Waking Up in Vegas

Chapter 13

“Okay so here we have flower option number one. We’d be using all red roses, long stemmed. And flower option number two is over here. A mixture of red and white roses, also long stemmed.” The wedding planner gestured to the respective flower arrangements. Riker and Kristen both looked thoughtfully at the flowers for a few moments. “I really like red and white.” Riker spoke up finally. Kristen nodded along. “I do too.” She smiled up at him. Carly couldn’t help but smile herself as she watched the two of them. She loved tagging along when Kristen went out wedding planning, mostly so she could watch her interact with Riker. It was obvious that they were completely and entirely in love. It reminded her a little bit of the way Stormie and Mark still were around each other. Kristen glanced back at Carly. “What do you think? All red or red and white mix?” she questioned. Carly quickly snapped back to reality and gestured to the second flower arrangement. “Red and white, definitely.” She said, smiling. Kristen smiled again in return and turned to face the wedding coordinator. “I think we’re going with option two.” The older lady nodded and jotted down a few notes on her clipboard. “Excellent. I’ll start making calls around town to see who can do the best and most inexpensive arrangement. This might be a good time for you to start dress shopping, Kristen. Riker, you can wait a bit longer on your tux. I think that wraps it up for today. Have a lovely afternoon.” She said warmly as she led the three of them towards the door. Carly followed Riker and Kristen back out into the sweltering Los Angeles heat. “I’m hungry.” Riker complained as they began walking down the sidewalk towards his car. Kristen rolled her eyes as she laced her arm through his. “You’re always hungry.” She commented. Carly hesitantly raised her hand. “I’m hungry too.” she admitted. Riker grinned smugly and turned to his fiancé. “See? Where do you want to eat, Carly. Your choice.” He leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. “Japanese.” He said quietly. Kristen laughed and swatted his arm. “Don’t influence her!” Carly grinned and giggled shyly. “Actually, I was already thinking Japanese. I haven’t had good sushi in a long time.”  Kristen pursed her lips thoughtfully. “I haven’t either actually. I don’t even know where any good places are around here; we don’t usually come over to this side of town.” She turned to look at Riker. He had his eyebrows furrowed in thought too. Finally he glanced over at the two of them. “I actually saw this place while we were on the way here… It’s a few blocks back that way.” He gestured in the direction they’d come. Kristen appeared hesitant. “I dunno, babe. You have to be careful about sushi.” She pointed out. He shrugged as he approached his car parked along the sidewalk. “It’ll be fine. Besides, I’m about to starve.” He reminded her as unlocked the car.

  **  

“I’ve never been so full.” Carly moaned as she pushed her plate across the table. Riker and Kristen nodded in agreement. “I’m about to bust.” Kristen clutched her full stomach and glanced over at Riker. “You were actually right about this place. It was pretty good.” She said honestly. Riker scoffed and gestured for the waitress to come take his credit card. “Actually? What’s with this ‘actually’? I’m always right.” He joked. Kristen rolled her eyes and turned back to Carly. “So when do classes start?” she questioned. Carly felt her stomach drop slightly at the mention of school. It meant her days living with the Lynch family were coming to a close, quicker than she would have liked. “Around mid-August. I’m not sure what the exact date is.” She answered finally. Riker took a sip from his drink. “And still no word on the annulment?” he asked. Carly groaned. “No. Nothing. It looks like I might be starting my final year at school as Mrs. Lynch.” She said bitterly. Riker shook his head. “Don’t sweat it, Carly. The annulment is pretty much guaranteed. It’s just a matter of when it’s going to be official.” He assured her. They all sat in silence for a few minutes. “So…have you talked to Ross? Or is everything pretty much still the same?” Kristen questioned. Carly sighed and looked out of the large paned window beside them. “Pretty much the same.” She said quietly. She paused for a few moments. “I feel like…he blames me.” She said hesitantly. Riker immediately shook his head. “Carly, he doesn’t. Trust me. He’s just stressed. He hasn’t talked much to any of us in the past couple of weeks.” Kristen nodded in agreement. “Like I told you before, just give everything a chance to die down some more. Let the whole ‘probation’ thing blow over and he’ll be back to his formerly pleasant and happy self.” She smiled happily across the table at Carly. Carly half-smiled in return. “You’re right, I know you are. I just don’t want him to hate me afterwards, you know? This would actually be a pretty funny story to tell one day and I don’t want to have to end it with, ‘And then we never spoke to each other again.’” She frowned slightly. Riker shook his head and reached across the table to lay his hand reassuringly over Carly’s. “Carly, I know my little brother. I promise, no, I swear he does not hate you. Just give him some time.” He said quietly. Carly smiled gratefully up at Riker. Even if she hadn’t known the ages of the Lynch siblings, she could have guessed that Riker was the eldest. He had that protective and comforting spirit about him that you could see from miles away. Kristen suddenly tapped the table excitedly. “Oh, Carly, you should stay the night at our place tonight! Since you’ll be going back to school soon. Let me steal you away from Rydel for at least one night.” She joked. Carly looked from Kristen back to Riker. “Do you mind?” she questioned. Riker shook his head. “Nah, of course not. Girls night!” he said giddily in a feigned feminine voice. Carly laughed as the waitress placed Riker’s card back on the table. He slipped it into his wallet before standing and extending his hand towards Kristen. “Let’s get out of here. I think I have a round of Halo calling my name before you girls take over the living room.” He teased.  

**  

Carly groaned and rolled over in the large, queen-sized guest bed she’d been sleeping in. She glanced groggily at the alarm clock; it was just after 3:00 in the morning. Why was she awake? She heard a faint gagging noise coming from down the hallway. She quickly leapt out of bed and tiptoed out of the room, searching for the source of the mysterious sound. She stopped outside of Kristen and Riker’s bedroom door; she could hear the sound more clearly. It was an awful, retching sound. She knocked hesitantly. “Come in.” Kristen called feebly. Carly immediately opened the door and stepped inside. The door to their large bathroom was wide open. She crossed the room and stopped in the doorway. Riker was leaning over the toilet, clutching the porcelain bowl as though his life depended on it. Kristen had her back against the tub with her head rested weakly against the wall. “Oh my God! Are you guys okay?” Carly asked worriedly. Kristen shook her head slowly. “No. And you probably won’t be for much longer.” She said quietly. Carly raised an eyebrow in confusion. Riker finally released his grip on the toilet and sat back against the tub just as Kristen was doing. “It’s gotta be the sushi.” He moaned. Carly felt her stomach turn. That all-too-familiar feeling of sickness washed over her. Kristen noticed the change in her expression. “Run! Guest bathroom is on the left just down the hall.” She instructed as Carly bolted from the room. She made it to the bathroom with seconds to spare, unleashing the contents of her stomach into the bowl. She moaned and sat down on the tile floor. She heard Kristen step into the room a few moments later. “Are you okay?” she asked weakly. Carly shook her head. “No.” she moaned again. Kristen sank down slowly to sit on the tiles next to her. “Riker can’t even get up. He was sick for a full hour before I started vomiting too. I called Stormie; she’s going to come over and take care of us.” She whispered weakly. Carly shook her head and laughed bitterly. “This has literally been the best summer of my life.” She said sarcastically. Kristen laughed feebly and swatted at her arm. “Please…don’t make me laugh. I’m going to lose it all over the floor.” She pleaded. Carly smiled weakly and rested her head against the edge of the bathtub. Vegas, Ross…and now this. It just hadn’t been her summer, at all. She was looking forward to getting back to school and putting the past two months behind her more than ever.