How It Should Be

Violet closed her date-book. She finished all of the stupid wedding planning for stupid Shannon and now had to go to a wedding shower and bachelorette party...on a Tuesday. Fuck.

Erin was picking up Violet at the apartment to take her to the parties because with her leg she couldn't drive.

"You don't look particularly excited for this," Erin commented as Violet climbed into her Z4 beamer convertible.

"An afternoon with my lunatic family and then an evening with seven girls each from a different circle of hell. I'm clearly thrilled." Violet dead panned as Erin put the car in drive and headed towards the restaurant.

"Oh come on, it's not going to be that bad," Erin smiled brightly at Violet as she raised her eyebrows.

"That bad? Erin, these are the people who told me when I was fourteen that if I wanted a husband I'd better start learning how to hide the weirder aspects of myself. Who tells a fourteen year old that? Aunt Nora. Aunt Jane. My mother."

"Alright fine, maybe this dinner won't be the best but the bachelorette party should be pretty fun." Violet turned to look at Erin and sighed.

"I know you're trying to help me but all I want to do is hit you right now."

"Fine, fine, I'll stay quiet." Erin laughed at the look Violet shot her before turning up the music. The pair was the first to arrive and promptly were escorted to the private dinning room where they seat up tables for gifts and what not.

"I hate this. I hate this. Why did I let Ryan do this to me?" Violet had thrown herself onto one of the table and was laying up facing the ceiling.

"I think you did it because he begged you."

Violet covered her eyes. "And he's begged me to do things before and I've held my ground. Ugh, stupid family ties. I need to move away."

"What? And leave me?" Erin pulled Violet's hand away. "You could never leave the Burgh, your Penguins are here." Erin smirked and looked over Violet's head. "Your family is arriving."

"FML." Over the course of the next three hours Erin watched as Violet was chastised for spraining her ankle, not getting the right colored table cloths and wearing her hair down, for putting it up, and straight not wavy, and how it really should always be straight and never wavy.

Violet took all of this amicably and saw everyone off whilst enduring even more reticule from her aunts.

"And Matt wonders why I'm a dysfunctional human being." Violet said through her teeth as she waved to her departing mother. Violet then proceeded to instruct the remaining girls to the hotel room where the rest of the night would take place.

"God only knows I'd rather be with Geno right now." Violet rubbed her temples as they climbed back into Erin's car.

"I know. I'm beginning to think your family is worse than that even."

"Ohh, you should see us on Thanksgiving. Total chaos." Erin chuckled and turned up the Jack's Mannequin in the car for the rest of the ride to the hotel. There they were greeted by seven former ivy-leaguers who must've been the nerds who live in singles and never left and only made friends at yearbook or what not.

"I didn't get a stripper." Violet said flat out as she hobbled over to one of the cushiony chairs. "Ryan told me no and quite frankly I don't think any of you would appreciate a stripper."

"You're right." Shannon's friend Karen put it bluntly. "Do you have any wine?" And so the night began. Erin and Violet watched as the former smarty-pants drank bottle after bottle of wine, and popping pieces of Godiva chocolate in between.

"Remind me to most definitely get a stripper and only have beer when it's my turn." Erin said to Violet as she watched Shannon pop open another bottle of California's finest. After watching the girls stumble a bit Violet turned back to Erin.

"Do you think we have to stay?"

"How should I know? You're the maid of honor."

"Unwillingly." Violet and Erin watched as the first of Shannon's friends passed out. "Yeah, let's just go." Erin and Violet quietly made their way out of the hotel room and to Erin's car.

"Where am I taking you? To Geno's or home?"

Violet pondered. Well, Geno was on a road trip and even though she did have the code to his garage and security and that he said it would be okay she knew it would be lonely being in the big bed alone.

"Take me home."

Erin nodded and drove off in the opposite direction of Evgeni's. Matt was "watching" a movie with Julie when Violet walked in. They hadn't heard the door open and were currently all over each other making out. Violet smirked and slammed the door. Matt shot straight up and looked wildly around until his eyes fell on his best friend.

"Back already?" Matt narrowed his eyes at her.

"Just going to bed. Carry on eating my friend's face. Hey Jules," Julie waved sheepishly and didn't make eye contact with Violet.

"Night, Vi," Matt said pointedly. Violet took the hint and chuckled as she made her way to her bedroom, remembering to put her ear plugs in for the night.

****************************************************

Violet woke up completely pleased with herself that she didn't have a hangover. Granted, she didn't drink last night, but boy, she would've if her mother hadn't been there.

"There's only one way to deal with your family: drunk." Matthew had put it once a few years ago when he came home with her for spring break their sophomore year at Dickinson. It shocked Violet she hadn't had a single drink. Maybe it was because her family had been drinking and had loosened up before she needed to.

But usually when they were loose that just meant they were even more insulting. Erin had deemed the group of obnoxious ladies as completely, utterly infuriating while Violet placed the night on a moderate to mild insult level.

"I don't know how you do it." Erin was waiting for Violet at her desk that morning when she got in.

"I'm magic, baby," Violet laughed. "Now get up, I need to sit." Erin shook her head as Violet hobbled over to her chair.

"How did you get here? I thought you're boy didn't want you driving."

"Well, Geno threatened Matt, who would've taken my keys if I had a car. I got here the same way I always get here, Matt dropped me off."

"Aww, carpool."

"I know. We're so much like siblings it's ridiculous" Violet rolled her eyes. "Lunch later?"

"Sounds good. We can discuss the promotions at mall!"

"Or figure out which Penguin you want to do..."

"Oh, I already know that!" Erin smirked at Violet.

"Who?" Violet opened her eyes wide and Erin just shook her head.

"You'll have to wait and see...." Erin laughed and walked away as Violet shouted at her to tell. Knowing she wouldn't get an answer then Violet went about her work. Fifteen minutes before lunch her phone rang. The only person besides Matt to ever call her at this time was Geno. She didn't bother checking the caller id.

"Hello?"

"Violet?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"Vio, it's me..."