ALMOST A BRIDE (Open On Annie)

18

I was taken aback by this. Firstly, because of what he was saying, and secondly because he’d never told me that he loved me. Suddenly I felt like crying and hugging him.

“He drove me mad, with his constant boasting and his grossly inflated ego.  And he was always trying to get one up on me. Whether it was in business, or whether it was when he bought that BMW three weeks after I got mine.”

I thought back to that incident and it suddenly all made sense. At the time I'd wondered why- out of the blue- Trev decided to buy a new car. I’d just never seen the link until today.

Eric continued, “And I would love nothing more than to see you get your revenge and ruin his day!”

“WHAT!?” Jenny jumped up now, “Have you also gone mad? Has the world gone mad?”

Eric turned to Jenny, “You don’t like him either. Wouldn’t it be great to see the look on his face when Annie totally upstages their wedding?”

Jenny put the whiskey down and contemplated this for a moment or two.

“I guess it would be pretty awesome.” She said with a little smile lighting up her face.

“Thank you, thank you-“ I ran over to Jenny and tried to hug her.

“Wait, I didn’t say I would go along with it yet.” She held me back with one arm and looked me in the eye.

“Annie, is this what you really want? You really, really, really want to stage a fake wedding just to piss Trev off? You want to go to all that trouble, with a perfect stranger no less, just to get some revenge? Because if it is what you truly want, I will go along with it.”

I nodded at her “I really want this Jen.”

Jen let out a long defeated sigh. “Fine. Then consider me your fake maid of honor I guess.”

I threw my arms around her and hugged her hard, “Thanks.”

“One last question, “ Jen said pulling away from the hug, “And why would this Chris guy do all this for you?

 This was a very good question- one I’d already asked.

15 hours before

“YOU WANT TO DO WHAT?!?!” Chris’ idea had propelled me out of my seat as if a firecracker had been ignited under me.

 “It won’t be a real wedding. We can hire an actor to play the priest.”

“I don’t know… this is totally nuts. It’s crazy.”

“I know, I know.” Chris was also on his feet now, “But just imagine it….”

Chris moved into the middle of the room and started explaining it all in the most amazing, writer -like detail. There was no doubt in my mind that he was a brilliant screenwriter…

 “The sun is setting. The sky is dusted in pink. The sand is warm and powdery and white. The aisle is made entirely of pink rose petals- thousands and thousands of them. The petals lie sprawled in front of you like a soft carpet. The aisle is lined with glowing, scented candles surrounded by colorful, exotic shells. The smell of lilly and rose hang thick in the air. The alter is surrounded by a series of a big archways, made of palm fronts and decorated with bright pink Bougainvillea and silk ribbons that sway gently in the breeze. A large heart carved in the sand surrounds it. Big, colorful Chinese lanterns hang from the archways, casting a warm glow on the sand. Behind the alter, the sea stretches out into the distance, the soft gentle noise of tiny waves lapping on the shore, the sea is starting to turn a pale lavender pink as the sun dips lower and lower over the horizon. Fairy lights hang from the trees around us. You are barefoot, looking absolutely breathtaking is a soft, flowing white dress. I mean… you look incredible, stunning, like a Goddess. Your red hair shines in the light and you hold a bouquet of pink roses as you walk down the aisle towards me. Little Sophie, dressed in a pink dress looks adorable as she runs down the aisle ahead of you sprinkling Lillys everywhere.

BUT… the best part is that only several meters away, Trev and Tess are doing the exact same thing. EXCEPT... our wedding is better. It is bigger, it is more beautiful and you look better in your dress than Tess could ever look in a million years. Trev will look at you with lust and realize what a mistake he made and also realize that you are ten times the woman that Tess will ever be. And Tess will glare at you because she knows you look better than her. And I’ll even shave, and get a haircut and buy a suit. A casual white linen suit that screams, romantic beach wedding. We’ll crack open expensive bottles of champagne and have a fancy ten-tiered wedding cake- even though there are only five of us, well, four and a half.

 My stomach bubbled with excitement; Chris had described the scene so well, down to the tiniest detail, that it felt like I’d just watched it happen in a movie. This sounded like the best idea I’d ever heard, but---

 “I don’t have the money to pay for something like this.”

 “Don’t worry about the money. I have lots of it.’

I looked at Chris and was truly puzzled.

“Why would you offer to do this for me? You hardly know me? It makes no sense.”

Chris walked up to me and stood a mere foot away, “Because I have never met a more infuriating person in my entire life than Trev. And I would love, and I mean I would love, to see the look on his face when we totally upstage him on his so-called perfect wedding day….and I’m also trying to get you to kiss me again.”

I burst out laughing.  “There are much easier and cheaper way to get me to kiss you.”  

 “Well, I like the complicated dramatic ways,” He said, putting a hand on my shoulder, “Come on Annie. Lets do this. Lets ruin their wedding day- they will remember it for the rest of their lives.”

“I don’t know, it’s a bit extreme. It’s crazy.”

“So what? The best things in life are a little crazy.”

“There’s no way we can organize a wedding day in less that 24 hours.”

“Who says?” Chris said walking over to the phone, and dialing, “Hi reception…yes, it’s Chris from the presidential suit,” He really rubbed that last part in, “My fiancé and I have decided- spur of the moment- to get married tomorrow on the beach.  Please can you contact a wedding planner for us and get someone to come around to discuss the details with us….” There was a pause on the phone, “ No. Now would be better, since we have very little time left…” Another pause, “You can just charge it all to my room. Thank you.”

That seemed to do the trick.

 “A liaison form the hotel will come around just now to discuss the details and they will coordinate with a wedding planner. Simple.” 

 “Oh My God, I don’t know Chris, this is mad…”

“Annie, close your eyes and imagine the look on Trev’s face. Do it.”

I closed my eyes and tried to imagine it. Trev would be furious. He would hate not being the center of attention, the only couple getting married. He would hate it even more if our wedding was nicer than his. He would hate to share an anniversary with us, and always remember us every time his anniversary came around…

 “Okay fine. I’ll marry you Chris!”