by Stacey Pond
“I try my best, sir.”
“Then why are her eyes all red? She ain’t smoked weed since high school, so I’m gonna guess, she’s been crying.”
The look in her father’s eyes was deadly. Chelsea felt a shiver run up her spine. Her father could pick things up about her so quickly it was scary. In her mind, he had barely glanced at her, but in that time he knew all he needed to know. Matthew’s mouth didn’t seem to be forming coherent words anymore as he mumbled.
“Well ah...you see...I don’t…”
“I’m fine, daddy. You know I have a tree allergy. It’s really bad here. Come on, why don’t we show you your room?”
Her father glanced at her a while longer, before he finally nodded. Matthew took her mother’s bags before they set off up the stairs. Her parents were just down the hall from her, in case they needed anything. Matthew placed her mom’s bags on the bed.
“There you are, Mrs. Ayers.”
“Call me Dorothy, please.”
Matthew flashed his charming grin. “Of course, Dorothy. Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes if you want to freshen up. Chelsea’s door is down there on the left. Just knock and we’ll take you down.”
Chelsea’s dad scoffed. She had to agree with him that time. Matthew was doing his schmooze control he used on all of his clients. While her mother was flattered, she and her father saw right through it.
“We’ll leave you two alone,” Chelsea said as she steered Matthew out of the room.
Once the door was safely closed behind them, Matthew leaned against the wall. Chelsea had to cover her mouth to stifle the fountain of giggles pouring from her lips. Matthew shook his head at her.
“Your dad is scary.”
“I told you. I’m his little angel,” she said batting her eyelashes.
“Yeah, right,” he looked at her until she felt self conscious. “Are you still mad at me?”
Chelsea nodded. “Yes. I don’t like liars. You said you would do something then you didn’t do it. If you had, you could have saved me a bunch of embarrassment.”
Matthew stepped closer to her. She let him massage her shoulders before she buried her head against his chest. The smell of his deodorant lingered with the smell of his skin. It was comforting.
“I’m sorry, I really am. I’m going to make it up to you. I meant what I said too, we can leave. Tomorrow if you like.”
Chelsea shook her head. “If we leave early, my dad will know something’s up. He’s kind of already on a warpath.”
“Why?”
Chelsea kissed his cheek before she started walking back to her room. “He doesn’t like you.”
Matthew hurried after her quickly trying to bombard her with questions. She let him try as she slipped into her room. Although her anger was lessening as the hours passed by, she still wanted him to know what it felt like, what she’d gone through upon meeting his mother, just a little. Chelsea had no real idea if her dad liked him or not. While he could just about always read her, it was very rare that she could do the same.
Chelsea pushed Matthew out as she changed for dinner. She slipped into another soft, cotton dress. This one was black with short sleeves. She slipped into her black heels, pinned her hair up into clips and put on a little makeup. As she looked in the mirror, she almost wondered why she was still trying so hard. Matthew. It’s because I love him. The same way he didn’t want their wedding getting in the way of her career was the same way she didn’t want to get between his family. She pushed the thought aside.
Sangi walked out of her bathroom dressed in a red and white polka dot dress. Her long, brown hair flowed over her shoulders. Chelsea even noticed she was wearing makeup, something that didn’t happen all that often. She stared at her friend open mouthed. Sangi was even wearing heels.
“You’re really making sure he notices you, aren’t you?”
“Shut up,” Sangi hissed. Chelsea could almost see the embarrassment written all over her face.
There was a knock on the door before her mother stepped in. She was stunning in her long, black dress and low heels. Her hair was salt and pepper by now, she refused to dye it. It matched her father’s. He stood next to her looking stern. It was a look she’d gotten used to, but she knew he was more than stern. He just didn’t really know how to express it. Her father was dressed in a black suit, black tie at his neck. She smiled at how handsome he looked.
As they walked downstairs together, Matthew joined them. At the bottom of the stairs there were people gathering. Chelsea raised an eyebrow at Matthew. He shrugged his shoulders. They made their way into the dining room. The smaller table had been replaced with a long one. People were either sitting down or milling around talking to each other.
Andrew walked up to them, a big frown on his face. He was fidgeting with his tie, looking uncomfortable. When his eyes fell on Sangi, he paused for a moment. She smiled at him, but he didn’t return it.
“Andrew, what’s going on?” Matthew asked.
“Well, mom knew Chelsea’s parents were coming today, so she planned another night of fun, she calls it,” he looked around nervously before his eyes settled on Chelsea and her parents behind her. “You must be Chelsea’s parents, I’m Andrew. Matthew’s brother.”
They shook hands. A woman walked up, blond hair, thin, with a dazzling smile and even more dazzling champagne colored dress. She slipped a hand around Andrew’s arm.
“You must be Matthew’s fiance, Chelsea. I’m Emily, Andrew’s fiance.”
Chapter 6
Chelsea was beginning to think the world was out to get her. Every time things started to get a little better, they immediately fell apart again. She could see from the look on Sangi’s face that she was pissed off. Matthew on the other hand wouldn’t even acknowledge the woman. At that moment, Chelsea was seriously considering running away from the whole situation, but it was too late for that.
Chelsea sighed before she shook her hand. “Yes, I’m Chelsea. Nice to meet you.”
Sangi didn’t say a word. She turned, pushing her way through the gathering people. Chelsea wanted to talk to her, try to calm her down at least, but at the moment Emily was looking at her expectantly. Chelsea caught Matthew’s mother staring in her direction. She offered a hand to Emily.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
Chelsea tried desperately to get away, but Emily wasn’t having any of it. The more she tried to slip away from the woman, the more she seemed to come up with an excuse for her to stay. She could see Matthew clenching his jaw.
“How have you been, Matthew?” Emily asked, a smirk on her face.
Matthew went to open his mouth, but Chelsea beat him to it. “He’s fine, thanks to me. We’re going, now.”
She took Matthew's arm, pulling him away from the woman. Was everyone in his hometown a little off? They slipped outside where a few stragglers were puffing on cigarettes. When they were out of earshot of the guests, Matthew laughed. It wasn’t his usual good natured chuckle she’d grown used to hearing. It bordered on scary.
“I can’t believe she would even show her face here. I didn’t think my brother would actually be stupid enough to invite her when I was coming,” he scoffed. “This is ridiculous. I’m with you, let’s leave.”
Chelsea shook her head. “No, daddy needs to at least rest for the night. He’s not as young as he used to be. Besides,” she said folding her arms over her chest, “does she really bother you that much?”
Matthew must have seen something on her face because he wrapped her up in his arms. A strong hand ran over her back. He kissed her forehead before he separated them a little.
“She means less than nothing to me. I guess the only reason it still pisses me off is that it was my brother.”
“You still talk to him nice enough.”
“I didn’t want to upset my parents. It’s like everyone knows about it, they just don’t bring it up anymore.” Matthew shrugged. “I’ll be fine.”
Chelsea took his hand givin
g it a tight squeeze. A small bit of his smile returned making her feel that old comfort she’d gotten so used to. He reached over laying his hand on her cheek. Slowly, as if to test the waters, he placed his lips on hers. The soft tickle of his mouth against hers made her feel warm all over. She held onto the front of his jacket, kissing him back until she was out of breath. When they pulled away from each other, they were both smiling. Until Chelsea remembered Sangi.
“Shit! I forgot about Sangi. I have to go check on her.”
Matthew nodded. “I’ll come with you.”
They slipped back into the house with its soft music playing. The sound of Frank Sinatra filtered through the speakers making her sleepy. At first they stuck together sweeping from room to room looking for her. Once she didn’t pop up downstairs they split up before starting in on the second floor. Sangi was no where to be found. They walked outside together, the smell of hydrangeas punctuating the air. Chelsea finally admitted defeat. Sangi obviously didn’t want to be found.
When they entered the house again, everyone was heading to the tables to eat. Chelsea briefly apologized to her parents for leaving them alone. Lyle waved her off saying they’d had a lovely chat. Chelsea sighed in relief. As long as Catherine didn’t say anything crazy while her parents were there, everything would be fine. When everyone was seated, Chelsea looked around the table. Still, no Sangi. She hadn’t picked up her phone either. It wasn’t like her to do that, but then again, it wasn’t like her to fall for a guy so quickly.
Dinner was once more brought in on silver trays. The smells were intoxicating, even if Chelsea didn’t know the names of half the dishes. She’d made a name for herself as a lawyer the past few years. While she could afford some luxuries, she just didn’t want them. Chelsea liked her simple life, her simple foods and the lack of complications that seemed to come along with living in a family like Matthew’s. At dinner, Catherine wouldn’t look at her or Matthew. She barely shared a glance with her husband. With her parents however, Catherine chatted, laughed, told stories. Chelsea rolled her eyes so hard she thought they would disappear inside of her head.
The dinner went by slowly for Chelsea, but she didn’t remember actually tasting anything. She was worried about Sangi. She kept her eyes on Andrew who was being manhandled by Emily. Once, he looked up, catching her eyes. She raised an eyebrow, scoffed and went back to eating dinner. She tried her best to mingle with the people around her, but she had no experience in trips to Venice or the newest designer trends. Catherine seemed to know that. It was as if she sat her next to these people who she would have nothing in common with, when down the table they were discussing politics. Now that was a conversation.
Chelsea watched as halfway through dinner, Andrew pulled out his phone before disappearing. She slipped her own phone out, but there was still no reply from her friend. She was getting really worried. As soon as desert was cleared off of her plate, raspberry creme brulee that she had to admit tasted like heaven, she decided to check for Sangi one more time. Matthew offered to go with her, but she told him to entertain his guests. Besides, she wanted to talk to Sangi alone.
As she walked outside once more, she could hear the chirping of crickets. A warm breeze passed over her neck, making her shiver. As she stopped to look around, she heard muted voices. Slowly, she followed the sound. She realized it was coming from the little house beside the main one, the guest house. The windows stood dark, the building slightly in need of repair. Chelsea walked along the side of it until she heard voices again.
“I didn’t know she was going to show up.”
“You knew you were engaged.”
Chelsea recognized Andrew’s voice. “I meant what I said earlier. I do want a chance to get to know you. I’m breaking it off with Emily.”
She heard Sangi give a derisive laugh. “Oh right, I’m sure. No thanks, I’m not going to be your little side thing. I don’t know who you think you are!”
Chelsea didn’t hear anything after that. Slowly, she stuck her head around the corner. Andrew was holding Sangi’s face in his hands, kissing her deeply. Chelsea covered her mouth before backing away. She briskly walked back to the house. Well, at least that problem had been cleared up fast.
Matthew was waiting for her outside, rubbing his hands together and looking very nervous. When he spotted her, his eyes lit up. He jogged up to meet her, his eyes full of questions.
“Yes, I found her. Did everyone leave?” Chelsea asked.
Matthew shook his head. “Some of them. Most are still hanging around. Was she okay?”
She smiled, nodding. “I think she’s going to be okay.”
They walked back into the house where her mother and father were waiting for them. Together, they all said their goodnights before heading upstairs. Chelsea was more than exhausted from pretending everything was perfect. In the back of her mind, she wondered if Catherine would ever change.
Matthew tried to follow her into her room, but she threw him out. There was no way she was going to let anything happen when her parents were so close. They kissed at the door. Chelsea found herself not wanting to let go. After the long day she’d had, she really just wanted to curl up with him, lay her head on his chest and get some rest. Their lips lingered before they finally separated saying goodnight.
*****
The next morning, Chelsea woke up to someone knocking repeatedly on the door. At first she thought it was Sangi, but her friend wasn’t exactly the knocking type. Besides, they’d known each other too long to knock. Chelsea glanced at the alarm clock on her bedside table. The red numbers flash 6:00 am. She groaned. Pushing herself up on one elbow, she ran fingers through her hair before she called out sleepily to come in.
The door slid open soundlessly as Catherine stepped into the room. Chelsea’s hazy eyes quickly cleared as she rubbed them. She began to wonder if she was really awake or having a really expressive dream. Catherine was dressed in a white pant suit, her golden hair spilling over her shoulders in soft little waves.
After a moment of staring, Chelsea seemed to find her voice. “What are you doing here?”
Catherine closed the door behind her. In her mind, Chelsea could see the woman murdering her then making her disappear. She knew she watched too many crime shows. The woman crossed her arms over her chest. She sighed, glanced around the room. Chelsea raised an eyebrow, but she let her gather her thoughts.
“Chelsea, I’ve been kind of unfair. I wanted to apologize to you and help you plan your wedding.”
Chelsea’s fingers rolled over the blanket on top of her lap. “What made you change your mind?”
“I just want my son to be happy,” she said after a long moment of silence. Her long fingers adjusted her collar. “So, are we alright?”
Chelsea thought it over before sighing. “Fine, we’re alright,” she mumbled.
“Wonderful! I know Matthew’s going to be so pleased. Don’t worry, I’ll call my planner today and have her work some wedding magic for you two.”
Chelsea tried to protest as the door was pulled closed by Catherine, but the woman either didn’t hear her or didn’t care. She settled on didn’t care. Groaning, Catherine threw herself back on the bed. She stared up at the ceiling. As she began to drift off again, she realized that Catherine hadn’t actually said sorry. She’d come to apologize then skipped right over it. She scoffed, shaking her head. That woman was a pain in the ass.
She dozed off again, this time her dreams traded in for nightmares of Catherine. The woman kept making her wedding more and more ridiculous. In the end, it was a big circus of overly done everything. It was so embarrassing that Matthew even left her. Chelsea woke up cranky as someone knocked on the door again. She called for them to come in. Her mom was at the door telling her it was time for breakfast. Once she was gone again, Chelsea spent a while mumbling into her pillow before she forced herself to get up and start her day.
She slipped from the bed, eyes still half closed as she headed for the bathroom. The warm
water woke her up. When she stepped out, she wrapped herself up in a towel before heading back into the room. Sangi was perched on her bed. She had gone back to her normal self apparently, now wearing jeans and a blue tank top. She also had a huge grin on her face.
“It’s too early to be that happy,” Chelsea said as she rifled through the drawers.
“Not after the best sex you’ve ever had it’s not.”
Chelsea turned around, eyes wide. “Andrew? Well of course with Andrew, who else is here? But with Andrew? You barely know him.”
Sangi shrugged. “What can I say? You just know if it’s right,” she said as she laid back on Chelsea’s bed.
Chelsea turned back to the drawer she was digging in deep in thought. She slipped out a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and some underwear before she headed back into the bathroom to change. It was hard for her to hold her tongue. While she was glad to see that Sangi was putting herself out there again, she still didn’t know how she felt about Andrew. Last night she’d thought maybe they’d just start dating, take it slow. Now, she could see Sangi really cared for him. Dressing quickly, she tossed her hair into a ponytail before walking back into the room. Sangi still wore a spaced out, happy look on her face. The lopsided, goofy grin making Chelsea sigh.
“Just be careful, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I won’t. He’s breaking up with Emily today. Last night he told me that he’d been planning to for a while. The only reason he hadn’t was that his mother kept insisting he settle down. After everything that happened yesterday with you and Catherine, he decided to wait a little longer until his mom cooled off. Don’t give me that look. He’s breaking it off with her, he really is,” she said defensively.
Chelsea threw up her hands. “I just hope he is.”
Sangi seemed a bit annoyed as they walked down with each other. Usually she would be constantly chattering, giving her every sordid detail of her night spent in bliss. However, she didn’t say a word until they entered the dining room to say good morning to everyone. Catherine was talking excitedly with Matthew, her eyes bright. Chelsea decided she would give her a chance. Maybe she really did feel bad about what happened the other day. In any case, Matthew seemed a lot less stressed than he had the day before. She would take her small blessings where she could get it.
