Chapter 8
Buffy wandered around downtown LA aimlessly; finally, she entered a Starbucks and ordered a tall, extra-whipped cream peppermint Mocha. She sat in the window, staring at the beach-going attire crowd that seems to identify LA. She felt lost, what is she suppose to do now? It's all my fault. She felt the tears that are threatening to fall stinging her eyes.
At last, she drove the car she rented from downtown Hertz back to the B&B, had lunch with Alex and drove them both back in to the city to meet Faith. They're to go to the Wedding Boutique to pick up the altered bridesmaid dress and Faith was to have a final fitting.
They entered the boutique to find that Faith is already changing into her wedding gown. Buffy is to change into her altered dress one last time, she did so, the dress fits perfectly. She was just helping Alex tie his bowtie when Alex's eyes widened and his jaws dropped. Buffy laughed at her son's sudden facial expression, looking back to see what has gotten Alex so surprised. What she saw brought tears to her eyes. Faith was in her beautiful wedding gown; it's an off-white silk sheath, low-back gown with an attached, long and beautiful train and rose embroideries along the top of the dress. Completed with a delicate Duchess Lace veil, its soft sleek lines cling on to every curve and the little crystals stitched on the dress sparkled and dazzled the beholders.
"How do I look?" Faith asked with a shy smile.
Buffy opened and closed her mouth, she's speechless. Faith looked wonderful, her eyes filled with tears.
"You look gorgeous Aunt Faith."
Faith beamed, she bend down to give Alex a hug, "Thanks kid, you look like James Bond!"
"Faith…" Buffy mumbled, "you look heavenly, you're gonna knock them dead."
Faith laughed, hugging Buffy. "You look great too! I knew this color would look good on you."
Buffy's wearing a simple strapless silk dress that's in the most beautiful shade of rose pink. "Yeah, mom, you don't look so bad."
Buffy smiled and her hands went to mess with Alex's hair, "Thanks son."
While Faith talked to the seamstress and in a very unlike-Faith manner, twirled around to see the floatability of the gown, Buffy was in distress. Faith looked radiant, she looked so much in loved. Buffy wondered what would happen if she were to tell Faith of her suspicions. No, she can't, she just can't, she can't be the one to destroy her best friend's something good. She bottled up her thoughts and concentrated on asking Faith various questions about the wedding and her duty as the maid-of-honor.
Lindsey hummed to himself as he went back to office in W&H from his meeting with Angelus O'Roarke. The strange incident in the lobby already forgotten; he sat down in his chair and rearranged his fiancée's picture to a better position when he brings his eyes up from his work. Sending the messenger to courier the documents he brought back with him to the notary, he settled in to do some research on the O'Roarke marriage to familiarize himself with the potential of a law suit.
He eyed the information from the lawfirm's database and the society pages reserved on the internet. Buffy O'Roarke, maiden name Summers. Born on January 19, 1977, Mother: Joyce Summers, deceased; Father: Hank Summers, last address is in LA. Married to Angelus O'Roarke on May 16, 1995. Mr. and Mrs. O'Roarke in attendance of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation Dinner, on September 24,1995. The picture showed a handsome couple, dressed in glamour and smiling at each other. Angelus O'Roarke smiles, Lindsey thought, and here I thought the scowl-and-smirk is a permanent thing.
Buffy…that name sounds awfully familiar, he got off his seat, on his way to visit Holland Manners who handled the O'Roarke file before Angelus replaced him with Lindsey, the man wasn't happy, but he got a promotion out of his years of servitude anyways. Manners would probably have met Mrs. O'Roarke, and why didn't he insist on a prenup? Manners wasn't stupid.
He looked his fiancée's picture as he now habitually does before he leaves his office. Her smiling face reminded him where he'd heard the name Buffy before. If it's the same Buffy, then it's Faith's best friend! He remembered the first time he heard of Buffy, they were going to a baseball game and then a romantic dinner, but Faith called in the middle of the afternoon to cancel, his girl blew him off because she has to wait for Buffy's phone call. Buffy writes that she might call today, sorry, I just got her post card. Lindsey conceded, went to the ball game with a buddy and picked up Chinese to have at Faith's. Faith's already on the phone when he got there, barely acknowledged him, but gave him a smile when she sees that he brought dinner. They had dinner together…that's a loose term; he had dinner watching the TV with the sound off, Faith had dinner with Buffy on the phone. When he was leaving for the night, the first night ever that he did not stay the night when he came over, Faith was still on the phone, giving him a small peck on the lips did not even break her conversation.
Lindsey felt conflicted, he's almost certain that Faith's best friend is Angelus O'Roarke's wife. Not many parents would name their kid Buffy. Also, Faith's friend had never shown up while they dated, until a couple of days ago…and he's supposed to have dinner with them tonight.
Stifling a groan, Lindsey dialled Faith's cell phone number. Until he figured everything out, perhaps it's for the best that he and Buffy don't meet yet.
TBC...
