The Orphan Club

The Wedding: The Orphan Club back together...?

This cafe is loud and all the happy people here chat with the company they bought while I take small sips of my coffee. I haven't had coffee in at least two years. The last time I did, I went into a full-blown panic attack, though I suspect it had less to do with the coffee and more to do with finding out my cheating husband off-ed himself a few hours ago. Still, I was leaning on the edge of caution and sipping my larger-than-expected cup slowly.

Plus I was waiting for people who I love to show up, so there was no reason to have a panic attack!

My sister and her girlfriend texted me frantically last night telling me they had news for me, and that I had to drop everything I had planned today—ha— to come meet them first thing this morning. So of course, I complied and here I am. Drinking coffee, which as mentioned before I normally don't do, but this cafe doesn't let you just sit here without spending any money and because they are an HOUR late already, I had to get something and decaf wasn't on the menu

So I text my harebrained sister and her equally harebrained girlfriend in our group chat—the girls—where they are.

"Sorry, I'm stuck in traffic! Be there soon!" Kristen texts back. Which I thought was weird because they live about five blocks from this cafe and it's, at most, a 10-minute walk. But since we've all lived in New York for at least ten years, it should be no more than five minutes for them.

Where the hell are they?

Finally, they did show up, giggling hand in hand and I was completely done with my coffee and now nervous about getting nervous from it—humaning is hard.

"Where the hell have you two been?" I scowl at my sister first and then at her girlfriend, Heidi. Both swing their tight ponytails as they walk towards me.

Heidi smiles at me and her higher-than-the-sky cheekbones get even higher. My sister on the other hand scowls back at me.

"What, you can't wait for your sister? Stop rushing through life baby sis..." Kristen says as she slides an orphan chair to my table. Both of them take their seats.

"Rushing? I would say waiting for over an hour and texting just once is pretty patient of me. Now, what is so urgent that you have to see me early in the morning." I ask.

"It's about the Orphan Club. Kristen and I want to have a reunion." Heidi says, her voice too chirp for the early morning.

"The Orphan Club? Are you crazy!" I yell. "Besides the three of us, the other three members have not seen each other since–" I stop because I don't want to think about the last time we were all in a room together, let alone say it out loud.

"Ok, I know you and my brother are practically mortal enemies but we have a good reason for the reunion." Heidi chimes in.

"No, we are nothing, and he proved that by not coming to my wedding or the funeral. I tried to mend fences but Matty—Matthew doesn't seem to care, so I rather not have him in my life at all." I shrug and state.

"So if two members of the club don't get along, we can't hang out either?" Kristen snorts. "I won't agree to that!"

"Then don't. Go hang out with them. Just don't expect me to be there." I make a face that puts all the future wrinkles on my face on full display.

"Well, you don't have a choice, you're my maid of honor and Matthew and Liam are Hedie's best men. They are her brother and part of The Orphan Club. You remember our motto, don't you?" Kristen asks me, with passion in her eyes, but sarcasm in her voice. It was my motto that I screamed at every Orphan Club meetup–when we were all in High school, it was every day. 3 o'clock sharp in the atrium of the school building. Now, the last time we were all in one spot was Heidi and Kristen's high school graduation, and it wasn't a happy day...