Chapter 4:
The day had finally come. Charity and Miguel's Wedding Day. I hadn't slept a
wink. All I could think about was the bombshell news I had that I would spill out today
in the church. My mind was warped with all the possibilities. What if Miguel ordered
me to have an abortion? What if Miguel didn't care that I was pregnant? And the
worst: What if he still wanted to marry Charity?
I couldn't think about that. I needed to get my mind off of that. It was 3 am and
I was fully awake in my room trying to do something to get my mind off of this whole
messy love triangle. I opened up my closet. On the bottom left corner I saw a shoebox
with the words "Friends" written on it. It was the shoebox of pictures I had of me and
my friends. I carried it and walked over to my bed. I opened it up and the first picture I
saw brought tears to my eyes. It was of Miguel and me and we were kissing. I
remembered the day we took that picture. So well. We were at Reese's house, and
Simone, Noah, Jessica, Miguel, Paloma and I were playing spin the bottle. We were
just kids then. It was my turn to spin the bottle and I was hoping it would land on
Miguel. When it did I was thrilled but I hid my happiness. I gave Miguel a funny look
like "I have to kiss my best friend?!" But we kissed anyway. And Noah took a picture
of us. Miguel was embarrassed but I was overjoyed. It was our first kiss. I still
remember it so vividly.
Tears were falling down my cheeks. Why couldn't everyday I spent with Miguel
be as happy as that day? I asked myself. Why can't I be the one he's going to marry?
Why do I have to stop his wedding to Charity with news of my pregnancy? Why can't
he just love me the way he loves her?
I went downstairs a few hours later. I saw Charity, Jessica and Mother running
around taking showers, fixing their hair, trying on their outfits.
A little bit later, Mother approached me as I was eating cereal by myself in the
kitchen.
"Kay," she said. "The company sent the wrong flowers. We don't have much
time. Can you go get the right ones, quickly?"
I shrugged. "Ok, I guess," I said. I don't even know why I agreed but I did.
"Great, hurry and go get them. Then come back here."
I nodded. I went to get the flowers but by the time I came back noone was
home.
Oh no! I thought to myself. They already left for the church. This could blow my
chance of breaking up their marriage! What if I don't get to the church in time?!
I made a mad dash back to the car. Driving like a maniac, I rushed to reach the
church.
A police officer pulled me aside for speeding.
"Dammit!" I yelled out. Now was not the time to be pulled over. I needed to get
to the church. To stop this wedding! I needed to!
Officer Caulfield, my dad's co-police officer, came by my car.
"You were speeding, miss," he said.
"I know Officer Caulfield," I said. "I'm sorry. I was just rushing to get to the
church. My cousin is getting married today."
"Oh you're Kay right?" he asked. "Chief Bennett's daughter?"
"Yes sir," I said quickly. I wanted to get the hell away from here! And fast!
"Alright, you may go," he said, after thinking it over. "But be careful next
time."
"I will, sir." I said, sighing with relief. "Thank you."
He nodded and walked back. I drove my way to the church, hoping that Miguel
hadn't said his "I dos" yet.
Luckily, he hadn't. I got there just in time. Just as I opened the double doors to
the church entrance, I heard Father Lonigan say, "If anyone has just cause as to why
these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your -"
"Wait," I yelled. Clutching the flowers, I walked down the aisle to where
Miguel and Charity were standing. By that time, everyone had turned around to see
what the commotion was all about.
Mother stood up. She looked furious. I could tell she was hoping that I said,
"wait," just so I could give Charity her real flowers but come on this was me were
talking about! Would Kay Bennett have said that just to give her cousin the flowers?
Ha! I was in the aisle for another reason.
I threw the flowers at Charity. They fell on the floor, the petals breaking off.
Charity looked like she was about to cry.
"You two can't get married," I blurted out, loud enough for the audience to
hear.
By that time, Mother was very mad.
"Come and sit down, Kay," she ordered.
"Shut up, Mother," I shouted back, giving her a death stare.
I heard a couple of gasps here and there from the audience. But I didn't care. It
didn't matter how foolish I looked as long as I stopped this wedding!
The day had finally come. Charity and Miguel's Wedding Day. I hadn't slept a
wink. All I could think about was the bombshell news I had that I would spill out today
in the church. My mind was warped with all the possibilities. What if Miguel ordered
me to have an abortion? What if Miguel didn't care that I was pregnant? And the
worst: What if he still wanted to marry Charity?
I couldn't think about that. I needed to get my mind off of that. It was 3 am and
I was fully awake in my room trying to do something to get my mind off of this whole
messy love triangle. I opened up my closet. On the bottom left corner I saw a shoebox
with the words "Friends" written on it. It was the shoebox of pictures I had of me and
my friends. I carried it and walked over to my bed. I opened it up and the first picture I
saw brought tears to my eyes. It was of Miguel and me and we were kissing. I
remembered the day we took that picture. So well. We were at Reese's house, and
Simone, Noah, Jessica, Miguel, Paloma and I were playing spin the bottle. We were
just kids then. It was my turn to spin the bottle and I was hoping it would land on
Miguel. When it did I was thrilled but I hid my happiness. I gave Miguel a funny look
like "I have to kiss my best friend?!" But we kissed anyway. And Noah took a picture
of us. Miguel was embarrassed but I was overjoyed. It was our first kiss. I still
remember it so vividly.
Tears were falling down my cheeks. Why couldn't everyday I spent with Miguel
be as happy as that day? I asked myself. Why can't I be the one he's going to marry?
Why do I have to stop his wedding to Charity with news of my pregnancy? Why can't
he just love me the way he loves her?
I went downstairs a few hours later. I saw Charity, Jessica and Mother running
around taking showers, fixing their hair, trying on their outfits.
A little bit later, Mother approached me as I was eating cereal by myself in the
kitchen.
"Kay," she said. "The company sent the wrong flowers. We don't have much
time. Can you go get the right ones, quickly?"
I shrugged. "Ok, I guess," I said. I don't even know why I agreed but I did.
"Great, hurry and go get them. Then come back here."
I nodded. I went to get the flowers but by the time I came back noone was
home.
Oh no! I thought to myself. They already left for the church. This could blow my
chance of breaking up their marriage! What if I don't get to the church in time?!
I made a mad dash back to the car. Driving like a maniac, I rushed to reach the
church.
A police officer pulled me aside for speeding.
"Dammit!" I yelled out. Now was not the time to be pulled over. I needed to get
to the church. To stop this wedding! I needed to!
Officer Caulfield, my dad's co-police officer, came by my car.
"You were speeding, miss," he said.
"I know Officer Caulfield," I said. "I'm sorry. I was just rushing to get to the
church. My cousin is getting married today."
"Oh you're Kay right?" he asked. "Chief Bennett's daughter?"
"Yes sir," I said quickly. I wanted to get the hell away from here! And fast!
"Alright, you may go," he said, after thinking it over. "But be careful next
time."
"I will, sir." I said, sighing with relief. "Thank you."
He nodded and walked back. I drove my way to the church, hoping that Miguel
hadn't said his "I dos" yet.
Luckily, he hadn't. I got there just in time. Just as I opened the double doors to
the church entrance, I heard Father Lonigan say, "If anyone has just cause as to why
these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your -"
"Wait," I yelled. Clutching the flowers, I walked down the aisle to where
Miguel and Charity were standing. By that time, everyone had turned around to see
what the commotion was all about.
Mother stood up. She looked furious. I could tell she was hoping that I said,
"wait," just so I could give Charity her real flowers but come on this was me were
talking about! Would Kay Bennett have said that just to give her cousin the flowers?
Ha! I was in the aisle for another reason.
I threw the flowers at Charity. They fell on the floor, the petals breaking off.
Charity looked like she was about to cry.
"You two can't get married," I blurted out, loud enough for the audience to
hear.
By that time, Mother was very mad.
"Come and sit down, Kay," she ordered.
"Shut up, Mother," I shouted back, giving her a death stare.
I heard a couple of gasps here and there from the audience. But I didn't care. It
didn't matter how foolish I looked as long as I stopped this wedding!