Page 109 of Done with You

“What is it?” Rayma asked, not missing a beat and hinging up quickly from Oona’s lap, once again nearly causing Oona’s tea to spill.

“If you believe the Weather Network—”

“Which I don’t,” Rayma cut in. “Only job in the world where you can be wrong fifty-percent of the time and not get fired.”

Aiden snorted.

“Anyway,” Jordan went on, “If you believe the Weather Network, it’s not supposed to stop snowing for two days. They’re expecting an unprecedented amount. Up to two feet. Closer to three in Sooke, Langford and The Highlands.”

Rayma’s mouth created the most upside-down smile Oona had ever seen. It had to be a lot of work to hold her frown that tight. “Two feet?” She flopped back to Oona’s lap, only this time, Oona was prepared and held her mug with two hands and well away from Rayma’s dramatic, errant limbs.

Jordan swallowed. “But the Weather Network has been wrong before.”

Rayma moaned and tossed her arms in the air, almost hitting Oona in the face. “What am I going to do?” She draped the back of her hand over her forehead. “Do we cancel the wedding? Postpone it? Live in sin for the rest of our lives? What if this is a sign? A sign we’re not meant to be married.”

“Now you’re being ridiculous,” Oona said. “Did you have a backup plan?”

“No!” Rayma exclaimed, her eyes wide. “Victoria doesn’t usually get snow like this. I thought we’d be fine. The rest of the island gets hit like this sometimes, but we’re in our own little tropical microclimate down here. I just assumed we were safe from Snowmaggedon.”

Rayma’s phone buzzed on the kitchen island. She whimpered and made gimme hands until Jordan rolled his eyes, got up from his La-Z-Boy, and retrieved her phone. Still with her head in Oona’s lap, she answered her phone. “Hello?” She reached for Oona’s hand and encouraged Oona to start petting her head.

Oona complied, but not without directing an amused eye roll at Aiden and Jordan. She ran her fingers through her sister’s soft, thick hair, splaying it out across the blanket on her lap.

Oona could hear the other person on the phone.

“So what does that mean?” Rayma asked. “Like, no venue, either? Because at this point, I’ll order pizza if it’s just the food that’s an issue. I’ll boil hotdogs and serve Doritos.”

“I’m afraid the leak is significant and the damage is too extensive. We’re waiting on an insurance adjustor, but with the weather, we’re not sure they will be able to make it until after Christmas. We’ve been advised to cancel all events.”

“So … like, what? I’m supposed to just postpone my wedding until Mother Nature decides to stop being a bitch?” Rayma asked, her words coming out choked. She swallowed and her chin wobbled.

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Young. My hands are tied. We were already very short-staffed because of it being Christmas Eve and now with the lack of food able to be delivered, and the extensive leak in the ball room, we must cancel.”

“And my deposit?” Rayma asked. “What of that? Because I get if I was the one canceling because the groom took off with the best man, that I wouldn’t get back my deposits.”

Jordan and Aiden glanced at each other and made cringey faces at Rayma’s incestuous insinuation.

She didn’t even notice. “But you’re canceling on me. I’m fine with the leak. We can bring towels and just shove them where the leak is until the reception is over. And if it’s getting there that has you concerned, I have a truck. Everyone I know has a truck. My sister’s husband has a plow he fixes to the front of his truck and could plow the entire road and parking lot. Getting to your resort is not a problem.”

She was slipping into her Rayma panic spiral.

Oona kept playing with her sister’s hair with one hand, which she knew would help keep her calm, then reached for the phone with the other hand, prying it out of Rayma’s grip. “Hello, this is Oona Young, Rayma’s sister. I’m up-to-date on things, and that is very unfortunate. But I believe my sister asked about a refund on her deposits.”

“W-well,” the woman on the other end sputtered, “we’ve never had to cancel because of weather before. And we have a no-refund policy.” Oona cleared her throat and raised her brows at Jordan who was in the kitchen, on his phone pulling up the contract no doubt, given the way he nodded at her, and held up a finger for her to give him a minute.

His eyes darted across his phone screen quickly and his finger scrolled, then he smiled and nodded, bringing his phone over to Oona and pointing to the highlighted section.

Oona’s head bobbed. “Yes, but the contract clearly states that if the booking party cancels less than three-months before the date, there will be no refund issued. It says nothing in this contract about the hosting party and their cancelation. So we will expect the food and venue deposit to be returned to Rayma Young and Jordan Lassiter in full.”

“It’s the day before Christmas Eve,” the woman sputtered again. “This isn’t even my department.”

“And I’m really sorry you’re the one dealing with this, truly. And of course, we’re not expecting the refund to take place in the next thirty-seconds, or even in the next three days, but it will happen. We expect a full refund of the deposits by the first week of January, which I believe is more than reasonable.”

“I-I’m not authorized to authorize refunds, I—”

“I understand that. Which is why I believe in two weeks, the person who is authorized will be able to take over. Again, we’re disappointed and upset at the turn of events, but we also understand and certainly do not plan on crucifying the messenger.”

“Speak for yourself,” Rayma murmured.

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