Highway Kismet

Unwanted Guest

"Where's the rest of the wedding party?" I asked, wondering why Owen and Faith's other guests weren't sitting with her.

With a fork in her hand Faith gestured to the room, "Around," She swallowed down the eggs she was eating before continuing, "They were up first thing, had breakfast, and decided to tour for a while but you'll meet them at dinner tonight."

I nodded as I poured some coffee into a cup, "I'm not complaining, I'm glad we can have some time to ourselves."

"About that," Wang hesitated and looked between Faith and me, "Faith has something to tell you."

"Jimmy," Faith scolded, "At least let her eat first."

I stopped pouring midway and glanced curiously between my two suspicious friends, "Just spit it out."

Faith chewed on her bottom lip and took a sip of juice before she began, "You need to know I tried to stop this from happening but, I couldn't be cruel to Owen."

At the mention of Owen's name, I knew where she was going with this, I figured she was about to tell me Mitchell was going to be present at the wedding. Unfortunately for me, I already knew.

"Mitchell is here," I stated, "Right?"

The table went dead silent and I looked curiously at Wang and Faith, they appeared to be walking around eggshells, but they also looked surprised that I knew this already.

"How did you know?" Wang asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah," Faith added, "Did Owen speak to you?"

I shook my head, "We had a... brief encounter when I checked in last night."

Faith's expression was unreadable, but I supposed she was just hiding her curiosity and motherly instinct to ask if I was alright. Wang was nothing but anxiously curious, I could almost see the thoughts running in his head and I assumed it took a lot of restrain for him to not ask me to spill the tea.

Both, however, held back their comments, and instead, Faith apologized, "I'm so sorry Mils, I had no idea until the very last minute that he was attending."

"And I only got to know this morning," Wang chirped in, "Otherwise you know I would've told you immediately."

"Oh, that I know," I commented as I took a sip of coffee.

Faith sighed and looked apologetic, "If I could help it, I wouldn't have him part of the wedding." Faith muttered, "Owen and I even had a huge fight about it but in the end, I realized I would be an awful person to not let someone he's always considered a brother to not be here for one of the biggest days of his life."

"Mitch and Owen have been best friends for a very long time, and he was there for Owen at times he had no one else – long before I was even a part of his life," Faith added, "If roles were reversed, I wouldn't like if he excluded you from the wedding."

I understood Faith's point which was why not once did I questions Mitchell's presence; Owen was already caught in the middle of Mitchell and me since the very beginning; I could never expect him to choose between the two of us.

"That and he kinda owns the hotel," Wang put in as he bit into a slice of toast.

Faith gave Wang a look, "That is not the reason, we are paying for everything even though Mitchell refused but Owen didn't give in."

"And," I began to clarify, "Mason Clarke owns this place not his poor excuse of an offspring."

"I'm really sorry, Mila," Faith reached for my hand and apologized for the umpteenth time.