Chapter 2

Val slammed the gas pedal down, and the car shot forward fast enough to frighten me.

I gripped the seatbelt and pressed my back hard against the seat.

"Val, slow down."

I couldn't help saying it.

But he acted like he hadn't heard, not easing off at all.

I don't know how long we drove before the car finally stopped.

I glanced out the window and saw we were still a good distance from the hospital.

"There's no parking near the hospital."

Val unbuckled his belt and pushed the door open.

"Sit here, don't move. I'll go borrow a wheelchair inside, then come back for you and take you to the hospital."

The car went quiet.

The minutes crawled by, the sun grew fiercer, and the inside of the car turned into an oven.

The cuts on the soles of my feet burned like someone had rubbed salt into them, and I hissed at the pain.

Ten minutes until the wedding was set to start, and Val still hadn't come back.

I took out my phone and called him.

"Why aren't you back ye—"

"Right, that's the gown. Get it to the hotel for me, rush it."

My hand froze in midair.

Then Val's delighted voice came through the phone again.

"Cathy, the gown you tried on before, I've already had someone rush it over, so don't wor—"

I hung up.

Five minutes later, Val got back in the car carrying an elegant dessert box.

"Sorry, Sara. Cathy came without eating breakfast this morning, and I was afraid her blood sugar would drop again, so I went and got her a little cake."

He set a box of macarons on my lap.

"These macarons are for you. Go on, eat."

I opened the box and looked at the strawberries on top, red enough to sting my eyes, and my stomach churned.

Catherine loves strawberries. And I'm allergic to them.

"I don't eat strawberries."

Val started, then sheepishly took the box of macarons back.

"Sorry, that was careless of me."

"Next time, I'll definitely get you your favorite, the blueberry ones."

Next time.

It was always next time.

Before, on my birthday, I'd stepped into the kitchen just long enough to bring out some fruit, and by the time I came back the cake was smeared halfway across the table.

Catherine had a fistful of it and was chasing Val around the room.

Both of them with cream all over their hands, sprawled on the floor, laughing themselves into a heap.

And the pack of candles on the table hadn't even been unwrapped.

I was so upset I burst into tears right there.

Val pulled me into his arms and soothed me, promising he'd make it up with a better, bigger, prettier cake.

But by the day the cake arrived, my birthday was already over.

It wasn't until the car was about to turn that I spoke.

"Val."

"What is it?"

"Aren't we going to the hospital?"

The car braked hard and stopped in the middle of the lane.

"…I forgot."

Val glanced down at my feet, then quickly looked away.

"But the wedding's about to start. How about this, I'll buy you a bandage first, and after the wedding I'll take you to the hospital, all right?"

"No need."

I leaned against the window and let the words out like a slow breath.

"Don't let it hold up your wedding."

Behind us, impatient horns blared like mad.

Val's hand stayed on the wheel, unmoving.

"Sara, I've always thought of Cathy as a little sister. Don't read into it."

"She can be scatterbrained sometimes, yes, but when something comes up she really is willing to help. Look at today—"

"Val."

I cut him off.

"Are you postponing the wedding to take me to the hospital, or to go fetch Catherine's gown?"

Val started, and stayed silent for a long time.

Until his phone rang.

"Val, why aren't you here yet? The wedding's about to start."

"…I'll be there right away."

Val stepped on the gas, and the car shot forward.

"Sara, I'll give you another wedding."

"I promise, the bride will only ever be you. There'll never be anyone else."

The scenery outside tore past in reverse, and my chest ached, tight and heavy.

Val, I don't want your promise anymore.

There will never be an us again.