I Do Until I Don't

Chapter 10

  Fannar and I are supposed to be on a date. Apparently, it means each of us in our own house and watching TV, pretending to be on a date. I like that. We'll talk when we need to, aka when Alex and Sabrina will organize an activity together. In the meantime, we both save some money and relax. Besides, I get some time to pick a flower bouquet with Melanie and Nia. They bought five samples, each completely different than the next one, but still perfectly matching their Under The Sea theme.

"I like the blue tulip one with the lily of the valleys," I say, showing my computer screen to the to-be-weds in the living room. "It's original."

We're in Melanie and Nia's room. We're all lying on Mel's side of the bed because it's the one that's made. The rest of the room is messy. Clothes everywhere, on the desk, on the bay window, on the floor, on Nia's part of the bed. The room is painted light yellow, almost white, and there are seashells and picture frames everywhere. Most of them have pictures of Julia, Melanie and I, but some of them are only of Nia and Mel.

"But isn't it a little too blue?" Nia asks. "How about the red roses and palm tree one?"

"It doesn't match the dresses," Melanie reminds her. "They're sand yellow. We need something light blue and white."

"Hence, the blue tulips bouquet," I say.

"Lighter blue."

I sigh and type on google light blue and white bouquet but find nothing I particularly like. Except one with hydrangea, baby's breath and blueberries. But Mel points out that Julia will hate it, that we can't put food in a bouquet.

"Technically, flowers are food," I say.

Melanie claps her hand. "Illumination!" she cheers. "Okay, how about we scrap the whole ocean themed party and go for Caribbean instead and then take the orange and red bouquet with roses and tiger lilies. Right?"

Nia pretends to slap her. "I love how passionate you are, hon. But no." She takes my phone and types ocean-themed bouquet. I find some pictures quite pretty, but Nia says the flowers are too blue and there are too many seashells.

"Then take them out," I propose. I scroll through the pictures. "How about this one?" I click on a picture of a bouquet with what I think are blue lilies and white ones. "It's so cute." I click on the link which brings me to a Pinterest page which then brings me to a website with the title of How to Plan a Beach Themed Wedding Ceremony. I scroll through the page and then find this sweet little picture with the maid of honour hold a little bouquet of sunflowers. "Do you like that?"

I show the picture to Melanie and Nia. They look at each other. It seems like they are having one of their mental conversations.

"I like it," Nia says. "It's simple. Sunflower. Sun. The beach. It could work."

"But would it work with the dresses?"

"Of course!" Just to be sure, Nia types on the Google bar sand-colour dress and sunflower. "See! It's really pretty. We could add a few white flowers in the bouquet to make it seem fuller. What do you think?"

Melanie smiles. "Okay! But what kind of white flowers? Roses? Lilies? Oh! How about white cotton candy?"

Nia and I share a glance. "Nope," we both say.

"Oh! What's the name of the little white flowers?"

"Which one?" Nia asks.

"You know... the little small one."

"The lilies of the valley?" I try.

"No... I only have the French word for it. Muguet? Do you know it? How come I know no French word except the one I don't need."

I take my phone and type muguet on Google Translate. "It's lilies of the valley," I say.

"What? No! Since when?"

"Since forever, I guess."

Melanie shrugs.

"Lilies of the valley it is. But I'm still up for the cotton candy."

I'm about to get up and cross Pick a bouquet of the three-pages list of things we have to do before the wedding when I receive a text. "Can you read the message, please?" I ask Nia.

She stretches from her place on the bed and grabs my phone which is on the night table next to a little cactus, a picture of Mel and Nia and a small pineapple-shaped light.

"It's from Sabrina. She says 'how's your date with Fannar going so far?'"

I mentally curse.

"You're supposed to be on a date with Fannar?!?" asks Melanie. "Please tell me you forgot and not that you blew him off."

I grab my phone. "I did not blow him off. I will... text him."

ELLA-MAE: Good!

SABRINA: Take pictures! I want to see everything! I'm expecting a fully-detailed explanation of everything.

"Excuse me for a sec," I say to Nia and Melanie. I lock myself in the bathroom and call Fannar.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Ella-Mae."

"Oh, hi. How are you?"

"Good. Now listen. Sabrina wants me to take pictures."

There's a pause on his end. And then, "Pictures of what?"

"Of our date."

"But we're not─"

"Exactly."

Fannar pauses again. I imagine him rubbing the back of his neck like he does when he's thinking.

"Maybe you could tell her about the fake dating thing?" he proposes.

"What? No. It will degenerate." I close my eyes to focus. "Okay, this could work."

"What could work?"

"Meet me at my house in ten minutes. We're about to take part in the fastest speed dating the world has ever witnessed."

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Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts !! Hope you'll like the next chapter :))