I don't blame Sydney for sticking that knife into his gut and twisting it. The guy deserves it for leaving her at the altar.
If Sydney's and Michael's mothers are best friends, you'd think Sydney would've heard of some reason why Michael bolted. Obviously, he wants to explain now...now that it's too late. Also, makes you wonder, if Michael hadn't run into Sydney, would he ever have gotten around to explaining his actions.
That was great ... glad Syd kept a cool head and got a few stabs in ... cant belive he left her at the alter when their moms are best friends ... aww cant wait for more ... thanks for the PM
Chapter 2
Instead of going to my apartment after I leave the flower shop, I go straight to my parents. I know that my mother will want to see the bouquet, and even if she didn’t I’d still be going there. My mom is my best friend through and through. She’s gotten me through every hardship in my life, including the week of crying in her lap after my first almost wedding, and I love her dearly for that. Right now, I have no idea what I’m doing and I’m hoping she can give me some direction.
“Sweetheart,” she greets me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek like always, the moment she opens the door.
“Hey,” I sigh. My voice is stressed. I’m stressed. My mother’s brow furrows.
“What’s the matter?”
“I ran into Michael,” I tell her.
Her face falls. “Come inside,” she tells me as she puts her arm around me. I follow her over to the couch where I let my purse and the flowers fall onto the coffee table. “What happened?”
“I dunno,” I sigh as I rest my chin in my hands and my elbows on my knees. “I was at the flower shop and there he was... all pretty and staring at me. I mean GOD! I haven’t seen him in four years, why the hell did I run into him today?!” I exclaim rhetorically. I already know the answer to that. Fate’s a bitch.
“Did you speak to him?” Mom asks.
“Yeah,” I sigh. “I told him I was getting married.”
“And he said...?”
I shrug as I twist my engagement ring on my finger. “He was shocked. He asked me to have lunch with him.”
Mom sighs. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Oh, I know that. I’m meeting him at the pier tomorrow instead,” I tell her. She looks wary. “Oh come on, don’t you want to know what the bastard has to say to me?”
“Well, yes...,” she says cautiously. “But... I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“No chance of that, Mom,” I tell her as I get up and begin to pace. “He already crushed me, remember?” I sigh. Just then I hear the garage door slam shut. That’s Dad. Oh boy, what would he think of this?
Dad has never been Michael’s biggest fan. I think he thought that Michael was never good enough for me. Hmm, who’d have ever thought he’d be right? Anyway, during the three years Michael and I were together, Dad was never mean or rude to Michael’s face he was just... Dad. Stern, Jack Bristow. Michael knew that Dad didn’t overly love him, so he steered clear of him, but they were cordial to each other. After Michael left me, Dad turned. Like really turned. He loathes Michael now. It’s bad. Let’s just say that if Dad and Michael were ever in the same room alone together I doubt he’d survive--Michael, that is.
I give mom a quick look to silence her, but she’s already holding her hands up and shaking her head. She wasn’t going to tell him. Good. I wouldn’t want Michael to die before he had the chance to grovel. I could use a little groveling right now.
“Sweetheart, I didn’t know you’d be here.” Dad smiles at me as he comes over to give me a hug.
“I was just showing Mom the flowers I picked up,” I tell him.
“Yes, see,” Mom says as she holds up the bouquet.
“Oh that’s nice,” Dad smiles. Truthfully, he’s not overly into this wedding mostly because he was pretty into the last one. He wanted to make sure I had the flowers I wanted, the dress I wanted, basically everything I wanted. Spoiled maybe, but I am his only child. But then when that whole thing went sour, so did he. Hell, we all did.
This time around he’s mostly concerned with how much it’s costing him. Just as well, I didn’t want to go for the big extravagant wedding again. It’s just not worth it. After all, it’s just a day, right? Not like your whole life changes. Oh wait... never mind. Mine did. My life up to that day and my life after that day have been completely different thanks to asshole boy. Bitter? Yes. Rightfully so? Definitely.
While I’m driving, I can’t help but think about Michael. Damn it, I hate the way he gets under my skin like this. It’s like.... I don’t know. Like he’s oxygen I keep breathing in and it filters through my whole body. That’s how it used to be; I don’t want it that way anymore. Still, I can’t help but think about the last time I saw him. Not the flower shop, but the two hundred and some odd days before then, the day before our almost wedding.
“Noooo don’t go,” I pout with my arms wrapped around his neck, holding up the full weight of my body as he tries to walk to the door but ends up dragging me along.
“Syd come on,” he laughs. I stick out my bottom lip and pout some more. “Come on, who was it that imposed this 24 hour rule anyway?”
“Not me,” I shake my head.
“Yes you,” he laughs as he pokes my nose.
“Nooo it was tradition’s fault. Blame tradition,” I tell him.
“Okay, fine, tradition. But I still have to go, right?” he asks.
“Mmmhmm,” I sigh as I plant my feet firmly on the ground, stand up straight and give him a sense shattering kiss that nearly knocks us both to the ground.
“Wah...,” Michael gives an incoherent squeak once we break. “Aww, don’t make me go.”
“Sorry,” I laugh. “But wait, what’s with you?”
“With me?” he asks in a slightly paranoid tone that makes me nervous.
“Yeah you. You’re not getting cold feet are you?” I ask in a dangerous tone.
He kisses me again. “I’m just excited,” he tells me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Fine,” I sigh hopelessly. “I’ll just go sleep in my cold, empty bed without you there to lay on.”
“You’ll survive one night.” He laughs.
“You’re right. Then we have the rest of our lives,” I grin.
“Tomorrow,” he winks as he kisses me quickly then walks out the door.
Ok, damn it, thinking about that made me all weepy again. I won’t cry. Not again. I’ve cried enough over it. But, every time I think about it, I notice more and more. Michael was acting weird for that whole day. Even knowing that, I can’t help but wonder. What if I hadn’t made him leave that night? I almost ran after him. Now I guess I’ll never know.
Her face falls. “Come inside,” she tells me as she puts her arm around me. I follow her over to the couch where I let my purse and the flowers fall onto the coffee table. “What happened?”
“I dunno,” I sigh as I rest my chin in my hands and my elbows on my knees. “I was at the flower shop and there he was... all pretty and staring at me. I mean GOD! I haven’t seen him in four years, why the hell did I run into him today?!” I exclaim rhetorically. I already know the answer to that. Fate’s a bitch.
“Did you speak to him?” Mom asks.
“Yeah,” I sigh. “I told him I was getting married.”
“And he said...?”
I shrug as I twist my engagement ring on my finger. “He was shocked. He asked me to have lunch with him.”
Mom sighs. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Oh, I know that. I’m meeting him at the pier tomorrow instead,” I tell her. She looks wary. “Oh come on, don’t you want to know what the bastard has to say to me?”
