Tattered Beauty (Watty Awards 2011)

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

She looked up across the yard to see me bounding towards her. I was not sure if she knew who I was at first—over three years changed me from an awkward teenager to a young adult. I stopped a yard or two away from her, a glint of hope still loomed in my heart that she would remember. “Please remember me,” I said in my head. I said it over and over until she walked into an adjacent brick building; I knew she wanted me to follow her.

            Inside it was like a warehouse, dusty and abandoned. Old construction materials sat unused in boxes and in leaning piles. Sunshine came in through high windows, making the dust floating around us visible. She stood a foot away from me, her hands folded across her stomach. “Hailey, why are you here?” Her voice was tight and controlled. Just like the ice I remembered her having.

            She couldn’t have phrased it any better? It wasn’t like I was encroaching on a private party; my party just happened to be next door.  “I’m at my engagement party now.” I sighed, “I’m getting married Mom—this Friday.”

            Without warning she burst into tears. “I missed your whole wedding?”

            I was unsure if I should hug her or pat her back or something. There was still such a barrier between us. There were words that needed to be said, amends to be made. I said calmly, “I’m not actually married yet, Mom. No wedding band on my finger.” I flashed my massive diamond and sapphire rock on my left hand.

            “You’re my only daughter. I was supposed to help you pick out your dress and your cake, and all that good stuff. I was supposed to support you and be Grandma when you had children.”

            “I don’t have kids…yet. But you’re right; you should have been. You weren’t there for a lot of my life, Mom. And that’s going to be forever against you.” I said. I tried to keep my attitude level low, even though all I wanted to do was cry and scream at her for letting me go.

            “I’m sorry, baby. Please forgive me. Please,” She cried. Mom pulled me into a hug. “I’ve missed you, Hailey. I never should have let you go. I love you so much.”

            My stiffness and extreme discomfort was apparent. It was uncomfortable; so much hurt was still left between us. A hug and an “I love you” couldn’t fix three years of abandonment. But it was a start. I relaxed and said, “I love you, too.” A bridge had been burnt a long time ago, but it was beginning to be rebuilt.

***

June 30th—wedding day. I was up at seven in the morning, ready to go. I was pumped full of coffee to keep my eyes open and bright for a sure to be tiring day ahead. The ceremony was to begin at noon so the sun would shine the best though the stained glass windows. Guests started assembling in the grand ballroom around eleven. In five hours I would be married; Mrs. Hailey King—I was a mix of nervous and excited. Overall, I was bouncing off the walls as a result of coffee and pure anticipation.

            My wedding planner, June, was with me all the way. She was on her phone every second going over minor details with her various assistants at the castle and hotel. They were, apparently, incompetent. “No! The ice sculpture was supposed to be by the staircase in the hotel. It’s for the reception!” But every time she hung up, she’d smile and tell me everything was going swimmingly. June was a bad liar, but it made me feel better all the same.

            By nine the dresses were at the hotel. Right on schedule. The hair dresser and makeup artist were ready to go by ten. Everything was going perfectly, but I knew better than to believe things were going to stay that way. Things could go wrong at any moment…but when?