Only Once

Chapter One: Windows and Lies

Chapter One: Windows and Lies

The brisk November wind twirled the fallen, crimson leaves through the air as it gently blew. The dark clouds hovered in the sky overhead, casting a dark shadow and menacingly threatening to rain. The streets were deserted as it was around six o'clock on a Saturday evening with a thirty percent chance of thunder and rain.

From behind large bay windows, a pair of bright blue eyes took in the violent winds and murky skies. Erika Russo nervously started to chew the inside of her mouth as she thought about how this rain could deeply alter her carefully planned night.

The weatherman, as always, seemed to have betrayed Erika in her time of need with faulty information. And, of course, although this situation isn’t nearly as dramatic as betrayal during a time of need, this was the way the scene and occurrence was playing in her mind.  

Letting out an obnoxious and perturbed sigh, Erika kicked her legs out in front of her and arched her back, stretching. Doing so earned a glare from her mother but she ignored it. After all, she had been seated at this mahogany table and watching a tedious meeting unravel before her for the past hour. She had a right to stretch.

"Right and I was, like, thinking of having, like, a winter wonderland slash Valentine's Day theme!"

Erika eyes flashed over to her older sister Diana who was seated directly across from her. Why was it that every time her sister spoke, Erika could feel her brain cells dying from the pitch and stupidity of her voice?

"Don't you think that's a good idea?" Diana exclaimed, her eyes darting to the two other women seated at the table.

Erika didn't say anything and instead stretched her arms out in front of her as she waited for someone else to speak. What did her mother and the wedding planner have to say about this?

"I don't know..." the wedding planner said uncertainly and exchanged a look with Mrs. Russo.

For the past hour, the four of them had been seated around the table discussing Diana's upcoming wedding. The wedding planner they had hired was supposedly the best one in town and Erika didn't find that hard to believe. After only an hour of sitting with her, Erika had come to see the wedding planner as a quiet, determined woman who rarely smiled and controlled her emotions very nicely. All of which were good and necessary attributes for being successful. Or so these were the attributes that she considered to be necessary for success.

"Diana, sweetie," Mrs. Russo said gently as she placed her hand over her daughter's arm. "Are you sure that having a winter wonderland and Valentine's Day themed wedding is really that good of an idea?"

Diana pouted, turning to Erika and the wedding planner for support. "It could totally work, right? I mean, it's gonna be in the middle of February! What other themes can we have? Am I not right, Natasha?"

The wedding planner, Natasha, hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I suppose that could be a good theme. But you're planning your wedding. Not some party. A theme isn't even necessary."

Diana still looked unsure as she pursed her plump, pink lips.

"Diana." Erika said loudly, speaking up for the first time all night. "A winter wonderland slash Valentine's Day themed wedding is a dumb idea, okay? Forget it."

Disappointedly, Diana cupped her chin in her hand. "I guess you're right," she sighed looking upset.

However, after seeing her sister's fallen expression, Erika felt remorseful.

"Sorry." She apologized, regretting her harsh comment. Although Diana wasn't the sharpest crayon in the box, she was still a sweet girl with a warm heart and smile.