Second Time Around
Chapter 3

Hope I've freshened up enough for you mother.

I walked back down the stairs and headed out to the patio. The sun was just setting, casting a slight shadow over everything. Before I opened the door I looked outside at everyone. One long table was set up outside with a white table cloth and three small centerpieces with red roses spread out along the table. My dad, mom, both sets of grandparents, all my brothers and sisters and their spouses and children sat around the table. I assume the guy sitting next to Taylor is her fiancé. Well, he doesn't look crazy from here. Around the pool torches were lined up and lit and in the pool were floating candles.

Haley let out a shaky breath and grabbed the handle of the backdoor. "Now or never." She whispered as she twisted the handle and walked outside. The heads of everyone at the table turned to see who had walked out of the door. Haley looked back at them with a small, close-lipped smile waiting for their reactions.

"Sweet Pea, it's so good to see you. How is my little girl doing?" Her dad pushed his chair back and walked over to Haley with a smile on his face and pulled her into a big bear hug. A huge smile broke out on Haley's face. She felt safe in his arms. She always has. It was those arms that she cried in every time she got hurt.

"Haley-bub!" Haley grimaced, partly due to that nickname that Taylor has called her for as long as she could remember, and partly out of the annoying high-pitched voice she said it in. Haley always did love her sister (mostly because she had to), but at times she was like nails on a chalkboard.

"Taylor, hi! Congratulations!"

I forced a smile and went over and hugged Taylor. She squealed in my ear and the thoughts of choking her ran through my head. However the guys next to us interrupted my thoughts when he stuck out his hand and introduced himself.

"Hi. I'm Ryan. I've heard so much about you Haley!"

"Hi. It's nice to meet you."

I smiled. He seemed genuinely nice. I reached out and shook his hand. He looked similar to someone I knew, but I couldn't figure out who. I looked around the table. There were two open seats. They were right next to my oldest sister Vivian. I went over and sat down in one of them.

"We had an extra seat just in-case you brought a date, but you didn't." Haley's mom said and gave her a tight-lipped smile.

"Nope, I didn't."

I tilted my head and smiled so fake it hurt. If this is how my mother wanted to be fine. She could dish it out all she wanted to, I could take it. I know I don't need her. I mean I am one of the creators and now editors at one of the biggest magazines in New York without her family's money or her, why do I need her now. So what, I haven't had a boyfriend in, …, okay, so it's been a while, but that doesn't mean anything.

The caterers brought out the food and everyone ate the wonderful dinner. After they finished the desert they all headed inside to the living room. Haley decided that she had been with her family for enough today and wanted to go check-in to the hotel she was staying at. She grabbed her cell phone and called a cab while she went upstairs to grab her bags. She took her bags downstairs and said goodbye to everyone, but the cab wasn't going to be there for a couple of minutes so she waited inside with everyone.

"Bye Haley. Get some rest and re-hydrate yourself. We have so much to do tomorrow. We have dress fitting in the morning, then we have to get the shoes and accessories. We are all getting massages and facials tomorrow too so be ready for everything. We don't want to mess anything up now do we?"

"No mother, we don't."

Does she seriously think I am an idiot? I can't wait until this is all over so I can get back home.

Haley is interrupted by the sound of honking.

I'm saved!

"Bye everyone."

I grab my bags and head off to the cab. Tomorrow I am renting a car so I can come and go as I please while I am in town.

Haley gets in the cab and heads to her hotel. She checks-in and goes up to her suite. She changes into her tank top and pajama pants and goes to sleep so that she will be ready for what tomorrow holds.