Chapter Sixteen:
For Nick
"So, you ready to tie the knot now?" Kory Frigg, another teacher at Natalee's school and her bridesmaid, asked over a Corona.
"Hell no," Natalee said, drunk and eyeing a male stripper.
Luca laughed uncontrollably and Natalee hit her.
"What the fuck, Nat?"
"You're a hyena."
Luca laughed harder this time.
"Man, I'm so drunk," Kory said, laying down across the cushioned bench of the club.
"Let's get out of here, Natalee," Luca said.
"No," she whined. "I don't want to go. Do you even understand what's going to happen tomorrow?" She turned to face Luca.
"Yeah, you're marrying a man you love," Luca announced, slurring her words slightly. "You're going to be the happiest woman in the world tomorrow."
It might have been more effective if Natalee wasn't half-asleep and on the verge of puking.
Luca sat next to a shaking Natalee, listening to Bob Dylan on the church's stereo.
"I need a cigarette."
"You don't smoke," Luca pointed out.
"I hear they calm your nerves," Natalee said. "I'm going to go to the bathroom."
"Okay."
Luca watched Natalee go into the bathroom and stood up, looking herself in the bride's maid dress, grimacing. She couldn't believe that she had helped pick the ugly dresses out with Natalee. She quickly sat down after a few seconds, anticipating Natalee's return. After five minutes, she started to worry.
"Natalee?" Luca called from behind the door of the church's bathroom. "Are you in there?"
No answer.
"You're scaring the shit--" she stopped remembering she was in a church. "You're scaring me, Nat."
Luca slowly opened the door of the bathroom, finding Natalee's heels on the floor and the window open with a huge piece of ripped white fabric hanging from the corner of it.
"You're kidding me!" She stood on the toilet and looked around for a sign of Natalee. After a second, she jumped off and walked over to the room Nick and his groomsman where, trying not tolead any bystanders on to the problem. She knocked--nay, banged--on the door.
Warrick Brown, Nick's best man, opened the door and Luca pushed her way inside, closing it behind her.
Nick and Greg looked at her. "What's wrong?"
"Natalee--how should I put this? She escaped!"
Nick looked at her. "What?"
"You're just overreacting," Greg said.
Luca jumped up and down, freaking out. "I am not. Okay? Just--come here!" She dragged Greg down the hall, followed by Nick and Warrick.
She opened the door to reveal Kory. "Sorry I'm late I--"
"No time to explain, follow," Luca demanded, still holding onto Greg. She headed into the tiny bathroom and they all crammed in. She pointed to the fabric flapping in the breeze.
"No fucking way," Warrick blurted out.
"Well? Don't just gawk! We have to find her!" Luca shouted, jumping again.
They pushed out of the bathroom and looked at each other, not sure where to start looking.
"If I were Natalee where would I be?" Greg wondered aloud.
"Okay," Luca said, taking charge. "I'll check our apartment, Nick, go to your house. …What else is in walking distance from the church?"
They all shrugged.
"Maybe she just wanted a Slurpee," Kory suggested.
Luca rolled her eyes. "Okay, you can check the 7-Eleven up the street."
"The school? She spends lots of her time there," Nick said.
"Warrick, take the school. And Greg…just wander aimlessly," Luca said, trying her best to stay calm.
They split up, waiting until they were out of the church to run amuck.
Luca looked through the storefront windows that she passed, people staring back at her. "Have you seen a blonde in a wedding gown running around here anywhere?" Nobody answered, just watched her tripping over her high heels.
Nick was the only smart one, driving his car to his house, watching out for the tell-tale white poofy dress bobbing down the sidewalk.
Greg stood in front of the church, not sure which way to even start to walk and look for her. Instead, he waved to the people he didn't know that started to flow inside for the wedding. He figured they needed a distraction anyway.
Warrick walked to the school only to find it was locked. He hitched a ride back to the church with Nick.
Kory was the only one with any luck. She ran up to Natalee, sitting on the yellow bumper guards and sipping on a Big Gulp tainted with hint of whiskey borrowed from a wino.
"No one believed me that you'd be here," she informed Natalee.
Natalee didn't look up but continued swinging her dirty bare feet, skimming the pavement.
"Come on," Kory said. "It's time to get married, Natalee."
Natalee shook her head, her gaze fixed on a bottle cap on the ground.
"Natalee! You can't leave Nick at the alter. Think of all the disappointed people."
Natalee shrugged.
"Think of Nick. He'll be so disappointed. He loves you!"
She swallowed and took the lid off her cup, gulping the liquid.
"Natalee, you're going to ruin your dress," Kory stated.
Natalee burst into tears. "It's already ruined!"
"It's just the underskirt, honey. Come on. For Nick."
She stood up, threw her cup away and hiked up her dress. "Let's go."