Ms. James."

A smile is sent in my direction from behind a dark wood desk and I immediately smile back, but soon realize the original smile is straining the person's cheeks. I refuse to let it phase me, though, and retain my smile as I stand up. I keep my head held high and my shoulders back, not in an obnoxious way, but just in that perfectly confident way. Perfect your posture and you'll perfect your confidence. You'll be confident to a perfect extent.

After I step out of the building, I untuck my green blouse from my tan slacks and pull the curly strands of my hair up into a high ponytail. The ponytail only adds an extra bounce to my step as I aimlessly stride down the sidewalk. The sun makes a home on my skin and helps keep my head up. I find myself keeping my eyes closed a little longer in a blink because the warmth feels so good. Such a contrast to the air conditioning that chilled my spine only moments before.

I do a little window shopping and then end up doing some actual shopping only because I'm addicted to buying lotion. Coco butter, vanilla, avocado, and even apricot. I stock up on any kind of lotion that not only smells good, but also makes your skin incredibly soft. Some people do yoga, while I find Zen in hoarding lotion bottles.

My phone starts vibrating and in my haste to get it from inside my purse I almost hit a solid five people with my shopping bags. Ironically, my phone stops ringing the second my hand finally clasps around it. I fight the urge to throw it to the pavement, and instead start walking again, unsure if I want to head home, or continue my lotion splurge. My phone derails those thoughts when it starts vibrating in my hand again, and I triumphantly answer it on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Avery! Thank god! I've been trying to reach you for over an hour now."

My steps falter. "Aubrey, is everything okay?"

"No! Everything is not okay!"

"What's wrong? Are you hurt? Is mom okay? Is dad okay? What about Ben? Did grandma get stuck in an elevator again?!" My mind conjures up the worst possible scenarios to every worst possible situation only to be interrupted by Aubrey's laugh.

"Everyone's fine, Avery. At least I think they are, I mean, I haven't spoken to mom since yesterday."

"Then what the hell is going on?"

"Oh right." The words are whispered before I hear some shuffling on the other line and then the sound of a lock being turned. "Okay, so I'm hiding in the bathroom."

"What? Why?" A couple walking past me throws me an accusing look, but I immediately turn my body a little so they see the phone clutched to my ear.

"Because I need your help."

Once again, my brain goes into emergency mode. "Is something going on at work? Are you..." I sweep my gaze around the sidewalk before deciding on lowering my voice. "Are you being harassed? Because I swear!" I decide that I don't care if I look like a crazy lotion girl flailing her arms on the side of the street. "I will go crazy Avery on their ass!"

Just the thought of someone doing that to my sister has my veins burning with rage, and although I don't doubt that she can take care of herself, I also know she'd do the same for me if need be.

"No, silly, I'm fine. Everything's fine."

"Then why are you hiding in the bathroom?" This time I'm thrown a worried look from the glass window of a shop I stop in front of. I send the concerned employee a smile. I'd take concern over accusing any day. We need more of that in society.