Page 44 of Not that Sea-Rious
Marissa
C arolyn hadn’t transitioned to a complete bridezilla, but she was most certainly on her way.
Thankfully, the wedding was in a few days.
Marissa wasn’t sure how much more she could handle.
Standing in the bride’s hotel room wearing her bridesmaid dress with Tina and Joyce so her seamstress cousin could look them over one last time was pushing it.
They’d already spent hundreds on the dress and alterations. Now, to be examined by another sewer felt a bit excessive. Yes, this was Carolyn’s big day, but there was only so much Marissa could take.
Thankfully, Ava, Joyce’s daughter and the flower girl for this little affair, was delighting everyone with a twirl and dance in her dress as she held on to the vibrant pink daisy. “Flower girl,” she said, wearing the biggest smile. The three-year-old was proud as punch to be included in this.
“This is good work,” Jenna commented as she held her chin. “Whoever did the stitching on these alterations has a gift. I can’t tell what is factory and what isn’t.”
Carolyn blew out a breath. “I really thought I’d started retaining water or had gotten swollen from the humidity down here.”
Jenna snorted. “You’re fine.”
“I think we should take these off before Ava spills something on hers or someone else’s,” Joyce said as she wrangled her daughter, keeping her from spilling, or maybe drinking, the glass of red wine Tina had left on the desk.
Just as Joyce swooped in, Tina snatched her glass. “Sorry. Shouldn’t have left that unattended.”
With both hands over her heart and wide eyes, Carolyn stared at the desk. “Oh my God! Could you imagine?”
“We don’t have to,” Marissa reminded as Joyce hoisted her daughter on her hip.
“I’m going to take her back. It’s past her bedtime, anyway.”
Carolyn nodded. “Yes. Tomorrow we have to drop off the welcome bags downstairs because everyone will start showing up. Then we have the rehearsal and dinner and…”
“You get married,” Tina sang, finishing Carolyn’s sentence.
The room erupted in loud cheering.
“I can’t believe it’s almost here. It’s so surreal,” Carolyn said as her eyes welled with tears.
Surveying the room, she fanned her face.
“Thank you.” She sniffled. “Thank you, all of you. I’m aware it was a lot to ask between the cruise, staying here for a week, and everything you have done, but I want you to know, I truly appreciate your love and support to make the next few days as magical as possible. ”
Everyone in the room exchanged glances as Carolyn used a tissue to blot her eyes. Together, the women moved closer. In a tangle of arms, they shared a group hug with the bride at the center.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” Joyce offered.
Tina nodded. “You’ve been crazy, but we all have our own brand of nuts with stuff like this. I was a basket case.”
Everyone chuckled.
Marissa inhaled a deep breath. “I’m just excited to see you and Erich finally make it official.”
After another squeeze, the women detangled themselves, swiped at their teary eyes, and collected the last of their items.
“See you tomorrow,” Tina said as she led the way out the door.
As they walked the hall to their rooms, a “psst” caught Marissa’s attention. She turned and caught Joyce’s eye. As the mother hoisted her daughter up on her hip, she waved, gesturing for Marissa to come closer.
When she got there, Joyce leaned in. “Stop by my room. I have something for you.”
With furrowed brows, Marissa eyed her friend with confusion. “What?” Why would Joyce get her anything?
Ava grinned, thrust the daisy forward, and nearly shoved it up Marissa’s nose.
Joyce snickered and guided her daughter’s hand away. “You’ll see.”
Stepping back and chuckling, Marissa shrugged and followed. Typically, bridesmaids didn’t get each other presents. Carolyn had already given them her gifts, necklaces and earrings to wear during the ceremony and personalized beach bags they’d used during their cruise. So, what could it be?
Once they entered Joyce’s room, Ted took Ava from her and disappeared into the bathroom, announcing it was time to brush her teeth.
Humming to herself, Joyce went to the dresser and lifted a vase containing a lovely bouquet of various colorful flowers. It was beautiful and reminded her of the ones she’d received from Beau on the ship.
As her heart sank, she fought the urge to frown. Ted must’ve bought them for Joyce. He was such a stand-up guy. Maybe, eventually, Marissa could meet someone as sweet as him.
She thought she had, and look where that had gotten her.
Fighting the urge to sigh in the face of her own sadness, she curled some strands of her hair around her finger. It took her far too long to realize Joyce had lifted the vase and offered it to her.
Perplexed, she blinked. “Wait. What?”
“They’re for you,” Joyce explained.
Befuddled, Marissa reluctantly accepted the gift. “Why?”
“Read the card.” Joyce grinned as she handed her the small rectangle.
Marissa accepted that as well and skimmed the embossed blue letters. BoJo Consulting . It was from Beau’s business or, well, former business.
“What is this?” she asked.
Joyce reached over and guided her to flip it over.
On the back, in tiny block letters, Beau had written her a note.
I can’t promise perfection. I’m a mess, but I swear, it’ll be worth it. You came into my life, a ray of light, in my darkest of hours. Without you, I wouldn’t have hope. I’ve fallen in love with your smile, your laugh, and your presence. Please, allow me the opportunity to be in your future.
Longing for more of you,
Beau
Marissa’s vision blurred with welling tears, and the butterflies in her stomach were fluttering. Every fiber of her being screamed to call him. Find him, wrap him in a hug, and smother him with kisses. Were this a movie, they’d ride off into the sunset and magically live happily ever after.
This wasn’t theater. It was real life. He was homeless and unemployed.
How the hell were they supposed to make anything happen?
Grand gestures were nice and all, but relationships couldn’t be sustained by those.
Bills still had to get paid. Even if she wanted to, how would moving forward with Beau even work?
Marissa couldn’t afford to take care of him. She barely made ends meet alone.
She shifted her gaze to Joyce. “What do I do?”
Wearing a reassuring smile, her friend slung her arm around Marissa and tugged her closer for a hug. “Follow your heart.”
Isn’t that how Marissa wound up in this mess in the first place?
From the bathroom, Ted came out singing the chorus to the old Yes song, “Love Will Find a Way.”
Neither of them knew just how much she wanted that to be true.
Allowing tears to fall down her cheeks, with a swirl of conflicting emotions tangling in her chest, she reread Beau’s words. The chords of her affections strummed with each sentence.
What was she supposed to do?