Pink Champagne

Chapter 1

Quenby paced back and forth, her white heels clicking against the wooden floor. Macon and Indigo kept trying to get her to stand still so they could pin on her veil, but she wasn’t having it.

She was dressed the part, but no longer sure there was going to be a wedding. Macon had done Quenby’s hair up in a French roll, topped with a tiara, but her veil lay on a nearby table. Her friends had given up on trying to pin it on her for the moment.

“At least I know what I’m getting with him.” She knew she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince them, but she didn’t care. “Guys cheat. It’s what they do. He would never leave me. He hasn’t so far.” Besides, he was financially
stable
, intellectual, and dependable—other than the cheating thing.

“Yeah.” Indigo, her maid of honor, snorted. “I guess that’s true. He didn’t leave you the first time or the second, or…what number is Lisa? Fourth? Fifth? Tenth?”

“Please,” Quenby said. “There have
not
been ten.” Her gown had a tight bodice glittering with rhinestones. The skirt billowed out around her. She had to lift it up in both hands to keep from tripping over it as she paced back and forth across the room.

“I don’t know why you’re doing this to yourself, Quen. You’re so much better than him.” Macon, Quenby’s friend from her college field hockey team, threw up her hands. She wore her wavy brown hair loose down her back and her red, strapless gown showed off her tanned shoulders. Macon was one of Quenby’s bridesmaids. Or she would be if the wedding happened.

She wouldn’t cry and ruin her makeup. The warm tones Indigo had blended on her face and that went so well with her reddish brown skin were too perfect for her to mess up with her stupid tears.

“He was late.
To his own wedding.
And now he’s standing out there all smug,” Quenby muttered.

“What was that?” Indigo perked up. “Was that the sound of you coming to your senses?”

“Not everybody has a marriage based on monogamy. What about swingers?” She never stopped pacing as she spoke.

Indigo shook her head, the small diamond stud in her nose flashing in the sunlight. “That’s crazy talk. It’s hard enough for me to be here for this without you talking crazy talk.”

The song changed. Indigo and Macon looked at each other as if they were attending a funeral instead of a wedding.

“That’s our cue, I guess,” Indigo said. She lingered as if hoping Quenby would tell her not to take that cue.

“Last chance, Quen,” Macon said.

Quenby nodded, waving them out of the door. “It’s fine. Really.” She watched them walk out of the double doors with the other bridesmaid. The three of them let the doors close after them.

She’d just found out Derek spent the night with some woman named Lisa after his bachelor party. Adia had caught them and told Quenby. Adia had been too disgusted to show up at the wedding that
day
. Hypocrite.

When the wedding march came on, Quenby walked out of the dressing room and woodenly took her father’s arm. She plastered on a smile for her dad who was completely in the dark about Derek’s indiscretions. Her dad already treated Derek like a son.

He led her down the aisle to her groom. She felt so cheated that she couldn’t enjoy the sight of him.
Broad shoulders under his black tux.
Auburn hair cut close.
Green eyes twinkling at her.
Looking like he could do no wrong.

Her friends thought she was blind to all his wrongdoing. At least she knew what she was getting with Derek. He was handsome, smart, and he had a great job. And guys were going to cheat. That was the way it was. Her mom and dad had gone through their ugly days when her dad was younger and couldn’t keep his eyes or hands to himself. Derek would probably grow out of it, too. Just like her dad.

She kept telling herself this as her dad gave her away and Derek smiled into her face. It was that smile that started undoing her resolve. Then he mouthed ‘I love you’ to her while the preacher was rambling away. She couldn’t concentrate on the preacher’s words because a sick feeling of rage and humiliation came over her in that moment. Derek really thought she was an idiot. He could at least acknowledge that she knew what the situation was as well as he did.

She glanced behind her. Indigo gave her a look that clearly said, “don’t do it.” Macon didn’t look much happier.

When the preacher asked if anybody had any objections, Quenby found herself saying, “I do.”

“No, honey. Not yet,” Derek said. Murmurs of laughter followed his statement. She had to turn away from his stupid grin before she slapped it off his face.

She looked out into the congregation. What would she say to those people? The groom was a whore? Sorry and thank you for coming?

“No, Derek. I can’t do this,” she said. The church went dead silent.

The smile faded from his face. “Can’t do what?”

Quenby stumbled backward a step and felt Indigo’s hand close over hers. Clearing her throat, she continued in a loud, steady voice. “I’m not marrying you.”

Macon stepped forward to make a quick, impromptu speech to the guests. Indigo, Derek, and Quenby stepped into an alcove behind the altar.

“You’re not—what? Why?” He looked genuinely confused. How was that possible? Then again, knowing the size of his ego, how could she ask that?

“You know why,” Quenby hissed.

“Quenby, this is not the time or the place,” he said from behind that fake grin.

Indigo threw down her bouquet. “Don’t you dare talk about the time or the place now.” She stepped between him and Quenby said in a hushed yet angry tone, “You weren’t thinking about all that last night.”

“I’m talking to Quenby.” Derek lost the fake smile and craned his neck to look Quenby in the eyes.

“What did you just say to me?” Indigo barked.

“No, you’re not,” Quenby said. “I’m done with you.”

“What the—you can’t just—I mean, there are people from my company here.” He shook his head. “What’s gotten into you?”

“No, it’s what you got into, not me. Lisa
ring
a bell?”

Derek groaned and rolled his eyes. “Fucking Adia.”

“Don’t you dare talk about my friend like that.
”

“Like your friend has room to talk.” Derek darted a glance at Macon’s back.

“At least he’s honest about the way he is.” Quenby didn’t agree with what Adia had done, but she was certainly going to defend him to this creep she’d almost married.

“Geez, I thought the two of you weren’t even talking anymore after what he did to Macon.”

“So that made it safe for you to do your dirt, huh?” Quenby sneered at him.

“Quenby, let’s just talk this out. Don’t do this. Don’t throw us away.”

“I’m not the one who did the throwing.”

“I love you.”

“Don’t you say
that.
After all the chances I gave you.” Quenby’s voice was oddly flat. Then, she screamed. “Don’t you say that shit!”

“Do you have to be so loud?” he asked, putting his hands up. “Calm down.”

Some of the guests who were leaving the church turned and looked over their shoulders to see what all the commotion was. Derek assured them everything was fine.

“Okay. You’ve done enough damage. Why don’t you just go?” Indigo said.

Derek said, “Again. This is between me and Quenby.” He glared at Indigo.

“Don’t talk to her like that.” Quenby shook her head. “And don’t you mean it’s between me,
Lisa
, and you?”

“Why now? You could’ve let me know something before we got up in front of all of these people.”

“That’s all that matters to you, huh? Appearances.”

“Okay, I’m done.” He shook his head and threw her a disgusted look. “You want me gone? I’m gone.” He started to walk away.

“Good riddance,” Quenby said even though part of her still wondered if she’d made the right decision.
Just a tiny, stupid part.
They’d been together for five years, since her sophomore year of college, so it was kind of hard to ignore that nagging bit of doubt.

He stopped and turned around. “And you know what else? It got boring in the bedroom at the end. Better the next guy than me.”

Quenby’s mouth dropped open in shock. Indigo started to step forward, but Quenby held her back. This was Quenby’s fight.

“I’m done. Through with your lying and cheating forever,” Quenby said. She clenched her teeth.

“You’ll be sorry. I won’t,” Derek said. He headed for the back door to the church. Quenby looked all around, but there was nothing handy to throw at him. She took off her heels and aimed them at him. Two perfect shots caught him in the back of his head. He grabbed the base of his neck, yowling from shock, pain, or both. He turned, offered her some choice words, and walked out of the church between his mother and best man.

“Quen,” Indigo said softly, taking her by the arm. She and Macon led Quenby back to her makeshift dressing room. Quenby sagged against her friends, emotionally eviscerated, letting them drag her behind the doors. She leaned against a wall before sliding down it until she was in a sitting position. She then sprawled out on the floor.

Macon called out, “Your dress!”

Quenby ignored her.

Indigo pulled up the top of her red, satin dress. “You know you made the right decision.”

 
Macon said, “Quenby, say something, anything, just so we know you’re not in shock.”

“That bastard,” she murmured.

Her friends had to agree.