Chapter 1
I really have no other option than to start this story off with a cliché: It was a perfectly normal day, no different than any other. It was a warm October afternoon, warmer than most, and I saw it as a sign that the best was yet to come. There was the constant deja-vu feeling, but it was nothing I couldn't dismiss as nerves or cold feet.
October 5th, 2012 was the date of my wedding, and the day my life changed for good.
My fiancé, Devin, and I had always pictured this day as a joyous one. I mean, who wouldn't? It's the day that you join your life with another in a bond severed only by death… except death isn't supposed to come before you take your vows.
I stared at myself in the mirror, letting my face sink in. This would be the last time I would see Anne Adler, the young red-headed accountant from some dopey town in Oregon. From then on, it would be the face of Anne Perez, the newly married young (possibly blonde) accountant from some dopey town in Oregon. It was a change I wasn't sure I could handle on my own.
Little did I know that I didn't have to, and that the next time I looked into a mirror, I'd still see that red headed, unmarried face.
My hair has been done for some time now. My mother insisted on doing it herself, probably for her own selfish purposes. Salon trips are expensive nowadays, and she had already spent more than enough on the service. I couldn't ask for more from her, so I was happy to allow it.
She stands behind me, drinking me in. From the mirror, I see a single tear dribble down her cheek. She is losing her youngest daughter today.
"Do you like it?" She asks, trying to choke back the sobs. "It's the same way I wore mine on my wedding day."
I fight back the urge to ask which. My mother has been married a number of times, my father being the first. Next came an insurance man, then a car dealer, a CEO, and so on. She sure knows how to pick them. The divorces have left her with an enormous sum of money, most of which she refuses to spend, hence my sitting in a chair in my childhood bedroom, letting her have her way with my head.
"Yeah, mom." I say, flashing a sweet smile. "I love it." It's a simple French twist, but I can't deny that it frames my face well. I stand up to hug her, comfort her, anything to stop her from crying. I need her to be a rock today.
She accepts my attempts at consoling her, but they only make her weep louder. "My little girl! Married!" she cries through deep, gasping sobs. Part of me thinks she's overreacting, and she probably is.
Over the years, I've noticed she's quite the actor. She's used everything from the "my husband's a cheating bastard" bit to the "I'm so lonely I'm two seconds away from adopting all of the cats in the shelter" ploy. If it can be used to seduce a wealthy single man, I can guarantee you she's used it. She has fiery red hair like mine, but it's not natural. She's dyed it to keep the grays from telling her actual age. I get most of my looks from her, but the red hair I get from my father. It's the feature I'm most proud of. Out of anyone coming to the wedding today, I look forward to seeing him the most.
"Try not to fight with Daddy too much today." I plead. It's all I can do. "For me?"
"You know, dear, it's not usually me who starts these things." Of course it isn't. "But I can try my best."
"Thanks mom." I release her from my grasp. I look out the window. It's raining. When did it start raining? "That's weird. The weather man said it was supposed to be sunny today."
"Well, sometimes they're wrong you know." I try to reason with myself, but I can't seem to take my gaze away from the window. My mother tries to regain my focus as she composes herself. "You should really get ready to leave, your wedding party will be here any minute."
I jump, a wave of fear cresting over me. I quickly dismiss it and give a weak smile. She's right, the wedding starts at two, and it's already almost 12:30. I grab the bag containing my dress and shoes and hurry down to the living room. Now, there's nothing to do but wait.