Secrets We Keep

6

It's my wedding day. The anxiety bubbling in me makes me sick to my stomach, but there's nothing I can do now. Nothing at all. I turn around to the other side of the bed– Will's unmoving body tells me he's still fast asleep. At least I can move on with my day knowing that I was in control for just one night. And we're nothing more anymore. I can live with that.

I get up from the bed, slowly moving so that I don't wake him up. After all, just having a few hours of control and freedom to yourself won't kill anybody, right?

I enter the hallway, and swarms of different staff members fill in the kitchen, living room and backyard. I stare in confusion as I try to look for Rodriguez– who is ordering her staff once again, however, nobody takes her seriously as she and her staff are finishing organizing the decorations with their dresses on. "Rodriguez? W-what are you doing here, with a dress on?" I ask, itching my head in confusion.

She adjusts her dress with an annoyed expression. "I need to finish the decor, it'll take like, ten minutes, twelve if PEOPLE WON'T STOP LOOKING AT MY CREW?!" She yells at the other staff members who check out Rodriguez's staff members with absolutely no shame. I smile at her tone and she looks back at me with a twitching eye. "This isn't the first time." She adds on, putting her face in her hands.

"Don't worry, the decor looks fine, go do your makeup and hair, the rest of Will's entourage will do the rest," I reassure her before taking her into the house. "Your crew too!"

Rodriguez motions for her crew to come in and clean themselves up before it's just her and me. "Oh! I almost forgot! I have your wedding gifts for you." Rodriguez says with a grin. "Lemme go grab them, I'll be quick." She runs off to her room and quickly grabs four boxes. "For your old, I will give you my late mother's watch. I didn't have a lot of time to think about it but I feel like you should have it anyway. For your something new, I give you this diamond. It's been in this mansion for a while and I thought, you might want it-"

My eyes widen as I take hold of the objects placed in my hand. The diamond?! I think to myself. "H-how did you get this?" I ask, remembering when Malachi and I went out to the masquerade to take this diamond. And how this diamond is why everything in my life is dead. Everyone important to me is dead.

Rodriguez looks at my confusion with matching confusion. "I was walking around trying to see anything new that you might like, I found it on the hallway counter. It stood out to me in a weird way. I thought you would've liked it..." She says, her head hanging low in defeat. I glance at her with sympathy. After all, she couldn't have known what had happened to Malachi, Maeve and the whole situation leading up to this moment.

I put on a small smile and reassured her. "It's alright, Rodriguez... It's not your fault. I'll tell you eventually." I pat her on the shoulder and point at the rest of the gifts. "Want to continue?" She laughs as she brings out the other two boxes.

"For your things you borrowed, I will give you my favorite pair of pearl earrings. The only pearl earrings that I own. I want you to have them. And finally, for your something blue... I give you this bouquet, made up of Delphinium, Gentian, and Periwinkle Corydalis."

She hands me the two gifts, holding them both in each hand, tears threatening to fall. "Oh, Rodriguez... this is too kind. YOU are too kind." I gently place all the gifts beside me and wrap her in a big hug, hoping that all the emotions pouring out of me flow into her as well. "I will be using this bouquet for the wedding, I hope you know!" We laugh together before I take each of the gifts to my bedroom. "Go finish your hair and makeup, the wedding is only in two hours. We don't have a lot of time!"

I smile at her and head into my bedroom. Will is nowhere to be seen. I place the gifts on the counter beside me and change into my wedding dress. I zipped it up and looked at myself in the mirror. Wow. I admire myself more for a few more seconds before doing my makeup, as simple as it can get. Mascara, lipstick, highlighter, eyeshadow and blush.