Hard

38 Auden

BUZZ BUZZ

Vincent continues to explode my phone with his messages...

You need to call me! I had no idea you were going to his wedding!

Auden let me speak to you before you go.

There are two sides to every story.

Answer peanut! You need to know things before you speak with Howard about these things.

Linc eyes me with his judgmental glare and I shut off my phone whatever Vincent has to tell me, surely it can wait until after the damn wedding is over. If the truth has waited over eighteen years to reach the surface, then it can wait another few days.

We enter the hall of the boathouse and everything is so elegant. Pale pink and creme colors fill the hall with flowers and ribbons. The vases that are in each corner of the room are filled with what looks like pearls and diamonds, but most likely not- Howard is a professor after all. At the entrance into the ceremony, I see her. The woman he is marrying and I realize that I know her. I have seen pictures of her at least with my mom and Howard when they were in high school. They were all in the same friend group. My dad being the football star and my mom being the cheerleader. I don't remember her but I don't need to, it splattered all over this place. The welcome book says to write to Howard and Josephine. THAT'S RIGHT! Josephine Gorden!

Josephine was my mom's best friend in high school but I have never met her in my life. She was all over the yearbooks and scrapbooks but not ever splattered all over my life.

A slight tap on my shoulder causes me to turn around and just like that, the woman who is about to be my step-mother in just an hour stands in front of me, "Auden?" She asks. Her long black hair slicked back into a ponytail and her body covered with a silk robe- she needs to get ready if we want this ceremony to start soon.

"Hi, I am Linc, the boyfriend." He extends his hand out to her and she takes it but keeps her perfect blue eyes on my muddy brown ones.

"So I have heard, nice to meet you. Auden, can I borrow you for a sec? My bridesmaid is nowhere to be found."

"No thank you," I spit out but Linc laughs quickly like he is trying to cover for me as if I was joking. I don't want to help her! She doesn't understand my realism and grabs my hand leading me to

She leads me into her dressing room with her dress hung up being steamed by a member of staff. She snaps her fingers and the man leaves without question. "I have been trying to meet you for such a long time..." Her hands pull me into a warm embrace and as odd as it sounds, it doesn't sound weird. "I can't believe how big you are! When Lin sent me pictures of you you were such a little thing."

"It's been eighteen years. People grow."

Her face doesn't change from a look of love even with my attitude, what is it with this woman? She has never even met me before. "You have your father's realistic view of things for sure."

"Why am I here?"

"I wanted to see my daughter, or at least soon to be daughter, I know what happened between you and Howard. I know how much not having a father can hurt."

"You don't know me." I snap. Breathe! It is her wedding day!

"You are right, I do know. I thought I was leaving you with the best people... I am so sorry sweet girl."

As annoying as she is, she seems familiar to me, but I can't explain it. I can't describe what she means to me because I barely know her. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing dear... can you help me get into this cupcake thing?"

I open the dress and she steps into smoothing out the wrinkles and I button up the back for her. A middle-aged woman with blonde hair runs in to help Josephine and tells me to head out to the ceremony. I leave Josephine without saying goodbye and take a seat next to Linc, Jace, and Sutten. Sutten leans in to squeeze my hand, "What's wrong?" She whispers into my ear.

"I have no idea," I whisper back.

I don't have time to think about it as the music begins to play and everyone stands up to see Josephine begin to walk down the aisle...

After the ceremony, we all walk across the courtyard to an open garden area that has been decorated for the reception. After a sweet exchange of vows, Josephine and Howard guide everyone to the dance floor. A song I have never heard of begins to play and before I can run for the hills, Linc grabs my hands' and glides me to the dance floor and sweeps me up so that I am on his feet moving with him.

I forget all about Howard, Josephine, my mother and Vincent when I look at him. When I look at Linc, I see the thing that has been written in the greatest love stories ever told- I see true love.

"What is going on in that head of yours?" He asks me.

"I don't know this song," I lie to deflect and he can tell but moves on just the same.

"Look after you by The Fray. What were you actually thinking about?"

I jump off his feet and he takes the opportunity to spin me, "You."

"Well look at you," Our lips meet quickly but then he pulls away making me upset he moved away so quickly, "You are opening up to me."

"I like opening up to you."

"Me too."

He must be annoyed that he is the open and romantic one in the relationship but I am just not that way. I'm not the girl who is desperate to have a grand romantic gesture but I do love him and we'll where this goes. With Liam all there was was a ton of pressure to be together forever, so much pressure that he ruined me, he ruined us, and I don't want that with Linc. I want us to love and love in the right way.

"You think so much so often that sometimes I feel like I am about to lose your interest, Ms. Tate," Linc whispers into my ear.

"Oh, you never lose my interest, Mr. Black."

I move my head onto his chest and relax as we sway back and forth. We have always fit well together no matter what we are doing. My love and my light, my Lincoln.

"May I cut in?" I don't have to turn around to know Howard is hovering behind me. Linc is gentlemanly enough to hand me over to him and he takes my hand to pull me into what I expect to be a very awkward dance.

He has changed out of his tux for the wedding into some nice pale pink dress pants and a white button-up, probably to be more comfortable and dance with everyone at his wedding. Half of these people I have never met before but I know from old photos that they are my relatives. An older woman in a fiery red hat has been eyeing me all night, I suspect her to be my grandmother. Howard's best man who kept his eyes on me all through the ceremony and waved when I sat down I suspect to be his brother Titan. "Are you doing okay being here?"

"Half these people have been starring at me like I am their family but I have never met them and can't even tell you most of their names... I don't get why you would leave me and then bring here to your wedding with all your family and friends, and why you didn't tell me you are marrying mom's best friend!"

He lowers his head either in annoyance or guilt but I can't tell, "Auden let's go somewhere private okay? I need to tell you something..."

Do I go with a stranger? Do I listen to his side of the story? I look around for Linc but he's nowhere to be found...

My eyes met his that is brown just like mine. I take his hand and move out of the reception area with him, hoping and praying I can take the news he is about to give me. Good or bad, I need to know.

*******************************************************************************************8

I can't wait for the reveal! But is Howard telling the truth?

xo Michaela

Please make sure to vote and comment