Status: and we're back!
To Sweden With Love
femton
I woke up the next morning with a pounding headache. When, I opened my eyes, I saw a couple of aspirin and a bottle of gatorade. I groaned as I threw the pills down my throat and took a swig of the gatorade.
“Good morning future Mrs. McDowell!” Ellie exclaimed as she jumped on my bed.
“Ugh, too loud.” I said rubbing my head.
She laughed. “That’s your fault princess. Do you even remember last night?”
I groaned. “I remember going to Lidia’s and starting to eat, then after that nothing.”
“Well you got trashed, I legit had to almost carry you out of the restaurant.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I guess I just got a little carried away.”
“More than a little. But come on and get up. We gotta get you started on getting ready!”
Twenty minutes later, we were on our way to meet the rest of the bridal party at the salon for hair and makeup.
As we walked through the door, Nicole, one of the bridesmaids, exclaimed “There’s our drunken bride!”
As everyone clapped and laughed, I waved and took a bow.
“Thank you, thank you. Here’s to hoping history doesn’t repeat itself tonight.”
“How’s the head feeling?” one of the other girls, Andrea, asked.
“Better now thanks to some aspirin. I don’t know why I drank so much last night.”
“Nerves dear. This is the biggest day of your life.” my mama stated.
As I waited for the other girls to get done with their hair and makeup, I pulled out my phone to see a couple missed texts, one from Michael and one from Carl.
Good morning love. In only a few more hours I will be able to call you my wife. I love you with all that I am.
I smiled and sent him a cute reply, letting him know I would see him down the aisle shortly.
My smile quickly turned to confusion when I read the next one.
I tried calling you when I landed. We need to talk about your confession. Get a hold of me asap.
Confession? What the hell was he talking about?
I shook it off as they called me over to the chair to get all beautified.
----------
An hour later, we were all sitting in the bridal suite, relaxing until it was time for me to put on my dress.
And I kept thinking about that text from Carl.
I pulled Ellie aside. “Hey did my phone ring last night when we got back to the hotel?”
She nodded. “Yup, Carl called you. Asked if you were okay, and wanted you to call him. Did you call him last night?”
I shrugged, “I have no idea.”
Ellie lowered her voice. “Liv, is there something going on between the two of you?”
I bit my lip. “Um, we kissed. Twice.”
Her mouth fell open as she exclaimed. “You what!?”
I shushed her and pulled her further away from the other girls.
“That night of mine and Michael’s huge fight 3 weeks ago, no one would answer their phones, so I called him. We went to the rink and I shot some pucks around. Then I tripped. He caught me, but I ran before anything could happen. After that I didn’t talk to him until my bachelorette party.”
“So that’s where you disappeared to.”
I rolled my eyes. “I really didn’t have a choice. He dragged me out the door, wanting to talk to me. And then he kissed me. I slapped him then came back into the party. Then when I went to leave, he was outside again and offered me a ride home. Then it happened again.”
“So, don’t leave me hanging, how was it?”
I laughed. “It was amazing. And I honestly cannot stop thinking about it.”
“Okay, so why are we still here?”
I sighed. “Cause I love Michael.”
“Look Liv, I believe you, I do. But do you believe yourself?”
Before I could answer her, my mama announced it was time to get ready. All the girls squealed and clapped in excitement when I finally got my dress on.
“Oh my God, you look like a princess!”
“So stunning! You’re gonna knock his socks off!”
I smiled for a few pictures before asking for a few minutes alone before the ceremony. My mama gave me a kiss on the forehead, and Ellie gave me a hug before they walked out.
I sat down and stared at myself in the mirror.
Am I 100% sure Michael is the one for me?
I sat there in my own thoughts until I heard a knock on the door. I yelled come in, and Patric walked in with a bouquet of bright pink peonies and a gift.
“Oh Patric, they are beautiful, and my favorite!” I said as I got up and took the flowers.
“Well Ellie told me peonies were your favorite, and Malin told me I shouldn’t come empty handed.”
I laughed. “So the gift is from you guys too?”
He shuffled his feet. “Well no, it’s from Carl.”
I gave him a deer in headlights look as he put his hands up.
“Look, I don’t know what is going on, nor do I want in the middle. But he asked me, well rather demanded, that I bring this and give it to you.”
I took the box from him and just stared at it. Patric kissed my forehead and left the room.
After a few minutes, I took a deep breath and opened the box.
Inside was a note and a blue best friend bracelet. I started to laugh as I read the note.
‘Min kärlek-
I don’t know if you will actually open this, or even read this, but I have to try.
First the gift.
Best friend bracelet to remember that we are best friends for life :)
I have the other one, and I will never take it off.
I figured since the bracelet is blue, it could be your something blue.
Now onto the important part.
I don’t know if you remember talking to me last night or not, so here is a summary of what you said.
You missed me. And, most importantly I might add, that you think you love me.
Hearing you say that was the highlight of my night, hell maybe even my life.
I knew from the moment we met at that party you were something special, and I realized after time just how special.
All I wanted to do when we got back in town last night was to come find you, pull you into my arms, kiss you, and never let you go.
But I knew that couldn’t happen.
Cause you are marrying another man today.
And my heart breaks.
Know this, whatever you decide to do, I will always be there for you.
And yes, I love you too
-Carl’
By the time I got done reading the note, I had tears running down my face.
I grabbed some tissues off the vanity and plotted my cheeks. I grabbed the bracelet out of the box and held it in my hand, playing with it.
After a few moments, I put it on and smiled.
There was a knock on the door followed by Ellie asking “Are you almost ready to go?”
I wiped my face again and told her I would be out here shortly.
I took a deep breath and looked at myself in the mirror, and at that moment, I knew what I needed to do to make me happy.
I found a piece of paper and wrote ‘I’m sorry’ on it.
And then I snuck my way out the side door and away from the venue.
“Good morning future Mrs. McDowell!” Ellie exclaimed as she jumped on my bed.
“Ugh, too loud.” I said rubbing my head.
She laughed. “That’s your fault princess. Do you even remember last night?”
I groaned. “I remember going to Lidia’s and starting to eat, then after that nothing.”
“Well you got trashed, I legit had to almost carry you out of the restaurant.”
I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I guess I just got a little carried away.”
“More than a little. But come on and get up. We gotta get you started on getting ready!”
Twenty minutes later, we were on our way to meet the rest of the bridal party at the salon for hair and makeup.
As we walked through the door, Nicole, one of the bridesmaids, exclaimed “There’s our drunken bride!”
As everyone clapped and laughed, I waved and took a bow.
“Thank you, thank you. Here’s to hoping history doesn’t repeat itself tonight.”
“How’s the head feeling?” one of the other girls, Andrea, asked.
“Better now thanks to some aspirin. I don’t know why I drank so much last night.”
“Nerves dear. This is the biggest day of your life.” my mama stated.
As I waited for the other girls to get done with their hair and makeup, I pulled out my phone to see a couple missed texts, one from Michael and one from Carl.
Good morning love. In only a few more hours I will be able to call you my wife. I love you with all that I am.
I smiled and sent him a cute reply, letting him know I would see him down the aisle shortly.
My smile quickly turned to confusion when I read the next one.
I tried calling you when I landed. We need to talk about your confession. Get a hold of me asap.
Confession? What the hell was he talking about?
I shook it off as they called me over to the chair to get all beautified.
----------
An hour later, we were all sitting in the bridal suite, relaxing until it was time for me to put on my dress.
And I kept thinking about that text from Carl.
I pulled Ellie aside. “Hey did my phone ring last night when we got back to the hotel?”
She nodded. “Yup, Carl called you. Asked if you were okay, and wanted you to call him. Did you call him last night?”
I shrugged, “I have no idea.”
Ellie lowered her voice. “Liv, is there something going on between the two of you?”
I bit my lip. “Um, we kissed. Twice.”
Her mouth fell open as she exclaimed. “You what!?”
I shushed her and pulled her further away from the other girls.
“That night of mine and Michael’s huge fight 3 weeks ago, no one would answer their phones, so I called him. We went to the rink and I shot some pucks around. Then I tripped. He caught me, but I ran before anything could happen. After that I didn’t talk to him until my bachelorette party.”
“So that’s where you disappeared to.”
I rolled my eyes. “I really didn’t have a choice. He dragged me out the door, wanting to talk to me. And then he kissed me. I slapped him then came back into the party. Then when I went to leave, he was outside again and offered me a ride home. Then it happened again.”
“So, don’t leave me hanging, how was it?”
I laughed. “It was amazing. And I honestly cannot stop thinking about it.”
“Okay, so why are we still here?”
I sighed. “Cause I love Michael.”
“Look Liv, I believe you, I do. But do you believe yourself?”
Before I could answer her, my mama announced it was time to get ready. All the girls squealed and clapped in excitement when I finally got my dress on.
“Oh my God, you look like a princess!”
“So stunning! You’re gonna knock his socks off!”
I smiled for a few pictures before asking for a few minutes alone before the ceremony. My mama gave me a kiss on the forehead, and Ellie gave me a hug before they walked out.
I sat down and stared at myself in the mirror.
Am I 100% sure Michael is the one for me?
I sat there in my own thoughts until I heard a knock on the door. I yelled come in, and Patric walked in with a bouquet of bright pink peonies and a gift.
“Oh Patric, they are beautiful, and my favorite!” I said as I got up and took the flowers.
“Well Ellie told me peonies were your favorite, and Malin told me I shouldn’t come empty handed.”
I laughed. “So the gift is from you guys too?”
He shuffled his feet. “Well no, it’s from Carl.”
I gave him a deer in headlights look as he put his hands up.
“Look, I don’t know what is going on, nor do I want in the middle. But he asked me, well rather demanded, that I bring this and give it to you.”
I took the box from him and just stared at it. Patric kissed my forehead and left the room.
After a few minutes, I took a deep breath and opened the box.
Inside was a note and a blue best friend bracelet. I started to laugh as I read the note.
‘Min kärlek-
I don’t know if you will actually open this, or even read this, but I have to try.
First the gift.
Best friend bracelet to remember that we are best friends for life :)
I have the other one, and I will never take it off.
I figured since the bracelet is blue, it could be your something blue.
Now onto the important part.
I don’t know if you remember talking to me last night or not, so here is a summary of what you said.
You missed me. And, most importantly I might add, that you think you love me.
Hearing you say that was the highlight of my night, hell maybe even my life.
I knew from the moment we met at that party you were something special, and I realized after time just how special.
All I wanted to do when we got back in town last night was to come find you, pull you into my arms, kiss you, and never let you go.
But I knew that couldn’t happen.
Cause you are marrying another man today.
And my heart breaks.
Know this, whatever you decide to do, I will always be there for you.
And yes, I love you too
-Carl’
By the time I got done reading the note, I had tears running down my face.
I grabbed some tissues off the vanity and plotted my cheeks. I grabbed the bracelet out of the box and held it in my hand, playing with it.
After a few moments, I put it on and smiled.
There was a knock on the door followed by Ellie asking “Are you almost ready to go?”
I wiped my face again and told her I would be out here shortly.
I took a deep breath and looked at myself in the mirror, and at that moment, I knew what I needed to do to make me happy.
I found a piece of paper and wrote ‘I’m sorry’ on it.
And then I snuck my way out the side door and away from the venue.