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Nicole looked down and lifted her freshly manicured hand for inspection.She didn't answer me.
"Nicole," I tried again.
"No," she said, dropping her hand and looking right at me."She didn't call."
I thought she might cry or get emotional at the mention of her mom.She did neither.Maybe there was something to all this relaxation and Zen talk."It was pretty early when we left," I said."And your phone is in the locker.She probably tried calling a few times already."
"Ladies."Two tall, willowy blonds stood in the doorway of the treatment room."If you're ready for your massages, we can take you now.Unfortunately, we will have to use separate rooms, if that's okay?"one of the ladies asked.
I nodded and looked back to Nicole."It doesn't matter," she said, adjusting her robe as she stood."I told you, I'm totally okay with this.And Mom is too."
"Okay, but—"
"No buts.Go relax, Lexi.I'll see you after," she said and disappeared with one of the blonds.I followed the other down a hallway and into another tranquil room, this one with a massage table in the center.
As I lay on the table, covered by the softest sheet that had ever touched my bare skin and waited for the masseuse to come back, I tried to concentrate on relaxation.A massage would be perfect.I needed to clear my head.All of Nicole's babbling had done a good job of distracting me from my thoughts but now I was ready to let my mind go blank.
There was a soft knock on the door and the therapist slipped into the room."I've been told to give you a full relaxation massage," she said in a soothing voice."I just want you to close your eyes, let your body relax, and allow yourself to surrender to the experience."
"Okay," I said, my voice muffled by the table.
"No more talking," she said and began to run her hands along my back, warming up my skin under the sheet."Close your eyes."
I did as I was told, even though I couldn't help but wonder how she knew they were open.She continued to speak to me in a low, melodic voice.It reminded me of how I used to talk to Ben when he was a baby and I was trying to get him to sleep.It was working, though.She started to rub my shoulders and I could feel myself loosening up, slipping into sleep.
The massage didn't last nearly long enough and before I knew it, the relaxation portion of the day was over and it was time to get the bride ready for the ceremony.Andrew had taken Ryan back to our room, so we had the suite to get beautiful.
As I worked the comb through Nicole's mass of curls, I thought, not for the first time, that we should have hired a professional hairdresser to give her a proper up do.I was in no way trained to deal with thick, wavy hair.Or any hair at all, really.The extent of my own hairdressing skills included a ponytail or maybe a braid; Nicole's red locks were way out of my comfort zone.
"Nic, are you sure you want it up?"I twisted it into a loose bun and held it against the nape of her neck.
"Of course.I have to have it up.If my hair's on my shoulders, it will take away from the embroidery of the dress."
I didn't think so at all but I dropped the hair I was holding and let it fall against her back.In fact, I thought there would be nothing more beautiful than her red hair contrasting against the milky white fabric and blue embroidery of her gown.I didn't bother telling her.I'd already mentioned it at least four times.
I sighed, grabbed a handful of bobby pins and stuck them between my teeth before gathering the hair in one hand, twisting it up as neatly as possible and securing it with as many bobby pins as I could jam in.I finished the look off with half a bottle of hair spray, pulled out two tendrils to frame her face and stepped back to check out my handiwork.
"Not bad," I said mostly to myself.
"Not bad?I look frickin' gorgeous."Nicole leaned in towards the mirror to admire herself and then spun around into my arms."Lexi, thank you."
"Nic, anything for you," I said and hugged her tightly."You know that."
"No, Lex."Her voice was muffled in my shoulder."I really mean it.Thank you.For everything."
I laughed at her drama and it took a second to realize she wasn't laughing back.She was crying.And not just pre-wedding tears of joy, but full-fledged sobbing.
Oh no.
I snuck a look at the clock on the nightstand.One forty.We had only just over an hour to get dressed, get beautiful and get downstairs.
Shit.
"Nic, what's wrong?"
"Oh, Lex.Everything is wrong.Everything."Her body shook with sobs as she clung to me.
"Nicole, look at me," I demanded with as much kindness as I could.We were running out of time for sweet and gentle.I needed to fix this, fast."Nicole," I commanded when she didn't look up.
