Best Woman

Two months later and Annabelle and Evan were in a tailoring place to look at things for Evan – enough to say Annabelle was sufficiently bored. She was sitting on the cushioned stool staring at the red curtain, sighing heavily as a blonde curl dangled in front of her face.

She blew it away, and groaned: “Evan, for the love of god! I’m starving…we’ve been searching since 9am…let’s just go eat and –” Annabelle stopped talking as Evan appeared, looking…the most handsome he’s ever looked.

It was grey tuxedo, with a white shirt underneath with a coral coloured tie. He looked incredible, his hair all pushed back, and a dazzling smile on his face.

“Well?” he asked her, grinning: “How’d I look?” he finished. Annabelle closed her mouth finally and smiled meekly.

“Um…” she stuttered and watched as his smile fell and began to look disappointed.

“You don’t like it?” Evan sighed, sounding depressed.

“No!” Annabelle cut in, a bit too jumpy: “I like it…you look…” she breathed deeply: “You look amazing Evan, even better than Prom…” she teased, and Evan smiled warmly.

“You think? I really like this one…” Evan said, sounding worried.

“Honestly, Ellie is a very lucky girl.” Annabelle told him, Evan being unaware how much Annabelle meant that.

Evan chuckled, brushing the comment off: “So, I should get it…” he finished and Annabelle watched his face carefully.

Evan was examining himself in the mirror, rearranging the suit jack on him, and practicing smiling in the mirror.

He looked worried, as he couldn’t quite smile properly and the atmosphere suddenly went sad.

“You okay, sweetie?” Annabelle asked softly, standing up and going up and standing beside him. She came up to his shoulder. He smiled softly at her in the mirror and she grinned gently back at him. She placed her hand on his shoulder, and looked at them together.

They looked good together, surely.

They should be together: Annabelle felt sick in her stomach and gripped his shoulder slightly.

“Ever feel you’re doing something wrong but you’re not sure what?” Evan asked suddenly, and Annabelle stared at his reflection, instead of him. She looked at him, uncertain by what he meant.

“How so?” she pushed and Evan shrugged, Annabelle took her hand off and watched Evan fix his hair.

“I don’t know…” he said dismissively, and moved away. The atmosphere suddenly very thick and off – Evan confirmed he was getting this tux, and went to go get changed, without another word of what just occurred.

Annabelle knew not to ask him what he meant because quite frankly, she was afraid she wouldn’t like the answer.
--
They were eating out, Evan’s treat apparently at an Italian place, which was Annabelle’s favourite food. They ordered their usual and drinks which Evan knew off by heart.

“Two iced teas with lemon please….” Evan listed off, and the waiter nodded and said he’d be right back with their drinks.

Annabelle sighed contently: “We haven’t done this in a while…” she commented. Evan nodded in agreement.

“It’s weird how long we’ve been friends now I think about it…I met you when I was five, and now I’m almost twenty-three and I’m getting married. I must be insane, right?” Evan laughed. Annabelle gave a false smile.

“Eighteen years of friendship…” Annabelle said in awe. She couldn’t believe it either, people always say you lose touch with your childhood best friends.

Their drinks arrived, and Evan raised his glass: “Well to another eighteen…and another… and another…” Evan cheered, and Annabelle smirked and chinked their glasses together, smiling at him.

“To another…” she finished, and they took their first sips. With a giddy feeling in her stomach, Annabelle relished in his company. They joked, and laughed and chatted away as if they hadn’t seen one another in ages and really, it felt like they hadn’t.

Evan was so busy with his job as a PA to a bigwig in their city, and with planning the wedding. Annabelle was getting more clients lately, with a boom of weddings and special occasions. Her new website had helped bring people in, their lives had been separated lately.

“So any men in your life, Annie?” Evan teased, smirking at her as he blew gently on his hot lasagne. Annabelle smirked, as she twirled the mushroom spaghetti around her fork.

“Actually…funny you mention that…some waiter at Starbucks asked me out the other day.” She said and watched as Evan suddenly tensed, he’d always been overprotective. Annabelle felt so awful, she wasn’t lying, but thinking of another man felt like she was betraying him.

Originally she declined the kind guy, but after some persuasion: she accepted to meet for a drink somewhere, they swapped numbers and been talking briefly.

“How come you didn’t mention this?” Evan asked, sounding off once more.

Annabelle shrugged: “Didn’t seem important…we’re only going for a drink.” She explained, as she continued to eat.

Evan sipped his tea silently, obviously thinking about it: “Well…where are you going?” Evan asked, and Annabelle covered her mouth as she chewed, thinking about where they had planned.

“This bar called SubZero or something? It’s in downtown…” she explained and Evan looked at her, annoyance in his eyes.

“Downtown? That’s not safe Annie…” he began but Annabelle rolled her eyes, causing him to stop.

“Don’t blame if you get raped or something…” Evan argued, and Annabelle looked at him deadpanned.

“Yeah like I’m a major target Evan…we’re going for a few drinks and then I’ll go home. It’s no big deal, I have gone on dates before…” She said matter-of-factly.

Evan shrugged: “I know, but…still…never in downtown. It’s not a nice area.” Evan reasoned. Annabelle scoffed: “You’re so judgemental sometimes…” she replied, a bit coldly.

Evan huffed and the two ate in silence: “You better call me when you get in.” Evan muttered, and Annabelle hid her smile. She knew he cared, no matter how much he pretended not to.