AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for you.” I clasp my hands, remembering when Chad and Madison got together. I always thought they’d be a match made in heaven. I’m so glad I was right.
“Thank you so much,” Madison says, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes.
“Iknewhe was going to propose to you.”
She drops her shoulders. "Well, I thought he might, but, I didn't want to assume."
"Oh, please, of course, you can assume when it comes to him. The man is utterly in love with you.Andyou've always wanted to be proposed to in Paris. It was a given that this trip was going to betheproposal." I laugh and place my clasped hands on my cheek, awed by this news. "Was it exactly what you wanted it to be?"
Madison sighs and gives me a dreamy expression. "It was better, Aurora. It was just beautiful. He got a string quartet, got down on one knee and just asked me to be his wife with tears in his eyes."
My heart warms, and I feel the way every good friend does when she sees her best friend end up with her dream guy.
"That sounds more than beautiful. I’m so, so happy for you.” I take both her hands into mine and give them a reassuring squeeze.
“I just can’t believe it’s really happening. We’re seriously about to enter the next stage of our lives.”
“Yes, you are. So, when’s the wedding?"
“In the fall. We haven’t decided on a date yet, but we both love that time of year, and he’ll be on leave for a month.”
“Are you still worried about him being on duty?” That’s always been her worry. I would worry, too. Once, Chad was in Afghanistan for nearly a year. I thought she was going to go crazy with worry.
“Yes, but I’ve accepted that I can’t worry about that all the time. However, because he’s a lieutenant now, he's thinking of transferring to the training center here in New York next year.” Her cheeks flush pink. “We think we might be ready for babies by then."
Babies,my goodness.
The thought of children sends a rush of longing through my heart.
I was the friend who wanted marriage and babies once upon a time. I still want that, but my heart has been broken in ways that restrict me from seeing that vision anymore.
I certainly can’t see it happening with Knight.
By the time Madison gets married, I’ll be divorced. The word feels like poison in my head.
"I'm thrilled for you, Madison. The two of you deserve this." I shove away my own worries so I can be happy for her.
"I knew you'd be ecstatic for me. Apart from my parents, you’re the second person to know.”
“I feel truly honored.” I give her a curt bow.
“Speaking of honored, of course, I’d love for you to be my maid of honor. Ormatronof honor.” She quirks her arched brows and gives me big hopeful eyes.
“I’d love to.” I smile back at her, feeling even more honored, but sad at the same time when I think of what my situation will be by then. “I’ll be back to being a maid by the time you say, ‘I do.’”
She nibbles on the inside of her lip. “You’re still seeing how things go with Knight, right?”
I shrug and keep my palms up. “I don’t know.”
“Okay, let’s put me on pause for a moment and talk about Saint-Tropez.”
“It might not be best to talk about that.” I can’t help the dullness in my tone.
Her smile fades. “What happened? In the little time we spoke while you were away, it sounded like you were having a blast. "
“I was.”
We didn’t get a chance to speak that much on the phone. I usually don’t call her at all when she’s with Chad because I respect the time she has with him. Also, this was the first time I had a man in my life who made me think of nothing else but him.
