Page 9 of My So-Called Perfect Life

“The best I can.”

His voice is dry, rough, and filled with so much emotion for me. “You’re our baby girl, Sweet Pea. If you need anything, you just let me know.”

“I know, Daddy,” I reassure him. “I’m doing okay. I’m working on cleaning up this whole mess. I’m going through the list of places and calling to see if anything is refundable.”

“I already spoke to the hotel manager yesterday, but there is no getting any money back for the reception. I also paid the photographer because we had to, according to the contract we signed.”

So much of my savings and my parents’ savings are wiped out for my dream wedding that ended in a nightmare.

“I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“It’s not your fault, baby. We love you. Call if you need us.”

“I will.”

My stomach growls as I hang up. I instinctively open my empty fridge, finding the same contents I did earlier.

Amelia and Mercy placed an order with Santini’s last night at about ten, just after I finished crying my heart out, insisting that I needed more than the zeppoles in my stomach if I didn’t want to wake up with the worst hangover ever. Wine, sugar, and crying have never led to good mornings. But looking at the pizza now just makes my stomach turn.

Amelia and Mercy left around midnight after I told them I just wanted to go to bed. I practically had to shove them out the door since I was fairly certain they would’ve slept on the couch if I hadn’t. I was grateful for them being there, but at that point, I just wanted to go to sleep.

My phone rings again and my mom’s photo pops on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Hi, sweetie.” I can hear the sniffle and inflection in her voice. “Are you doing all right?”

“I’m doing the best I can, just like I told Daddy.” There’s no doubt in my mind my father told her as much but knowing my mother she needed to call.

“Have you eaten? Do you need me to get you groceries? I know your refrigerator probably has no food.”

She sounds as if it was her world that was torn apart or she’s worried I’ll wither away or become the crazy cat lady less than a full day after calling off my wedding.

“I’m fine, Mom,” I reassure her. “I’ll get takeout today and grab some groceries tomorrow.”

“What are you going to do about a place to live?” She carries on as if I’m not a grown woman who can handle it on her own, but I cut her some slack because she’s a little neurotic and worried about me. “You can always come back home.”

That’ll never happen.I love my parents, but I could never live with them again after being on my own. “I will either be staying here or moving to another apartment in the building. I’m taking care of it, Mom. Don’t worry.”

“Helena,” I hear my father call for her in the background. “Leave the girl alone. I told you, I already spoke with her and she’s okay.”

“She’s my daughter too, Arthur,” she calls back. “I can check on her as well.”

“You’re trying to get her to move back home,” he counters. “That’s smothering, not mothering.”

I chuckle. My dad is the best sometimes. They argue back and forth before my dad comes on the line. “I’m going to hide her phone. Go do what you need to, Sweet Pea. She means well but she’ll ask another hundred questions and won’t stop until she thinks she’s convinced you to come home.”

Grandma, my Aunt Carol, my cousin Jenny, and a bunch of other people I hardly speak to are next on the list. So many calls and texts to return. But that’s what happens when you bail on your own wedding.

My phone lights up again, and I’m about to pull my hair out thinking about having to talk to one more person today until I see Armando’s name flash on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Dani. It’s Armando. You can start unpacking. The new tenants just finished looking at the open unit on four and are good with it.”

My first smile of the day appears on my lips. “That’s fantastic, Armando. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”

“It’s no issue at all. I’m happy to have you stay, just sorry it’s under these circumstances.”