After a short, but long 7 hours, I had landed in Toronto. Alex and Seb were picking me up, since my Mom hates driving long distances, and I was staying them until Christmas eve. The plan for Alex and I to cram months of wedding planning into 2 days, which would probably be the end of me.
I loved going to weddings, but the idea of planning one was my worst fear. Not that I didn't want to get married because I do, but the only person I ever talked to about it was Owen. I do hope Leah and I would get married one day, but it was something that we just never spoke about.
Alex was a super particular person, which meant this whole process, besides from cramming all of the planning, would be extra tedious. From the flower arrangements, to the cake, even how the invitations were supposed to look, she had very specific ideas, and if she couldn't find them she would do anything in her power to make them come true. I was really there to be the good cop if she pissed anyone off to much that they don't want to give her their business.
I walked out of terminal one and saw my best friend, standing there with a welcome home sign.
"Wow you really went all out"
"Only the best for you"
We wrapped ourselves in the tightest hug, and got into Seb's car. He gave me a hug from the driver's seat, welcoming me back as well, and we drove off, updating Seb on everything he missed from my life from the past year and a half even though Alex probably already had told him everything.
----
We got back to their apartment and the first thing I wanted to do was have a long hot shower, contrary to Alex who wanted to start planning, but I could not deal with that stress without feeling clean first. I always felt the most disgusting after a long flight.
I went to their guest room to put my stuff away. I took my phone out of my pocket and realized I forgot to take it off of airplane mode since I was so distracted by everything around me. I turned it off and a photo from Leah popped up on my phone. It was a photo of her and Olly cuddling on her couch. It made me smile.
Abi: I'm starting to think you like Olly more than me
Leah: He's coming close, but you know that could never be true.
I laughed then hopped in the shower.
----
"We've been working on these invitations for 4 hours can we please take a break"
Part of Alex being so particular about things meant we were hand making her invitations, there were 400 of them.
"Not until they're done"
I sucked it up and continued stamping the words onto the card paper, while she put them enveloped and sealed them with wax, like how they would in the older days.
"What time is your appointment tomorrow?"
Tomorrow we were going shopping for her wedding dress, it was at this boutique in the city, where you needed to make your appointment months in advance.
"11:30, and they sell bridesmaids dresses there too, we could maybe find one for you there"
I was also the only one in Alex's bridal party, before I moved to England we were each other's only friends and promised that we would each only have one person in our bridal parties. I was her maid of honour and she would be mine. We were 18 when we made that promise to each other.
Since she only had me, which meant there was not as many expenses that you would usually have for bridesmaids, she offered to pay for my dress. Her and Seb had really well paying job, and Seb's parents are paying for a big portion of the wedding, but that didn't mean I ever expected her too. So I often debated it, but she would always convince me to let her pay for it.
"It's expensive there, we can find something way cheaper"
"Just let me do this Abi, I owe you after everything you've done for me"
I left it at that because I knew there would be no winning with her.
-----
After countless hours of invitation making, then looking at flower arrangement options, we called it a night, considering the big day we have tomorrow. I was sitting on the couch in their living room for a bit after Alex and Seb went to bed, scrolling through my phone. Until there was someone in my company.
"What're you still doing up, don't you have a big day of dress shopping tomorrow?"
It was Seb.
"I couldn't sleep"
"After complaining you were too tired to get out of making invitations"
We both laughed.
"Thank you though, you're not here for that long and you're choosing to be a wedding planner, I know Alex isn't the easiest to plan this with"
"I would do anything for her, she deserves it, and it's a good distraction"
"From Leah?"
"Yeah, am I being stupid?"
"About what?"
"This whole healing ourselves before getting back together thing"
"No, I think it's good, to be the best version of yourself before being in a relationship, but I think if you both truly love each other than there's no reason to hold yourselves back, love is worth fighting for, so I think you're holding yourself back and you need to figure that out first"
Maybe he was right. Maybe there was a different reason for me not getting back with Leah already, this was just a reason I needed to figure out on my own.
"Out of all the men in the world I'm glad it's you marrying my best friend"
"And I'm glad out of all the girls in the world you're her best friend, I know you always tell her how much she needs you, but she needs you equally the same"
I felt the tears starting to trickle down my face. Seb and I only really became close last year when he started living with Alex and I, but he quickly became like an older brother to me, protecting me when I needed protecting, and giving me the wise advice no one could give me. He always told me the things I needed to hear, which I will forever be thankful for.
He headed back to his and Alex's room, and I headed to their guest room to settle for the night.
-----
My sleep was cut short with Alex coming into my room at 7:30 in the morning jumping on my bed like she was a toddler on Christmas day. It was a big day for her, but I knew I would be grumpy if I didn't get enough, although I couldn't protest at all.
Before we left for the wedding dress boutique, Alex wanted to do some more little things for her wedding, it was mostly the do it yourself crafts she found off pinterest, like I said before, there's some things she believes she can do better than buying. I honestly just don't know where she's going to put it in her apartment, considering the wedding isn't even until May.
After a couple hours of pressing old flowers Seb had gotten for her to put on the entrance board, we soon made the walk over to the bridal boutique. It was around a twenty minute walk and she was getting more giddy every minute. I couldn't blame her for being so excited, but maybe the idea of watching a happy couple right in front of me is making me think more about my current relationship status. Quite frankly it was making me depressed.
We entered the boutique to a sea of white. Every kind of wedding dress was in front of us, so many options, but Alex knew what she wanted so it wasn't as overwhelming for her as it was for me, it also means this wouldn't take hours.
We were greeted with a glass of champagne, and started looking through all the dresses and she picked a few options to try on.
She ended up picking the first dress she tried on.
It was made for her though, she came out and stood in front of me and we both instantly started crying. It had an empire waist, it had straps, but it wasn't long sleeve, and it had a bit of lace in the neckline, but no glitter, since she thought that glitter on wedding dresses were tacky. It was perfect.
"Is it bad if I don't even want to try anything else on"
"No, this one, is the one"
She went to take the dress off. She couldn't take it home with her since there was a few alterations which would make the process a little bit longer, but we were both happy she could get her dream dress.
When she came back she was carrying a red dress in her arms, I almost forgot she wanted me to try on my maid of honour dress as well.
"I always imagined you would wear dark green, but I saw this and I thought it would be perfect"
She made me go try it on and I fell in love with it instantly.
It was silk, and strapless, it didn't hug my body but I liked something with more of a breeze anyway.
I came out wearing it and we both started crying again.
"Leah will love seeing me in red"
I had an epiphany, and I knew there was something I needed to do once I got back to England.
----
A/N:
-Another filler chapter I'M SORRY
-In my defence, I wanted a chapter highlighting Abi's relationships with the people she left behind in Canada, mostly Alex and Seb but still gives more depth to her character
-This was also supposed to be up yesterday but the wifi at my parents house went out, but I'm back in my apartment so I at least have reliable wifi.
-As always thanks for the love:)