All the Wrong Reasons

And finally...

As I didn’t really feel like returning home, I decided to be a good light step-daughter to be and go around to see Nikki and sooth her nerves a little. The wedding being only four days away, she had gone from panicked to terrified. I had received an SOS from Jessy, asking me to come around and help calm her down.

I walked there, taking the opportunity to work off some of my bad temper. I was mightily pissed off, but in a way I was also relieved. I felt as if I was finally free of the ball and chain I had been trailing for a long time. My life would probably still be hell for awhile, but I could live with that. But it was as if I had finally, finally, got control again. No more being carried along.  

I let myself into the flat, using the key my father had given me for the first time, and walked in on Jessy and Nathan snogging on the sofa. They jumped apart when I entered, bouncing to opposite ends of the couch like two kids caught with their fingers in the biscuit tin.

“Don’t mind me, guys,” I said, striding past them. “Go right back to what you were doing.”  

I knocked on the bedroom door and entered. Nikki was sitting on the bed, looking distraught, face as white as a sheet. I sat down next to her and put my hand on her back. She started.

“Nikki, what’s up?” I asked.

“Oh Annabeth, I don’t know if I can go through with this,” She hiccupped. She buried her head in her hands. “It’s all too much for me.”

I gently tugged at her shoulders, making her sit up.

“Nikki, you are going to be fine. This is just jitters. Every single bride in history has had them. Hell, I’d worried if you hadn’t gotten them.”

Nikki sniffed.

“Really?”

“Yes, I’m certain. You’re just wedding crazy right now. Too much spent deciding on flowers and starters and colour schemes. It gets to you after a while.” I stroked her hair. “So ring up your friends and go out, go and do something different. Go to the cinema. Go to a bar and get slaughtered. Just get out of the flat and don’t think of the wedding for an evening. And come Saturday, everything will be okay, you’ll be beautiful, everyone will have a great time and nothing will go wrong.”

“You think so?”

“I know so. Now go and ring your friends.”

“Full marks on helping me with the distressed bride.” I said, plonking myself down on the sofa between my two friends. Nikki had just gone off to meet up with a couple of friends, looking a lot perkier. “You two were invaluable.”

They both looked sheepish, but also secretly pleased with themselves.

“Well, since Nikki has gone out and my dad won’t be home for ages, let’s see what we can nick.”

I went over to the fridge and pulled it open.

“Aha, look what we have here,” I removed a half full bottle of wine. “Anyone for a little drink.” I shook the bottle, making the contents slosh.

“Are you okay?” Jessy asked.

“I’m fine,” I said. “In fact, I’m better than fine. I’m excellent.” I took three glasses from the cupboard and filled them.

“How hard did you hit you head?” Nathan asked. I shrugged.

“Not that hard.” I said, returning to the sofa with the glasses. I handed one to each of them and sat down on the floor opposite them.