Page 4 of The Layover
I let it happen, ride out this wave of angst and jealousy and (fully justified) righteous indignation, because I’m going to have to bury it way,waydown for the next couple of days.
I’ll have to spend the entire time smiling and prettily crying happy tears (I’ve been practising, for the photographs) and gushing over how lovely everything is and how well it’s all come together and what a gorgeous, stunning, lovely,perfectcouple the two of them make, being the model maid of honour.
I hope to God some cow has the gall to wear a white dress so I can throw a glass of red wine on her. And picture Kayleigh’s smug face as I do it.
I could blame it all on the promotion she stole from me, but this runs alotdeeper than that.
As I join the shuffle from the gate to the plane, I’m equal parts dread and impatience. Once I’m on that plane, it’s real, it’s all happening. On the other hand, the sooner this is over, the better.
I’ve been sucking it up formonths, planning the hen do, going dress shopping and then for fittings, trawling through websites looking for venues and chasing up emails asking for quotes, discussing bouquets and catering … I spenthoursfinding the perfect insoles for Kayleigh’s shoes. Nobody can say I’ve been anything less than an outstanding maid of honour.
As if she’d let me live it down if I’d been anything but.
So I gave it my all, and we both pretended I was happy to do it, and every so often Kayleigh gushed howgratefulshe was.
I grit my teeth thinking about last weekend, when I took her and Marcus to the airport so they could ‘settle in’ ahead of the wedding. Kayleigh gave me the biggest hug, squeezing tight.
‘You’re the actual best, Gem, love yousomuch! It’s going to be the most amazing time!’
‘Yeah.’ I wondered if she could hear the tightness in my voice, the edge to my words. ‘So amazing.’
Kayleigh laughed. She tossed her hair as she drew away, and the ends smacked me in the face, and neither of us mentioned it. ‘Youhaveto say that. It was all your idea! I’m just so glad you didn’t mind me borrowing it.’
She beamed at me, and I smiled back, and wanted to punch her in the face. Because she was right: she stolemydream wedding, and I helped her do it.
She’d never evenconsidereda destination wedding before Marcus proposed. She wanted something in the countryside,in summer. But as soon asImentioned the sunny springtime wedding abroad I’d always pictured for myself – well, that was that.
She’s always had to one-up me.
She got the flat. She got the man. She’s getting the wedding. And now, she’s got the promotion, too.
It’s notfair.
But I’m the only person who seems to see that.
And what was Isupposedto do? We’ve been best friends since secondary school, when I moved and was the awkward new girl who didn’t know anybody. Thick as thieves, practically our entire lives. My whole friendship group, I adopted from Kayleigh at school – even if I supplanted them quickly as her bestie. We were housemates for ages, too. We’ve always shared clothes and gossip and a Netflix account, so why not weddings, too?
I shove my bag into the overhead cabin with more force than strictly necessary, the wheels punching the plastic edge with a loud noise that makes a stewardess look over with a raised eyebrow.
She comes over, all smiles, and gestures at the garment bag I’ve dumped on the seats while I put my luggage away. ‘Would you like me to take that for you?’
‘Yes, please.’
Get it out of my sight. Lose it, if you have any compassion at all. Burn it.
‘Special occasion?’
‘Wedding,’ I say through gritted teeth, then remember I’m meant to behappyabout it. ‘My best friend’s getting married. That’s my bridesmaid dress.’
‘Oh, how lovely! Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of it.’
‘Thanks so much.’
Don’t trouble yourself, really.
If that frilly turquoise monstrosity just happened to fall on the tarmac and get run over and rained on, it could only be improved.
Also to file under things Kayleighabsolutelyknew she was doing: putting me in that grotesque ‘boho classic-romantic’ dress in a colour that does nothing but wash me out, with all its tiered frills, while the other bridesmaids get to wear something sleek and flattering with a cute little ruffle just around the neckline. I’d have looked better wearing Katherine Heigl’s Bo Peep look from27 Dresses, honestly.
