The Four Sisters

Chapter 26

     "You look so beautiful," Charlotte said with tears in her eyes as she looked at Rose in her wedding dress. 

  Rose was previewing her dress for them as she got it altered to fit. She ordered it online, but her Mom hired a professional to hem and tuck where needed. Parker was going to have her dress altered as well, but on another day as Rose and Parker both agreed they shouldn't see each other before the wedding. Spencer thought it was slightly ridiculous, but still kind of romantic, she had to admit.

     Spencer decided to turn one of the empty rooms upstairs into their official wedding dressing room. The bridesmaids dresses were there;  Rose's bridesmaids would be in purple except for Spencer in pink. She was Rose's maid of honor. They would also have a professional makeup and hair person for the big day. Rose's Mom insisted on it. She said the pictures were forever so they wanted everything to be perfect. 

  Rose finally agreed, and Charlotte was thrilled as she'd never had her makeup done before, and she only had her hair done once before her senior prom when she'd worn one of Victoria's old dresses. It had only been worn once to some party thrown by Victoria's ex-fiancee's rich family so the dress was elegant and barley used. It made a perfect prom dress.

  "Do you really like it?" Rose asked; she picked the more elegant dress with the cape, and she looked spectacular in Spencer's opinion. 

   "You're stunning," Spencer said as she sat with Charlotte as they finished the centerpieces for the tables at the reception. There would be ten tables, and it would take up one side of the yard near the pool. 

  There was fifty people coming to the wedding, and they wanted it to be perfect. The worked hard cleaning up the pool, and they planted lots of flowers. Spencer was doing the cooking with help from a few of Parker and Rose's friends including Brian and Marcus. They also hired a local band to play the music. And Henry would play his original song for Parker and Rose. Spencer's stomach turned at the thought of seeing him.

  It had been three days since Spencer had seen Henry. They hadn't called each other, texted or said a word. It hurt. She knew she was being stubborn, but another part of her whispered that maybe this was for the best. Charlotte would probably never be okay with their relationship, and it would be a betrayal to the younger girl that was basically a daughter to Spencer. Could Spencer really hurt Charlotte like that? 

    Spencer missed Henry every single second though, and it was like a knife to the stomach every time she thought of losing him. She felt like her whole body was aching. He was her best friend, and she'd grown so used to his love already. She missed him more than she could ever explain.

  "You just need to talk," Rose said easily. 

   Rose didn't have a lot of time to talk as they were running themselves ragged to get things set for the wedding. There always seemed to be something they needed to get. Plus they were planning their honeymoon to Hawaii.

   Rose was also working on another murder mystery as she decided she was interested in that genre. She was also recovering from the pain of losing her story, and Parker was having to deal with her anger that Victoria had botched Rose's dream and hard work. Victoria wasn't speaking to any of them still either, and she might miss the wedding.

  "I'll never forgive her if she skips the wedding," Charlotte said when she couldn't reach Victoria on the phone. She hadn't answered any of their texts or calls. 

   Charlotte and Spencer were working on the back yard; trimming the roses and other flowers to make sure they were perfect for the big day. They were crossing their fingers that it didn't rain, but Parker admitted she would like it if it did. She thought it would be romantic.

  "Yes you will," Spencer said easily. "We are family. We forgive each other."

  "Not this," Charlotte said in a cold voice.

  Spencer was surprised as Charlotte was rarely ever angry for longer than a few days. Spencer felt that prickle of fear again. Would Charlotte forgive her for not telling her about Henry? Spencer guessed it didn't matter now that Henry wasn't speaking to her. Why bring it it up since they seemed to be over?

  "I hate this," Spencer said in a whisper as she went up to her room and looked at her phone that was still devoid of any calls from Henry even though he used to call her several times a day, and he would send her dozens of silly texts even when they weren't dating.

  It was hell trying to get through the day and not think about Henry. She was lackluster at work, and not even Mandy's silly shenanigans could make her smile. She let Mandy and Erica take her out for drinks on the fifth day of not speaking to Henry, and Erica was righteous with indignation on Spencer's behalf.

  "It's so childish!" Erica fought. "You don't give someone the silent treatment because of a fight. You hash it out like grown ups."

  "She's not speaking to him either," Mandy said, and then she gave Spencer an apologetic frown. "Sorry."

  "No, you're right," Spencer said as they sat in a crowded bar that she really didn't want to be in, but she knew her friends were feeling neglected, and it was better than sitting at home and feeling sorry for herself.

  "It's how Victoria and I deal with things too," Spencer said with a sigh. "I'm really bad about avoiding people."

  "Maybe it's the best way," Mandy said as she sat with her beautiful blond hair piled on her head as she sipped at her martini. "There are no bad words exchanged. You give each other a chance to cool down."

  "Or you stew and make it worse," Erica said and took a long sip of her vodka tonic. "Wow, that is strong. C'mon, get drunk. It'll make you feel better."

  "Or worse," Mandy said. "She's a morose drunk."

  "True," Spencer said with a wry smile. "But I'm already morose so why not?"

  They ended up having a decent time. They danced for a while, and Spencer drank more than she usually did. She went up to the bar to order herself another tequila when she bumped right into someone with broad shoulders, and she knew who it was before she even saw their face. Dave gave her a weary look as they came face to face.

  "Hey Spence," he said simply.

  "Hey," Spencer said and almost swallowed her tongue in her shock of seeing her ex.

  "Are you out with your new boyfriend?" Dave asked looking around.

  "No," Spencer said; wishing the floor would swallow her whole. "... That might be over."

   She wasn't sure why she was admitting it. The five drinks she had might have something to do with it, she thought.

  "I'm sorry," Dave said, but he didn't sound all that sorry.

   "I really am sorry about what I did to you," Spencer said and glanced down at her ridiculous heels that Mandy talked her into wearing. They were the same ones she wore the first night she met Dave, she realized with a cringe.

  "Well, especially since it sounds like the guy wasn't worth it," Dave said, but it was without malice. "Listen – we can't ignore our feelings alright? I get it. I... I mean, it hurt, but what can you do? You have to move on. I'm actually on a date tonight. I was going to get her a glass of white wine."

  "Oh, sorry," Spencer said and moved out of his way. "I'm just here with the girls. Go ahead."

  "Thanks," he said with a brief smile and cut in the line. "... I hope you work it out. Whatever is going on."

  "I hope so too," Spencer said quietly to herself.