The Sound of my Heart

Ringing & Blaring

The engagement ceremony had come to an end without a hitch. The rings were exchanged, cake was served, families made happy. A perfect day indeed.

Or so we thought.

That's what it looked like on the surface, but only the inside people, the two families in question could sense the brewing tension in between, or maybe just us.

Because the red flags we didn't see before were starting to show now.

"Ashley, are you okay? Do you wa-"

"Oh, there she is! Move, I wish to sit with her!"

That is Ashley's new sister-in-law, her fiancé's older sister. After the ceremony had come to an end, I had spied Ashley sitting by herself, probably wanting to catch her breath from all this and so I wanted to keep her company. Leave it to her new sister-in-law to meddle into everything.

"Ouch, okay." I mutter, massaging my hand that she had grabbed rather too forcefully to push me out of the way and sit beside Ashley, much to my sister's discomfort.

Sighing, I sit on the seat in front of them, not disturbing them but also listening to what's being said.

"Your dress is lovely, Ashley! Wherever did you buy it from?" Her high-pitched voice is starting to get on my nerves, but I hold back my eye roll as Ashley replies. "Thank you. I made it myself."

"You made it yourself? Oh, no wonder I thought it looked a bit too plain! But so exquisite!"

Is she for real right now?

I turn my head around to glance at Ashley as if to tell, 'what the fuck?' but Ashley is already looking at me like she wants to be anywhere but here. Meanwhile the woman giggles like she said the wisest thing ever. "Can you make one for me too?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah sure." Ashley smiles on, fidgeting with the ring in her finger while the woman beside her is completely oblivious to her discomfort. "But make it a little different. Add more frills to it, and a bit of lace here, and some gems around the neck too. Or would pearls look better?"

This woman. Does she want a sister-in-law, or a new seamstress?

"Ashley, there you are!" I say out of the blue, completely taking the woman by surprise as if I wasn't just sitting here all this time. I know for a fact she didn't know I was here, because when you are too full of yourself, you are never conscious of your surroundings.

Smiling down at my sister, I offer her my hand. "Dad is looking for you to introduce you to some relatives. Come along now."

Without missing a second, Ashley gets to her feet, glad to get rid of the woman who watches me with a thin-lipped smile. "Nice dress you have there."

"Thank you."

"Perhaps if you couldn't add a bit-"

"Ashley, let's go."