Everyone has baggage, but it's certainly not Selina's job to carry it for them.
*****
Radio talk show host Selina Locke was just looking for a peaceful summer in sunny Barcelona, but...
( — barbra streisand; american actress, singer, and filmmaker. )
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"OH, MAN, I REALLY THINK THIS IS THE ONE," Maia says, standing in front of a tall, thin mirror. Selina reaches out for a paper tissue, dabbing at her face with it. "What do you think?"
"I think you're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," Selina replies.
"Oh, shush."
"I mean it," Selina insists, and stands up to join Maia by the mirror. They're wearing contrasting clothes, with Selina dressed in all black—a sweater, ripped jeans, and combat boots—and Maia looking elegant while wearing a white wedding dress. Jillian remains perched on the beige couch, furiously typing something on her phone, eyebrows scrunched. "Thanks for asking us to join you."
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Maia's eyes return to her reflection and she stares back at herself, trying to relax her shoulders. The sweetheart neckline of the dress leaves her chest exposed down to her cleavage and the slits on the bodice reach the thin satin belt on her waist, which leads Selina to believe there definitely won't be any children attending the wedding. "It's nice to take some time off from all the drama."
Selina sighs. "You're telling me."
"I take it things are still crazy awkward."
Selina lets out a humorless laugh. It's been two weeks since Selina spoke to Charles "Mo-Fo" Ricci on the phone (Remus was ecstatic to hear about it), meaning it has also been two weeks since she talked to Beverly regarding the state of her relationship with Winona and nothing much has changed.
It gets harder and harder to be in the same room as the two of them without feeling some sort of negative energy in the air. Selina's moral compass is torn, seeing as Winona has been her best friend for years now, but Beverly seems to be the right one in the middle of all the mess. She's just trying to make things right after a scandal she can't—and shouldn't—be blamed for, whereas Winona is just . . . bitter.
She's bitter because she's hurt, and Selina can't say she blames her. After all, she was publicly humiliated and insulted, with strangers calling her truly nasty things, things you should never call anyone, not even a stranger on the internet, and Selina gets it. She understands the history and the meaning behind the horrible things that were said to Winona and how prevalent those issues are, even during the present time; she's heard her fair share of similar comments, but they aren't comparable situations. They don't even have the same root issues lying underneath.
"In all honesty, I'm just praying the wedding will still happen," Maia continues, when Selina doesn't answer. Well, not verbally, at least; she wants to believe her grimace explained all Maia needed to know about the subject. "On one hand, I've been working my ass off planning their wedding while neglecting my own and, if I have to see all my hard work be flushed down the drain, I might have to find myself a therapist. On the other hand, they're my friends. I want them to be happy, but there are times when it doesn't feel like they are. You know what I mean?"
