I sip my soda, thinking. “A little, but he doesn’t want to talk about it. I don’t think it’s that he doesn’t want to tell me. I just think when he’s with me, he wants to concentrate on us and building our relationship.”
My dad comes over sitting next to me. “That’s a good thing, don’t you think?”
I sigh, “yes, except I can tell something from work is bothering him. I want him to be able to tell me anything, even problems at work.”
He pats me lovingly on the back. “It’s going to take time. Your relationship is brand new. You and Cole are still getting to know each other. Just make sure he knows you’re there for him, and will be there if he ever wants to talk about anything.
“Katie, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” My mom huffs, giving me an exasperated look from the back door.
“I’m hanging out with dad, waiting for Cole.”
“Where is he?” She opens the screen door, sticking her head out and scanning the backyard.
“He had to take a phone call.”
“Great, you have time then. Come inside. We have a surprise for you.”
Another surprise? I don’t know why my mother does this to me. She knows very well how much I dislike surprises of any kind. And this is her second one in less than twenty-four hours. This is bad. I glance at my dad, who smiles, and whispers, “good luck.”
I pick up my soda and walk cautiously into the house behind my mother. Annie, Kathy, Jill, Lisa and Laura are all sitting around the kitchen table. A pile of magazines and papers stacked in the middle of it. I peek at Laura, and she gives me a sad smile. She knows how much I hate surprises. Thankfully, I know she’s not here for the surprise. She’s here for me.
“Here.” My mother hands me a large three-ring binder covered in shiny white and blue fabric as I sit down. “We got together this afternoon and put together this wedding binder for you.”
I open the binder, flipping through it. It’s full of fabric samples, location venues, catering services, everything you need to plan a wedding. Kurt was right. My family doesn’t think Cole and I are married. That Ben and everyone else broke up the ceremony and stopped us. My stomach tightens into knots, “Um—wow. I don’t know what to say.”
“You say thank you.” Jill tilts her head, smirking at me.
“Thank you, Jill.” She’s always good for a snide remark. “And mom, Annie, Lisa, and Aunt Kathy. Did you help too, Laura?” I ask, cocking an eyebrow.
“Uh, sorry no. I missed out.” She gives my wry smile and an eye roll.
“Oh Laura, I didn’t even think, of course you should have come, your Katie’s best friend. I brought everything with me. I’ll get you the stuff and you can make her a page.” Annie pats Laura’s hand with condolences for missing out on such a special event.
“Here, I picked this up for you today.” Annie hands me a bride’s magazine. “I bookmarked all the dresses I liked. I can’t wait to go shopping with you to pick one out. I also put in my pick for colors in the binder.” She flips the binder to a bright blue and pink page.
“Wow, thanks Annie.” Where the hell is Cole? I feel like I’m about to be burned at the stake. I open the magazine to one of her bookmarks; a beautiful white ball gown dress covered in beads peers up at me. My fingers absently roam over the page, and from somewhere inside me, I feel a twinge that I have missed out on something.
“Oh, I’m so excited that you’re getting married.” Annie yanks me to her and wraps her arm around me, pulling my head to hers. For some reason, a tear escapes down my cheek. There are a lot of emotions running through me, and excitement isn’t one of them. However fear is and the longer I sit here, the worse it gets.
“Have you and Cole decided on a date?” Aunt Kathy asks, giving me her sympathetic smile. The one she always uses when she feels sorry for you.
“A date for what?” I still haven’t come to terms with the fact that my family doesn’t know I’m married, and that I’m going to have to tell them. Something I thought I’d successfully avoided last night. That, as nice as the gesture was, I don’t need this binder, colors, or a dress, because surprise! I’m already married.
Jill makes an exasperated sigh. “Oh Katie, you’re so silly. A date for you and Cole to get married.”
I try to swallow back the horror of this situation. I glance to the back door, wishing Cole would stride in here and save me. I glance at the six women sitting with me around the table: Kathy, Jill, Annie, Lisa, Laura, and my mom, who are all staring back at me, waiting for an answer. So, I give them the only one I have.
“May twentieth.” My mother visibly relaxes and sighs in her seat. That’s going to be short lived.
“That’s perfect.” she says, taking a drink of water. “A year is plenty of time to plan a wedding and appropriate since you and Cole haven’t known each other very long.”
“Isn’t today the twenty-seconded?” Annie questions. “You’re really going to wait an entire year to get married?”
“Annie,” Mom hisses at her. “Katie and Cole can do what they want. Now come on, we can keep planning after dinner.” The women get up from the table; Annie and Lisa scramble to find kids, while Kathy and my mom take dishes of food outside.
“Whose idea was the twentieth?”
“Huh, what?” I glance over at Jill, who’s still sitting at the table.