Bride to Be

07: Stay

CHAPTER SEVEN: STAY

May 25th, 2022

For the next two days, Gemma refused to leave her childhood bedroom.

Despite Olivia's pleas to go shopping, and Marcie's pleas to explore Michigan, Gemma wanted nothing more than to lock herself away in her bedroom after her sudden run in with Rowan. Instead of going out for coffee in the remaining day she had left before going home, Gemma made her sister be the one to take the coffee run. Ironically enough, in the time she went to get coffee, Liv never ran into anyone from Gemma's past. For her dad's birthday dinner last night, Gayle and Olivia wanted to go out to dinner. Though after begging for her family to just stay in, because Gemma was terrified to leave the house, her family reluctantly agreed. 

Gemma packed up the rest of her belongings in a hurry, despite her flight not leaving for another few hours. She just wanted to be ready to leave when the time came. The storms from the day before cleared, thankfully. Gemma hoped and prayed that the storms wouldn't cause her flight to be delayed or worse -- cancelled. To her relief, the afternoon of her departure from Michigan contained cloudy, but clear of rain skies. 

"Come downstairs," Olivia appeared in the doorway of Gemma's bedroom. "We finally have coffee here!"

Laughing, Gemma told her sister she would be down in a second. She wanted to pack up her stuff now, despite not needing to leave for the airport for awhile. Having her things ready to go made her feel relieved, given she would be back home in New York by the end of the day. 

"I wish you didn't have to go back so soon," Gemma's father stopped her as she reached the end of the stairs. "I barely got to see you in the time you've been here."

"Take a vacation from work," Gemma stated, as if it was that easy. "Come visit me in New York."

Her dad just chuckled and kissed her forehead, before walking away to sit next to Jax on the couch. Sitting at the table was Marcie and Olivia, who had full plates of pancakes and mugs full of coffee in front of them. Gemma stacked a few blueberry pancakes on a plate, and grabbed some coffee before joining them at the dining room table. 

"I wish you two weren't leaving today," Liv frowned. 

"Well," Gemma said in between bites of pancake. "You know we can't stay, not after everything that's happened in the past few days. I need a break from Michigan."

"That was all just bad luck," Liv rolled her eyes. "You can still stay here for a bit and be able to avoid Avery and Rowan."

 "I don't think that's gonna be very easy," Marcie laughed. "Considering your mom is the wedding planner."

"So, just figure out when mom's gonna be around her, and stay away from the house for a few hours." 

"Sorry, Liv." Gemma rolled her eyes, wishing her sister would just drop it and move on to talking about something else. "Not gonna happen."

"Figures," Olivia rolled her eyes, her voice full of attitude before passive aggressively getting up from her chair and storming out of the room.

"Wonder what her issue is," Jax shrugged, not taking his eyes off his phone screen. 

"She's on her period. Leave her alone," Gayle laughed from the living room. "She also doesn't want Gemma and Marcie to go home."

"Well, we have to go home." Gemma rolled her eyes. 

"I mean, we don't have to - " Marcie began, though quickly shut her mouth as Gemma sent her daggers. 

"Yes, we do."