Forced Affection

My mother arrived 3 days after the break down, the near killing of Leo, the promises made by Arianna and the revelation. I was still going ahead with the wedding; there was no doubt in my mind now. I felt lighter than I had in months, sure everything was still going to hell and I still hadn’t made any decisions with my emotions, feelings and Leo – but I had a purpose. Peace. It was necessary, and so was this wedding.
When my mother arrived I ran straight into her arms, letting her hold me, I never wanted to let her go. Even though I hadn’t spoken to her since months before the engagement, it was time to let bygones be bygones. I needed my mum; I needed my family and my friends. This would be too hard and near impossible without them. My mum laughed and held me tight, the first embrace we had it what felt like years.
‘Hallie, I’m so happy to see you’ she says kissing my forehead and still not letting me go.
‘Thanks for coming mum, I just I really need you now’ I say smiling broadly and refusing to cry. Arianna came bustling into the room seeing my mother and me, she smiled and nodded approvingly.
‘Maria, I didn’t think your flight was getting in until 4, I would have gotten you from the airport’ she said walking over to my mother. I let go of her and stepped away, Arianna embraced my mother and then pulled back smiling ‘it’s so good you’re here!’ she finished.
‘Oh no, it’s fine I just got a cab. Believe me it was the least of my problems. So I heard that my daughter has decided to finally have some input into this wedding’ she says to Arianna smiling as she glances at me lovingly.
‘Yeah, she has and because of it we are going crazy trying to get everything ready in time. Speaking of, we have a last minute dress fitting, that we are supposed to be at…well now. So drop your bags in the door, turn around and out the door we go’ Arianna says bustling us out the door. My mother grabbed my hand, squeezing it she pulled me through the door with her.
‘C’mon Rae’ I shouted over my shoulder as I see Rae down the stairs trying to put a cardigan on.
‘Coming’ she shouts back jumping the last 3 steps and racing out the door. I hold the car door open as she slides in next to me.
‘What couldn’t get off the phone to Drew?’ I smirk at her closing the door. We were being chauffeured around today. I sat next to my mother as Arianna and Rae sat across from us. Rae poked her tongue out but didn’t answer. I smiled back at her as she fell into conversation with Arianna and mum. I sat there content with my silence looking out the window, I wouldn’t pick on Rae for her relationship with Drew, he’d been a life saver lately. I still hadn’t spoken to or seen Leo, and well in changing some of the wedding plans I’ve needed Leo’s opinion. Drew has been our go between guy so I haven’t had to deal with Leo directly.
‘Um speaking of Drew, he is going to meet us at the dress makers. He has the last of the details for the honeymoon that I’ve been organising. I hope that’s ok’ Rae says breaking me out of my thoughts. Rae had asked permission to organise the honeymoon for Leo and I. I hadn’t wanted one, I mean I couldn’t think of anything worse than be stuck with Leo somewhere I didn’t know, but since it is a tradition I agreed to it. And I’m allowing her to organise it so there is some surprise, I tried to be happy about it and play pretend that it doesn’t make me uncomfortable. I’m sure she had picked up on my uncertainty, but rather than reassuring me, she’d just ignored it and honestly I was thankful for it.
‘Of course, that’s fine’ I say smiling as we fall back into the silence.

At the fitting, I glanced in the mirror, looking at myself in my wedding dress. I never really imagined the day this would happen. I mean, wow. The dress was perfect, and completely different from the original chosen by my mother and Arianna. I stand there looking at myself, dumbfounded. This was just perfect. I smiled and couldn’t stop.
‘C’mon Hallie, come out and show us’ I hear Rae call out. I glance at myself once more and walk out of the changing room into the waiting room. Rae gasps and mum puts her hands over her mouth, Arianna smiles and can’t stop. There is a tear that falls down mums face and I shake my head, of course she would cry.
‘Wow’ Arianna whispers.
‘Oh darling, you look beautiful’ mum whispers. Rae is still speechless, just standing and watching.
‘Wow, Hallie that is beautiful. You look gorgeous’ she final whispers as she runs to my and hugs me.
‘Oh thanks. I really, really, really like it’ I say as I laugh a little, I couldn’t get any more out. Before anyone else says anything, someone speaks up.
‘Me too. Leo is not going to know what to do’ says a voice from around the corner. I spin around to see Drew standing there smiling at me.
Rae smiles, let’s go of me and walks over to him. He hugs her and turns back to me.
‘Honestly Hallie you look amazing. You’re gonna blow everyone’s mind’ he says one last time and I smile and nod.
‘Thanks Drew’ I whisper and glance back to my mother and Arianna just watching me with there hawk vision.
‘Well?’ I ask them now that they have had enough time to look it over.
‘It’s nothing like the one we choose’ Mum mutters still frowning, she walks a little bit further around me ‘but I love it. You look perfect darling’ she finishes smiling.
‘You really do. I just want you to wear that dress everywhere. You should never get out of it. You are just…perfect’ Arianna says smiling at me as well. I sigh and let out a breath I didn’t even realise I was holding.
‘Thanks, I feel pretty close to perfect in it. I mean I just love it’ I say laughing like a little kid, there was no words that could express the giddiness and excitement I felt in this dress.
It was all too short lived though, before the dress fitter came back in and made me get out of the dress, it was my last fitting and she had decided it was at a perfect size, so long as I didn’t gain or lose weight. She smiled at the sight of me, also saying how beautiful I looked – but I feel that was part of the job description and required by her to say even when it looks hideous.
Drew and Rae came back over to us once I was out of my perfect dress, and back in my normal clothes.
‘I didn’t want to take it off’ I say to mum and Arianna. They both chuckle at me.
‘You’re unbelievable’ Rae says as she shakes her head at me.
‘It was just so damn pretty’ I say pouting and tapping my leg ‘so when do I get it to take with me?’ I ask looking around waiting for an answer.
‘I’m not sure we should take it at all, knowing you we’ll come home and find you wearing it while cleaning the kitchen or something’ mum says smiling at me. I hear Rae chuckle and nod in agreement.
‘I wouldn’t wear it to clean the kitchen; I’d just hang around at churches and other peoples wedding wearing it out shining every other bride. I’d look prettier than them one their wedding day’ I say smiling. They all start laughing at me.
‘Got enough tickets on yourself Hallie?’ Drew asks laughing at me. I smile and laugh as well.
‘Um did you just see me? I was gorgeous. Ever other bride would be jealous and I’d just me chilling and all like yeah that’s right, you can’t look this good’ I say laughing. Arianna and mum continue to laugh but shake their head disapprovingly. Rae smiles at me and Drew.
‘Yeah I saw you, you looked alright’ Drew said modestly. I laughed and hit him in the shoulder.
‘Whatever I was fucking stunning. Honestly I need a photographer to follow me around while I’m wearing that dress just taking pictures, making everyone else hate on me and how amazing I looked’ I continue as I keep laughing. Drew shakes his head, but does chuckle.
‘I’ll be your photographer when you’re crashing other weddings. And just be like does anyone want a photo with this bride? Does the groom want to swap brides?’ Rae says getting amongst it.
‘Yes, thank you. That’s what I need, see that’s what friends do. Now let’s get that dress and go make other brides jealous’ I say linking my arm with Rae’s as we make our way to the front of the store to pick up my dress.
As we are taking the dress Arianna takes it before I can even grab it.
‘Yes, well as much as I enjoyed the joke you and Rae were making. I can’t help but think it wasn’t a joke, so I’ll be keeping hold of the dress for the next couple of weeks’ she says refusing to let me have the dress. I smile and laugh.
‘Who says I was joking?’ I say as Rae says the exact same thing. We both look at each other and burst out laughing again.
‘I’m pretty sure that is what she was so worried about’ Drew says looking at us, before telling us goodbye and departing. Apparently he had somewhere else that he needed to be.
‘I’m going to second keeping the dress away from them both’ mum says as she opens the door and we make our way out. I look around and smile. This was great. I had my dress, everything planned now and the makings of a perfect day to come.

When we arrived back at the house, I automatically tensed. Leo’s Porsche was parked out the front, along with a couple of cars I couldn’t recognise. The driver pulls to a stop and gets out opening the door for us. Arianna, mum and Rae all climb out as thy kept talking, not realising my silence.
‘Thank you’ I whisper to the drive as I get out and take a quick glance around to make sure Leo wasn’t there and I didn’t have to see him. I see Rae stop and wait for me to catch up. Arianna and mum are ahead of us at the door. Arianna opens the door and takes a step in. She quickly closes it and hands my wedding dress in the black cover to my mother. Mum takes the dress strangely as Arianna races back to me. She grabs my arm and holds me still. Rae stops, unsure of what is going on. I’m also confused – what is happening?
‘Hallie, I’m so sorry. I forgot. I literally triple booked us. We were supposed to stay out later so Leo could come back, organise some stuff and pick up some things with Nathan. I agreed to take you out for lunch or to the spa or something to distract you. But it completely slipped my mind. I also organised a luncheon for the ladies from down at the Country Club. That means inside is also Lilia Matthews and her daughter Skye, along with the other women and their daughters – I have had this organised months in advanced, it also slipped my mind. I’m so sorry, do you want to go out for lunch with your mother, or Rae and you can go to a spa or something’ Arianna tells me as she never lets go of me, I can hear the concern in her voice. By now my mother has joined Rae, Arianna and I standing at the bottom of the steps. That would explain all the cars around.
‘Seriously, it’s your house – don’t worry about making me feel welcomed. It’s fine. Really, Rae and I can just sneak up stairs and watch a movie or something. Besides mum is the queen of country clubs, I’m sure she’ll fit right in’ I say smiling reassuringly at Arianna before making my way up the stairs to the front door.
‘Ok, but most of the women will be outside in the garden. Leo will be up stairs between his office and his fathers. Right now he is in your room. If you send Rae up first he’ll realise your back. You are more than welcomed to go and relax in my studio if you wish to avoid him’ Arianna says as she listens to what I can only assume is everyone else in the house.
‘Ok, thank you’ I say as Arianna opens the door first and walks back in, mum follows her, then Rae and finally me. This was not going to be good. I could just tell.
Arianna takes the dress upstairs and makes my mother follow. I glance around to Rae.
‘Well?’ I ask her as I shrug my shoulders and close the door behind me.
‘Want me to go tell Parker to fuck off and then go watch a movie?’ she asks me. I laugh at her offer.
‘Nah, wanna grab some food from the kitchen and then head up to the studio – we could go and gossip about your love life’ I suggest instead.
‘Hmm sounds tempting, how about we go grab some food from the kitchen and then go to the studio and chill, and not gossip about my love life?’ she counters. I laugh.
‘Alright, lets see if we can get a skype date with Avery and Billie’ I suggest.
‘Great, glad we agree’ she says pulling me towards the kitchen. I chuckle.
‘Don’t think this means we’re not discussing Drew, he’s still top of the list’ I say as she shakes her head but doesn’t look back at me. We push the door open and go into the kitchen. We can hear giggling and laughing coming from the dining room. I bite my lip hoping they won’t come into the kitchen. I glance around and see Nathan and Lucas sitting on the counter in the kitchen. Rae stops, but I don’t I walk past her and wander to the counter. Both Nathan and Lucas turn to look at us.
‘Oh god, her is trouble. Lopez, who let you in?’ Nathan asked Rae smirking. I smiled and jumped up onto the counter so I was sitting next to Nathan.
‘What are you doing here?’ Rae asks them glaring at Nathan. I lean forward and smile at Lucas.
‘Hi guys’ I say putting on my best smile and fake happy voice.
‘Hey’ Lucas says back as Nathan nods at me. Rae sits on the counter next to me.
‘So what’s all the commotion?’ Rae asks indicating to the dining room door.
‘That my dear Rae is the spawn of the Country Club wives. All the daughters are in there laughing, giggling, plotting and well terrorising the world’ Lucas says seriously. I can’t help but laugh at it.
‘Really? They’re that evil?’ I ask.
‘Yes, he is not lying. They are pure evil. Well not quite as much as you Cortez, but close’ Nathan says uncaringly. I chuckle and elbow him in the ribs.
‘Seriously, they scare me’ Lucas says nodding and watching the door like it was dangerous.
‘Really? A group of girls scare you both?’ Rae asked practically questioning their manliness. I chuckle. They both glare at her though.
‘You don’t know what they’re capable of’ Nathan whispers as the laughing in the dining room dies down and it gets quiet. I chuckle again and jump off the bench and walk around to the fridge.
‘So what are you doing here?’ Nathan asked Rae this time politely.
‘Just got back from Hallie’s last dress fitting. Should have seen her: babe. Anyway, what are you two losers doing here?’ Rae asks as I listen to them bicker and raid stuff from the fridge for lunch and snacks, if I was going to be stuck in the studio for hours waiting out the Stepford wives and the Leo then I wanted some good food.
‘Helping Leo grab some crap he needs for something he is planning or something’ Nathan says like it’s no big deal as he keeps watching the door. So does Lucas, they were rather quiet and the boys seemed on edge.
‘Right, good helping boys’ Rae says patting Nathan on the back. He glances as her quickly, before looking back at the door.
‘Yeah well, he was all pissy and crap so we left him to do it himself and then the Country Club bloody turns up and the daughters were there and then we hid in here to avoid them’ Lucas says like it is the most logical thing ever.
‘Right because you’re scared of the little girls?’ Rae asked sarcastically as she looks at both of the boys, who are still watching the door. I chuckle from behind the bench.
‘You don’t understand, they are the spawn of evil. You have no idea how scary they are. Do you know what it is like for us? We are just objects to them! They treat us like we are play toys. And they’re ruthless’ Nathan says seriously whispering to make sure no one hears.
‘Oh god forbid the girls treat you like you have treated every single female you have ever met’ I say smugly from behind them. Rae chuckles and Nathan turns around to glare at me. I smile sweetly at him.
‘You have no idea what you’re talking about. Those bitches are psycho’ Lucas says defending Nathan and himself. I just role my eyes at them, but before I can say anything the door opens and the leader of the evil spawn steps through, being followed by her minions. Suddenly I understand everything the boys were complaining about.
‘I understand now, I take it all back. Sorry’ I say as I stare the last person I wanted to see. Rae continues to sit on the bench unsure of what all the fuss is about. But Lucas and Nathan quickly jump off the counter and look like deer’s caught in headlights. I completely and utterly understood their fear now. They were not over exaggerating at all. They were the spawn of evil.