by Sadie Grubor
She shook her head.
"Is there something else going on?"
She shook her head, again.
"Do you want to get out of here? Cause if you do, I will take you away this second." Serena licked her lips, but didn't answer. I continued. "Just know, if you do this, if we leave now, Elliott may not understand."
"I…I love him." She spoke.
I nodded. "I know."
"He won't hurt Ry." It sounded like a question more than a statement.
I nodded, again.
"Never." The baritone of his voice caused us both to turn.
Elliott stood in a black pinstripe suit tailored to fit his large frame perfectly.
"I love you, Serena." He stepped forward and I moved away. "I love Ryan."
Their eyes locked intently. Feeling like an intruder, I looked away from their moment.
"I don't give a fuck what you or anyone else says, Ryan is my son. Do you understand me?"
She nodded, tears spilling again.
"After this ceremony," he paused for a long moment, "well, after the wedding night," he grinned, pulling a smile from my sister too, "I'm going to adopt Ryan."
Serena hiccupped, dropping her head. Elliott gently pushed up her chin.
"You're mine, he is mine, and this little one," his large hand spread over her stomach, "is mine. You got that?"
She nodded.
Arms wrapped around my waist. Without looking, I knew it was Chris.
Elliott's mouth pressed to Serena's. Her arms wound around his neck, his around her waist.
"Uh, doesn't the kiss come after the 'I do'?" Chris whispered in my ear.
I silently laughed.
Elliott pulled away, grabbing Serena's arms and pulling them from his shoulders.
"Now, beautiful, let's get this show on the road. I've got plans for my wife tonight." He wiggled his brow.
"Okay," Serena gave a nod. "Give me a minute to clean up the mess I made of myself."
"You're gorgeous, baby." Placing a kiss to her forehead, he backed out of the room. Chris quietly followed.
"Is mommy okay?" Ryan's voice carried from the hall.
"Your mommy is perfect, buddy." Elliott responded as the door clicked shut.
"I'm an idiot." Serena mumbled, working to fix her make-up.
"No you aren't." I stepped beside her.
"Yes, I am." She patted under her eyes. "I over reacted. Why didn't I just talk to him about these feelings before today?" She straightened from the mirror and turned.
"Because you're an idiot." I shrugged.
She threw the make-up puff at me and laughed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Entering the white chapel, my eyes first caught on Chris. His eyes on my every move heated my body.
"Mommy." Maggie's squeal pulled my attention to the front row. With a small wave, I walked and stood next to the ivy decorated arch.
Serena entered and the thirty person crowd stood. She walked toward Elliott, confident and happy, our father by her side.
As everyone took their seats, I caught sight of Laney and Kat sitting in the front row next to Dad and Linda, Maggie in her lap. They both smiled warmly as Elliott and Serena exchanged vows of devotion. Una sat one row behind with Xavier on her left. My eyes, then, rested on Jackson at the back of the room.
In the farthest corner of the chapel, he sat with a blonde on his lap. He wasn't doing anything inappropriate, but the look on his face scared me. Anguish and pain radiated from him. Following the direction of his stare, my eyes were back on Laney. Jesus! Christopher was right. He was completely messed up over Laney.
The room cheered, ending my distraction.
Elliott kissed Serena, dipping her back, and the room erupted with cat calls.
After straightening, Elliott wrapped an arm around Serena's shoulders before sweeping his other arm behind her knees and lifting. Serena’s arms wrapped around his neck, an expression of love on her face, and he began walking her down the aisle.
Longing crept through me. Chris's arm wrapped around mine, drawing my attention to him. I leaned my head onto his arm.
"Soon enough, baby, that will be us." He whispered.
"Maybe." I whispered back.
He stopped, turning me toward him.
"That's not a no." He stated, his eyes searching mine.
Nodding, I placed my hand on his chest. "Let's give ourselves a year, okay?"
"In a year it is." Draping his arm over my shoulders, he led us toward the exit. "You'll need at least a year to plan the wedding anyhow."
Before I could say anything else, we entered a lobby full of guests. Congratulations and Best Wishes were being given to Serena and a beaming Elliott before we climbed into the awaiting cars.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris
In the private reserved dining room, everyone congregated around large tables for dinner. Serena, Elliott, and Ryan sat together in the middle of a table, allowing her parents to sit on Serena's right. Mia, Maggie, and I sat on Elliott's left. Laney and Kat sat across from the newlyweds and I scanned the room for Jackson.
The way he had watched Laney at the wedding worried me. As much as the bitch deserved everything she got, this was Elliott and Serena's night.
My eyes met his the moment he entered with the blonde. A halfcocked smile graced his mouth before he approached the table. The tension was palpable. Everyone except Laney looked towards Jack and his date.
"Congratulations, man." Jack said as he and Elliot shook hands.
"Thanks, Jackson. We're glad you could make it."
"I wouldn't miss it," his eyes dropped to Laney, "no matter what or who tried to stop me. Some of us are faithful…to those we care about."
Laney audibly whimpered. Next to me, Mia stiffened.
Placing my hand on her thigh, she looked at me with pleading eyes. I shrugged. What the hell did she think I would do? Laney had made her bed, she could fucking lay in it.
"Well, we're happy to have you here." Serena smiled.
Jackson's eyes moved to Serena. The worry in her eyes melted the anger from his.
"You look beautiful, Serena. I'm happy for the three of you." With a nod, he walked away to the farthest table.
My anger flared.
"He should be sitting with us."
Mia grabbed my arm.
"Chris," Kat hissed.
"You know I'm right."
"He could've sat here. He chose to sit over there." Elliott stated.
"No, he couldn't." I argued. "Not with —"
"He chose to sit there, Chris." Elliot's hard look matched his stern words.
I nodded, knowing if Laney's cheating ass wasn't sitting at this table Jackson would be here with us – where he belonged. Laney should be shunned to the corner, not my brother.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the main course was complete, Elliott decided to break the current silence in true Elliott fashion.
"So, where is Richard this evening?" Elliott grinned at Kat.
Rolling her eyes, she sat back into her chair. "Ask his daughter."
Una shifted uncomfortably when we looked at her.
"Kat, this really isn't the place."
"No?" Kat shrugged.
"No." Una confirmed.
"I'm pretty sure it will be public knowledge quite soon enough."
"Kat, I don't want to play a game with you. Not tonight." Una stood from the table glaring at Kat. Kat's eyes never faltered or gave under the glare.
"It's not a game, Una. And you should probably learn to how to answer these questions now, before the Paps get ahold of it like rabid dogs." Picking up her champagne flute, she tipped the glass back.
"Is that a threat?" Una stiffened.
Kat shook her head. "God no! Why the hell would I want to spread it around?"
Una shrugged. "I don't know what you want Kat. I thought it was my father, but apparently he's just another notch for you."
Kat stood, anger contorting her fa
ce. "Listen, my notches are none of your business."
"That's where you are wrong. Who do you think has to deal with the press regarding your prowess? That would be me." She pointed to herself.
"This is getting good." I whispered into Mia's ear. Her elbow nudged my arm roughly. "What? It is."
Kat snorted. "Perhaps you should worry about your father. So I have a reputation for flings and good times, big, fucking, deal! I'm not screwing nineteen year old girls."
Una shook her head. "You broke his heart."
"I never promised him anything. I never lied about who I was or what was going on between us." Kat countered. "He got the wrong idea thinking that I'm the kind of girl you can sweep off her feet and make fall in love."
Una sat back at the table. "He loved you. Do you know how hard it was for him to love like that after my mother?"
"He seems to be doing just fine with all of the young girls he's been fucking." Kat pushed her chair back from the table. If the conversation hadn't already pulled people's attention, the screech of the chair did.
Una's eyes widened, her mouth hanging open. She quickly regained her composure. But before she could defend her daddy, I couldn't help but help Una out.
"Jealous, Kat?" Grabbing my beer bottle after asking, I drank deeply.
"Fuck you, Chris!" Kat stormed away.
Laney followed.
Elliott and I both laughed, earning glares from Mia and Serena.
"I apologize." Una sat stone still.
"Don't," Elliott chuckled. "That was highly entertaining."
Serena smacked his chest.
"What?" He admonished.
"That's what I said, too." I put my arm on the back of Mia's chair.
Mia sighed, heavily.
"Okay, let's move on." She stood, putting her ass right in front of my face. "Today is about Elliott and Serena, their love, and their future…"
Mia continued with her speech, but her ass transfixed me. Fighting the urge to lean forward and bite, champagne glasses began clinking against each other. A throat clearing brought my eyes up to Mia's. She cocked one eyebrow, holding her glass toward me. Unashamed of being caught staring, I shrugged.
After Mia's toast, Elliott stood up at the table.
"We want to thank everyone for joining us today as we start our family." Elliott held out a hand to Serena, pulling her to stand. "My vow to this woman was made today, but my fate was sealed the moment I saw her stick her tongue out while playing her drums."
The room was a mixture of laughter and 'ahhhs'.
"By some amazing force, Serena agreed to be with me forever. But," stepping away from Serena, Elliott walked over to Ryan, "we have one more thing to let her know." Lifting Ryan to stand on his chair, "Ry and I had a conversation a couple days ago, and I think today is the perfect time to share what Ryan told me days ago." Elliott motioned for Ryan to take over.
"Mommy," Ryan's voice cracked from nerves. Elliott placed a large hand on his shoulder and he straightened immediately, confident with Elliott by his side. "Today you marry Elliot. I am happy you got marry."
Serena moved quickly to Ryan, taking him in her arms. "Oh baby, I love you so much." She cooed.
Ryan crunched up his face with each kiss she placed over his face. His eyes rolled to Elliott. "I told you she would get kissy."
The guests clapped and laughed.
Elliott rescued Ryan, pulling Serena into his arms. There was a whispered exchange between them before they kissed.
"Don't smoosh the baby!" Ryan pushed them apart from each other.
Laughter roared.
Remembering when Ry thought I was smooshing Mia in her bed, I reached out pulling Mia back against my chest. With Maggie on her lap, she leaned into me.
"The baby is fine." Serena calmed Ryan.
"That's right, buddy. Our little rocker is perfectly safe in there." Elliott ruffled Ry's hair.
"Oh...kay," Ryan still looked apprehensive. But he sat back down in his chair.
As Elliott and Serena moved to sit down at the table, Elliott made one more announcement.
"If you didn't already know, we're expecting in about four and a half months." Elliott beamed. The guests raised their glasses in the air with congratulations.
"He slipped one past a goalie!" Ryan cheered.
The beer I just sipped came out through my nose. Mia was choking on her water. Serena turned from Ryan to Elliott, smacking him on the chest, mortification painted her red face.
"Did you teach him that?"
Elliott shrugged with a mischievous grin.
Chapter Five
Chris
"Did Gwen invite you to dinner next weekend?" I asked, trying to get Jackson talking.
With the wedding behind us, I'd hoped to get things back to normal with him. But it was two weeks ago and he's gotten worse. Jack's new MO consisted of slutty women, drinking all the time and always being hung over when he arrived at the studio.
"Yeah." His answer was clipped and short as usual.
I can't take it anymore!
"You need to straighten the fuck up!" I demanded, pushing away from the sound table.
Jackson's head shot up and his eyes narrowed. "Well, isn't this a twist in the story?" He snorted. "Mister Fucked Up is actually telling me to straighten up?"
Brushing off his comment was hard, but I did. Dr. J better fucking appreciate the effort this is taking!
"You can't let one fucking bitch ruin you!"
He pushed out of his chair.
"Fuck you, Chris! You have no idea what this is like! You’ve always left the girls heart broken. Not a single one of them has ripped your heart, your soul, out!"
Taking a deep breath and rubbing my face, I searched for the best way to talk him out of this mood.
"Jack, I know she hurt you. I may not know how you feel, but I know pain. If you keep this shit up you are going to hurt yourself and others."
"She said she would marry me, Chris."
The shock straightened my spine. "W-what? I didn't know you asked her to marry her."
"It wasn't really a proposal." He plopped back down into his chair. "But, fuck Chris, we talked about it and she said she would love to be married to me." He sighed.
"I even got the ring. I was just waiting for when she got back from the Hush tour." Jackson raised his head. Tears filled his eyes. "My heart was completely open to her." He shook his head, dropping it again. "Yeah, we bickered, but I thought it was just the distance, the time apart from each other." His long fingers swiped over his eyes. "Fuck, dude, I was delusional."
"Jack, unfortunately shit happens. Maybe it was the distance, too much time apart. It still doesn't excuse what she did."
"She called me after Elliott's wedding." Jackson sat back roughly in his chair. "Like a fucking pussy, I answered the call. Her sobs tore me apart. She actually made me feel sorry for her." Suddenly, his arm cleared the desk beside him, papers, pens, and a cup clattered to the floor. "That bitch called crying and apologizing, making me feel bad for her! Telling me she still cared about me, loved me, and she was sorry for causing me so much pain. It fucking kills me that she knows how much this is crushing me."
"Jack, is she worth fucking yourself up for?" Leaning forward, elbows to knees, I approached this the only way I knew how.
He shrugged.
"Answer me! Her fucking someone else, is that enough for you to let it ruin you?"
"No." He growled.
"Exactly, but you're letting it happen." Sitting back in my chair, I cross my arms over my chest. "Don't let her screw you over any more than she already has."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mia
"What do you mean, you called him?" I put Maggie in the playpen at Serena and Elliott's house.
"I…I felt like…I just needed to apologize again. You saw him at the wedding!" Tears streamed down Laney's face. "I am responsible for that hurt in his eyes."
"Lane…" Serena pulled her into an embrace.
"I still care about him!" Laney argued. "Knowing one drunken night has changed him so much…It's killing me inside. He's just so—"
"You need to just leave him alone." Kat sat in Elliott's newly acquired lounge chair. It was strange to see the changes in the house, now that it was just Serena, Elliott, and Ry. Kat had moved to Seattle and Laney was currently staying with her.
"I know," Laney hiccupped, "but I couldn't stop myself."
"If you could've stopped from fucking that —"
"Kat!" I hissed.
"What?" She shrugged. "I'm right."
"She is." Laney sobbed.
"Christ," Kat sighed and got up. Sitting on the other side of Laney, she pulled her from Serena's arms. "Look at me."
Laney didn't respond to Kat's command.
"Laney, look at me!"
To this demand Laney responded.
"You fucked up. We all know you fucked up. But what's done is done. You need to move on."
Laney tried to speak, but Kat covered her mouth with a hand.
"Leave Jackson alone, you're causing more hurt by calling him – for both of you. The last thing he needs, or wants, is to talk to you, listen to you cry and apologize. He wants to hate you. He needs that right now."
Laney shook her head, pulling at Kat's hand.
"You are going to feel guilty and you should. But you don't get to self-destruct. Accept what you've done and learn to live with the guilt, day by day, until it starts to lessen. Learn from this." Kat removed her hand and kissed Laney on the side of her mouth.
Laney nodded. "It's so hard."
"Yes, it is." Kat held Laney letting her cry.
"I still love him." Laney hiccupped.
"I know." Kat sighed.
Laney cried herself into a trance like silence. Sitting up and out of Kat's embrace, she leaned against the back of the couch with her arms wrapped around her body. She looked like she was trying to keep herself together.
"How have you been feeling?" Kat inquired with a nod to Serena's stomach.
"Better. I don't feel sick all the time anymore." Serena forced a smile, clearly still affected by Laney's sadness.
"I bet Elliott's happy about that." Kat winked.
"He's definitely making up for lost time." Serena giggled.
"So, when are we going to plan this baby a party?" I asked, handing Maggie back the toy she just threw out of the playpen. She threw it out again.
