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“Well, you don’t have to worry about that,” Mom says gently. “If he does end up getting it by some fluke, you can just leave.”
“Trust me, I will.” I lean my elbows on my knees and rub my hand over my face. “Gosh, why did I agree to do this? I feel so stupid.”
“You don’t need me to answer that, Megan,” Mom says, the tone in her voice offering me some comfort. It’s a close second to actually having her here with me.
“I guess not.”
“Darling, things are going to be fine,” she says then. “You’re good at your job, and you’ve covered yourself with this farce. Once it’s done, you don’t have to have anything to do with them.”
I wish I could have her confidence in Anna and Eric honoring the terms of our contract.
“I’d like to think that,” I mutter. “But I’m sure they’ll find a way.”
“Well, they’ll have fun talking to your lawyer then.” I can see Mom smiling as she says it. “How about you get away for a while? Take a break from them.”
“Mom, I’ve just had a break. I can’t…”
“I’m not talking about now,” she clarifies. “I mean when the wedding is happening. Come and stay with me, or we can go on a little vacation. A hike in the Rockies. Remember when we used to do that?”
I can’t help but smile at the memory. Mom and I love going hiking, and we spent many holidays exploring the best hiking trails in the country. It was one place where I could find peace, and I felt like everything was in my control.
Not like now. Nothing feels like it’s in my control. Nothing is peaceful.
“I’d like that, Mom,” I reply. “They’ll survive without me on the day of the wedding.”
“Of course they can,” there’s genuine excitement in her voice. “You’re not the glue that keeps everyone together. Even then, the glue needs a break too.”
“That’s one way of making a comparison,” I agree.
“I thought it was pretty good,” Mom’s voice softens. “Keep your head up, love. They’re going to get themselves into bigger trouble with their antics, and you don’t need to be anywhere near them when it happens. Just treat it like a job, and then tell them to fuck off.”
I stifle my laughter and say, “I plan to.”
“If you can do it during the wedding speeches, even better,” she laughs.
I giggle at that. I’m not brave enough for it, but the idea is incredibly tempting.
***
Joel
I look at the clock and see that it’s almost 4:30 p.m. Just another half-hour and then I can go home. Sure, I can leave whenever I want, but I like to set a good example.
And I also want to make sure that Megan is okay. If I leave before her, she’s going to end up staying here until really late. I can pay for the overtime, but she’s done it too many times recently, and I don’t want to leave her here on her own.
It’s been three weeks since she decided to agree to being my daughter’s wedding planner. And it’s clearly not working out for her. I’ve never seen Megan so stressed, and she often looks on the verge of tears. She says that she’s fine, but I know better. I’m sure she’s also lost weight as well.
Why didn’t she just say no? I’d asked her about it at the time. If she had told Anna to go to hell, I wouldn’t have gotten upset. If anything, Anna needs to be told that. But Megan had simply said she was a personal assistant, and she was going to focus on her job. This was not part of her job, though, but she is firm on it.
I do have an inkling on why she wouldn’t say no, though. Anna and Eric would have harassed her. At least she would be able to control things this way. It was smart of her to ask for payment, and upfront as well. I’m sure that Anna would’ve found a reason to refuse Megan payment if she was to do it toward the end. This way, Megan gets paid for a thankless job, and Anna gets what she wants. Even if she grumbles about the price.
She doesn’t get to use my personal assistant for free. I would have made sure of that if Megan didn’t say anything.
Unable to stay seated for much longer, I get up and go to the door. Megan is sitting at her desk, frowning as she stares blankly at her computer. The wedding binder is open on an adjacent desk, looking thicker than when I saw it the day before. Anna and Eric are pulling out all the stops for their wedding, or they’re being petty and doing the most just to get on Megan’s nerves.
I never knew until recently what an insane person my older daughter is.
“Megan?” I approach her tentatively.
