My Name Is... Olivia

Chapter 8

Carnations? Red roses? White roses?” Peyton turned back to look at me. “Which ones should I chose?” she asked.

            “I say carnations,” I interjected. “White is going to blend it; red roses are much too common. Carnations are the way to go.”

            Peyton picked up a carnation and inspected it very carefully. “Are you sure?” she inquired sliding her finger over a couple pedals. “Do you think this will look good with my dress? What if it takes all the attention away from me and my dress?”

            I set my hand on her shoulder and moved it around her upper back, calming her. “Peyton, it is your day. No amount of flowers is going to take that away from you,” I assured her.

            If you haven’t guessed yet, this woman – Peyton – will be my future sister-in-law. She will be the unlucky one (just kidding, honestly) to marry my eldest brother, Jeffrey in just a couple mere months. Peyton was a sweet girl, she loves my brother to pieces and she cannot wait to be part of our family.

            But there was one thing that I did not like about her: when she was unsure about something. She was unsure about it. Since the day I arrived in New York to help them with the wedding a couple days ago, she has been hounding me about what she should do for her wedding.

            Vanilla cake or chocolate cake or velvet cake. Strapless, one-sleeved, long sleeves, short sleeves. Diamond bands, gold bands, or silver bands.

            It’s been a constant uphill struggle to find some peace will being in New York. My brother has been a saint and has told me to take a break for a couple days. I am so surprised that he actually told me that. This wedding is more painful for him then it is on me. But if I got a couple days away from Peyton, I wouldn’t complain about it.

            But after a couple weeks in New York with my family and my soon-to-be family member, my brother gave me a green light to go home. I was so upset to leave, but I was glad to come back home to Adam… and to Dougie I suppose.

            It was a very heart wrenching goodbye at the New York airport. “Olivia,” my brother began. “I know that your first meeting with Peyton wasn’t the best. But thank you for trying your best to get along with her. This wedding is starting to get the best of her and she’s been pushing the envelope a lot lately. But don’t worry, after the wedding in a couple months, she will be the Peyton that I love.”

            “I’m happy for you, Jeffrey,” I admitted. “You know that right?”

            He smiled proudly at me. “Of course I know that,” he said. He spread his arms open. “A hug before you go?” he questioned. I nodded and pulled myself into his hold. “Oh and while I am being a good and loving big brother, I need to tell you something before you leave.”

            “What?”

            “Choose either Dougie or Adam. It isn’t fair for either of them to be played, it isn’t fair to you either,” he explained. “But if you’re taking suggestions for what guy to choose, take Dougie, I like him a lot better,” he whispered.

            I drew myself away from my brother and patted him on his arm. “You may like him better, but I’m not dating him,” I told him. “And I’m also only bringing him to your wedding.”

            My brother shook his head with triumph. “No Dougie’s coming too.”

            “No he’s not; I’m not bringing him to New York. Mom may say she likes Adam, but she actually really hates him. If I bring Adam, she is going to freak out,” I explained.

            Jeffrey smiled brightly, again. “Looks like you’ll have to make some hard decisions in the next while,” he said.

            He left, I sighed.

-----

On my way home, everything was a giant blur. There were only two things that I could remember with my argument with myself on the plane: 1, that my brother might be foreshadowing my future; and 2, I am finally getting some peace from Peyton.

            I also found out another thing that I thought of when I was in the air: airplanes are the worst. You’re bored, so you think. But your thoughts are dangerous and pull you towards decisions that you don’t want to make.

            But I need to make my decision… and quick.

            My whole family loves Dougie a lot more than Dougie. Dougie’s family loves me – once we settled our differences. All our friends begged us to get back together. But Adam and his family… they thought something totally different. Their family thought we were going to be married in a year or two.

            I was going to have to break someone soon. And I am sure I already know who that broken person is going to be.