Sweet Illusions

There was a crowd surrounding Madison’s bed, Elliot, John, Gabrielle, Kennedy as well as nurses and other people Madison had met during her stay. Everyone was silent in suspense as Dr. Davis walked in. They all stared waiting for him to announce the test results. Elliot grabbed tightly onto Madison’s hand and squeezed tightly. Kennedy was on the other side holding her other hand. Nurse Linda quickly prayed and even though no one could hear what she was saying, they all said “Amen.”

“Madison, after reviewing your test results…” Dr. Davis began flipping through the sheets of paper in a manilla folder. The pause was like a game show and Elliot and Madison both glared at him wondering why he was taking such a long time. “Yep! You are officially in remission,” He laughed. The room erupted in applause and laughter, Madison was buried in hugs. Elliot even felt tears falling down her cheeks.

“Thank God,” Elliot whispered and turned to hug her sister after she hugged Madison one more time. Gabrielle was almost as excited as Elliot since Madison was basically a second older sister, pushing her own sister out of the way to hug her again.

“Okay, so the important information,” Madison finally spoke with a giant grin plastered on her face, “when can I drink my self a big, cold beer?” She chuckled. Dr. Davis raised his eyebrows before smiling widely himself.

“You shouldn't drink until you're off you're pain medication, but soon I imagine! However, you’ll need to come back every week for blood tests for a while, just to make sure you’re still okay!” Dr. Davis answered. “Alright, well I’ll see you at your next check up, okay?” He nodded with a smile, Madison waved before turning to help celebrate with everyone. As the celebrations continued, people began drifting out until it was just Madison and Kennedy sitting and laughing. Both of them realized how quiet it was without the masses of people around them.

“So, what’s the first thing you want to do when you get out of here?” Kennedy asked, kissing the back of her hand. Madison looked into his eyes and realized that she was so incredibly happy. This was probably one of the best days of her life.

“I wanna get married,” She smiled, giving his hand a squeeze. “Let’s just elope to Vegas or something!”

“Well, don’t… you want… like a normal wedding? Like big white dress and our families and friends there?” Kennedy said, slightly confused.

“No, I mean we should invite our friends to come with us, but why should we wait for a big wedding that costs a fortune? I don’t need that. I mean my mother came to visit me like three times for past couple of months I’ve been here. I don’t need what other girls need, I just need you,” Madison explained, trying to keep herself from crying. She saw Kennedy’s stern face relax into a smile with her words and he kissed her on the lips before nodding.

“Alright, we can do that,” Kennedy smiled.

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“I swear to God if one more boy farts in this car I will beat down on your ass Springer-style!” Elliot said harshly, resting her head on the window before rolling it down and sticking her head out..

“Seriously, do we have to say this? No farting in enclosed spaces! This is just common courtesy! You don’t fart in airplanes or pee in pools do you?!” Madison came to Elliot’s defense whipping her head around the passenger seat with angry eyes. There was an awkward moment where everyone stopped and looked at each other.

“Uh… no… can’t say I have…” Jared said, glancing back and forth looking awkwardly.

“Dude I thought everyone pees in pools,” Kennedy added on. Madison’s eyes grew big and mouth frowned. As if her world had come crashing down and she might throw up in the same expression.

“Subject change!” Elliot called out, rolling the window up and resting her head back onto it. Even the six hour drive to Vegas somehow managed to be one of the longest trips of Elliot’s life. She crossed her legs underneath her bottom and reminded herself why she was going again. Her stomach rumbled and she reached down to get her beef jerky.

“So I brought lots of booze,” Jared said after a couple moments of silence. Madison turned and smiled brightly as the they drove over a hill and the lights of Vegas shone brightly through the night. The classic ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ sign almost seemed like a holy sight and everyone started cheering about both the presence of alcohol and the car ride being over.

Elliot hopped out of the car, staring vacantly at the huge flashing lights of the strip. She couldn’t decide if she was more excited for the chapel or getting plastered afterwards. She pulled down her denim shorts and adjusted her t-shirt before looking at John again, she bit her lip hoping he’d look over at her, but after a while she decided she looked creepy.

“Elle, can you grab our dresses?” Madison asked over her shoulder grabbing a her suitcase. Elliot sighed grabbing the two plastic covered dresses and adjusting her duffle bag. She felt her bag get lighter and turned to see Kennedy grabbing it for her.

“Thanks dude!” Elliot smiled, allowing her to readjust her purse and the two dresses. She studied his face and realized he seemed to be happier and more confident than ever before. She bumped his arm with her shoulder and asked, “Are you excited?”

“Yeah! A little nervous, but you know this is the life I want to be living. This is something I’ll look back on and say I’m glad I did instead of thinking of it and not doing it… you know?” Kennedy responded as John and Jared came back from checking in, passing out room keys to everyone. Everyone was staying in one room except for Madison and Kennedy who had their own for obvious reasons.

“Yeah… Well, I better go catch up with Madison,” Elliot smiled as she raised the dresses. Her eyes avoided John due to the simple fact that every time they spoke it was painfully awkward, like neither of them knew the words what to say. A mix of pain and racing, the adrenaline and heartbreak in one blow was beginning to become too much to handle. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to cry or break out into a bright blush and kiss him. She ran into a vacant elevator and pressed the close button in a panic, until they closed behind her leaving her alone.

Elliot dropped to the ground and finally started taking deep breaths, remembering that she had done all of this herself, which only tortured her mind more. She looked up at the numbers changing above the door and as her floor approached, she stood up. She took a relaxing breath in and put a content smile on her face, just in time for the doors to open; after all, she was used to burying her emotions.

After reaching Madison’s room, they both started putting on their prospective dresses. Elliot sat down on the floor to begin doing her makeup and she looked down at her phone to see it vibrating across the floor, she picked it and answered in a matter of seconds, “Salut?”

“Ellie! comment est ma fille aujourd'hui? s'il vous plaît donner ma bénédiction à Madison!” Her father said happily, his jolly laugh bringing a smile to Elliot’s face. Elliot couldn’t bring herself to say anything and after a couple moments of silence her father spoke again, “Pourquoi êtes-vous si calme? Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?”

“Papa, je crois qu'il faut laisser pendant un certain temps. Je suis si triste ici. Mais, je ne sais pas, comme le monde est en mouvement sans moi…” Elliot responded biting her lip hoping not to get a mouthful of his “life sucks, get over it” philosophy.

“Ma fille, tu es toujours les bienvenus ici. Peut-être que vous devriez venir pendant un certain temps, prendre un certain temps hors de l'école. Je veux le meilleur pour vous,” He said softly, with a comforting tone only a parent can provide.

“Oui, Je voudrais aller. Je vous appellerai quand je suis à la maison mère,” She smiled, the potential adventure giving her a hope that she would get over this, just like every other time before.

“Merde, je dois y aller. Je t’aime!” He spoke quickly before hanging up the phone.

“Bye…” Elliot sighed sarcastically before putting her phone down. She leaned forward and curled her eyelashes until she heard small cough from behind her. She turned and saw Madison’s ballroom gown, it wasn’t insanely big, but big enough to make her look like Cinderella, the white silk making her shine. Elliot smiled excitedly before jumping up and down. “Oh my God! You look so good! God, Mads, you look like a princess!” Elliot escalated to a squeal, unable to contain her excitement. After all, this was what they had dreamed of at their seventh-grade sleep overs. Madison tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder, which had been left in its natural curls and lifted up her shoes to reveal a pair of black vans. Of course, sneakers or Vegas was never in that matrimony planning.

“Fuck those high heels! It’s my wedding! I’ll do what I want!” Madison laughed, as if she knew Elliot was going to ask her if she was absolutely sure she wanted to wear sneakers. Elliot shrugged as she hugged Madison before putting on her strapless pale pink dress with off-white vans and sighed. Both girls finished their makeup and Elliot saw her phone ringing again.

“Salut?” She answered again without even thinking.

“Oh, hello?” She heard Jared’s voice on the other line and Elliot immediately slapped her face with her palm and let out a low chuckle.

“Hey Jared, what’s up?” She tried to play off.

“Uh, nothing, we’re ready. We’re at the Little White Wedding Chapel one block down from the hotel. So you guys should get here, we’re coming up soon!” Jared explained and Elliot pointed at the door.

“Okay! We’re on are way, thanks Jare!” Elliot said quickly rushing Madison out the door making sure they had everything, licenses, room key, wedding band for Kennedy and extra makeup all stuffed into Elliot’s purse. She also grabbed the veil sitting on the desk. “We need to go, it’s one block down!” Elliot finally told Madison, double checking her mental check list.

After the girls had made it into the lobby of the chapel, their names were called out and Elliot frowned. “Wait,” She said grabbing Madison’s thin arm, “One more time, are you sure you want to do this?” Elliot looked right into Madison’s eyes, keeping her veil hostage until she answered.

“Yes,” Madison smiled.

“Alright, let’s get you married,” Elliot laughed as she handed over the veil. A man with a tuxedo t-shirt ushered Elliot towards these double oak doors, with other couples in the pews awaiting their turn to get married. Elliot put on a big smile and made her way next to the pew as an old woman played the piano stashed in a corner. She gave a reassuring smile to Kennedy as he straightened up.

The music began to play Wedding March and everyone turned to see Madison with a huge smile on her face and bouquet of fake white roses someone had given her. Elliot felt tears pricking at her eyes as she looked at Madison walking up on the tallest step next to Kennedy and a short elder man. Elliot shrugged, at least they weren’t getting married by Elvis.

“We are gathered here today, to join Kennedy and Madison in holy matrimony. Marriage, marriage is a beautiful life-long contract entered into by two people in love. There is no happiness without sadness, no good times without bad and love is to fight for it all. Don’t forget that love isn’t easy, in fact it’s one of the hardest things in the world, but worth it. Do you Kennedy take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to hold, in sickness and in health till death do you part?” The preacher asked, sounding like the preacher from the Princess Bride, Elliot almost cracked up laughing, but what he said was so sweet, the urge died down.

“I do,” Kennedy smiled, holding hands with Madison.

“Do you Madison, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to hold, in sickness and in health till death do you part?” He turned to ask Madison.

“I do,” Madison agreed.

“Do you have the rings?” The preacher asked. John quickly handed Kennedy Madison’s wedding band, but Elliot had to dig through her purse until she finally found it and handed it over to Madison. The preacher rolled his eyes at her and Elliot raised her eyebrows in disbelief. “Alright Madison, please place the ring on Kennedy’s finger and repeat after me ‘with this ring, I, thee wed’. And Kennedy please put the ring on Madison’s finger and say ‘with this ring, I, thee wed’. After they both repeated it and had new rings on their fingers they smiled. “Alright, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may now kiss the bride!” And they obliged him.

Everyone in the chapel began clapping loudly with huge smiles on their face, and as the party left rice rained upon them and they returned to the hotel, to begin the party.