Decisions

Part 6: The Words We Mean

By the following afternoon, Hannah and Emma's fight is nearly all forgotten. Most of the day had been put aside in a bonding attempt by Hannah as they prepare for the approaching wedding. The rehearsal was scheduled for four o'clock and preceded in taking up much of two hours, quickly followed by everyone leaving and heading out to the rehearsal dinner. Since Emma and Hannah had arrived together, they left together, in Hannah's car. The elder sister was glad for the distraction all morning, but the more she was around Emma, the more she could see the darkness hiding behind her eyes, despite her optimistic attitude. Hannah's true plan behind the pampering was in hopes of getting Patrick to see Emma, truly see her, in a way other than just a friend. Maybe he would, or maybe he wouldn't. Either way, Hannah had to try.

"So are you going to bring a plus one to my wedding?" Hannah could stand the silence no longer, and the fact that Emma has not once brought up Patrick McClintock all day has been worrying her.

Emma looks over at her elder sister as though she is crazy, but Hannah only persisted in an answer. "Was I supposed to?" Emma asks, half in sarcasm, half in annoyance.

"I guess you don't need to, but I don't want you to be alone." In any way, Hannah thinks to herself. She glances at her younger sister sitting in the passenger seat.

Emma only shrugs, looking away from Hannah and out the window. "Don't worry about me, Hannah," Emma says, knowing full well that telling Hannah not to do something will mean that she will do that very thing. "I'm sure there will be a lot of single men that will be attending."

Hannah grumbles under her breath, hoping her sister can't hear her thoughts of that not being what she meant. "Won't Patrick be there covering the wedding for the newspaper?" Hannah breaks the few minutes of silence that passed between them. She notices the change in Emma's confidence and the small wince she gives.

"I guess so," Emma says, her tone hardly wavering, despite her shift. Hannah feels slightly worried at not hearing a twinge of pain in her sister's voice at the mention of Patrick. "He is bringing his own plus one." Brooke, Hannah realizes, sensing that Emma has lost all hope. She knows she needs to act fast; otherwise, Emma will lose her chance. She doesn't know quite yet what she will do, but Hannah knows she has to do something.

As Hannah pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant, she lets the subject of Patrick drop, for now, as she spies her best friend leaning against one of the exterior pillars waiting for her. She parks and he opens her car door for her. "Why are you standing out here in the cold?" Hannah asks him, clinging tighter to her coat as he shuts her door. She barely notices as Emma walks around the car and comes up behind them, half shielding herself from the wind. Hannah notices Oliver's face and the expression he gives in answer to her question, and she understands immediately. They were here.

Oliver nods, confirming her thoughts. "I needed a bit of support before I walk in there and face them." More like back-up, Hannah thinks to herself. Oliver hasn't seen or spoken to his parents in eight years. Hannah knows he is putting on a brave face for just this one night to support her, and Andrew and she is grateful.

"Is Ewan here?" Hannah asks, having spent the better part of the previous morning consulting a crying Oliver over some dumb argument they had.

Oliver nods. "Indeed." He says, and a smile starts to form on his lips, telling Hannah that the two had made up. As Hannah loops, her arm in with Oliver's they both turn slightly to see Emma and she can't help but laugh as a single word escapes Oliver's mouth at her transformation. "Damn."

Hannah claps while pleased with herself. The attention makes Emma go red in the cheeks, and she quickly moves around them and heads inside. "Doesn't she look amazing?" Hannah says to Oliver as they follow her inside.