Whoever came up with that speak of the devil saying had been so on point.
Since everyone else appeared to be distracted, Morgun made up her mind to ask Laney why she was being such a Karen. Morgun had two younger sisters, Katelyn and Katira, and if one of them was getting married, she’d sure be excited about it. Theirs would be the only weddings she’d be thrilled to photograph, and she’d for sure be a part of it, as much as they wanted her to be. What she wouldn’t do was sulk and grouch around and make everyone feel on edge.
“Glad that’s over,” Laney huffed.
Morgun frowned. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, why you’re such a Sour Sally.”
“A Sour Sally? Where’d you come up with that? Elementary?”
“If I did, it would still be more mature than how you’re acting. Jesus. Why aren’t you in the wedding party? And you could have helped out that poor girl. She was almost in tears.”
“It’s not my fault she doesn’t know how to do her job. For four grand, I’d expect that she could handle family photos.”
“Weddings are stressful!”
“I know. It’s why I don’t shoot them.”
“See! You’ve probably never done one. You can’t imagine how much pressure there is. I’m always worried that someone is going to hate their pictures and sue me. Or that something will happen, and they’ll all get erased or something.. I bring a backup, but I always have frantic thoughts like that. On top of dealing with all the bridezillas and momzillas and groomzillas, and everyone else, it’s rough. You could have cut her some slack and helped out.”
Morgun expected Laney to blow her off or say something sarcastic and biting, but she didn’t. Maybe she liked to change things up and keep everyone guessing. Or maybe she was just tired of acting like a royal bitch.
“My brother and I got into it about the photos. This was last year. He wanted me to do them. I didn’t want to because I don’t shoot weddings. I told him that. He thought I should make an exception. I said that they’d turn out like garbage because it’s not my area of expertise. He still wanted me to do them. We got into a huge fight about it and he said that it was fine with him if I didn’t want to do them, but I wouldn’t be doing anything else for the wedding either. He wouldn’t let Natasha ask me to be one of her bridesmaids. I said that was just fine with me because—ugh! I’m not going to get into it now.” Laney glanced cautiously across the long, rolling stretch of grass, to where her parents were chatting with Natasha’s parents. “They don’t know about the fight. I’d like to keep it that way.”
“But that’s…couldn’t you just make up and get over it?”
“You don’t know my brother. And you don’t know me. We did make up, kind of. Natasha understood that I didn’t want to do the photos and it wasn’t anything personal. She got that I was worried they wouldn’t turn out well because I wasn’t experienced in weddings and the pressure of doing them for someone close to me would eat me up. She was nice about it and she found a photographer on her own. She tried to convince Jason to change his mind about having me in the wedding party, but I told her not to worry about it. She’s too nice to get all stressed over it. I said it would be easier for me not to be included, since I’d be a shitty bridesmaid anyway. I work too much and travel too much and I couldn’t have been there to help her with anything or even attend her bachelorette party. I was in New York when she had it. It all worked out anyway. My brother did me a favor. I guess I hate people having to pay attention to me. I didn’t want to give a speech or get stared at while I ate my dinner or stand up there where everyone could study me.”
“That actually sounds very human. Maybe the first human thing you’ve said since I met you.”
One thing about Laney, Morgun realized, was that she could dish it constantly, but she could also take it too. She allowed her lips to arc into a half smile. It brightened up her face and Morgun was struck by how beautiful Laney was. She was much prettier when she wasn’t scowling. Her eyes lit up when she attempted to be happy. Or maybe that was just the sun peeking out from behind the clouds again, illuminating her face.
“Maybe I’m not such a monster after all.”
“Jury’s still out on that. I’ll let you know by the end of the night.”
“Don’t say the jury’s out. No one says that from our generation. And don’t say Sour Sally. Say Karen.”
Morgun’s stomach pinched at Laney thinking exactly what she had earlier. She didn’t want to think common thoughts with Laney Sterling. Laney clearly had a much more devious mind. Morgun thought so, but now, after their chat about Laney’s brother and the wounded/exhausted/slight amount of love Laney used in her tone, Morgun wasn’t so sure. She hated that she had doubts. It was much easier just to not like someone and keep it that way.
“I’d like to know what this Karen lady did that everyone hates her so much,” Morgun commented dryly.
“It’s just an expression.”
“I know, but where did it even come from? I swear it just popped up one day online and then it was everywhere.”
“On that note, the reception doesn’t start until five and it’s only four now, but maybe we can convince the bar staff to start serving drinks early. Or maybe they won’t need any convincing. Maybe they’re already pouring.”
“I—”
Laney’s attention was caught and held by her parents, who were moving towards them.
“Quick! They’re coming this way!” She set her hand at the small of Morgun’s back and a strange thrill shot up her spine at the contact, even though it wasn’t skin on skin. Her hand was warm, strong, guiding her at a fast pace across the lawn towards the building.
Ceremony down, only the reception to go. Morgun could get on board with having that drink if it helped her get through the rest of the night.