Best Friend

Me: hey girl, how's it going?

Shauna: Hey girl yourself. Are you home from your trip? I thought you were coming home yesterday but you never called me. How was it? Everything okay?

Me: Sorry yesterday was a bit hectic. I'm going to call you if that's okay.

Shauna: I'm free to chat.

I called Shauna and braced myself for the conversation we were about to have.

"Sera, hey."

"Hey Shauna, before I monopolize the conversation with my trip, anything happen while I was gone?"

"Not really, the celebrity wedding got called off, but it was hush hush. It was just canceled with no public explanations and Young Lord Maxwell apparently left the country for a few weeks so there are rumors about what's going on. But you're never interested in that stuff so I'm sorry I even mentioned it."

"I asked!"

"So how was the trip? Meet any gorgeous guys?"

"The trip was amazing and there were a lot of people, but most of them were married or old." I laughed. "But if you want juicy gossip I know where Ethan Maxwell spent his last two weeks."

"No way, he was on the same cruise as you?!?"

"Yes, crazy right?"

"Definitely."

"How about something even crazier?"

"You met him, didn't you!"

"Yeah, but the crazier thing is I wanted to ask if you'd come dress shopping with me tonight." I decided I didn't want to explain all of it to her over the phone, I chickened out. Plus seeing her face as I explained everything would be too good to pass up.

"Not sure how that's crazier but I'm game."

"I'll be there to get you in a few, okay?"

"Yeah sure!"

"See you then."

I made the notes I needed to and then went out to meet Seth.

"Seth, we need to stop to pick up my best friend so she can help me pick the dress." I told him and handed him a paper. "Here's her address."

He took the paper, looked at it and nodded. Then we left and headed to her apartment. I left Seth in the car to go get her. No need making her question who Seth is, she might get the wrong idea and think I'm with him!

Shauna opened the door right after I knocked. She pulled me into a hug. Then pulled back holding my hands and looked at me.

"Girl you look amazing."

"Thanks, I feel good. It was a great trip."

She looked down at our hands and noticed my ring. She looked back up at me with a questioning look.

"I'll explain in the car."

"You driving or should I?"

"I think you should come with me." Yeah I avoided saying I was driving. We walked out and she looked for my car but I just grabbed her and walked toward the SUV.

"You get a new car too?"

"Not exactly, this belongs to my dad."

"Wait your non existent dad? When did you meet him?"

"Just before the trip, and the driver is hired by him so be nice." I whispered to her, using that as a warning for her to not say anything bad about him.

We climbed into the back and I said, "Seth, this is my friend Shauna. Shauna, this is Seth."

"Nice to meet you!" Shauna said.

"Likewise." Seth smiled and started driving.

"So did I end up in the twilight zone? Or have you been keeping me in the dark?!?" Shauna asked.

"Everything had happened in the last two and a half weeks, and I've been gone most of that so I'm sorry."

"Alright, I need to know about everything, including why you have a driver and most especially that ring on your finger!" She gave me that look that said I'd better start talking now.

"I will, but let me explain and then you can ask all the questions, it's a bit complicated and you interrupting will make me forget something, so promise you will just listen."

"I promise, but then you'd better answer all my questions!"

I explained the last two and a half weeks of my life to her. I must admit she did not say anything, but she wanted to. I think she was literally biting her tongue, it was hilarious to watch.

"And now we're on our way to my father's house to pick out my wedding dress."

"So you weren't kidding when you said you wanted to go dress shopping, you just failed to clarify what kind of dress."

"Well I had to see your face when I told you. Plus if I'd have said it over the phone you never would have believed me."

"You're right, I'm having a hard enough time believing you when you're sitting next to me and I can tell you're not lying. But are you sure you want to marry someone this fast?"

"I know it's fast but yes he's amazing." I told her and then looked toward Seth with a look telling her I'd tell her more later.

"When do I get to meet him?" Shauna asked.

"I'm not sure if he's coming tonight, but soon. Oh and I forgot to ask if you'll be my maid of honor. Will you please?"

"Like I'm giving that responsibility to anyone else. Of course!"

"I'm also sorry you missed our engagement dinner, it was prepared while I was flying back so I didn't have much notice myself."

"We'll do something with just us girls, we can invite Becca and Emily to go with us as well."

"I need to tell them too!" I flopped my head onto the seat behind me. I was forgetting about my friends - that's not good. Was I trying to compartmentalize my life and just forgot to tell them about this. No, I shouldn't be so hard on myself... I just had a lot happen in the past two weeks and wasn't around so I didn't really have an opportunity to tell them. Should I ask them to be bridesmaids? I should message Ethan because we didn't discuss the wedding party and I need to know how many bridesmaids I needed. My mind was starting to go a mile a minute. Luckily I was pulled out of my spiraling thoughts as we turned to go through the gate.

"So this is my father's house. You'll probably want to watch as we pull up to it. It's pretty amazing." I told Shauna. Her reaction did not disappoint.