It was late in the night before I made my way up the stairs to fall into my soft inviting bed. Fulton had gone up a couple hours earlier but I had volunteered to help Scott start the baking for the rehearsal dinner the next evening. He hadn't wanted me to help, because I am the bride but it was after all my wedding, and I was taking the opportunity to learn some things from my former fiancé when it came to baking. I sighed with relief, making it to the top step before my heels started to click down the hall on the hard wood towards the first closed bedroom door on the right. I was almost there when I heard the bathroom door creak open on its hinges a few feet behind me. Turning around to glance at who was up still, Eve's tired face flashed behind her dark hair before she turned to close the door behind her. She gave me the once over before beginning to walk to the room across the hall.
"Eve, what are you still doing up?" I asked, turning to face her more in the narrow hallway. Her face looked worn and tired but she managed a small grin on her pale lips.
"Nothing, I just couldn't sleep. I didn't want to wake Phil… and every other hiding spot in this house is taken." She mumbled, moving to cross the hall again, back into her room.
"Eve?" I asked as she stopped to look at me, the door handle gripped in her right hand. "Just for the record, I never really hated you either but you did piss me off a few times…" She smiled slightly, nodding in recognition.
"You pissed me off too… but Fulton loves you." Her eyes drifted shut for a moment before she sighed,
"What are you still doing up? You're going to get circles under those beautiful eyes for the wedding pictures!" Eve reminded me before I chuckled, rubbing at my tired eyes.
"You're right. I'll see you in the morning." I nodded, moving to go in the door that held the sleeping Fulton. The room was quiet, except for the sound of Tigger playing under the bed with a toy mouse. I smiled, seeing Fulton stretched out across the bed in a peaceful slumber. Two more days left and I would be Mrs. Fulton Reed. A small smile spread on my face as I placed my jewelry on the dresser. Kicking off my shoes, I climbed in next to him falling fast sleep.
The next morning came fast; I stood in the kitchen as Scott cooked breakfast for our house guests and started on the dinner patters. Standing at the counter, I rolled silverware into napkins for the guests that evening. It was a daunting task but it would make the buffet style dinner we would be having seem more formal. I was studying the task so seriously, I didn't feel someone come to stand next to me. I didn't notice Eve standing there until she began to mimic my activity to help me finish. I smiled at her, tossing the finished rolls in a bucket I was collecting them in.
"Thanks." I mumbled before she nodded and continued to fold. The rest of the morning was spent in silent understanding, an occasional syllable exchanged between each of us.
The big event was getting closer, I thought, walking up the stairs later that day to get ready. Fulton had gone to get Madison from the hospital and I was left to get ready for the nights events by myself. Well, not totally by myself, I had Aunt Rosie, Katherine and Scott. At the moment though, Aunt Rosie and Scott were catching up on gossip in the kitchen while Katherine was entertaining our younger guests in the living room with story time. I sighed a little; at least things were starting to look up. I moved towards my bed room door and opened it, walking into the sun lightened room and clicking the door shut behind me. Looking down, my nails were still in good shape so I wouldn't worry about those till morning. My hair needed a wash, I reasoned, standing in front of the mirror and I had definitely gained weight, being home. In all honesty, the weight actually looked good, considering I had been very skinny when I came back 8 months ago. I guess it gave me curves, but I most definitely couldn't keep eating the way that I had been. Sitting down in front of the mirror, I stared at the figure staring back at me. My eyes were darkened and sunk in, my hair had lost it's usually vibrate color, and my skin was pale from stress. I needed a complete make over but sadly, I didn't have time for that. The idea of a hot bubble bath was the most appealing thing I had time for. That was of course, if someone else wasn't in the bathroom now. Standing up, I moved towards the door to knock. A small, "I'm in here.." let me know there was no chance of me getting the bathroom for more than 5 minutes to wash my hair and that 5 minutes may not have been for another hour. The guests would have to start getting ready for the rehearsal party in a little while, which meant the bathroom would have a line. I sighed in defeat, sitting on the edge of my bed to wonder what I could do. Connie, Julie, and Madison were supposed to be staying here with me tonight, while Fulton, Portman, Banks, and Charlie camped out in Charlie's tiny apartment. The house would be unusually quiet minus the house guests. Things were definitely looking up, even if I couldn't wash my hair.
"Tammy?" A voice came from outside my door before it popped open just enough for me to the see the owner of the voice. Connie stood in the doorway, her overnight bag slung over her shoulder and her dress over the other. I smiled, standing from the bed and moving to take something from her.
"Well, did I bring enough stuff?" She asked, a chuckle escaping her lips. "Julie should be here any minute; she and Adam got caught up…" She cleared her throat. I nodded, knowingly before taking her dress to hang it in the closet. Opening the door, I clicked on the light and placed the dress in its bag on the far railing where my dress hung, wrapped up tightly in a covered bag. I went to turn back when a hint of my dress caught my attention. It hadn't been out of the bag since I left the shop the day before. I hadn't even looked at it, so why was the end hanging out.
"Is everything alright?" Connie asked, moving to the doorway and staring in at me. I picked up my dress from the railing and brought it out to the bed, laying it down as gently as I could. The bottom was still falling out of the bag as I reached for the zipper to look over my last minute choice. Opening the bag, Connie gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. This was not happening… This couldn't be happening. The only dress I had to wear the next day was in shreds from the waist line to the knee and the plain chest was striped with pink dye.
"Who would have done this?" Connie asked, turning towards the mirror to begin pacing back and forth. My mind raced, the only person evil enough to do this was Eve and I thought we were getting along now. I couldn't understand why she would do this to me. No, it couldn't have been her; she had been with me the whole day. How could it have been her?
"Eve?" I questioned softly, a hint of distain resounding in my voice.
"Oh, Tammy, you can't possibly think she'd capable of something as awful as this?" Connie questioned. My face was stern with concentration.
"She's more than capable of it but why would she do this?" My mind raced. It must have all been an act. The sincere shame of what she did to Madison, the apology she gave me the night before. She was a total manipulative witch, I cursed in my head. I was about to explode when the door opened with a creak.
"We're back, Tammy. I'm just helping Madison to her room and then I'll come back and help you if you like, you know to get ready." Eve suggested. My face was a light shade of red but I took a deep breathe and tried to smile.
"No, I'm doing just fine but make sure Maddie has everything she needs." I commented warmly. She smiled back, slowly closing the door. My mouth hung open in Connie's direction for a moment before I could speak.
"How can she just come in here like that when she knows what she did!" I screeched with frustration.
"Maybe she didn't do it.." Connie commented just before the door opened again to reveal an out of breath but excited Julie Gaffney.
"Sorry, I'm late…Adam and I just couldn't seem to get packed on time for tonight." She smiled before noticing the solemn attitude of the room.
"What'd I miss?" She asked as I turned towards the window.
"Oh, Eve, you have no idea just what you've done." I whispered harshly to myself.
"Is everything okay in here?" Eve asked, opening the door to Madison's room just down the hall. She sat up with a startle,
"Yeah, I'm okay." She mumbled, turning her head away from her visitor. Eve stepped more into the room and closed the door behind her. Madison sighed with contempt as the older woman stepped farther into the room and sat in the rocking chair by the window. There was an awkward silent for the first few moments before they both spoke at the same time.
"What do you want?"
"I didn't mean for it to escalate the way it did last night…" Eve spoke. Madison quieted, looking down at the heavy blanket draped over her swollen belly.
"We're okay, no harm done." She whispered, placing a protective hand over the spot where her daughter rested.
"If something had happened to you or the baby last night, I don't think I could have forgiven myself." Eve covered her mouth with her hand.
"Look, I don't want your fake sympathy or play at getting anything out of me to use against Tammy. I will not play your games. I have my baby to worry about, not what silly little trick you're going to pull on Tammy next. So just leave her and me alone." Madison finished, returning her gaze to the window and the bright sunlight reflecting off the newly fallen snow on the sill. Eve let out the breath she'd been holding.
"I'm done with that. I just really want to see that you're okay and the baby's okay. This wedding will happen tomorrow, no more interference from me." She promised, shaking her head with resound. Madison's eyes darted back to Eve's with a look of confusion.
"You can't be serious," Madison tried to deny. "You spent so many months trying to stop this wedding that now you're just going to let it go on?" She asked, moving her position on the pillows to sit up straight. Eve stood and walked to the window.
"Yes, they're perfect for each other. I saw it the first time I met her. She was a teenager then, not more than 13 years old. She was full of fire even then." Eve remarked, turning back towards Madison. "I don't think Fulton ever told you this and Tammy wouldn't but Fulton's father was an alcoholic, he abused Fulton and I right up until the day he died. The old bastard gave himself a heart attack. Tammy was the only person that knew. Fulton kept it that way because he didn't want to leave me alone with him. I never had the strength to leave." Eve turned her face to the floor in shame. "Tammy and Fulton were "dating" at the time or whatever 13 year olds do and one night we had a fight going on. I guess he was supposed to meet her and never showed up. I've never seen a girl with more...well, what I can only describe as love, moving her to put herself in harms way to protect Fulton. She came shooting out of his room to stand in front of him when Jim went to kicked him again. She nearly got herself hurt. I couldn't believe she'd do that but she did for him. That was the first and the last time I saw Tammy Duncan. She left the day after for California and I thought she would be gone from Fulton's life for good but I was wrong. They really do love each other and nothing is going to keep them apart…not even me." Eve smiled to herself turning back to Madison.
"Wow… I never knew…" She mumbled, feeling a bit of embarrassment for treating Eve the way she had.
"It was years ago, Madison." Eve's eyes fought back tears, "We should be focusing on happier things like getting you well enough to stand up there tomorrow and making sure Tammy has everything she needs." She came to sit on the edge of the bed. Madison nodded in approval.
"Yeah," She mumbled, trying to hide her shame.
"I really am sorry, Madison." She whispered, reaching out her hand to Madison. She nodded,
"No, like you said, it's over now, we should just think about tomorrow." She tried to smile; Eve squeezed her hand in her own.
"Good, well, let's get you ready for the party?" Eve asked as Madison smiled,
"That'd be great. My dress is in the closet." Eve let a smile play on her usually tightened pale lips before moving to the open closet door. Looking inside Eve took a minute to admire Madison's dress.
"This one?" She asked, pulling the baby blue dress from its hanger. Madison nodded in response still trying to sit up from her position on the bed.
"It's lovely, dear. It's going to really bring out your hair." Madison laughed a little to herself,
"Have you seen the dress Tammy's making me wear tomorrow?" She blurted out, first covering her mouth with her hand then turning a shade of red. Eve looked again in the closet and there, hanging in the back was the most beautiful red bridesmaid dress Eve had ever seen. It had small straps over the shoulders, a tight fitting section around the chest area before flowing down to the floor with lacy and silk.
"Oh, Madison...this is gorgeous." Eve remarked, bringing the dress out into the light.
"Yeah, and I would have loved to wear it if I wasn't Shamu out of water." Madison gestured to her stomach sticking out in front of her as she tried to get up.
"I'm sure it's not that bad…are you supposed to be out of bed?" Eve asked, coming to stand next to her. Madison ignored the question.
"Yeah, I look like a giant tomato waddling down the aisle." Madison mumbled, heading for the blue dress.
"Well, I'm sure Dean will love it." The comment made Madison stop in her tracks.
"You really think so?" She didn't turn around but asked the question over her shoulder.
"Madison, you should have seen that boy's face last night when he thought he was going to lose you or the baby. Then when he found out it was a girl..." Madison couldn't help but smile. This whole thing hadn't been anything like she'd planned. She'd planned, way back when, to have a casual fling with Dean Portman and leave it at that. She hadn't planned to fall deeply in love with him and then accidentally get pregnant. Looking down at her stomach, she let out a sigh.
"He really does love us." She said low as Eve came to stand next to her.
"Have you told him yet? That you love him too?" Eve asked, Madison looking up at her fast.
"We have our own way of showing it. I don't need to say it." Madison defended, touching her hand to her stomach. Eve put the dress back in the closet.
"Well, sometimes you just need to say the words." Madison let Eve's comment linger in her head before she realized Eve had left the room to leave her to change. Sighing deeply, Madison sat down in the chair by the window,
"Oh, baby. What are we going to do about your Daddy?"
The night was foggy; driving to the church just two blocks away was a definite feat for anyone that night but especially me. I hadn't driven in weather like this since, well, forever. The entire night had an eerie sort of feeling to it. I gripped the steering wheel to keep the car steady on the road even though my mind was racing 10 minutes ahead of it. How could she do this? Again, she managed to outsmart me again with her evil ways. That was it, the woman was pure evil, and there was no other word for it. How was I going to get married in the morning with nothing but a torn dress? I was so angry; I felt my blood begin to boil in my veins causing me to grip the wheel tighter. My own Mother's face flashed before my eyes saying, "I told you this wedding would never happen. He's low, he doesn't deserve you. You're wasting everything we've worked for. This was always a bad idea; fate's finally caught up with you."
"Stop it!" I yelled out, the passengers of my car looking over at me in concern. I looked around at them. Julie and Madison in the back seat, Connie seated in the front with me.
"Sorry." I mumbled, I just need to calm down, I told myself. I need to focus on what needs to be done to see this through till the end. There would be in end to this whole thing soon. I could feel it in my bones that one of us would come out victorious; I was just worried that it wouldn't be me. All I could see in my head was every one of them laughing in our faces as I walked down that aisle the next day. Glancing again around the car, everyone was staring at me, waiting for me to have another emotion outburst. Sorry Guys, I can't show Eve any weakness. Connie's face stared back at me with sympathy when I met her eyes.
"Don't look at me that way…" I warned, "I'm fine. Everything is god damn fine!" I yelled again. I can do this, I'm not going to cry, just because my world is falling apart again, everyone's against us and now I'm back to not having a dress. I won't cry. I've done plenty of that. I gripped the wheel tighter so my knuckles turned white.
"Tammy, why don't you just go to Fulton?" Julie asked from the back seat.
"It's too late for that. If I go to him now, he'll know I've lied to him the passed few months about everything that Eve was doing and everything I was doing. He'll hate me anyway." Julie sat back in her seat,
"So you're planning on telling him when?" She asked as my mind raced. Was I ever planning on telling him? Was this going to be the big lie that never comes out that ends up ruining our marriage 10 years down the road. My thoughts were interrupted by Madison this time,
"Guys, I don't think Eve did this. I mean, when she was talking to me earlier she sounded sincere and she really wanted everything to work out."
"That's an act, Madison. You should know her by now." I raised my voice without knowing it.
"I do know her and it wasn't an act this afternoon." She said sternly, touching her stomach with her hand. The car was silent as I watched the taillights in front of us. The guys were riding in Banks' BMW in front of us, while we were trailed by my Father with Phil and Eve in the car with him. It was true, I hadn't even told Fulton about my dress yet, in hopes that I could fix the situation. Where was I going to find a dress shop open this late at night that would have something I'd wear? I couldn't ruin this for him. Fulton was so happy. After this was over and the dinner party after this, Fulton would be off to spend the evening with the guys. No doubt getting drunk and watching half naked women at some club downtown but that was the farthest thing from my mind. Looking in my rearview mirror, I could see the headlights of my Father's van following us. I knew Eve was in there, just waiting for the right moment to let it all spill or was she waiting for me to implode on myself and turn myself in. this wasn't fair at all, Fulton and I had worked so hard to get back to each other, to finally have this day, and she was out to ruin it before it even started.
Hey Guys! Thanks so much for all the reveiws from last chapter! I'll responde to your reviews personally in just a few minutes, sorry for the delay, I'll have another chapter soon. just 2 or 3 more chapters to go! Please review!