Hey!
thanks for great reviews:) and sorry for the cliffhanger in the last chap...lol i kinda can't help throwing them in hehe.
Chapter 3
"I'm in the kitchen." He responded, his voice sounding the same as it did the last time Sydney heard it. Lauren showed Sydney where the living room was, while she went to fetch Michael.
Sydney walked into the room and took a quick look around. It felt homely, and was decorated beautifully; not that she had expected anything less. The mantelpiece caught her eye and she quietly wondered over to look at the various photographs that were placed on top of it.
Picking up the nearest picture, she looked down at the two faces that were staring up at her. They both looked so happy; so in love. She heard voices coming towards the room and placed the frame back where she had found it.
Be professional…"Michael, I want you to meet our wedding planner, Sydney Bristow." Sydney ignored the speed at which her heart was beating and turned around. She immediately put a smile on her face and extended her hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Vaughn."
Michael didn't know how to react. Out of all the people that he had imagined planning his wedding; Sydney Bristow didn't even make the list. He couldn't quite figure out why she was greeting him, as if he were a total stranger, when in truth, he was the exact opposite. But for now, he decided to play along with her charade and he shook her hand.
"You two." He stammered, each of his words getting stuck in his throat, which felt like it was getting smaller. Although there was a smile on her face, he could tell that it was fake. She may have been able to fool Lauren but he knew better. He could read her better than anybody else could and even after all this time he could still tell how she was really feeling. Her eyes were cold, especially as she gazed up at him. He could see the hurt and sadness that would probably be forever present in her eyes. He felt guilty that he had been the one to cause her this pain and he had never truly forgiven himself for his actions.
"Why don't we go into the dining room and we can get a few things sorted?" Lauren suggested as she ushered them out of the room. Michael wasn't exactly in the mood to be planning his wedding, especially considering who the woman doing the planning is. But he knew that if he were to try and get out of it Lauren would want answers why; and they were answers that he couldn't and didn't want to give. So he followed them both into the next room and took a seat.
"Sydney, can I get you a cup of coffee?" Lauren stood in the doorway, ready to make some refreshments.
"Sure, I take my coffee…"
"Black." He announced, finishing her sentence before realising what he was doing. Both pairs of eyes fell on him, a different question behind each one. Sydney could feel her cheeks getting warmer and she could see the confused look in Lauren's eyes.
"Michael?" She questioned, wanting to know what he meant by his sudden outburst.
Vaughn could feel his forehead creasing and getting clammy as he tried to think of something to cover up his mistake.
"There was a survey on the radio the other day about how drinking black coffee is the most popular way for people in Manhattan to drink their coffee." He immediately regretted his lie. Could I have said anything more lame than that? He smiled nervously at Lauren, not wanting to see the expression on Sydney's face.
Lauren rolled her eyes. "It's a good job I'm not marrying you for your jokes…I never understand them." She looked at Sydney, who nodded, confirming that she would have black coffee.
Once she was out of the room, Michael turned to Sydney. "What the hell are you doing here?" He asked, keeping his voice as hushed as possible. But no matter how low he spoke; she could still hear the anger in his voice.
"Your fiancée hired me." She replied, her voice sounding just as angry as his was.
"To plan our wedding?"
"No Vaughn, the couple down the street." She replied sarcastically just as Lauren entered the room carrying 3 cups of coffee.
"What were you two talking about?" She asked curiously, handing them both a cup.
"Dates for the wedding." Sydney quickly lied, figuring that it would be best if she answered, considering the pathetic excuses that he had come up with seconds before. Lauren smiled as she took a seat opposite Sydney. Sydney took out her diary ready to sort out a date.
"So do you have any preference?" She asked Lauren, trying to limit the amount of times that she had to look or speak to Michael.
"We were thinking kinda early April." Lauren placed her hand over Michael's, who simply nodded. Sydney noticed this little sign of affection and she couldn't help the pang of jealousy that ran through her. She quickly looked down at the diary page, not wanting to see any other displays of affection.
"Well today is October 1st." He paused and stared down at the date. October 1st…it would have been our anniversary…
She glanced over at Vaughn and immediately knew that he was having the same thought that she was. She could see it in his eyes; the remembrance, the happiness…the love. She forced herself to continue with her job before Lauren grew suspicious. "That means that we'll have just under 6 months to get everything planned, which will be enough time."
"Great." Lauren replied happily while Michael remained silent. "What about April 20th?" She suggested.
"Sounds good. You getting married in a church?" Lauren nodded. "Ok, well we'll have to contact them first and make sure that they have an opening for that day."
They talked for another 30 minutes; Sydney and Lauren did most of the talking, while Vaughn only threw in the odd word here and there. Finally Sydney glanced at her watch and announced that she had to leave.
"I'll give you a lift back into the city." Lauren offered as the three of them stood up.
"Thanks."
They walked out of the dining room and towards the front door. "Honey, I'll be back in about 30 minutes." Lauren told her fiancé as she placed a kiss on his cheek.
"Bye Michael." Sydney forced a smile on her face for Lauren's sake. Vaughn mumbled some form of goodbye and then they left.
Sydney walked into her apartment to find Francie sitting on the couch with a magazine open on her knee. She looked up when she heard the front door shut and her smile quickly faded as she saw the weary look on her friend's face.
"Sweetie, what's wrong." Sydney sighed and slumped down onto the couch.
"I have had one hell of a day." She closed her eyes and rested her head against the back of the couch.
"What happened?"
"You will never guess who my new clients are…" She opened her eyes and sat up straight, hugging her knees to her chest.
Francie thought for a minute and then her eyes grew wider as her smile reappeared on her face. "Oooo Tom and Nicole?"
Sydney laughed and shook her head. "They are not getting remarried. And besides, even if they were they would probably have some A-list designer person to plan their wedding."
Francie sighed and closed over her magazine, carelessly tossing it onto the table. "Ok, I'm all out of ideas…."
"Michael Vaughn and his new fiancée." Francie's mouth dropped open as a look of shock came over her face.
"The Michael Vaughn? As in your ex-fiancée Michael?" Sydney nodded. "The Michael that you were and still are head over heels in love with, that Michael?"
"I am not still in love with him." Sydney defended although she knew that what Francie was saying was the truth.
"Sydney, it's me you are talking to…"
The room fell silent as they both continued to look at each other. Sydney was determined that she wouldn't agree to what Francie was saying but Francie's penetrating stare finally got too much for her.
"Ok, fine. I'm still in love with him." She admitted and dropped her head down to her knees.
"So then why did you take this job?"
Sydney lifted her head. "His fiancée, Lauren, wrote me a check for 15000!" Francie gasped, her hand flying up to her mouth. Sydney nodded at her reaction. "I know! She told me how money wasn't an issue and then she pays me this much. It's crazy, I feel like I'm organising the wedding of a Prince or something!" If anybody had told her that she was going to be planning Michael Vaughn's wedding, she would never have believed them. She felt her eyes begin to fill up with tears that she had wanted to shed the minute that she heard his name again. Francie moved closer to her and wrapped her arm around Sydney's shoulders.
"But honey, he was your Prince." She gently brushed Sydney's hair off her forehead as her head rested lightly against Francie's shoulders. Sydney's tears slowly began to fall down her cheeks. She shut her eyes, trying to stop them from falling but it didn't work.
"I know." She whispered through her tears.
dun dun dun... hehe that's only the first little part of their history...there's more to come:)
please review:)