My Best Friends Wedding

Lunch

I sat in the parking lot waiting in my car for them to come back. I didn't realize it was going to be like this. I never meant to hurt her. I never wanted to hurt her. I let out a deep sigh when I saw them coming in the rear view mirror. Should I say something?  Maybe I should leave her alone. They climbed into the back seat and she laid against him when her head down. She wouldn't even look at me. I wasn't stupid. I knew Danny way gay. She told me a long time ago that he was. But I also knew she was doing this to make me jealous. She could fool everyone else, but she couldn't fool me.

"Maddy,  I know you aren't really wanting to talk to me right now, but you don't have to go to this luncheon thing if you don't want to. I...I mean...everyone will understand."

"No, she's going. She just had a moment. She's fine."

I looked at her in the rear view mirror and could see that was a lie. She didn't want to go, but it was like he was forcing her to face it. I couldn't take the pain in her face. I'd hurt her in the past, but I don't think I'd ever hurt her like this. It was at this moment that I realized for sure that asking her out here with me was the biggest mistake I could've ever made. I was destroying her. She was so hell bent on getting my attention she wasn't even being herself. I pulled up to the restaurant and looked in the backseat. Julia knocked on the window, but I ignored her and watched to make sure Maddy was OK. The door opened and Julia poked her head in and I sighed in frustration. I looked back at her and she smiled and it was hard for me to stay irrtated.

"Jon, everyone is waiting. Come on."

"Just a minute Jules."

I turned back to Maddy and Julia grabbed my arm, squeezed it and tugged it

"No Jon...NOW! Everyone is waiting. She's fine...right Madison?"

She nodded slowly, but I knew that was a lie.

"See...she's fine. Lets go. I want you to meet my cousins"

I looked back in the backseat "Maddy....I..."

"Just go" she spoke in barely a whisper.

I handed the keys to Danny and reluctantly exited the car following Julia into the restaurant

Madison's POV:

"Maddy look at me please."

I didn't want to leave the car. I just wanted to sit here and cry. I knew I had lost the battle. No matter what I did at this point I was never going to get him to want to be with me. It was all too finalized. Too little; too late. I slowly lifted my head to look at Danny. He gave me a sympathetic smile and pulled me away from his body.

"You know now right? You know that regardless of how you two feel for each other he's going to marry Julia tomorrow. There's just nothing left for you to do, but suck it up and accept it.  I'm not trying to hurt you or make it worse. I'm trying to help you. You're a smart woman.  I know you know."

"I can't...I can't let go...I don't want to."  I mumbled

"I know you don't, but you have to. Collect yourself Madison and go inside of that resturant. I won't do anything to embarrass you or make it worse for you. But you need to show everyone that what happened at the church had nothing to do with feelings for Jon. Because all you've done is show everyone your secret...including Julia."

He was right. I knew he was. I was just embarrassed. I didn't want them to see right through me, but I guess my behavior at the church proved otherwise. I pulled out my compact and fixed my make up the best I could. I climbed out of the car and lit a cigarette and took a long deep drag from it while pacing behind the car.