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“Because this doesn’t sound like you at all,” I added.
“Fine,” Emily said with a laugh. “If you don’t want to share wedding dates with me, I don’t mind if you get married around the same time. Maybe the weekend before? After that, we’ll be on our honeymoon.”
“Or how about I don’t rush this and we plan a wedding for say, I don’t know, a year or two from now?”
“Why would you want to wait that long?” Emily asked.
I would have to phrase the next bit delicately since my sister had rushed her wedding along, and I didn’t want her to think there was anything wrong with it. Maybe if Levi and I were really getting married, we could discuss having a quick wedding since I wanted something small anyway. But since we weren’t… I needed time to get out of Sunville to call the thing off.
“Well, I just don’t feel the need to rush things. Levi and I have only been dating a couple weeks–”
“But you’ve known each other since childhood.”
“Kinda, I guess, but we weren’t in the same friend group like you and James were in high school.”
“Well, you’ve been talking since December,” Emily pushed.
“From a distance, sure, but it’s not the same.”
Emily shrugged. “I just don’t see why you want to wait. Being married is amazing, isn’t it, Grace?’
“Hey, don’t pull me into this. It took me two years to plan my wedding.”
“That’s because you had cold feet,” Emily said. “You don’t have cold feet, do you, Anna?”
I swallowed a big gulp of my lemonade and looked away, unsure how to answer this question.
“You do!” Emily said.
“I mean, I’m still waiting to hear about the job in Tanzania and–”
“Can’t he go with you? Do they not allow spouses?”
“I don’t know. I’m sure there would be a way to bring a spouse, but I can’t imagine Levi would want to leave everything behind in Sunville.”
“Then what are you going to do if you get this opportunity, Anna?”
“That’s why I want to wait and see, Emily.” My voice took a harsher tone than I had intended. I never yelled at my sisters, but I was officially done with this conversation. I couldn’t figure out why Emily was so pushy about us getting married quickly.
I got up from the bench and walked away, headed toward Levi before I remembered he didn’t really want to talk to me.
“Anna!” Irene’s voice called from my left.
I looked for an escape. I could hurry toward the restrooms and away from the tables we were gathered around. I could try to pretend I hadn’t heard her. It took too long for me to formulate a plan of escape, though, and Irene placed her hand on my arm.
“I was hoping to get some time alone with you,” she said with a smile. “I just wanted to say, I couldn’t be happier that you’re marrying my brother. You two are clearly two peas in a pod and made for each other. You’re so happy when you’re together.”
“Thank you, I appreciate that, Irene.”
“And if you need anything, we’re family now, so please don’t hesitate to ask.”
I’d always loved the Callaghans. They were good people. It wasn’t just my family I was hurting with this lie. My stomach turned and I felt sick.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just not feeling too well, to be honest. Must have been the corn dog, or maybe the nachos. Too much junk food.”
“You aren’t pregnant, are you?” Irene’s eyes sparkled.
