A Hundred Days to Our Wedding

"A little bit to the left please." Jace commanded the small sized woman that was trying to move the veil on my head to the 'right position' as Jace had called it. We had spent the last fifteen minutes trying to pick one right veil. Not that there had been any problems with the previously selected wedding veils, at least not to me there wasn't. But Jace was always about perfection. In my opinion, it should have been her middle name. "Too much left, maybe a little less to the right?" She said once more, her hand was on her waist and her eyebrows were drawn together, her wrinkled face expressing her dissatisfaction. I noticed the small woman, whose name I had unintentionally forgotten, deepen her frown. I knew we had a few screws left before she finally lost it. "Jace, I think we should just select one veil and leave." I chuckled, trying to relieve myself and the woman of the stress Jace was putting us through. "Lana, this is your wedding we're talking about," Jace gasped and eyed the rack filled with veils I had tried on. "Everything has to go perfectly. You have to look your best." She said. I rolled my eyes and sighed. I took the lace veil off my head. Gently, I handed it over to the woman who seemed to be thankful that I had managed to save her from Jace's mental attack. "We'll be back when you have better veils." Jace told her. The veil that was made to match the selected wedding dress had been too plain for Jace. I had to wonder whose wedding this was. The shop wasn't a huge one, and it smelled of new clothes. It wasn't my first visit and just like every time, it got to me how the familiar smell reminded me I was to be a bride. A few other women were in the shop, attended to by the other two representatives that controlled the place with see through glass walls. "It's only for a day. Wedding preparations are exaggerated in my opinion." I slung my black leather handbag on my shoulder from my wrist. We walked away from the relieved woman. I watched a pregnant woman in a short white gown yell at her own reflection. "This is the fourth time!" She cried, "what is wrong with you people and wrong fittings?!" I bit back my laughter and shared a silly face with Jace. Being pregnant had never been in my agenda. In fact, it still wasn't. Job Cassidy and I had been friends for less than seven months. To people, some more than others, that was a short period of time to know someone well enough and want to marry them but I felt it was an agenda to strengthen the bond we shared. It was with pride that I would say, we had one hundred days left to our wedding. "It's just for a day, yes. But it's that one day you'll never forget." Jace spoke, reminding me of the conversation we were having. "That coming from a lady that doesn't want to get married." I teased. We exited the shop and the warmth outside was welcoming. I hadn't exactly paid attention to how the air conditioning had made the shop cool. The streets were lined with moving vehicles and a few pedestrians. Jace was one of those women who had committed themselves to a lifetime of being alone. She didn't want to get married. "Well you know I fancy wedding parties, especially when my best friend happens to be the bride." She shrugged, wrapped an arm around my shoulders. She had the advantage because she was taller than I was. We took a turn to the right, leading us to the next street. I brought my ringing phone out of my handbag. The caller ID revealed Job's name and my lips formed a smile at their own volition. I slid the screen as directed, to answer the call. "Hey." Job called. "Hey," I returned, keeping my eyes glued to the road to avoid losing focus of my environment. "How was the wedding shop visit?" He inquired while Jace and I stood still. We waited for a taxi to drive by so we could leave the scene. "It was okay but I went with Jace so we had no successful veil attempt." I said into the phone and gave her a 'sorry no offense' smile followed by a slight wave, when she gave me a harsh glare. "Did you have to go with her?" He groaned from the other side. "I can't go alone." I pouted, my hands going to the hem of my black shirt. "Well there's no point if it's always a complete waste of time when you don't go alone." He told me and I couldn't agree more. It was true. Every time Jace went with me, it was always an unsuccessful trial. "True." I answered monosyllabic, so as not to offend Jace. "Secretly make time and go alone okay?" He sighed and I nodded. "I will. Is that all you called for?" "No actually," he chuckled. "My mother called to tell me that Will is back from Mexico." He informed me. Will Bellion was Job's step brother. All seven months of dating and being engaged, I had never met Will. He worked abroad and never made time to be home. According to Job, Will and himself shared such a tight bond irrespective of their step brother relationship that it was hard to tell that they were half siblings. We barely spoke of him so I had no idea what he looked like. "Why?" I asked, "I thought you said he'd be arriving only three days to our wedding." "He did. But apparently, he got a four months leave from work or something, I'm not quite sure." He explained. "Okay then." I squinted my eyes, wondering if there was more to this information. "Just wanted you to know, I have to cancel on our little meeting so I can attend to him. You understand right?" His voice held so much guilt and I felt sorry. It was sweet of him to feel bad for canceling on me, one solid reason why I loved him so. "We see each other almost everyday. One cancelled meeting for someone you've seen in a bit less than a year is no big deal, I promise." I hoped that he didn't see right through the sincerity in my tone, and actually felt better. "Fine then. I love you." He sounded like he was okay and that was satisfactory. "I love you more." I responded, my cheeks going a bright shade of red. "I know." With that, the phone call came to an end. "Well finally." Jace rolled her eyes. "I thought you love birds would never shut up." "Jealous." I returned her eye rolling gesture. I knew a few taxis had driven past us during my phone call. "I feel hungry." Jace frowned, her hands sitting on her waist. "Me too." I looked around us, "let's order some chicken." I suggested after my eyes found the nearest KFC. She jumped right on the idea, birthing a smile on my face. I out my phone on silence and tossed it into my handbag. * By the time we were done with our meal, Jace was literally a stuffed chicken. Over eating was another flaw she possessed. She blamed her parents for her plus size but deep down, we both knew that her lack of control when it came to food was responsible. I picked my phone as we stood to leave so that I could change its settings to ring out loud. To my surprise, there were five missed calls and two text messages from Jones, my immediate younger brother. 'Where are you with Dale's inhaler? He's having his asthma attack!' The first text from him read. Involuntarily, I gasped and my eyes widened in shock. Dale was the last of my three younger siblings. He was only seventeen and unfortunately, was asthmatic. I must have forgotten to return his inhaler after last night's party at Jace's. He'd come with me and put it in my purse given that he didn't want it to go missing. It wasn't that cold out so I guess I hadn't expected that he'd have an attack. My heart skipped as I hastened my step and proceeded to dial Jones. "What's wrong?" Jace called worriedly behind me, quickening her steps as well. I didn't reply. The ache I felt was too much to even acknowledge her concerns. He didn't pick up so without uttering any words, I took to my heels. I knew she was calling for me but I couldn't make out her words. Why I was running, I had no idea but I felt it was a faster option and so I kept up, making sure I didn't stop unless I saw a taxi. In my absent mindedness, I stopped right in front of a moving car. The driver seemed just as shocked as I was because he hit the brakes too fast and turned the car to the left, causing the screeching tyres to splash the small mud puddle all over my face. I had no idea why the floors were wet. My hands reflexively went up to shield my face. Although it didn't serve as any sort of protection, I did get my hands dirty. The driver must have felt sorry because he came out of his car in a haste. "Are you okay?" He asked. My mouth formed an o, in shock and my eyes widened. He must have felt it was as a result of his unconscious actions but my thoughts were filled with fear for my brother instead. He held my hand to further investigate my wellness, seeing as I stood there quiet and looking gormless. I jerked my hand away from his and just as I was about to resume running, a random taxi driver past. Waving it over, I rushed out of his presence and into the taxi.