Jane was the first person Skye found. She was already in her bridesmaid dress, but her makeup was not yet done. She was seated at the kitchen table with a book, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a cup of coffee.
"Rosalind isn't with you?" said Skye, though she could see for herself that Rosalind was nowhere around.
"She's at the carriage house," Jane said without looking up from her book. "Where you should be."
The room spun around Skye. This would be a very, very long day. "Jane."
Jane coughed pointedly and held up her mug, rudely emblazoned with the phrase 'fuck off, I'm reading'.
Skye often obeyed this mug. She didn't today. She came right out with the truth. "I'm not getting married."
Jane slammed her book shut. "I'm sorry?"
Skye knew Jane had heard her. There was no need to repeat herself.
"What do you mean you're not getting married? Today, or—"
"Dušek's gone, Jane. I told him to go."
Jane gaped at her. She covered her open mouth, but still she gaped. She whispered, "Gone for today? For this week?"
Skye's euphoric escape with Jeffrey was truly over. Admitting it to herself, wholly unprotected, she shook her head. "I'm never—" Her voice caught. She did not want to say it out loud. "I'm never going to see him again."
"Oh Skye." Jane drooped in her seat, then leaped out of it to rush Skye in a fierce hug. She squeezed her and murmured sisterly words of condolence and love.
Skye stood numbly. She accepted the hug without returning it. "Please don't ask me what happened."
It would be too much for her to tell either an outright lie or a suitable half-truth. Jane would not be so sympathetic if she knew what Skye had really done to Dušek. When the truth finally did come out, Skye was afraid that the only person left in her corner would be Jeffrey.
"I won't. I promise," said Jane.
"And don't ask if I'm okay either."
"I won't ask anything," said Jane. "How's that?"
"Thank you."
Jane rocked her soothingly in the tight hug Skye had still not given back.
"You have to do what's best for you, Skye," she said quietly. "You're the only one who knows what that is. Whatever you have to do for yourself, I'm with you. I love you, and I'm with you. We all are."
Skye didn't think Rosalind would share that same sentiment. Eventually, yes, but Skye doubted very much she would today.
"Come with me," she said. "I haven't told Rosalind yet, and I'm terrified."
"She'll understand."
"I guess so."
Together, Skye and Jane marched solemnly to the carriage house. Inside, Rosalind was in her dress. She was seated in front of a tall mirror, brushing foundation on her face while Anna worked knots out of her curly hair. At the sight of Skye's reflection, Rosalind dropped her makeup brush and whirled around on her stool.
"Where have you been?" she demanded. "Why aren't you getting ready? Skye, we have less than ninety minutes!"
"I've been— I'm— Rosalind, I'm not—" Skye looked helplessly to Jane. Rosalind's face was full of nervousness, excitement, and now, vexation – all what had made Skye dread this moment so entirely.
Anna untangled her hairbrush from Rosalind's curls, which had snagged in them when Rosalind had turned around so abruptly. She looked up, brush still in hand. "Wow, Skye. You look terrible."
Skye released an anxious, breathy laugh. "Well, I— um, Jane?"
Gracious Jane swooped in to save her. Calmly, she said, "Skye and Dušek broke up."
Batty was already dolled up, and until now, she had been quiet in her corner chair. She asked, "Why?"
"Never mind why," said Skye.
Rosalind carefully righted herself on her stool, having nearly toppled out of it at such unexpected news. "Skye," she said, her voice weak with shock. "What happened?"
"I said never mind." Skye hoped that if she deflected enough, she would be able to avoid lying altogether. One thing was certain: this was absolutely the wrong time to get into anything related to Jeffrey.
"You have to give her something," said Anna. "You were supposed to get married together! What went wrong? Are you at least alright?"
"I'm alright," Skye lied. She was experiencing two vastly different worlds of emotion, soaring on besotted wings of pleasure and passion, while she crushed under the weight of a broken heart. Whichever she thought of was what won out. She was love struck, Jeffrey healed her shattered pieces; but she was equally devastated. Dušek cracked her apart again. Really, he wasn't the one doing that to her. She had taken a demolition hammer to him, and she had been hit by the flying fragments, broken by her own forceful blow.
"If you're so alright," Rosalind said through tensed teeth. "Then what happened?"
"I made a mistake, okay?" Skye burst out. Anna was correct. She did have to tell Rosalind something. "I never should have agreed to this. I don't want to marry him. I can't."
That was even true, just without the added why. And, it had been the wrong thing for Skye to say.
"You don't—" Rosalind jumped to her feet. She screeched at Skye. "You don't want to get married?" Her face was terrible to see, blotchy red and tight with fury. "We asked you again and again, Skye! You decided last minute to join mywedding, you created so much extra work for everyone but yourself, and you never even wanted to get married? Are you serious?" That last part Rosalind went so far as to all out scream.
"I thought I wanted to!" Skye said. "I really did, Rosy, but I was wrong. I can't do it anymore. That would be so unfair to Dušek. Don't you understand? That would be unfair to all of you."
"Oh, you want to talk about what is unfair?" Rosalind was pacing, her arms flailing every which way as she shouted Skye down. "Do you realize how long I have been waiting for today?"
"I know, I know!" said Skye, guilt-ridden.
"Fourteen years, Skye! Fourteen!"
Jane spoke up. She meant well, but she did not help. "Not that many, Rosalind. Six, maybe, but not fourteen. Remember? You used to swear that you would never marry Tommy. Even after you started to date him, you swore it."
Rosalind sent Jane a glare so withering that Skye was astounded her sister didn't crumble into a cloud of dust.
Jane held up her hands in surrender. "Sorry, sorry. I shall be as dumb as the dead."
No one else dared say anything. Anna and Batty watched in identically silent, frightened fascination. Anna snacked from a bag of pretzels.
Rosalind rounded on Skye. "What am I supposed to do? I can't marry Tommy in—" She looked at the clock and did a quick calculation. "One hour and twelve minutes! Do you know how awful that would make me look? I have to postpone! I have waited and waited and waited and waited to be his wife, and now – one hour and twelve minutes before my wedding – I find out I have to wait again! You really never think about other people, do you?" Rosalind murderously shook her head. She stomped in a circle with her fists on her hips. "Oh, you're a bitch, Skye. You're a stupid, selfish bitch. I hope you know that!"
"Little harsh, Rosy," said Anna. "Try for some deep breaths." She held out her snack bag. "Pretzel?"
Rosalind took the bag and threw it at the wall, raining the snack around the room.
"Okay. No pretzel," said Anna. "Still, breathe please."
Rosalind definitely was breathing, hard, and with each breath, smoke seemed to pour from her flaring nose.
"It's okay, Rosalind." Now it was Batty trying to calm her. "Tommy will get it. He won't mind."
"I know he won't, but I do!" Rosalind jabbed herself in the chest. She glared at Skye. "What is wrong with you? You couldn't just say no?"
Skye knew that there was no explaining this to Rosalind. Even if she told her everything, about Mrs. Tifton, about Jeffrey, her sister would still be furious with her. Skye guessed even more so. It was one thing to chicken out of a marriage; it was quite another to be in love with an entirely different person.
"Get married today. Please, Rosy," she said. "This is your day. I joined in on it, so please, please don't let me stop it."
"This is my day! It has always been my day, and you— you—" Rosalind's face scrunched while she searched for a strong enough word. "Pulverized it!"
"I'm sorry," said Skye.
"Sorry?" Rosalind scoffed. She attempted yet again to obliterate Skye with her gaze, and when she failed, she stomped to the door. She threw it wide with an impressive shout that must have made birds everywhere flee from Massachusetts. "TOMMY!"
Wherever he had been, it was close enough to hear her call. Soon, he was knocking on the door that Rosalind had slammed shut. Still in her wedding gown, she yanked it open for him.
"Oh," said Tommy, startled. He stared at her white dress, which he hadn't even heard about, much less seen her in. He wasn't supposed to see it yet. "Um…what—"
"We're not getting married today."
Tommy's eyebrows shot up his forehead. He looked past her at the collection of bridesmaids, and his mouth lifted at the corners. "Damn, Rosy. If you have to break my heart, at least do it in private."
It was a joke, and Skye envied the ease with which he told it. He had no doubts about Rosalind. There was no well-placed jealousy, no hidden feelings for old friends. No lies, no secrets, just the two of them as they had always been: perfect.
Rosalind rolled her eyes and led him into the house by the necktie. For the second time, she slammed the door.
"Well, Skye? You tell him. This is your fault."
"I know it is. I'm sorry." Skye was starting to get annoyed with her sister's persistent rage. She had already apologized. There was nothing left she could do. But, she knew if she snapped at Rosalind, there would be an all-out war between Penderwicks. She held her tongue and turned to Tommy. "I'm so sorry."
"Okay…" He said slowly, and he sat on the couch. He wanted Rosalind to sit with him, but she refused and took up more pacing.
"Dušek and I broke up," said Skye. Shock flashed across Tommy's face. There had been so much shock around Arundel as of late. Skye had had quite enough of that emotion. She rushed on before Tommy could get a word in. "That is, I broke up with him. He left, we're over. I know that it's ruining everything, but I promise, promise, promise it doesn't have to."
Rosalind laughed. She was still fuming. Tommy sent her a smile, but she had the capacity for nothing but glowers.
"I want you to still have your wedding. I told her that," said Skye. "It's okay. Forget about me. I won't get in the way. I screwed up, I know I did, and I'm really, really sorry. To both of you. I didn't mean for this to happen."
Tommy sighed and rubbed his hand across his mouth, which was pulled tight and grim. "It's alright, Skye."
"No!" Rosalind snapped. "It is not alright. Tell her! She—" Rosalind broke off, and she never bothered to finish what Skye was sure would have been a vicious insult.
"Rosy." Tommy stood and caught Rosalind's hand. He dragged her to a stop before she could wear a hole in the innocent floor.
She wasn't angry when she looked at him. There was only one thing on her face, and it was devastation. Skye dropped into a chair and wrapped her arms around herself. She stared at the floor, where she could see ghosts of Rosalind's steps.
"We can wait a little longer," said Tommy. "It won't make any difference in the long run."
"But it makes a difference now," said Rosalind.
Tommy smiled at her and rubbed tension out of her shoulders. "I'm not going anywhere. Are you?"
"No."
He grabbed her hands and kissed them both. "Then we have that to be thankful for, yeah? Your sister can't say the same thing."
Rosalind shot Skye a contemptuous glance. "My sister was a moron who committed to something she wasn't ready for."
"And lost Dušek," Tommy said gently.
"She left him!"
"And she lost him," he repeated. "You need to ask her if she's okay."
Rosalind opened her mouth, but she asked nothing. She looked briefly to Skye, then back to Tommy.
He nodded to encourage her. "This isn't about us, Rosalind."
"It feels like it is," she whispered.
"No." He glanced at Skye. "How would you feel if we only put it off until tomorrow?"
"Fine," said Skye. "That's fine. You don't have to put it off at all if you don't want to."
"We do," he disagreed. He smiled at Rosalind. "Hear that? I'll marry you tomorrow. I promise."
"But—"
Tommy laughed softly. "It's one more day. We'll live. We've already made it this far."
Rosalind almost smiled, just a short, hardly noticeable tug at her lips. "I know that." She put her hand to his chest and trailed his tie between her fingers. "But I want to lock you down anyway."
Tommy shook his head. "I don't need a contract to be locked down by you."
"I know that too."
"Okay then," Tommy laughed. He kissed her nose. "You look beautiful, by the way."
Rosalind looked down at her dress and picked at the skirt. "This isn't how you were supposed to see me."
"I'll erase the memory."
She sighed. "Okay."
"Okay." Tommy nodded like that was all settled. "Now, talk to Skye." He tapped her shoulder twice with his fist. "Come on, big sister."
Rosalind sagged where she stood, resentment flooding out of her. She turned to Skye. "I'm sorry."
Skye shrugged. "I understand."
Rosalind smiled, but her face was marred by regret. "Are you okay?"
"I think so."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not yet."
"Then, you don't have to." Rosalind considerately pushed Skye no further. She left Tommy to hug her. "I really am sorry – about Dušek, and because I shouldn't have been so bridezilla."
Skye laughed, somewhat dully, but only because she herself was so guilty. She leaned back in her chair, having had her fair share of pity hugs. "I knew you would be."
"It was still wrong," said Rosalind. "Is there anything we can do for you?"
Skye shook her head. She didn't want them to so much as give her another thought. She had done nothing to earn their comfort. What she had really done was earn their scorn. The best thing for her to do now was to stay out of everyone's way.
"Who all knows about this, Skye?" Batty asked. "Have you talked to the others? Dad or Mom or…I don't know, Jeffrey, maybe?"
It would have been easier if Batty hadn't mentioned Jeffrey by name. Skye simply wasn't comfortable sharing what had happened with him. A little time to process, alone with Jeffrey and their secret, would be good for her. She liked their private world, and she wasn't yet ready to surrender it to a prying band of Penderwicks. She was safe only as long as she remained close-lipped.
"Just you guys. I'll tell Dad and Iantha," she said, the lie rolling off her tongue with an ease that no lie ever had before. "You can tell Jeffrey if you want, and everybody else."
"We'll tell your parents too," said Tommy. "You can give them the details later, but for now, you should take a nap. You don't look too good."
"Okay. Thanks," said Skye, her burden lessened. Her parents would be disappointed; they loved Dušek, and she preferred not to be present for the actual disappointing. Her father and Iantha were both wise, perceptive people; they would hide any distress from her once they had had time to recover from the news.
"I think you should at least tell Jeffrey," said Batty.
"Why?" Skye eyed her younger sister with suspicion. It was possible that she knew more than Skye had assumed she did. After all, if Mrs. Tifton had been able to sniff out Jeffrey's true feelings, Batty certainly could.
But Batty only shrugged. "Well, since you haven't told us what happened, I was thinking maybe you could tell him. You tell him lots of things, and he's a good listener. You know that."
"Yeah. Maybe I'll talk to him later," said Skye, relieved. It seemed Batty knew nothing she shouldn't. Good.
She left, carefully avoiding all other wedding guests, and she escaped into the sanctuary of a private bedroom. There, she collapsed on the vacant bed and fell right to sleep. She was exhausted.
