Tale as Old as Time

Chapter 18

October brought with it Gaby's wedding. She had me and her sisters be her bridesmaids. There were four of them so it was a huge bridal party. She also didn't make us wear pink, which was a massive relief. The dresses were actually cotton and almost tie dyed looking. More accurately they looked like a watercolour print of blending colours forming a kind of rainbow down the fabric. It was very Southern California. I could already picture the wedding photos with the bright blue sky

For her hen's night we went to Vegas. Her friends and family didn't have to travel far to get there and we booked a large suite at Caesar's Palace. Chris paid for it and told Gaby that could be her wedding present. Not sure how that benefitted them as a couple, but Gaby was pretty pleased. We didn't do the gambling thing so much. We all went and ate at Bacchanal before getting a limo and going to see the Thunder from Down Under. Man do women get squealy when there's a strip show going on.

I mean I guess the alcohol helped a lot too. Everyone got completely shit faced. Even Gaby's mum was getting right into it. Cheering and catcalling the men. I had honestly thought going in that the whole thing was stupid, about halfway through and 3 margaritas later I was hollering with the best of them.

After the show we headed back to the hotel to play those stupid hen's night games people play. It was actually pretty late and we were already losing people by the time were were making wedding dresses out of toilet paper.

Gaby in her drunken state had begun waxing sentimental. It was really cute. She was going from person to person and telling them how much she loved them and what made them special. When she got to me she was so drunk and starting to fall asleep.

"My sister's got mad 'cause I made you the maid of honour, but they don't know that you're like my best sister." She slurred at me patting me on the face.

"Aww, thanks Gaby. You're like my best sister too. Only I don't have any real sisters to compare too." I drunkenly agreed.

Gaby got to her feet. "I know! I'll get my mom to adopt you! Your parents are shit!" She shouted. "Oh sorry..." She added, whispering the last bit.

"No, no, no." I slurred. "You're right. My parents are shit. So shit."

"Mama!" Gaby shouted. Then something in Spanish. I don't really know what. While my Spanish was getting better, it wasn't drunk translating good. "You'll adopt her right?"

"Of course you can be my new daughter, Emily." Gaby's mum answered.

I grinned widely. "Thank you, Mrs Martínez."

"That's mama to you." She replied.

Gaby fell back on the couch and looked at me. "How come we never made out?"

"You're my sister! That's disgusting!" I yelled, loudly.

Gaby started giggling and cuddled up close against me. "I'm getting married." She mumbled.

I stroked her hair. "You sure are. You're going to be so beautiful."

Gaby smiled and closed her eyes. "I know I am."

****

Gaby's wedding was held in the afternoon in Balboa Park. She had the ceremony in the rose garden under the arch in the centre. Chris came with us and waiting up the back of the crowd for us to arrive. The roses weren't in bloom but the garden still looked green and beautiful.

Gaby's niece and nephew went first blowing bubbles into the air. Then her sisters followed in order from youngest to oldest. Each carrying a different coloured bunch of gerberas. Then it was my turn. I spotted Chris and he smiled widely at me. I walked to the arch and stood to the side. The wedding march started and Gaby walked down through the maze of flowers and up to the arch arm in arm with her dad.