"Hello?"
"Maggie! Hello! I miss you," Mom. I'd just been woken up by the sound of my phone ringing and I answered it as quick as possible, still half asleep.
"Hi, mom. I miss you too. What's up?" I asked, looking at the clock. Noon.
"Not much. Your father says hi. Anyway, I just wanted to know when you're coming next week, hon," she said.
"What?" I asked, still trying to shake the sleep from my eyes.
"For the wedding? Please tell me you haven't forgotten. Maggie, this is important to Jack. You have to be there, no matter how you feel about Jeanette," she said.
"Oh, right, the wedding, of course. No, I didn't forget. I'll be there," I said. My mother knew I hadn't had the best opinion on Jeanette, Jack's fiance. She was anything but nice and just wasn't right for my brother. "Um, Tuesday! Is Tuesday okay?" I asked, realizing I hadn't talking in a while.
"Perfect, dear. See you then," she said.
"Okay, mom. See you. Love you! B-"
"Maggie," I stopped talking. "Please. If you can't do this for Jack and Jeanette, do it for me. It would mean a lot if you were here. I love you. It means a lot to your father and I as well as Jack. Please don't let me down, darling."
"Moooooom. I won't," I replied, annoyed with her lack of trust in me.
"Well, alright sweetie. Tuesday. See you then!" she said, her voice light and airy again. Before I could speak, I heard a click and I knew she'd hung up.
My mother and father lived in Virginia. He was a lawyer. He had been for as long as I could remember. He used to be a work-aholic, but when I was around six or seven, something changed. Something small, though. He stayed the same but did little things differently. Made it to more of Jack's baseball games, came to my school plays, that sort of thing. But after a while, he went back to his old self. My mother was a teacher. She loves kids. Jack, on the other hand, had grown up to be a complete smart-ass. He got straight A's in school, blah blah blah. 'Hurray for Jack. Jack is so cool. He's smart. Good for him. Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack.'
That's another reason why I resent this wedding. More props to Jack. 'Jack is getting married! Good for him! Yay!' My God, people focus so much on Jack it's a wonder anyone even bothers to remember my name. What was I saying? Oh, yeah, he grew up and forgot about baseball altogether after his extreme success in academics. He became a teacher, like my mother. But not just any teacher, no way! That's too good for Jack. He teaches at a law school. LAW. Like my father. Needless to say, my parents are very proud of him. But me... well... I grew up to move to New York in search of being a fashion designer, but ended up a cashier at Target.
Jack met Jeanette in high school and for whatever reason, found her somewhat appealing. I can't even sit in the same room with her for too long before I have to take an Aspirin. I can't stand her. Not one bit. I've only ever told my mother and my best friend, Liliana this. I decided to call Liliana.
"Hello?" she picked up on the second ring. She was at work.
"Tuesday."
"Is that when you're leaving?" she asked. I nodded, but remembered she couldn't see me.
"Yeah," I replied. "And she got in a tizzy because I guess she was afraid I wouldn't show or something. Can you imagine? I mean, I hate Jeanette with a burning passion, but I'd never do that to my brother. I'm not a cold, heartless bitch like her." Lily laughed. "Anyway, I talked to my dad last week and he said I could bring a friend, soo..."
"Maggie... Oh no..."
"Will you do me the honor of going to my brother's shitty wedding with me?" I asked. She laughed more.
"I don't know," she said when she recovered.
"Oh, come on. I don't have anyone else to go with and I need someone to hold my earrings when Jeanette gets prissy," I said. She giggled again, quieter this time. Her boss was probably walking by.
"Well, I don't condone fighting, especially on white-veiled occasions, but I suppose I'll come with you," she said.
"Suppose? Come on, it's not like you have any plans," I joked. She laughed again. That's Lily. Always laughing.
"Look, I gotta go. Text me later," she said.
"Okay, bye, dah-ling."