Birthday Flowers | The Kissing Booth

63. Another Wedding

A/N: the first of a few planned bonus chapters! This one takes place in the summer of 2029, eight years after Julia's birth. That doesn't mean I won't be writing about any events between the epilogue and now... just that I wrote this first :)

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Summer 2029

(Noah)

"WHERE ARE MY SHOES?" Elle comes flying into the kitchen looking frantic.

"You have dozens. You'll need to be more specific."

"The ones for the wedding! The stupid ones I had to get dyed to match the stupid dress!"

"Ah. Already packed those. Along with said stupid dress. Which I've told you looks great."

"No. It does not. There is no such thing as a great maternity bridesmaid's dress, and especially not this one. It is a ridiculous pastel tent and they are doing this to torture me."

"They're getting married... just to torture you?"

"No! I mean, yes, also that, but that's a separate issue. But there's no reason I need to be in a dress for this wedding. I would have been perfectly happy to stand on his side."

"Because a maternity tuxedo would have looked... less ridiculous?"

"Yes! It would have! I wear suits to work all the time. This," Elle gestures at her midsection, "looks fantastic in black pants and an open jacket. Not in lilac taffeta."

"She's your best friend. Let her have the wedding she wants."

"So is he! So I could just... stand on his side. And not be in a lilac tent."

"You lost the best man gig fair and square, Shelly." Or at least, as fair as any game of strip poker ever is. But don't tell Lee, because he thinks we flipped a coin to decide.

"Liar. And even if you had won, I could still have been a groomsman. Groomslady? Groomsmaid? Whatever wouldn't involve a poofy dress."

"But then I wouldn't get to accompany you down the aisle." I'm trying not to laugh, but it's getting really difficult.

"Sure you could. There's no law against the best man walking one of the groomsmen down the aisle. Especially when they're married."

"Elle, for the last time, it's their wedding. Just wear the silly dress and be happy for them."

Elle seats herself at the kitchen island before burying her head in her arms.

"I just can't believe they're getting married," she mumbles, her face still hidden. "To each other. Did you know Mickey's cousin is throwing a lingerie shower after the rehearsal dinner? I'm going to have to sit there—and I can't even drink—and try very hard to not think about what's going to happen to those teddies. I mean, gross."

Okay, so Elle has a point there, but there's also not much we can do about it.

"Couldn't they have married literally anyone else?" Elle gripes, not for the first time.

"You should definitely call Lee and complain to him about the awkward position he's put you in, marrying your best friend. I'm sure he'll be very sympathetic."

"Ugh, shut up. I get it. Karma's a bitch. I just wish it weren't a bitch in lilac taffeta."

So, yeah. Elle's still not quite reconciled to Lee marrying Mickey. It is taking all my self-restraint not to laugh at her ranting, but I know better than to let her see me smile when she's in one of these moods. Especially when she's pregnant.