The River Speaks

Chapter Twenty: Not Invited

Chapter Twenty: Not Invited

I raise my eyebrows at Aiden, sitting on the couch with my feet on the coffee table. He stopped home to change and I changed into sweatpants, and now we're on my couch.
"Are you going to tell me?" I ask him, filling my mouth with the chicken Alfredo from Applebees.
He sighs.
"Lily, my sister is getting married."
I swallow my food.
"Well that's good, right?"
"Yeah only she didn't tell me. She told my Mom."
"So?"
"So I'm not invited to the wedding."
I hesitate.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm a liability. Mom tried to defend me but Olivia thinks I'm still a delinquent, and maybe I am."
"You're not a delinquent."
"Tell that to my sister." He grumbles.
"That's stupid that you're not invited. You're her brother."
"Lily, I've been to prison."
"I know that but the only time mistakes aren't okay is if you don't learn from them."
"Tell that to my sister." He repeats unhappily.
I hesitate.
"Alright fine, let me talk to her."
"What? Lily, no way."
"Come on, let me call her."
"She thinks I'm a liar and a convict."
"Let me talk to her." I repeat.
He looks hesitant, and then he hands me his phone.
He dials his sister and holds it out to me.
"Oh, never mind. Give it back." He reaches for his phone and I swat at him.
It rings a few times and then stops.
"Hello?" A girl asks.
"Hi, is this Olivia?" I ask.
I hear a pause and then, "Yeah? Who is this? I thought this was my brother's number."
"It is. I'm Aiden's friend, Lilliana."
"Okay..." she trails off.
"I wanted to talk to you."
"Is this about me not inviting him to the wedding?" She asks. "Because if it is, there's nothing to discuss."
"It is, but just give me five minutes. Please?"
I hear her sigh.
"Alright." She says. "Five minutes."
"Great, I want you to invite him to the wedding."
She sighs again.
"Lilliana, Aiden steals things. He's been to prison, and I'm sure he didn't tell you that-"
"Actually, he did tell me that, but there's something you should know."
"Okay, what is it?"
"I've never met the person you're describing."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the Aiden I know would never do that."
"Then he's fooling you. Aiden is selfish, he's greedy, and he does things without caring about the repercussions."
"He used to be like that."
"No, he's lying to you." She insists.
"Olivia, I was in an abusive relationship. Aiden meant to call somebody else and he accidentally called me. He figured out the situation I was in and he told me that nobody deserves to be treated that way. I cut him off, okay? Months later my ex boyfriend tried to kill me and Aiden was the only person I knew from Connecticut all the way to Kentucky. I called him after not speaking to him for three months. He was a stranger. He drove to me to pick me up. He stayed with me to get my stuff from my ex boyfriends house. He went with me to Kentucky. My ex boyfriend put a gun to Aiden, and he still protected me. Does that sound like the person you're describing?"
She's quiet for a long time.
"Aiden really did that?"
"Yes. We got into an argument yesterday and he showed up at my work begging me forgiveness. Does that sound like the person you're describing?"
"No." She says.
"Look Olivia, I know that the Aiden you know is a horrible person, I know he's made mistakes, but the past is the past. The only things that matters is if he learned from what he did. And he has. The Aiden I know is kind and loving and caring and he wouldn't do anything to hurt anybody. He works hard for what he has. I know you don't trust him, but I'm asking you to try. I'm asking you to give him a chance. If you two are anything alike, I know the situation with your parents from when you were kids, the situation with your brother, I know it bothers you. He misses you guys. He wants a relationship with you guys, but he can't have that if you're not willing to let him try."
I hear her whispering to somebody.
"Alright." She says after a moment. "Aiden can come to the wedding. Tell him to get the information from Mom."
"Great." I smile.
"On one condition." She says and my smile fades.
"What is it?" I ask wearily.
"You have to come with him."
"Done." I say.
"My Dad wants to know if you and Aiden are dating." She says.
"No, we're just friends."
"Okay." She says. "I'll see you guys Saturday. The wedding is really formal so dress accordingly."
"Okay, bye."
"Bye."
Aiden is staring at me with wide eyes.
"We're going to the wedding." I say.
"We?" He asks.
"She said you can't go unless I go with you. The wedding is Saturday and she wants you to get the information from your Mom."
"Lily, you don't have to go with me. I'm not going to ask that of you."
"You met my family." I say. "Now I get to meet yours."
"I met your immediate family. You're meeting every single person I'm related to."
"I'll be fine." I say.

*****

He called his Mom and decided that on Thursday we're going to drive to his Mom's house in Philadelphia, stay the night there, and then take a plane to California on Friday. Aiden and I agreed we would buy our own plane ticket and then stay at his Dad's beach house in Malibu.
Now we're at a dress shop and I'm trying to find something for the wedding.
I look at the purple dress I'm wearing and wrinkle my nose, opening the door to the dressing room so Aiden can see.
"No." He says. "It looks weird."
He has his tuxedo already picked out and hanging on a nearby rack as he waits for me to find something.
"Yours took like two seconds." I grumble.
"Tuxedos are pretty much the same." He says. "Try the blue one."
I go back into the dressing room and unzip my dress, getting into the blue one.
"I don't know about this one." I say.
"Let me see." He says.
I open the door.
He sighs and shakes his head.
"It looks too casual. And the sleeves are too poofy."
"Are you sure you're a guy?" I laugh.
"Shut up." He says. "Go change. Try the red one."
"I don't like the red one." I say.
"Well try it anyways. It might look better on you than the hanger."
"As if that happens." I grumble.
I get out of the blue dress and try on the red dress.
I study myself in the mirror.
Wow. This looks incredible.
"Come out." Aiden says.
I open the door and step out.
His eyebrows raise and he stands up. He walks around me a couple of times.
"That one is good. You're going to get dicked down in that."
"Shut the fuck up." I reply.
"It's true. My cousins are going to be all over you. Maybe you'll be felt up by another Hunt."
"Aiden, shut up." I say. "You've made your point. I'll get the dress."
"I'm just saying-"
I stick my middle finger up at him.
"It's a compliment, Lily. God. Who put bitch in your cereal?"
"You did."
I go into the dressing room and shut the door.
I can hear him laughing.
Rolling my eyes I remove my dress and put my clothes back on.
Let's hope he doesn't let his cousins feel me up.