MY EX-FIANCE'S WEDDING INVITE

Home sweet home!

We got back on Saturday afternoon, and the town was in a flurry or excitement.

"It looks like they're rolling out the red carpet for us!" Mona hugged Fred's arm close to her body. I looked out of the bus window so I didn't have to face them. Why did I have to get the seat facing these two? I wished I could've sat with Clara and Marco instead.

I looked behind me and quickly looked back out the window. Clara was really soft spoken, and on any given day, she carried herself well. It's like she was brought up as a proper princess all her life. But every now and then, her wolf would take over and well... Marco wouldn't stand a chance, not that he was complaining.

The moment we got home, Marco and Mona brought their baes straight to the cafe to show off to Uncle Max. Uncle Max was properly impressed, as was the rest of the lunch time crowd, who cheered and clapped heartily.

"What about you, Serene?" Uncle Max asked jovially, "Did you bring your boyfriend for Uncle Max to see too?"

"Ah no..." I started. I brought back my work laptop, did that count?

"He's working. He'll join us later." Mona explained for me.

What? I looked at her.

"He will, don't worry." Mona continued. That girl was such a liar.

"I better go say hi to my mum." Fred decided, "Serene, you going home too?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

"Me too!" Mona grabbed Fred by the arm, "Let's go say tell your mum the happy news together!"

"Uh... yeah, okay." Fred answered, he cast me a fugitive look.

I laughed, "Sorry, Fred. You're on your own on this one. She's your girlfriend."

Aunt Rosa had never been a fan of Mona, often calling Mona a spoiled girl. There was a time that I wondered if Uncle Max and Aunt Rosa would have gotten together if not for the fact that Aunt Rosa had scolded Mona a lazy and rotten child and Uncle Max had taken offense to that. The two adults didn't speak for months.

Finally home, I gave my Dad a hug at the cashier counter. Mum rushed downstairs and threw her arms around me.

"It's good to be home." I announced with a big smile.

"Then move home for good." Mum said, "Why buy a fancy apartment so far away. You could have gotten a two-storey house with a garden for that same amount here."

It's no secret. I got my good looks from my dad, and my brain for fiances from Mum. Luckily for me, that worked out pretty nicely.

Mona popped by a moment later. She looked sulky, "Aunt Rosa said she wanted to talk to Fred alone. I told her that we were as good as married and she could say anything to both of us at the same time, but no, she needs to be all secretive and sly. Fred's such a Mama's boy about it too... oh, what's this?"

Mona pointed to a fancy cream colored card by the window stile. Mona had such sharp eyes at times. Dad picked it up and handed it to me. "Right, it came in the mail for you last week. Probably the invite to Shilem's wedding."

"Shilem's getting married?" Mona gasped.

"Yes, tomorrow." Dad said, "You didn't know? The whole town is in a flurry of activity because of it. I thought that was why you came back."

Well, that explained the flags along the streets when we came in. Looks like the mayor was not sparing any expenses for his only son's wedding.

"OMG, Serene, you have to go!" Mona said, "Show that Shelly up. Bring that guy... what was his name, the really hot beta - Harvey. Quick text Harvey."

"Urm... Mona," I handed her the opened card, "Shilem isn't marrying Shelly."

"Oh my gosh! You're right. Who's Elaine? Am I invited? Oh my gosh... I need to get online. I should've checked everyone's status before coming. I'm going home to check. Remember to text Harvey." Mona was so excited that she had regressed to saying "Oh my gosh." I hadn't heard her use the expression for years.

"I haven't seen Harvey for months." I told her calmly. I wasn't going for the wedding either. Anyway, it was probably too late to RSVP.

"Then text whoever you're seeing now." Mona ordered, completely ignoring the fact that both my parents were in earshot. She was out of the door, clanging the bell unceremoniously at her departure.

"Urm... I'm not seeing anyone." I informed my parents quietly, "I've just been working."

Then I shrugged the whole thing off with a laugh, "Maybe that's what it means to be married to your work, huh?"

Mum sighed, "Maybe you should go for that party, it could be a chance to meet someone nice."

Yeah, right. Like I would attend my ex-fiance's wedding without a date! Like I would go as a fifth wheel with my couple-friends. Its not happening.

I put my things into my room and turned on my laptop to check on the trades and answer emails. I've been checking on my phone on the way here and I knew there was some emails waiting for my response from the main office.

Oh, Sanza had responded with a counter offer too. It looked good to me, but s***, I forgot to get the ranges from my cat. I knew I forgot something. At times like these, I wished he was nearby, like in the office with me, or on my bed folding my laundry, or... why was I missing him so bad?

Anyway, I dropped him a quick text to get his acceptable ranges so I could proceed with the negotiations with Sanza.

Then I responded to the other emails and checked on his stocks for him. It's all doing well, as usual. I'm the only one who was down in the dumps.

I felt the tears fall. Oh s***. What the hell.

Maybe it was the lack of sleep. Maybe it was the feeling of watching everyone around me find their happily ever after. I was happy for my friends, but s*** my heart hurt.

I guess it wasn't dead after all. Sometime after meeting my cat, it had revived. They did say pets were therapeutic.

I went to the bathroom to wait out the tears, just in case my mum or someone came into my room. My phone buzzed, it was Mona: "Shelly will be attending the wedding with Kurt. OMG she is so desperate. I've RSVPed for all of us. Including Harvey or whoever you're bringing."

I groaned into my hands. Stupid girl. Don't do things like that. And then I sank to the bathroom floor.

My phone chimed again. It was my cat: "What's wrong?"

"Need the ranges for Sanza" I texted back.

"I'm busy now." He texted, and then he added, "Tmw."

Tomorrow. Okay. I dried my eyes and went back to my laptop and got busy. Busy was always good. I replied Sanza that I would get back to them tomorrow on their counter offer. Making them wait a day wouldn't hurt. But I better make a note to remind my cat to send me the ranges first thing tomorrow morning. If he were really busy, he would need time to do the calculations too.

Then I stopped work long enough to text Mona, "Sorry babe, can't go with you guys. work popped up. have fun!"

And then I turned my phone off and went to work on the computer. I didn't stop till mum called me out for afternoon tea, "Oh, sorry, you look busy. But I don't think you've even eaten your lunch yet."

"Just some work." I said with my usual smile, "It's okay. I'll eat something now."

If I keep smiling, if I keep laughing, if I keep saying it's okay. I'm sure one day my heart would agree.