The Way We Were

September Eighth

"Seven more days. I never thought the day would come." I chuckled as I laid on a bare mattress with my brother Nikolas. He lit up a cigarette and took a long and deep drag before passing it to me.

"I guess third time's the charm when it comes to engagements." He smirked.

I took a drag and exhaled.

"I guess everything's mostly packed up, huh?" I asked, propping myself up on my elbows, looking around my empty apartment. I asked Nikolas to come over and help me pack up; Caleb and I decided to move to Tennessee, although it broke my heart to leave my home, I didn't want to let Caleb know, so I agreed to sell the penthouse and move to the country.

On the same property as his parent's home, about 3 miles away, a house was being built from the ground up. It wasn't really what I would personally choose in a home, it was a large house, painted white with blue shutters and a large patio. A family home. It wouldn't be ready until October, so that meant that Caleb and I would be staying in the small cottage, the guest house, till the house was ready.

"So Caleb's leaving to go on tour when?" Nik asked.

"Right after the honeymoon. Two weeks after the wedding." I sighed.

"How do you feel about that?" He asked.

"It sucks. But I'll be in England anyway, then I'm going to France, so I guess it won't be completely bad. But I hate it, we're married for two weeks and already we have to be separated." I replied, laying back down. I picked up my ipod and scrolled through the songs, changing the song for the stereo.

"So you're finishing up the Marilyn movie and then in October you're going to France for what again?"

"Marie Antoinette." I grinned. The thought of the movie put me in a good mood, I was ecstatic about getting the part as Marie Antoinette. We're gonna film in France at the Versailles Palace and the costumes are amazing; it's a period film, so that means this one is gonna be an 18th century movie. Powdered wigs, gowns with panniers underneath, the luxury and decadence of the age.

"That's cool. You're really getting into this whole acting thing, aren't you?" He smiled, asking rhetorically.

"Oh of course. It's a dream come true for me." I smiled, "I love it."

"How does Caleb feel about it?"

I furrowed my brow and thought for a moment. I turned my head to look at him. "Well, uh, I'm sure he's happy for me...I mean, he's never said anything...I'm sure he's alright with it."

He nodded and didn't say anything more about it. "So does this mean music and modelling are gonna take a back seat?" He asked. He flicked the cigarette butts into an ashtray on the night table.

I sighed. "I don't know, I'll always love doing them, but right now I just don't have time for it. I just finished the Fall and Winter Fashion Week, I'm taking time off to get married, and then I'm going back to Europe to make movies. My schedule is full."

He smirked and gave a short laugh.

"Well, should we call the delivery truck?" I sat up.

He slowly got up, "Sure." I walked out to the empty living room and took out my cell, dialling the number and calling the men.

After a quick chat with them, I put my phone back in my purse and sighed.

"I'm gonna miss this place. It holds a lot of memories." I looked around. Leaving the penthouse was rather symbolic of my old life; being single and going out with a different man every week, staying out as long as I please.

I'm gonna be a married woman now. Committed. It frightened me.

"So have you talked to Ryan at all since Dan's wedding?" Nikolas asked, coming into the living room.

I closed my eyes and shuddered at the remembrance of our last moment together. It pained me to do it. It pained me to think about it. "...No, I haven't..."

"Audrey...I need to ask you something, and don't get mad at me, it's only a question...but, do you still have feelings for him?" He asked quietly.

That question scared me, I dreaded the topic being brought up in conversation.

I turned around to face him and faked a smile and laughed. "Ryan is a very dear and close friend of mine...he may be mad at me, but I still care for him."

"That doesn't really answer my question." He raised a brow.

I took a deep breath. "No Nikolas, I don't...I love Caleb. I mean I'd have to, right? Our wedding is next week."

"I don't need any further explanations, I was just curious." He smiled as he walked past me. He began pushing boxes to the door. "You know, when you and Caleb have some free time you two should come and visit Edie and I in California"

"Yeah, you bought Frank Sinatra's home, right?" I smiled.

"Yup, it's in Chatsworth, Cali. Just outside Los Angeles." He replied.

"That is amazing, how much did you buy it for?" I asked, cautiously sitting down on a box.

"I was really surprised by it, it was a bargain! 12 million." He smiled, leaning against the counter.

"That's a good price." I smiled. I thought for a moment. "This is kind of crazy, everything's changing. We're almost all married, we're buying homes instead of renting lofts and penthouses."

"And then kids." He chuckled.

"Have you and Edie talked about that yet?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, all the time. We will sometime...not now of course, we still wanna see the world." He laughed. "What about you and Caleb?"

"Uh...well, we haven't had an official talk about it...he wants kids right away, but I'm already on a contract with two more movies, and then the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show...I don't really want children anytime soon...I mean, I love kids...other people's kids...but some of my own? I'm just not ready right now." I shrugged my shoulders and laughed.

He nodded. "Just as long as you tell Caleb that."

I sheepishly smiled. "Yeah, I will...sometime."

"Perhaps before the wedding? And definitely before the honeymoon." He laughed. I started to laugh too.

"Yeah yeah, I got this." I smirked, standing up and walking to the windows, looking out.

"Don't worry Audrey, you just need to get through the wedding, and after that, everything will be easy as pie."

I crossed my arms over my chest and took a deep breath. "I hope so."