Gen 8- Chapter 8 Part 2: Waterlily Whip

“I’ll get it!!”

*picks up the phone*

“Chiffon residence. This is Midnight speaking.”

“Midnight, Hi! It’s Fern.”

“Hey! Fern, how are you? Let me grab Prelude.”

“No, actually I am not calling for him.”

“Oh.”

“Is Sapphire around?”

“Yes, she is. Let me get her.”

“Great! Thank you.”

“Sure. No problem. Sis.”

—

“Hello?”

“Saph! Hey. How are you?”

“I’m good. How are you?”

“Fine fine. Say, I was wondering if you and I could meet up to talk for a little?”

“Oh? Sure. We can do that. When?”

“Well I am down at the Twizzlerbrook lake, wanna meet me here in say… twenty minutes.”

“That works fine. OK. See you then.”

I hung up the phone into the receiver. Midna eyeing me carefully the entire time.

“So what do you think she wants to talk about?”

“I have no idea. Maybe she needs help with something regarding the wedding?” I replied with a shrug.

“Well if it’s anything juicy, you got to tell me the moment you get back.”

“OK. OK. I will.”

Ah the joys of planning a wedding. I arrived at the lake and to no surprise, Fern was on the phone again. I only caught a little of the end of her conversation, but from what I heard, it was her mother.

“No,I am not wearing that. No… I don’t care if Grandma wore it seventy years ago. I don’t like it. No. No. Mom, this is my wedding and even if I wanted to walk down the aisle in a scuba suit trimmed in white lace, I will. What? Of course I’m not… Oh. Mom, I got to call you back. OK? OK. Bye.”

She was putting her phone away, just about the time I got to her.

I could tell straight away something pressing was behind our urgent meet up. She nervously shifted her weight from one heel to other.

“Everything OK Fern?”

“Yes, fine. I wanted to discuss something, but I really felt it would be better in person.”

“Oh, sure. Is everything alright? You and Prelude?”

“Oh! No no! It has nothing to do with us personally. I have something to ask is all.”

“Well sure. You can ask me anything.”

“Right. So I was wondering if you would be able to help me with this wedding stuff? I am not very good with making plans, and I have seen how much you enjoy this sort of thing. And in return, I would love for you to be my maid of honor.”

It took a few seconds for her words to soak in, but the moment they did. I let out a squeak. Pure excitement rushed through me, and my head was nodding fervently up and down. “Yes! Oh yes! I would love to help!”

“Really?! Oh this is wonderful! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, but are you sure? I mean, don’t you have any close friends you could ask?”

“Not really. I am closer to you guys than I have been to any of my other friends in years… So, will you?”

“Of course!” My mind went into planning mode instantly. “Now, I will need lists. Lots of lists. Lists of people to invite. Lists of flowers, decorations, colors. Oh! This is going to be so fun!”

We spent about two hours touching base on the bare bones basics. We would delve more heavily into it as time passed, but we did get a good head start going for ourselves. This wedding was the first thing to happen in a long while to really get me pumped.

“Roses? White roses? And it would take you how long? That is a joke right? But their white roses… isn’t that like a wedding staple? They should be coming out your ears, ready for the picking. I’m sorry. How much? Boy, you are just full of the laughs today!”

First floral shop and I was none too impressed. I looked down at my list. Thankfully I had about a dozen more shops I could call, but it made me slightly nervous that first one on the list couldn’t even obtain white roses. I squeezed the bridge of my nose with forefinger and thumb.

“Yes, I can hold.”

No sooner did the dumbest florist alive return to the phone, that Midna appeared needing to talk. Still trying to decipher the person on the other end of the line and their reasoning, I had barely paid any attention to the pleading look Midna was giving. I did however finally notice.

“Yes, well thank you for your time. I will give you a call back real soon. Uh huh. OK now. Bye Bye.”

*click*

“I am so not calling them back…”

I dropped the phone onto the table next to my list.

“Midna? What’s wrong?”

“Need to tell you something Sis.” Her somber tone worried me. Midna was hardly ever serious about anything.

“OK…what is it?”

“Coronation is supposed to leave soon, but I don’t want him to go and he doesn’t want to go either. But the only way for him to stay is to attend a college here in the country. Well, he just got his acceptance letter to attend college in Coconut Bay.”

“Wow, Midna that is awesome!” I smiled excitedly.

“I know it is! But…there is more.”

“More?”

“Yes, I am going with him.”

My happy demeanor nose dived immediately at her words. “You’re going with him? To Coconut Bay?”

“Yes! Ahhhh isn’t that great?!?”

“No… It’s not.”

“What? Why not?”

“Why not?! Because, we are the trio! If you leave…what will we do?!”

“Geeze Sis. We can’t stay together forever.”

“I know. I just thought we would have more time than this.”

I felt my heart sink. It felt literally like my heart was bring ripped into thirds and one of the pieces was slowly being extracted through my breastbone. I was not ready for this. Not even semi ready. I would have tried to talk her out of it, if I thought I stood a chance of convincing her otherwise, but I knew better.

“Have you told Mom and Dad?”

“Not yet. What do you think they will say?”

“Don’t know. What can they say? You’re 18 now.”

“Think Mom will cry?”

“No. She might be upset, but you know her. She rarely cries at anything.”

I wanted so badly to say, “but I will.” but decided to keep that little piece to myself. Guilt wasn’t going to work either. I knew this was something I might as well prepare myself for.

Midna pretty much dropped the bomb and then flew right on over head to her next destination. I needed a little fresh air, so I grabbed my list and phone and headed out back to make some more phone calls. I decided I was not ready to quarrel over flowers again just yet, so I followed my finger down the list to my section I had set apart for possible venues. I dialed the first number and then flopped the list down on the chess table.

“Hi yes, I am looking to see if you have any bookings available for April of next year. Mhmm, yes the 24th. Yes, I can hold.”

Again I was interrupted, but this time it was by Lil.

“Saph? Can I talk to you?”

Unfortunately the moment she started talking, the person who had me on hold returned to the line. I covered the receiver with my hand. “Lil, I am super busy right now. Can we talk later?”

She nodded and then walked away.

“Sorry about that, yes I am here. Uh huh. Well what about the 31st? Fully booked out? Till August? Well, that certainly will not work. Yes, if you could put me on the list, that would perfect. Uh huh,” *Beep* The call waiting started to beep in. “Oh! OK, yes. Sapphire Chiffon for the Chiffon/Killarney wedding, Thank you. Thank you very much. Goodbye.”

I started to feel like a secretary as I clicked to the other line. “Chiffon residence.”

“Saph. It’s Me.”

“Disco, hey!”

“You got a minute?”

I really didn’t, but seeing that it was my best friend, I made the time anyways. Sure our relationship wasn’t exactly the same as it used to be, but I still loved him as my bestie regardless.

“Sure. What’s up?”

“Something I need to tell you.”

“Oh no, don’t tell me, you are leaving too?” I said teasingly.

“How did you know?”

My heart dropped a second time. I was kidding! He can’t leave! I gripped the phone tighter in my hand.

“Wait, you really are?”

“I am.”

“When?”

“A month from now. I just need to get away. It’s too hard on me here.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Not sure. Might not come back. Nothing for me here. Well besides you, but…well, I messed that up good.” He laughed nervously.

He was right about that one, but this was no the time to rub it in.

“Have you told Lil?”

“Don’t think she would care. No reason to bother her with it.”

“You should tell her. She might want a chance to say goodbye.”

“I doubt that.”

“Well, do you want me to tell her?”

“You can if you want. Don’t feel you need to though…” *sigh* “Gonna miss you Saph. Gonna miss… I should go.”

“Disco.”

“Ya?”

“Maybe you should just talk to her.”

“Bye Saph.”

“Bye…Disco.”

It wasn’t even dark yet, and I was physically exhausted. I had barely made any sort of headway, and somehow managed to lose two people that I cared for dearly in the process.

I drug myself to the second floor and prepared myself for a hot bath. I seriously needed something to release all the tension I had built up. Seemed like it took for ever, for my water to fill, but eventually I was able to flip off the water and sink down into the hot foamy goodness. I had just forgotten about Midna and Disco when…

*knock knock knock*

My head snapped to the door, giving it a death glare, that no one else could see. This had better be good.

“What?!” I growled.

“Saph, it’s Prelude. Look I am sorry to bother you, but I need to talk you about something.”

Unbelievable!! I sunk below the water and bubbles, so only my eyes and up were visible. I irritated-ly blew bubbles into the water. What did it take to get a little alone time around here?! I could tell he was still on the other side of the door, so I angrily yanked the plug from the drain, and pulled on my robe.

“Somebody better be dead or dying…” I seethed.

“I know, I’m sorry. I have to leave now, but I needed to let you know that, Fern has changed her mind on the accent color.”

I glared back at him, one eye wider than the other. “She couldn’t have called me later tonight to tell me?”

“Well, no. She is at work and she wanted to tell you as soon as possible.”

“Fine, what color does she want now?”

“Regent blue.”

“It was Regent blue…”

“Oh right, no it was… Oh man. I can’t remember now.”

That was all I could take. I could feel my entire body engorging with rage. I squinted my eyes. How badly I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, “OH MY FREAKIN BERRY!” I was about to go nuclear and Prelude was sitting at ground zero. I managed to keep my cool…somehow. I held my hand to his face.

“No. I can’t deal with this right now.”

“But, I.”

“Nope. Just walk away now. Please? I am begging you.”

He looked completely crushed.

“I’m sorry, I have had the day of all days. I just can’t take in any more input today. Tomorrow. Tell me tomorrow. OK?”

“OK.”

*BEEP*

I heard my phone alarm go off from the other room. “Sorry, I got to run! Appointment downtown to talk to the tailor about dresses.”

I ran to my room and threw on some clothes, before I was quickly out the door again. Equipped with only my note pad and an address, I drove into town.

I managed to locate the shop rather quickly. First and probably only thing to go right for me all day. I stepped inside and was immediately greeted by Thunder Peanut Butter.

“Hi there, welcome to Rags to Ruffles. How can I help you.”

I was rather taken back by the handsome man before me. I shook his hand a few extra times, before I was able to force the words through my lips.

“Hello, Sapphire Chiffon. I have an appointment with you at 5:30.”

I looked to the clock on the wall, 5:27 great I wasn’t late.

“Today? Are you sure?”

“Yes…” I opened my notepad and thumbed through it quickly. Locating the date and time, I pressed my finger underneath it as I showed it to Mr. Peanut Butter. “See, right there.”

His smile dropped. “I am terribly sorry Mrs. Chiffon.”

“It’s Miss.” I added hastily

“Miss Chiffon…but I have to leave early today. My assistant, assured me that she had only scheduled appointments today till 4:00 pm. It would seem she made a mistake, I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience.”

It should have been OK. Clerical errors happen every day. I should have thanked him kindly for his time and left. That is not exactly how things went down. After the day I was already having, this was just what it took to make me blow my top.

I looked up to the ceiling, an angry smile growing arcoss my face.

“Well isn’t that just peachy! I drive all the way out here, an obvious appointment made in your books and now you are leaving… If I were you, I would fire that idiot assistant of yours. In fact, I know where she can get a job with an idiot florist!!!”

The horror on his face, should have signaled me to back off. Instead, I only fueled the flames further. My tirade went on for a good 5 minutes and he just stood there listening to every biting word I spewed.

By the time, I had gotten it all out of my system, I felt sick to my stomach. I bit my bottom lip and dropped my chin deep into my chest. I was completely mortified by my behavior.

“I can’t believe I just said all that to you. I’m sorry.”

“Long day?”

“You don’t even know the half of it?”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“Don’t you have an appointment to get to?”

“It can wait a couple minutes.”

I looked up at him apologetically. I didn’t really want to unload on the guy further, but I couldn’t resist a friendly ear.

“I am organizing my sister-in-law-to-be’s wedding, and it would seem that maybe I am pushing myself a little too hard.”

“I see.”

“I mean, I haven’t done anything but wedding related stuff, for weeks now! Then on top of it, my best friend and my sister, decided to let me know that they are both leaving by the end of the month! It’s just too much! I feel like I am slowly losing my mind!”

“Sounds pretty rough.” He looked at his watch. “I would love to stick around and discuss this further, but I really have somewhere to get to, but maybe we could meet up after? Maybe for coffee? 7:00pm? We can talk about, what ever you feel like.”

“That sounds, really nice. Thank you.”

I stayed with him, while he locked up the shop. I wanted to hug him for his incredible kindness, but settled for another handshake instead. We both went our separate ways, and I already felt so much better, I could hardly stand it. I walked back to my car, grinning the entire way. I had no idea if anything would come of our coffee, but I didn’t care. I eagerly looked forward to talking to him again.

The day finally was starting to look up.