“I’m alright, Brody,” I answer, trying to reassure him.
“Your. Lip. Is. Bleeding.” He says again, stressing each word—but putting the most emphasis clearly on the part that bothers him the most. He doesn’t like that I’m bleeding.
“I probably need a doctor,” I tell him, trying to be funny, but clearly Brody is too upset to understand I’m joking.
“I’ll take you into urgent care after I finish wiping the ground with this asshole,” he growls, turning back around.
“I meant you, Brody. I need you,” I tell him, doing my best to make it crystal clear now. Besides if I don’t he’s liable to kill Robbie. I’m not sure at this point that would be a big loss, but it would ruin my plans with Brody later.
“Tabitha—”
“What’s going on here?” I look over to see my sister standing there in her wedding gown, the other bridesmaids close by and… my mother.
“That’s what I want to know. Is this how I raised you, Tabitha? To bring your riff-raff in and make a mockery of your family? Was this your plan all along? To ruin your sister’s wedding?” my mother demands, her voice is tight which seems to highlight how proper she tries to sound. Like she’s better than anyone else. Until this moment I never realized just how often she does that. She does it to me all the time, and I just overlooked it, and some small part of me thought she was better than me. I was never what she wanted as a daughter. I could never be happy trying to be that. But, until this moment when I see how she’s looking at Brody, it’s never really registered how wrong it is to let her get away with that.
“Lady, are you for real right now? This piece of scum just tried to kiss Tabitha!”
“He did not,” my mother denies and she looks at me with so much… disbelief.
What have I ever done to deserve that?
“Is Brody telling the truth Robbie?”
That comes from my sister and I get this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“Of course not. He misunderstood and he took off punching,” Robbie whines, holding his nose and trying to get up. “He’s insane! I’m going to sue him for everything he’s got,” Robbie adds, getting brave now that my mother and sister are helping him up. His buddies are coming over too, but I don’t give this time to get out of hand.
“You liar!” I huff walking up to him. Brody is close by my side and his presence gives me courage, even when my mother is standing there and Robbie’s family beginning to circle around us. When his mother and father stare at me like they’d like to ground me into the dirt, I feel Brody’s hand on my back and the urge to turn and leave comes back. I don’t belong here, I never expected things to go this badly, but I finally realize these people might be my family, but they don’t care about me—even Hilary whom I love. If she cared then all of this mess with Robbie wouldn’t have happened—or at least if it did, she would have at least truly loved him. I’d never do this to her, I’d never put her in any situation even close to this and if I walked upon the scene she did, I’d be standing by her side waiting for an explanation—not Robbie’s.
“Tabby, I told you. I’m sorry you are upset I’m marrying your sister, but I love her,” Robbie says and I feel like my head is going to explode.
“You can’t be serious right now! You just tried to kiss me!” I yell. “Hilary he tried to kiss me! I kept trying to get away from him and he wouldn’t let me.”
“No, Tabby. You kissed me. I’m sorry Hil, I never wanted you to find out like this. I had no idea that Tabby even had feelings for me still. We’ve been over for so long. I mean, I know she took it hard when I broke up with her—”
“You are seriously delusional!” I scream at him. I see the pity in Hilary’s face and the anger in the others. Suddenly, I feel like I’m on trial and it pisses me off even more.
“Tabitha, I think you’ve caused a big enough scene. Your plan to ruin Hilary’s wedding didn’t work. It would probably be best for all concerned if you just leave,” Robbie’s mother says. My own mother and Hilary don’t say a damn thing and that’s about all I can handle.
“Shut up you old battle-axe,” I huff, beyond thinking—but slightly disappointed in myself I couldn’t come up with something better than that.
“You tell her, gorgeous,” Brody laughs out from beside me. His hold on me also becomes more like a hug. It’s loose and meant to be supportive, but it also makes me feel cared for and in a room where everyone is looking at you like you’re chewed up bubble gum that’s been stuck to the underside of a restaurant table that means a lot.