Loser, Whatever!

The reply came the very next day in the form of a thick, expensive looking envelope addressed in fancy cursive script.

'Harold and Jennifer Hassle

and

Francis and Edith Walshe

Invite you to celebrate the marriage of their children

Jered Arnold Hassle

to

Janna Isobel Walshe

On Friday, July ninth at two o’clock in the afternoon'

I smiled as I read through the invitation. So Janna hadn’t forgotten about me!

I flipped through the inserts that still lay in the envelope. There was an RSVP card, a map and a menu. A smaller, less thick piece of paper caught my eye. It was addressed to me, but the cursive wasn’t nearly as elaborate.

'Bridgette-

I’m so glad you wrote! I tried sending letters to your house, but they must have been intercepted, or your parents didn’t feel like forwarding them to you.

Well, the Big Day’s almost here! And, short notice, but I would like you to be a bridesmaid. My sister’s going to be the maid of honor, so I feel bad about that. Get back to me on that one.

There’s something I’d like to talk to you about in person. I’ll be at your Engagement party, but I need to speak with you alone. There’s a private matter going on here, and I think you’re the only person that can help. I can’t write it here, unless it’s intercepted again.

Write back!

-Janna'

I quickly wrote out a reply saying that I would love to be her bridesmaid and sent it off with the confirmation to the wedding invitation.

The next week was the party. I arrived at the Stewart’s early to help set up, but there wasn’t much I could do. Helen embraced me upon arrival as her daughter-in-law to be and congratulated us over and over.

I didn’t know most of the people there, but I was introduced to many of Rick’s friends and family. Soon enough, my own family arrived.

"Oh Bridgette!" My mom sobbed as she pulled me into a hug, "We’re so sorry! We’ve missed you so much!" She clung to me for a few more seconds and then my dad pulled me in.

"I’m so glad you’ve found someone." He breathed into my ear.

"Wow! Is this Kurt?" I exclaimed to the eight-year-old boy in front of me.

"Is this Bridgette? You’re old!" He laughed and I bent down to hug him.

"You haven’t changed a bit." I said.

My mom took my left hand to inspect the ring.

"Whoo whee! He sure went all out! Look at all those diamonds!" She practically shouted, luckily, no one else paid attention, "Where is the lucky guy?"

"He’s right over here, I’ll introduce you." I said as I led my family towards where Rick was sitting with some old friends who were to be his groomsmen.

"Hey, Rick, this is my family. My mom," Rick stood up to shake her hand, but she pulled him in for a hug instead.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs Eisenberg." He said.

"Oh, no, there’ll be none of that, you’ll call me Laurie, and this is my husband, Bridgette’s father, Ernst." My mom explained. My dad shook hands with Rick, "And my son Kurt."

"So you’re the mischief-maker I’ve heard so much about!" Rick knelt down to shake Kurt’s hand.

"That’s me!" He confirmed and we all laughed. Just then, I saw a very familiar face beckoning me from her position in the deserted kitchen.

"Is it okay with your if you're your sister's ring bearer?" Rick asked.

"Yes." Kurt answered without much enthusiasm. My parents must have put him up to it.

"Excuse me, I need to get caught up with a friend, but I’ll leave you to get acquainted." I excused myself and headed over to the girl.

"Hey! I’ve missed you so much!" Janna squealed, but quietly as she wrapped into a tight embrace.

"I’ve missed you too! How have you been?" I asked. Her face fell and her expression became a somber one.

"Actually, there’s something I really need to talk to you about." She explained, "Maybe you should sit down."

We each pulled up a kitchen stool and sat so we were facing each other.

"Go ahead." I encouraged her, though I was beginning to feel nervous.

"Okay, so you see...Oliver hasn’t been doing to well." She started. I gasped. I hadn’t heard the name for so long and it opened a floodgate of memories I hadn’t visited in the longest time, "His playing has been horrible, but the team can’t fire him until his contract runs out this summer. He’s heartbroken. I know for a fact that he’s been trying to contact you, but the letters never arrive. I know they don’t because if they did, you’d reply to them. Your father must have really been mad! It’s as if Oliver’s tuned into this empty shell. He’s there, but not really. You can tell his mind is elsewhere. We’re been to Healers and they think he’s in a state of depression. A serious one that comes from experiences like he’s had. I think the only chance on making him better is if he sees you again. But then I got your letter saying that you were engaged! I don’t know how he’ll take that, so I didn’t tell him. Will you please come back to see him? He’s going to be Jered’s groomsman, and you’ll be a bridesmaid, so you will see him soon enough. But will you please just come to see him?" Janna pleaded.

By now there were tears running down my face. What had I done? Life was so unfair! But then again, Oliver still loved me! And he missed me! What kind of person was I? Getting engaged to someone else behind everyone’s back, I was utterly ashamed of myself. Janna pulled me into her arms and let me cry away.

"There’s a combined Bridal shower and Stag party next weekend. I want you to come." She whispered.

"I’ll be there." I sobbed. I needed to know if I could fix this mess. I knew I was being so unfair to Rick. It was obvious I was already in love with Oliver, but I tried to cover it up. Now I had committed myself to a man I knew I could never love. Or at least love as much as I loved Oliver.

At this point in time, I heard footsteps on the kitchen floor. I looked up to see Rick’s concerned face.

"What happened, love? Are you alright?" He bent down the wipe the tears off my face.

"I’m fine." I managed to get out shakily.

"C’mon." Janna let go of me and Rick wrapped his arms around me, which only made me feel worse. But I managed to stop the tears.

"Feeling better?" He asked. I nodded and he wiped the last tears away with his fingers, "It’s going to be okay, here, I want you to meet my cousins who have agreed to be your bridesmaids." He started to lead me out. I didn’t feel like introducing him to Janna. I knew there wasn't goingto be awedding, but I couldn’t tell him. Not tonight when everyone was here to celebrate us being together.

I met the girls but I couldn’t remember their names. My parents seemed to be getting along with Rick’s parents. They would be upset and I didn’t want to wreck everyone’s lives further. Maybe this could still work, I didn’t have to make everyone upset, but then I thought of Oliver and I knew what I had to do.