Bells Ringing in the Summer Haze

It was five days before the wedding, and the store had been open for three weeks. It had gotten a lot of publicity and was doing well, and Nora couldn’t have been more ecstatic.

Today a new employee, Hailey, was starting. She was going to be a senior in high school, and normally Nora was against hiring younger kids, but Hailey reminded Nora of herself.

Lily had recommended her, and trusting her first employee, she allowed the younger girl.

“She’s not much younger than me,” Lily argued.

“Yeah, but you act much older.” Nora said as she straightened out a few hangers.

“If she doesn’t work out, you can…” she stopped to think. “Not fire me, because that would kill me. But dock my pay or something.” Nora smiled and nodded.

“I’m here!” Hailey came in singing. A customer that was looking at tee shirts looked up and smiled.

“Hailey, not so loud,” Nora said with a smile. Hailey shrugged and smiled.

“Sorry, I am just excited to be at work today.”

The small redhead bounced up to the counter and clocked in.

“Where do you want me boss?”

-------

After the store was closed and Hailey was sleeping the white tiled floors, she looked up at Nora, who was counting the money in the register.

“Have you and Isaac figured things out yet?” Without speaking Nora shook her head no. “I bet after the wedding you two will hook up.”

Nora raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that? And how do you even know about Isaac and I? You just started like two days ago.”

She dusted a bunch of dirt into the dustpan and stood up. “Well, Val was in here earlier and she was on the phone with Brian.”

“What did she say?” Nora stopped typing numbers into the computer and looked up.

“Something like Isaac has been moping, you’ve been MIA and blame it on the store. Stuff like that,” she said with a shrug. Nora stopped and watched as Hailey carried the dirt to the back and threw it into a trashcan.

She came back out and smiled.

“Well he’s the best man right? Which means you have to walk in with him, dance with him, and generally spend a lot of time with him.” Nora shrugged. “And! He likes you, you like him, it’s just a matter of time.”

“You sound just like Val.”

------

The night before the wedding the group was at the barn, rehearsing. Some of the tables and chairs had already been delivered. Nora was walking around with the lighting guy to show him where to place lanterns.

“Right here, so it can make a path to the barn.”

“Want it go to the walkway that leads to the cars?” Nora smiled and nodded.

“That’s perfect, thank you.”

Walking up to the barn, she stopped and watched as Isaac threw his arm around an unknown brunette. Rachel stepped up next to her and sighed.

“No one knows who she is,” Nora looked at Rachel.

“Who?”

“Oh please, the little brunette hanging on Isaac’s every word.” Rachel looked at Nora and put an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s go get this over with so we can get drunk.”

-------

The girls were all having a sleepover at Nora’s and were currently eating popcorn and chocolate.

“I remember the first time we ever met Brian,” Nora said looking over at Brianna. Brianna started laughing and Claire and Rachel looked at the girls.

“C’mon share the details,” Claire said with a pouty lip.

“Well, Nora was visiting for the weekend, and she showed up at the apartment, but Ms. Valerie was no where to be found," Brianna started the story smiling.

“And we finally found her, lip locked and half naked in the co-ed bathroom with Brian.” Nora finished as Val’s cheeks began to crimson.

“Shut up guys,” she said as she tried to hide a smile.

“We knew from then on he was the one," smiling, Nora nudged her cousin.

------

“I love getting my nails done,” Val whispered to Nora. Nora smiled and nodded while her toenails were being painted.

“I agree, we need to do this more often. It’s so relaxing.” Val nodded and looked over at Claire. “Oh, I love that color Claire.”

As Nora was closing her eyes she phone buzzed to life in her hand. She looked down and rolled her eyes at the name.

He ignored her for weeks and now he wanted to talk? She hovered her finger over ignore, but her stomach clenched.

“Hello?” Val looked over at her and mouthed the words, ‘whose that?’

“Hughes, I have a big problem.”

“What is it Isaac?” At the mere mention of his name, all four girls’ heads popped in her direction, and all eyes were on Nora. She shrugged and began to blush as they watched her talk on the phone.

“I didn’t go get the tuxes, which I was supposed to yesterday. I’m there now and they’re not open. But, don’t tell Val, she’ll kill me.”

“Well obviously it’s eight in the morning on a Saturday.” Her voice pitch rose. She closed her eyes and sighed. Opening her eyes she looked at her toes. Her nails were now dried, and she knew he needed help.

“I’ll meet you there in twenty minutes.” Wearing the flip-flops from the salon, she slid out of the chair. Handing the woman a tip she looked at Val.

“Your future husband’s best friend is moron.”

-------

“Nice shoes.” Nora looked down at the makeshift shoes and flipped Isaac off. Her chambray shirt was buttoned up, she was supposed to head to the hair dresser’s in an hour, and if he kept stalling she was leaving.

“I was in the middle of something,” she said and he shrugged at her. Crossing his arms, he leaned against his sleek black car.

“I never asked you to come down here, all I said was I needed help.” He said, a frown tugging on his lips. She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.

“Fine, I’ll go home, and continue on getting ready. Good luck getting the tuxes. See you at the wedding.”

“Fine Nora. Stop, I’m sorry.” She turned and faced him. “I need your help, please.”

She smiled and walked over to him. “Yeah you do,” she took her phone out and dialed a number. “You owe me.”