Caught Like A Fly

I woke up in miserable shape. My head felt like it was about to split open like an overripe melon, my heart was a bloody mess and my very soul was feeling the repercussions of yesterday. Mitch was sleeping on the couch, one of the trash cans by his elbow in case he needed. Judging from the lack of smell, he didn't have to use it. Andy. What was up with her? She was looking at me like I was going to die before she saw me again. I gave her a choice, a challenge. Not a suicide note. My phone started ringing, and I answered it with my hoarse voice.

"Get down here," Ronnie said immediately. "We're starting my bachelor party." He hung up and I groaned, sliding from the bed and onto to my feet. I expected to have to wake Mitch up, but he was already gone. To my surprise, there was a text on my phone as well, saying his woman picked him up to lecture him. He left his Pillow Pet. Going against my better judgment, I grabbed the green dragon pillow and my sunglasses before heading downstairs.

I earned strange looks from some of the wedding guests and other hotel guests, hugging a Pillow Pet to my chest with my sunglasses on and my black Adidas shirt and my black jeans with chains. Not to mention any of my tattoos and piercings. I could sense the confusion in trying to figure me out.

"After you," I said, gesturing to the ladies in front of me. Go ahead, let them think. The trailed out of the elevator, every last one of them glancing back. A couple of them were even cute. I can look, I defended against my guilty conscience. Andy obviously isn't going to try and take me back, so I may as well start looking for a nice rebound.

I found Ronnie, Ryan, Mika and Derek all lounging by the pool, waiting for me and my lousy opinion. Ronnie didn't drink, and I wasn't going to do any more drinking this week. I could have lied on one of those cushioned, reclining pool chairs forever. Mika had suggested a pool day, and that seemed to be the general consensus. They kept chattering, and it was going to my head.

"Everyone shut up!" I said loudly, and they all stared at me. My accent was still awfully thick this morning. "Let's lie here and send the bloody pool boy to get a masseuse."

"Actually, it's the pool lady, she shuffles around here like she's seventy--"

"Okay, I'll do it," Ryan volunteered, and I moaned in satisfaction as the pool area fell silent.

"I would have never thought that I'd be going to a spa and lying by the pool for my bachelor party," Ronnie mused, a small smile on his face. He must have been so happy, knowing that he would never have to hurt like I did anymore.

"Tour is like everyone's idea of a bachelor party anyway, so this is way better," Mika replied, and when he shifted his chair it make the cruelest noise.

"Maître d', aspirin and a coffee, please!" I yelled, my eyes closing behind my sunglasses. "Ugh, my poor head."

"Maybe you shouldn't let Andy fuck with it." Ronnie's retort stung.

"Ha ha, you're hilarious."

"You know I don't mean it, right?" he said, sitting up to look at me. Mika sensed where this conversation might go and dismissed himself to look for Ryan, Derek following suit. They didn't want to see me this way. No one did. "It's not your fault that she can't make up her mind."

"It might as well be," I grumbled, repositioning my head on the green pillow. "I should have done this before I cared this much."

"If it's any help at all, something Viv said to Andy really shook her up," he said, his face concerned and confused. "I've been meaning to talk to her. I don't know what Viv could have possibly said, and I care about Andy, too." Ronnie's words triggered my memory, and I saw Andy in my mind's eye, and the way she looked at me without blinking with eyes that seemed too watery to be a normal stare. I couldn't let myself venture into what that might mean; not and have any hope of being found again.

"I don't know," I said, steeling my voice and my heart. "I don't care, either." Ronnie snorted.

"Whatever you say, dude."

* * *

"So, do you want to hear what we're doing today?" I asked, sipping my coffee. I had woken Viv and Rachel at seven to discuss today's plans, since seeing Jacky and talking to Ronnie were two things I wasn't going to be able to do today. God, please, I need more time...

Viv agreed, and we laid it all out for her. This was so carefully planned, so delicately balanced, that it should occupy me from dwelling on my miserable future. Well, unfortunately, my brain just made more room for my worry. We broke our little circle to go get ready to leave, and my head was so full and busy that we were in the limo before we knew it. My heart left itself in the lobby, tearing itself out when I saw Jacky's black hair peeking out above a fluffy green pillow, the reflection of his sunglasses on his face and the grimace that had been common on his mouth lately. I'll go to church every Sunday, I'll learn how to bake and bring cookies for the Sunday school kids, sweet Jesus, please give me more time...I will do anything, ANYTHING, for just one more day.

"Andy? Are you breathing?" Viv asked, goose bumps appearing where she touched my arm. "I swear to you, I talked to Ronnie--"

"It's already over, Viv," I said, keeping as much sadness out of my voice as I could. "There's no way. I waited too long and now I'm too late." She pursed her lips and eyed me, her face considering as if she was trying to tell me something.

"Guys, now is not the time, let's go see how much drug and hit money we can spend," Rachel said, an amused grin on her face. Hm. Maybe she wasn't trying to say anything.

* * *

I've been naked all day. Well, mostly, anyway. We were escorted to the hotel spa and lined up with our choice of body treatments. I let the receptionist choose mine since she was smiling at me, and it looked like she wanted me unclothed as long as possible. First they put us in robes and had us wait until they could clear the spa of other guests. Ronnie kept insisting that it wasn't necessary, but after hearing he was a personal guest of some mafia boss, they ignored him. The first thing that happened was that the receptionist, who happened to be in charge of the full body mud masks, had me signed up for that one first. She was almost being too touchy. First was my face, which I was thankful for. It hid the blush when she asked me I was uncomfortable. Well, I sure as hell was! I was letting some other woman rub mud on my neck, down my chest and back and then up to my upper thigh. She was lucky Andy was not here. Andy. It wasn't so bad when I pretended she was Andy, but then it just got embarrassing, so I picked discomfort instead. No wonder she looked disappointed when I opted to keep my towel on.

"Look at who's redder than a ripe tomato," Ronnie teased as he settled his face into the massage table. "I told you not to let that woman choose for you."

"I was almost molested in there, it's not funny!" I said breathlessly, but his expression made me burst into laughter finally. "She wanted to reach under this towel so badly."

* * *

Midnight came and went. The sun rose on the morning of Viv and Ronnie's wedding, and the bride and her bridesmaids rushed into the hotel, groaning and giggling about a classic bachelorette party. The groom and his men were glowing with newly manicured skin and loosened muscles, giving the women a run for their money.

The flowers were ready. The tables were set. The bouquets waited for hands to take them and the ring was in the best man's pocket. Time seemed to turn faster and now Vivian was in her dress. Ronnie was in his tuxedo. No matter how much time seemed to hate Adelaine Westfall, it could never get enough of her. They were waiting in the foyer for the wedding to start and time stopped.