The Wedding Of The Year 2: Bridesmaid Mania

Chapter 17

Well this could be better. I mean a lot better. Me and my sisters are on the settee watching the chaos unfold. Dad and Kian are arguing by the tv; Shanelle, Sophie and mom are arguing in the kitchen area; while Corey and Ravenna are battling it out right in front of us. 

Me and Corey got here an hour ago. It was a little bit calmer until Shanelle let it slip that she knew Kian was married. Both Corey and Sophie were angry at first but that's when Corey snapped at Shanelle. Shanelle didn't respond but Ravenna did and that started them two off. Sophie then finally snapped at Shanelle as Ravenna was preoccupied, Shanelle responded and was out of line so mom stepped in. That set that off. Dad and Kian was a bit later when Kian made an inappropriate comment about mom and Sophie. Dad jumped and defended them immediately. 

My sisters look so lost while trying to follow the arguments while my focus was on Ravenna and Corey. She can be pretty vicious when she wants to be. She sneaks at look at me while Corey rants. "Oh stop being so high and mighty Corey. You forget I know about what happened two years ago. Your friends were not the quietest when you filled them in," She chastises. 

I stand up and my sisters look at me confused. The room quietens as they all heard her as she decided to shout it. I narrow my eyes and step in front of Corey. He doesn't move and I don't have to turn around to know he's stunned and scared. "Ravenna, I'm going to tell you this now. Don't you ever bring that up again. You're just trying to deflect the fact your mom did something so wrong. He hasn't even forgiven himself for it. I can tolerate a lot of your spoilt bitch routine but I won't tolerate you going after Corey," I snap. 

Corey's hands land on my arms and rub them slowly. Ravenna looks shocked and as if she'd been slapped by me. My chest is heaving and I don't break eye contact with her. Mainly cause I don't want to look at everyone's shocked faces. 

She opens and closes her mouth several times. She lets out a frustrated groan that sounds more like a screech. Shanelle walks over to her daughter and looks over at me with a angry look. "You've just done the same thing. Bringing it back on her."

This makes Corey wrap his arms around me instead of rubbing my arms. I try to take deep breaths. It's just like last year and dealing with Stacey. You just grit your teeth and don't respond, otherwise they get what they want. 

"Lets just calm down," mom says. She looks at me with a questioning look. "obviously we're missing something here. And I think we've had too many secrets in these two familys."

"Mom," I start but she just gives me a sharp look. I sigh and turn to face Corey. "You don't have to. It doesn't affect any of them."

"No, Phyllis is right. Secrets is what caused this mess. If we leave everything open then it can't affect us," Sophie says. 

I keep my eyes on his. I can see the pain and guilt on his face. I can't stand that she brought this all back to him. It's the same look he had on this morning. I step out of his arms and walk so I'm right in Ravenna's face. 

"Just because everyone now knows you're Kian's doesn't mean you are invincible. Corey has done nothing to hurt you. All he did was respond to the hurt his mom inflicted on him. You on the other hand have hurt him so much that you can't even see it. You only did it so your mom won't have to be responsible for her actions. The same way Kian wasn't responsible from his," I tell her. My voice low but loud enough for everyone to hear. "He has already claimed responsibility and been punished for it. He still punishes himself for it and Kian and Shanelle's escapades being exposed hasn't helped him."

She rolls her eyes. "You just don't want Corey to deal with their wrath. I don't know how you could forgive him."

"What did he do?" Dad says a little too loudly. "Why did you have to forgive him, Clara?"

"I dumped her then ghosted her," Corey says releasing a sigh. 

"What?" Dad roared.

I roll my eyes and stand in front of Corey. "It was two years ago. His friends at the time were manipulative bastards. Once he dropped them he tried to get me back. I definitely didn't make it easy."

Dad glared over my head at Corey. Mom looks at me, "You both hid your relationship from us."

"It was still new when my old so called friends intervened. We didn't really tell anyone. They caused problems for her at school. And she did punch me in the stomach the first time we met afterward," Corey. I let out a small laugh.

"So why did Ravenna bring it up then?" Brianna asks. 

Attention turns to Ravenna. Diana stands up and comes between me and Ravenna. She's the smallest here but Ravenna knows to step back. Her arms cross and her eyes narrow. "You really must not like my sister to try that. What's your problem?"

Ravenna doesn't move to speak. Nobody does. We all just stand there waiting in silence. Corey pulls me to him and hugs me from behind. He kisses my cheek in thanks. Ravenna looks at this and then rolls her eyes. 

"She walks all over him. He just does anything for her, everyone does. I don't see her do anything for him or anyone else," she finally admits. 

I scoff while I let everyone process this. I actually wait to see if they defend me or not. "She does a lot for us. Me especially. She put up with my old friends, she put up with the abuse from Jonah, she even sacrifices sleep for me during baseball season," Corey says with an edge to his voice. 

"She keeps me company when I've no longer got work," Sophie adds.

"She helps me with homework and advice on friends and guys," Diana adds with a mumble of agreement from Brianna. 

Mom and dad look at me with proud smiles. "Well we're her parents so of course we'll do anything to help. If she ever lets us," Mom says. "She is there for all of us. This all out of jealousy. You need to come to terms with that yourself. Then we can move on and actually get along." 

Ravenna groans. "Fine," she mumbles. 

"So, can we all put everything behind us?" Kian asks the room. Everyone nods and agrees and then we all sit back down. Due to lack of space and the fact Corey wants me close to him, I sit on his lap leaning against his chest. 

We watch the tv and the parents buy some pizza's and stuff. It turns out to be a nice evening after all this drama. I've copped dad giving me and Corey weird looks whenever we do something even remotely romantic. I guess he's coming to terms with the fact we used to date as teenagers. 

Suddenly dad's eyes widen when we've finished eating. His eyes on me and Corey. "That was you. You snook out of the house 3 years ago. I thought you were a robber and she covered for you. How did you even get in?"

Kian starts laughing. "Oh god that's hilarious. You didn't even know he was in the house."

Corey buries his head into my shoulder. I stifle a laugh while I catch moms eye. She is looking so amused by all this. She looks at dad. "I guess that means I won not you," she says shrugging. Dad turns to mom. 

He then puts his face in his hands. "First my daughter sneaks a boy in and then I loose to my wife. I knew coming tonight would lead to problems."

The rest of the night we chat and laugh. All the drama put behind us. All the jealously and anger slowly dissipates. It's all gone by the time we're getting in the car to go home.