Chapter 7:
Kay woke up in her old room early that morning. She wasn't much of a light sleeper, but hearing Charity's and Jessica's cries and shouts from the next room was enough to wake up even the heaviest sleeper. She was just about to scream at them herself, ask them what was so important this early in the morning and why they had to be so loud, when she remembered what day today was. Charity and Miguel's wedding day.
Kay slumped back down into her bed as that realization set in. This was the worst day of her life, and it hadn't even begun yet!
Kay closed her eyes, hoping she could suppress the reality around her with all her might by squinching her eyes closed as hard as possible, but of course it was to no avail.
Kay opened her eyes, and much to her dismay, she was still able to hear the shuffling of feet, the opening and closing of drawers and such.
Time to get up and face the music, Kay told herself. The wedding music....
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Meanwhile in her room, Charity was frantically straightening her hair with a iron, having Jessica put her makeup on, and trying to find her shoes, all at the same time.
"I can really use Kay's help," Charity informed Jessica. "Can you see if she's awake yet?"
"Sure," Jessica nodded. She was glad Charity had mentioned waking Kay up. She was just hoping Kay would be taking everything well today. For her own sake, as well as Miguel and Charity's.
"Kay?" came a knock in Kay's room. "Kay, are you awake?"
"Yeah, Jessica," came Kay's low reply. "I'll be out soon."
Kay sighed. She was glad there was a lock on the bedroom door. She didn't need her sister's hard dose of reality about Miguel and Charity's love. Still in bed, Kay grabbed the small picture frame on her desk, and brought it closer to her. It was a picture of her and Miguel, when they were thirteen years old. He still looked about the same now as he did then. Bringing the frame to her heart, Kay tried to keep her tears at bay. She glanced one last time at the picture, leaning down and kissing his photograph, before slowly putting the frame back on her desk, and getting out of bed.
"Today I say goodbye, Miguel," she whispered inaudibly, her eyes still on the picture. "Goodbye...." She felt the tears flow down her face as she stepped out of her room, and went to get ready for what was to come.
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Over at the Lopez-Fitzgerald house, Miguel, Luis, Antonio and Martin were getting ready, with Theresa's, Paloma's and Pilar's help.
It didn't take long for the men to get ready. But the girls still needed at least another half hour. Theresa, Paloma and Pilar told the men they would go over to the Bennett's house once they finished, to check up on Charity, and that they would meet them at the church.
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An hour and a half later, Miguel and his brothers, as well as the ushers, Reese, Chad, Fox, John, Timmy and Noah, were inside the church, anxiously waiting for the women to arrive.
Not too long later, the limousine carrying Kay, Charity, Jessica, Theresa, Whitney, Simone, Paloma, as well as Grace Bennett, pulled up in front of the beautiful church.
They piled out on by one, Kay being the first out of the limo.
"Kay will you go up and tell them that we are here?" Grace asked her daughter.
Kay hesitated, before nodding and saying "sure mom." Picking up her long dress, so as not to trip over it, she headed up the few steps to the church.
Just as she was opening the door, Miguel and John were heading outside to check if the limo had arrived yet.
"We're here," she nodded, even though Miguel hadn't said anything yet. She could tell what he was thinking and how anxious he was.
Kay could feel John's eyes burn holes into her being, and it instantly made her remember that almost kiss they had shared. Try as she might though, she couldn't tear her eyes off of Miguel's.
"Good," Miguel whispered. He didn't know what to say. Kay looked so beautiful in her dress, and he noticed how she had kept her makeup to a minimum. He knew why. Tears.
He drew his best friend into a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before he headed back inside. That left John and Kay alone for a few minutes.
"You look great," he said, speaking up for the first time.
"Thank you," she smiled awkwardly. What does it matter if I look great on the day that I feel terrible, she thought to herself. But she knew John didn't mean no harm with the compliment, so she returned it by saying "so do you."
"It looks like I will be your usher through the ceremony," John said, but Kay had lost touch with his conversation. She heard Charity making her way up the stairs, and the train of her dress smoothly flowing over the ground.
"Did you tell them Kay?" Grace asked anxiously.
Kay nodded, as she offered her arm to John for linkage. After Simone and Fox, they would be the next pair to walk down the aisle.
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Inside that peaceful church in the small town of Harmony, two vows were being taken, and one heart was being broken.
Kay, who was standing next to her sister, Jessica, watched Miguel and Charity, who were a few feet away. They were so in love. It hit her like a ton of bricks. Her heart was being stoned with every passing word by the priest and every passing second of Miguel and Charity's wedding day.
She tried to keep her tears to a minimum, after all, it wasn't like she was sitting down in one of the pews, where it would not be as noticeble if she cried! She was standing up, holding on to the flowers Charity had chosen specially for her bridesmaids, in front of the audience. She sobbed softly to herself, so as not to draw attention.
"Do you Miguel take Charity to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
Kay wanted to puke. Gulping back the lump that had formed long ago in her throat, she watched the man of her dreams say a simple 'I do', one which was a beginning for his new life with Charity, but an ending of Kay's hopes and dreams of finding love with him.
"And do you Charity take Miguel to be your....." Kay lost touch with the rest of the ceremony. The tears that had lingered near her eyes fell over, as her chances with Miguel were finally destroyed.
She watched the happy couple share their first kiss as man and wife, and she wanted to scream in agony inside. She closed her eyes and mouth simultaneously, the previous to not "see" the vision before her, and the latter to suppress the sob rising in her throat.
Miguel and Charity ran off down the aisle, holding hands, never having looked happier. They would meet the guests at the reception in an hour.
The audience dispersed outside, some going together to their cars, and making their way to the reception hall. Kay stayed back.
"Kay are you coming?" Grace asked her. She knew how much her daughter was suffering and she wanted to help her in any way she could.
"I'll find a ride," she replied in a barely audible voice.
Her mother nodded reluctantly, before going outside and leaving Kay alone.
Kay looked around, noticing she was the only person left in the church. Not able to control her emotions any longer, and having no reason not to express them, she fell into one of the pews, letting the tears and the pain take over her whole body.
{a/n: I worked hard on this chapter to make it realistic and natural. i hope i succeeded. what did you think of it? feedback is appreciated. next up: the wedding continues at the reception hall.}
