The celebrant broke off mid speech as everyone turned towards me, upset with the interruption.
“It was a mouse!” I declared. “I was attacked by a mouse!”
Nicole reached out to the object that had fallen off of me, to show everyone what it was.
“It’s just a toy,” she stated.
And then I could hear the scolding.
The grumbling and the groaning.
Lara’s eyes burned into mine, as furious as the lavas that ran along hell.
I stood up tearfully, and fled from the ceremony, an absolute mess.
By the time I realized I was in the car park and what I’d done, the ceremony had resumed itself without me.
I crouched to the ground, the harsh bite of the road cripplingly my legs underneath the dress.
Looking out to where I’d been, I could see Aiden had taken my seat next to Nicole, and her head was ever so tilted towards him.
I knew he had done this.
CHAPTER SIX
I returned with shame back to the ceremony, standing with those at the back. There were no more interruptions. No one getting punched in the arm or being assaulted with plastic mice. As it went on, I’m sure it was everything Lara hoped for. Ryan took his vows to her on one knee, claiming he worshiped the ground she walked on. Everyone seemed moved by his display of humility. In his own words: “I am nothing without this woman standing beside me here.”
We watched as rings were exchanged and their kiss of love gave blessings to us all.
More clapping. More cheering.
More music.
They signed their marriage license together, and then everyone was instructed to get up and prepare themselves for photos. As the crowd assembled and moved up along the lawn, I began to back away myself.
I couldn’t look at anyone in the face. I was still so embarrassed. Still feeling like an idiot. Sure enough, one day I would be able to explain in detail to Lara and Mom and Dad what had happened with Aiden, but I knew today they would not listen to me.
As far as the rest of the afternoon went, I just had to make sure I stayed as far away from him as possible.
“Bianca! Where’s Bianca?!”
I looked up and saw my stepmom calling out for me. She was huddled with a group in front of the photographer.
It would be just the five of us. Lara in the centre with Mom on one side and me on the other.
Dad was standing behind Mom.
Aiden was standing behind me.
The skin on my neck twitched. My stomach ached.
I kept imagining something was wet there. Something creeping along. But it was all in my mind. Aiden did nothing.
He didn’t so much as breathe on me.
The photos went on for about another half an hour. Every combination of persons and people you could imagine, with different photos taken by different people. I didn’t take any photos myself. I wanted to earlier, but I’d just been thrown out of the loop now, and I was almost afraid to speak.
One of the caterers then announced that we were to come inside to the foyer for drinks.
I won’t lie. I was in the front of the pack.
Stepping into the hall area there I could see various waiters and waitresses getting ready to approach with glasses of wine, champagne, and bottles of beer. There were even premixed cans in another part of the room. I began heading that way, until I tap on my shoulder caused me to flinch and whirl round.
Aiden.
“What?” I growled at him.
“Can I talk to you?” he said.
“No,” I shook my head. “You’re such a dick.”
“I want to apologize,” he said. “Can we go back outside?”
I groaned and bit my teeth together.
“Good,” he said, grabbing my wrist. “Come on.”
He led me back outside past the line filing into the foyer, and around the side of the resort where no one else could see us.
“There better be something for me to drink after this,” I said. “They better not run out.”
“They’re not going to run out,” Aiden scoffed. “There’s no limit here. It’s all paid for.”
I shook my head and folded my arms together. “So what the fuck was that shit before?”
“What shit?”
“The mouse,” I said angrily punching him. “That was humiliating!”
“Yeah, that was me,” he confessed. “I didn’t expect you to freak out or anything. I was trying to be funny.”
“What were you doing with a toy mouse anyway? This is a wedding. Why don’t you show your sister some respect?”
“Do you mean you or Lara?”
“I mean both of us!”
One of the waiters peeled his head around the corner. “Sorry,” he said. “I’ll come back.”
Aiden chuckled to himself.
“Hey, don’t you owe me something now?” I demanded. “Where’s my apology?”
“I’ll apologize,” he said defensively. “When you calm down a moment.”
“I am calm. I’m very calm, considering.”
“Do you want me to get you a drink first?”
“Huh?” I stared at him blankly.
“I’m trying to be nice,” he insisted. “Do you want me to get you a drink? Then we can toast to your apology.”
“Give me a break,” I sighed. “You’ll probably put a laxative in it or something.”
“Just … Just wait here,” he said.
He went back round the corner.
I leant up against the wall, breathing heavily.
Did I trust him?
Was I going to trust the apology?
He didn’t deserve it. Grabbing my ass earlier could be classified as sexual assault, if I was feeling particularly nasty.
But then again, I didn’t know what Aiden had been through. Maybe he just didn’t know how to behave around family anymore. Maybe, through his eyes, we had all abandoned him. Maybe military school was a nightmare for him. And he’d seen and done things I had no way of knowing.
Maybe there was more to him.
I sighed. I knew when I saw Lara again I had to talk to her properly. Explain what had happened. I had to be strong with it. I had to be an adult.
When Aiden returned around the corner, I was feeling much better about everything.
All he had to do now was say he was sorry.
“I got you a can of vodka and raspberry,” Aiden said, handing me the can. “I could see you were headed that way.”
“Thank you,” I said.
I held the can in my hand. It was so, so cold.
“As you can see, I haven’t tampered with it,” Aiden said. “And I really am sorry.”
He raised his can of beer to my can, and cracked the ring of it.
“Thank you,” I said again.
I cracked my ring and instantly the can rocketed out of hands spraying its fizzy contents everywhere.
“Yeah, I’m so fucking sorry,” Aiden giggled and turned back round the corner.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Dripping with the contents of the can, I hurried into the restroom dodging past a couple of other wedding guests on their way out. In the mirror, I could see my dress was saturated. The pink stains at the top of it were so wet they made my bra visible.
“Damn you!” I screeched. “Bastard!”
I covered myself with hot water and ripped out endless pieces of paper towel drying to wipe the stuff out.
The restroom door opened and closed.
Lara was standing behind me.
“Oh no,” she squealed. “What’s happened?”
She rushed over to me.
I turned to her, fretfully. “It’s Aiden. He did this to me. He’s done everything to me.”
“Aiden?” Lara replied, sounding perplexed. She reached for additional paper to help me dry off.
“Yes Aiden,” I growled. “He shook up a can and gave it to me. And before he was the one who put the plastic mouse on me.”
> “Are you serious?” Lara remarked. “That’s nuts.”
“I know,” I gushed. “Thank you for hearing me. He’s driving me insane.”
Lara straightened me up in front of the mirror.
I was still stained but at least you couldn’t see my bra anymore.
“I guess this will have to do,” she said. “At least we got the photographs taken already.”
“By the way,” I said. “I am sorry I freaked out at mouse. And interrupted things. Congratulations for getting married and everything.”
“Thank you,” Lara nodded politely. “I’d hug you but…”
“I don’t want to ruin your dress,” I said in agreement.
“So is everything going to be alright now then?”
“Can you get me moved to another table?” I asked. “At the reception?”
“Oh, I don’t think so, why?”
“Why?” I stammered. “Why? Because you have me sitting next to Aiden?”
“Look, you could sit outside with Mom and Dad I suppose. But I’d really prefer you to be inside quite frankly.”
“Can’t you see how he’s terrorizing me? What’s he going to do with me sitting there with him for the next five hours?”
“I’ll talk to him,” Lara said. “I’ll make sure he backs off. Okay?”
“What if he doesn’t listen?”
“It’s my wedding day. He has to listen to me. So do you.”
I lowered my head in anguish.
She had me there.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Drinks were soon over. I took another can from the table and moved through the onlookers to go back outside and sit alone by myself to drink it. Nicole had Aiden pinned up against the wall. They weren’t yet kissing but looked like they were about to.
I was just thankful that she wasn’t going to be at our table.
Seriously, I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe I was overacting. I had to keep reminding myself that this was only for a few hours, so what if I looked like shit now, by next week no one is going to remember any of it anyway.
Except they would remember. This was a wedding.
Even inside the reception area there would be a professional video filmed and a zillion more photographs taken. I couldn’t escape who I was this day. It would be something that stayed with everyone for a very long time.
But I had to be positive. I had to stop thinking about myself. It didn’t really matter and Aiden was only able to hurt me as much as I let him.
Why should I be so worried…?
The party was now filing out of the foyer they were moving around the side of the resort back towards the car park and to the main entrance. This was the reception area, where we would be all seated around the centre of a dance floor. We would be served a three course meal, there would be speeches, and plenty of music, drinks and dancing afterwards. On any other day, I would probably be having the most fun ever. Perhaps that was still possible.
Head held high, I joined the party as we moved onward. My step mom saw me, my dress, and stopped a moment so I would catch up with her.
“What’s happened?” she hissed. “First you run away during the ceremony and now –”
“Please chill out,” I said. “This isn’t my fault.”
“Well, just whose fault is it, may I ask? You always were so clumsy.”
“What?” I spluttered. “Your son, the one everybody hates, shook up my drink before he gave it to me. That’s why I’m like this. Because of him.”
“You should listen to yourself,” my stepmom said shaking her head. “You haven’t seen your brother in five years, and now this is the welcoming he gets. No wonder he feels abandoned.”
She stormed off back to her little group, and I was left grinding my teeth together.
Thanks, Mom. Just the uplifting boost I needed.
I looked for Dad thinking he might be my one solid rock of solace, but he was too busy conversing with Ryan and his father. Boys only.
We entered the resort and the caretaker explained to us that we should take the seats that had our names attached. There was a door just behind my allocated area which led to an outdoor smoking area, where Mom and Dad’s table had been set up for them.
Instead of sitting down all by my lonesome, I decided to head to the bar first which was as before, all paid for. I asked for a glass of wine this time and carried it back towards the table, sipping it gently.
Aiden was seated. His eyes were on me as I walked back across the room.
Sinister. Seductive.
Alluring.
Wait, what are these words about my brother…?
As I approached the table, Aiden stood and pulled out my chair for me.
Without really thinking – stupid me – I just sat down on the chair as he presented it for me, without looking as to what lay beneath there.
Despite all the chattering, the shuffling of tables and chairs, and everyone moving all around the room – there wasn’t a person who didn’t hear and stop what they were doing as soon as I sat down.
What thundered in the vicinity of my butt, was the loud, long, and disgusting sound of a blown up whoopee cushion, being flattened against the chair.
Laughter soon rang afterward.
Applause and cheering.
It was as if Lara and Ryan had just gotten married all over again.
CHAPTER NINE
That was enough. The final straw. It had been hard enough getting this far, but now circumstances had changed. As I stood from the table my eyes watching the entire room full of family and friends, laughing it up, poking fun at me, that was when I realized that it wasn’t worth fighting for. I didn’t care how funny it was. Just because it’s your wedding day doesn’t mean you get to treat everyone else like shit.
“Whoa, where are you going?” Aiden said grabbing my arm as I sulked by him. “The bathroom’s that way.”
I picked up my glass from the table, and dumped the contents on his head.
This shocked everyone. Their laughter was immediately cut short.
I ripped my arm away from him and staggered back out towards the entrance. I pushed the doors open and was hit was the crispness of the outside air trudging forth.
The sky was orange and pink. The sun was going home for the night.
My high heels scraped along the car park’s asphalt as I made my way to the car.
Heavy boots hit the pavement, running behind me. Aiden, of course.
“Ugly,” he called. “Come on, ugly, don’t be like that. I was just mucking around.”
I turned to him, my whole body shaking. “I don’t know you anymore. You don’t know me. I don’t know how you can just walk in here and start treating me like –”
“Look, I’m sorry, ugly. Sorry about before as well. Your face is just so funny to me when you get upset. I mean, you have to trust me, ugly, when I –”
“Stop calling me ugly!”
Aiden gave a short laugh, as though he wasn’t even aware of it. “Yeah, I know your real name. Beautiful Bianca. But when I call you ugly, you make ugly seem not half bad at all.”
My head jerked back.
What was this?
Another mind game?
“Come inside,” he urged me. “Be with your family. You can check my pockets if you like.”
“Why would I –?”
He unzipped his jacket to reveal a black t-shirt with heavy chest muscles protruding behind it. I thought I might like to dig my finger nails into them, so I could scratch him. Hurt him like he hurt me. And I wondered why that might feel so good…
“You see? No more fake mice. No more whoopee cushions. I’m done with the pranks. I see I went too far.”
“I believed you last time,” I said. “And since then you ruined my dress, and made everyone laugh at me. How can I believe a word you say again?”
“Because I’m your brother,” he grinned. “You know I would never really hurt you.”
His eyes circled me. Sizing me up
.
Waiting for me to relent. Waiting for me to give in.
To let the guard down. To trust.
And then like a predator in the night, he would seize me up …
“Wait,” he whispered. I realized he was looking behind me. “Just, wait…”
I peeled round to see what he was staring at.
In the gaping distances between the car park and the long driveway between here and the road, there appeared to be two men on motorcycles approaching.
I looked back to Aiden. He had frozen completely still.
As the bikes came a bit closer, I saw his eyes widen with fear.
“Shit,” he muttered.
Then he grabbed a hold of my wrist.
“Let go,” I screeched, pushing him away.
He grabbed hold of me again, with a strength that could snap my body in two. “Follow me now. I ain’t fucking with you.”
“Okay,” I winced.
He pulled me across to the other side of the car park where his bike was. He picked up the helmet from the ground and fastened it to my head.
“I’m not coming with you,” I gasped. “I have my own car.”
He aggressively grabbed hold of me and placed me on the back of the bike.
The two men on the bikes were now right next to us. I could see both were wearing green and brown camouflage jackets consistent with the military.
One of them pulled off his helmet and stared at us. He was young, about our age, with a buzz cut and very clear face.
“Aiden,” he said.
Aiden wasn’t on the bike yet.
Just standing beside it.
“I hope you had a good day today, Aiden,” the man said.
“Get fucked,” Aiden replied.
“But now it’s time for you to come in. We need you, Aiden.”
“I said get fucked.”
The man laughed and turned to his helmeted sidekick behind him. After a nod of recognition he turned back to Aiden.
“Come on,” he said. “You don’t want it to go any further than this. You know you can’t win. If you come in with us, then at least –”
“Get fucked!” Aiden jumped on the front of the motorcycle and kicked the ignition.
Stepbrother Bear: The Complete Set Page 2
