Chapter THREE

Tessa had planned a get together at my favorite restaurant for that Friday night. There were eight of us total, including a few other close friends and their boyfriends, Tess' boyfriend, David, Tess and myself. We ate the best pizza and nachos and laughed and talked for hours. Afterwards, back at Tess', a smaller group of us drank wine coolers and gossiped all night. Not once, all evening, did I think about my pregnant sister or my dad's wedding.

   Mallory Todd, a friend since Junior High, and Cassandra Wilson, who was in practically every class I'd ever had in high school, Tess and I were all drunk as ever by 2 A.M. And I was so happy. Until I realized my mistake.

   "I have to be up... at 6 A.M... to drive to the beach..." I told my friends, half laughing.

   "Oh no," Mallory laughed, falling back onto Tess' bed.

   "You're going to be so hung over, El," Tess told me, then laughed, too. "Happy birthday."

   She wasn't wrong. The drive was rough. I had to stop once at a gas station to throw up. I had to turn off the music because my head hurt too badly. But still, it was worth it. I'd had a great night with my friends who cared about me. Now I just had to make it through this weekend.

   I pulled up to my dads new house at 10 a m. It was big and even from the outside it seemed perfect. I sat in my car - that had been passed down to me when Paige got a new car that spring - then texted both my mother and Tessa that I'd made it safely. South Haven was a true beach town. My dad told me how the summers were filled with tourists and the winters were very cold and boring. But now it was so hot and my heart was beating too fast.

   It was just a weekend. I could do this.

   A bang on the side window of my car made me jump. My dad was a big guy, over two hundred pounds and thick, with a reddish brown beard and greying hair. And he knew he'd scared me.

   "Dad," I said, opening the door. "What the hell?"

   He let out a loud laugh. "I'm just excited to see you!"

   "Oh, well, hi," I laughed back, then let him hug me.

   "Hi," he said into my ear as he squeezed me, picking me off the ground. "My favorite daughter."

   "I know you're upset with Paige, but that's a bit harsh," I said, then laughed again.

   "She's too young to have a baby, good god. And why didn't she go to college, anyway?"

   Ugh, this already?

   "Dad, please."

   "What, Elena?" He looked down on me, still smiling.

   "I don't want to talk about Paige. Or mom, for that matter," I told him.

   "Oh." His expression changed. "You're upset with them, too?"

   "Something like that."

  "Oh, well, let's get your bags up to the house! The guest room awaits," he finished, already walking around to open the trunk of my car.

   I took a thirty minute power nap on the gloriously soft guest room bed, then felt much better, especially after finding some coffee in the kitchen.

   Nothing could have prepared me for meeting Jenna, my dad's fiance, but I felt ready. She was loud an excited and hugged me a handful time in the first five minutes. She even told me how she always wanted a daughter. Also, no one had informed me that she was no older than thirty five. My dad turned forty five that spring. I wasn't upset about how young she was, really. She was sweet. And she seemed really good for him.

   "I can't wait until you see the venue, El!" Jenna yelled, as if we were best friends. "Oh, your dress is in the guest room closet. Can you try it on, please?"

   I nodded, then my stomach growled.

   "Oh, you're hungry! I'll toss up some pasta. It'll be ready in fifteen!"

   I thanked her and headed back up to the guest room, in search of the dress.

   It was light green and floor length, but light weight with spaghetti straps. Somehow, it fit me perfectly and was exactly what I pictured when I thought about a beach wedding. Jenna had good taste. But that fact that the dress was for my dad's wedding was a bit weird.

   He'd been dating Jenna for about a year. Before that, I'd only heard of or two other "friends", nothing serious. So, yes, this wedding was surprise.

   "The dress is great," I told Jenna when I went back out to the kitchen.

   She had made pasta and salad and was clearly waiting for me.

   "Oh, yay! It fits okay?" she asked, her big blue eyes curious.

   I nodded. "Yes, perfect."

   "Great. I know we just met but I'm so happy you'll stand with me tomorrow," she went on, serving lunch onto plates.

   Stand with her? In front of everyone? My Dad left that part out, I think. I must have looked confused.

   "Your dad asked you, didn't he?" Jenna asked quickly.

   I smiled, nodding again. "Yeah, of course."

   My dad joined us for lunch and then told me that I would go with him to the venue that evening while Jenna went to get her nails done. He was really different than when he I saw him every other weekend, back in his apartment.  A lot of time had past. I had grown up and so had he.

   "The boys will meet you there, too," Jenna told my dad, then she turned to me. "My son, Mateo, and his best friend, Thatcher. They've been a huge help getting things ready for the wedding."

   "Oh, yes, the boys will help with the tables," my dad nodded at Jenna. "Good, that's good."

   I just smiled, finishing up my pasta. I had really been thrown into this without much of a choice. At least my headache was gone.