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“I know, Em, I’m not going to give him any.” She put the bags on the counter and I got out the plates.
“Don’t think I haven’t seen you passing him people food behind my back. You’re like a little kid who doesn’t want to eat their broccoli.” I narrowed my eyes.
“That’s ridiculous. I love broccoli.” It was true. The best way to have broccoli was to roast it in the oven with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. My mouth was watering just thinking about it.
Emma still seemed skeptical as we sat down to eat. Vegas whined at our feet and Emma got up and threw some of his toys in a corner to distract him.
“We need to teach him that he can’t beg. I don’t want him being the bad boy in daycare,” she said.
“He’s going to be the best boy and get gold stars,” I said, defending him.
Emma tried to hide a smile as she shook her head.
“You’re going to spoil him rotten.”
“He deserves it.”
Emma made a frustrated noise.
“You’re hopeless.”
“You love me,” I said, poking her shoulder with my fork.
“Yes, I do,” she said and the way she said it made me freeze for a second. I looked in her eyes and there was so much there that made my heart squeeze in my chest. My eyes wanted to fill with tears. I was completely overloaded with emotions and I had to look away before I answered her.
“I love you, too,” I said, staring into my plate of pasta. Suddenly I wasn’t so hungry.
I was a nervous wreck leaving Vegas with the dog sitter on Saturday, but we had to go to Lara’s bachelorette party, part two, or else she would disown us as friends and I didn’t want to lose Lara. When she wasn’t stressed the fuck out about her wedding, she was an awesome friend to have around and always made me laugh.
The dog sitter, Reece, was young, but Vegas raced right up to her and started doing his little happy dance and yipping, so I figured that was a pretty good endorsement.
“I can send you pictures and updates anytime. Don’t worry, we’re going to have fun, aren’t we, precious?” Vegas licked her face and then started snuffling in her hands.
“Do you mind if I give him some treats? I make them myself for my dogs and they love them.” Emma and I agreed, like good moms, and chatted a little more with Reece before heading out to catch a car to the tearoom where the first part of the party was happening. I’d decided to go fancy today, and even wore a little fascinator that I’d found online.
“Where else can I wear this?” I’d asked Emma when I bought it.
“I have no idea, but I think it would look cute on you.” She’d declined my offer to buy her one, but she was all dolled up in wide-leg black pants and a gauzy white top that I would never dare wear because I would inevitably spill something on it. My mom had never allowed me to wear anything white and I’d carried that rule into adulthood. My dress looked vintage, but it was new and had a white and green toile print on it and a skirt that swirled when I moved. I loved twirling, but I had to make sure I didn’t twirl too much and show the world my cash and prizes.
“You look really great today,” Emma said, reaching up to adjust my green fascinator to the perfect jaunty angle.
“Thanks, so do you. I’ve never felt this fancy in my life. I’m totally ready to meet the queen. I practiced my curtsy this time.” I still wobbled, but I think it was passable.
We arrived at the teahouse, which was attached to a hotel so fancy I didn’t want to breathe near it.
“Are you sure we’re allowed to be here?” I asked as we walked to the front desk and were directed to the tearoom.
“Yes, we were invited. Relax. Act like you belong here.” I didn’t know about that. I was going to have to really fake it. I tilted my chin up and focused my eyes right ahead and tried to walk like an heiress with no discernable talent.
“I got this,” I said under my breath. Emma reached back and squeezed my hand.
“You do.”
We reached the back corner of the restaurant where our group was seated and almost everyone was there. I hugged Lara’s sisters, Lilly, Lila, and Lindsay (what were their parents thinking?), and said hello to a few of Lara’s other family that I hadn’t met before. Some aunts, a few cousins, and then there were several people from her work. Let’s just say it was a more subdued crowd than the Vegas group and there probably wouldn’t be any drunken marriages.
I still had a little bit of guilt about that, but so far everyone was so focused on their own lives and Lara’s wedding and our cute puppy that no one had asked. Yet. Hopefully the tea wasn’t spiked and I started sharing secrets, as I was wont to do when I was intoxicated.
Lilly rose from her seat with difficulty (since she was eight months pregnant) and tapped her spoon against her teacup to get everyone to be silent. “To Lara, my youngest sister, on your big day. We are so happy for you and Asa and we can’t wait to see what life has in store for you. To Lara!” We all daintily raised our teacups and laughed as we clinked them together. There were finger sandwiches with things like watercress in them and little cookies that were as light as air and tiny cakes and scones with clotted cream and I decided that high tea was the shit.
