Page 78 of The Day After Christmas
‘Not anymore,’ said Felicity. And then she felt bad. ‘I mean, I’m sorry. I just don’t think I can do it.’
‘But you’re my friend. I need you beside me,’ said Bex and something in her tone broke something inside Felicity’s soul. Tears sprang to her eyes. Time to speak the truth.
‘Bex, you’re marrying Adam. My childhood sweetheart?—’
‘I know that, but?—’
Felicity held up a hand. Bex’s eyes widened.
‘No,’ said Felicity firmly. ‘This time you are going to let me finish, Bex. You are marrying my childhood sweetheart. You expect me to stand beside you as your maid of honour as you do that. And, bizarrely, you seem to think I’m going to be fine with all that. News flash. I’m not.’
Felicity paused, waiting for an indignant outcry that never came. Bex just nodded dumbly.
‘And that’s not because I’m in love with Adam or anything ridiculous like that,’ Felicity went on. ‘Just to be clear. There is no love lost between Adam and I. Right?’
Bex nodded harder.
‘But that doesn’t mean I’m thrilled about this wedding. And that’s okay.’ Felicity knew as she said it that it was true. It was okay for her to feel like this and she didn’t need to apologise for it. It was the first time her brain had caught up with her gut.
Bex was still nodding.
‘You’re right,’ she said, her long red-painted fingernails tapping vigorously on the arm of the chair. ‘I have asked you to do something completely unfair.’
‘I’m glad you can finally see it.’ Felicity’s heart was thumping but she tried to keep her tone calm, neutral. It was the night before Bex’s wedding after all and the next few words were critical.
‘I can see it.’ Bex took a deep breath. ‘I know you’re worried about me and I have to say I haven’t always been but I’m super appreciative of that now. You’ve always been a great friend to me, Felicity.’
Felicity shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. ‘I’ve tried to be,’ she said in a small voice.
Bex inhaled deeply. ‘But I am still going to ask you to be there tomorrow. Please, Felicity. I know it must be hard but you’re one of my only real friends and if I don’t have you there it’ll be like I don’t have your blessing.’
‘You don’t.’ Felicity crossed her arms.
Bex waved a hand. ‘I know that and you know that and Adam knows that but no one else knows that, do they? They’ll all be watching…’ Her voice tailed off.
Realisation hit Felicity like a freight train. ‘So you want to make it look like I approve? Is that what this is all about?’ Her voice was rising in pitch. Just when she thought things were getting better. She finally understood the phrase “tearing your hair out”.
Bex nodded once. ‘Yes, of course it is. I want – no, Ineedeveryone to see that you’re okay with this. Otherwise I’ll always worry and my family will be worried too and we don’t need that. You know? I love Adam and I don’t want any whispering tomorrow about the fact he used to be with you. I need you there so they can see it’s all okay between us.’
She paused.
‘It is all okay between us, right? I mean, aside from me puking on you at the hen do that is.’ Bex gave a weak smile.
Felicity looked at her for a long moment.
‘Let me get this straight in my head. You want me to come and be your maid of honour and show the world I’m fine with you marrying Adam?’
‘That’s exactly it, yes,’ said Bex, relief palpable.
Another long pause while Felicity considered her options. There weren’t many. She could lose Bex’s friendship forever or she could stand up there tomorrow and show the world she thought Adam wasn’t the most terrible guy on the planet. Even though he was. And even though Bex’s friendship was hardly worth saving.
‘Fine. I’ll do it,’ she said, regretting the words even as they left her mouth. Bex started crying all over again.
It was just one day, right? How bad could it be?
Pretty bad, as it turned out, although it mostly wasn’t Felicity’s fault, in the end. Mostly.
CHAPTER 39
