LWLU – Conclusion Jumping

Sara stared at the closed door for a full ten minutes. What the hell was she supposed to do with that? Clearly, she needed more to work with than the word of some pissed off chick she’d only met for the first time yesterday. Jane didn’t even know Paul. Why could she possibly think he was going to shatter her heart?

Wait. If Jane knew something about Paul, it would have to be something that happened over the past few days. But that couldn’t be. She’d been with Paul the whole time.

Except for the times when she was alone with Michael…

A sick feeling crept into her stomach. She staggered backwards and leaned against the wall for support. The thought in her head was so beyond screwed up that it made perfect sense.

Michael kept saying that Nika and Paul didn’t matter when he was hitting on her, but that’s not something a guy would say about his fiancé…unless she was cheating on him. Maybe Jane walked in on something the two of them didn’t want anyone to see. And maybe Veronica caught Nika doing more in the shower with Paul than holding his towel hostage.

She let her eyelids droop. “Oh…God.”

But Nika had Michael. Why would she cheat on her boyfriend with Paul, all the while trying to push Paul and Sara closer together? It was too insane. Then again, it was Nika.

“Hey, girly pop. We need you downstairs pronto for details. Veronica finally shooed Michael’s moody ass outside with Lincoln and Paul so the coast is clear. We need some major massive scoopage on the proposal.”

Sara was slow to open her eyes, still lost to her inner turmoil. “Huh?”

Nika tilted her head to the side. “You and Paul were talking about marriage this morning. We need to know EVERYTHING.” She clapped her hands together. “And we both brought bridal magazines so we can start picking out your dress and planning the most awesomest wedding of the century.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Sara followed her friend down the stairs, mentally chiding herself for even letting herself think something could be going on between her boyfriend and her best friend. “Hey, Neek?”

Nika stopped in mid-bound at the foot of the stairs and turned around. “Yeah?”

“Um…” She bit her lip, not sure about what she was going to say. “You and Paul…When was that actually over?”

“Hmmm…Good question.” She tilted her head to the side and rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. “I mean, it was never really anything in the first place, so there wasn’t much to end. Really just some stress relief right after he graduated and occasionally when he’d come home from college to visit his family.” She met Sara’s eyes. “I guess the last time was probably sometime during our senior year.” She frowned in concentration. “Yeah. It was definitely senior year because I remember thinking after I slept with Linc that I hadn’t gotten laid since spring mid-terms and that was over Thanksgiving break during my freshman year at college.”

“I think you have the best memory of anyone I’ve ever met.”

Nika laughed. “Well that, and the fact that I’ve slept with way fewer guys than you and Veronica think I have.” She paused and regarded her friend carefully. “Why did you want to know?”

“Just wondering?”

“You’re starting to freak out a little, right?” She didn’t give Sara the chance to answer. “I wouldn’t. Do you know that every time Paul came home from college, he always made a point to ask me how you were doing and if you were really okay? I’m pretty sure it’s always been you he wanted…for what it’s worth.”

Well that was…interesting.

When Sara didn’t say anything, Nika smacked her on the shoulder. “Ha! We both really sucked at holding up the pact, huh? Now come into the kitchen, ya whore, so we can plan your wedding.”

Veronica looked up from the stack of bridal magazines she had on the island. The light in her eyes dimmed as soon as she saw them. “What’s wrong, Sara?”

She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Sara sank down into one of the barstools and shook her head. “Jane told me that I was stupid to marry Paul because he’d shatter my heart if I gave him the chance.”

“That bitch,” Nika sputtered, already on her way out of the kitchen.

“Nika, come back in here,” Veronica called after her. “Hold on, Sare.”

Sara watched as Veronica hopped off the barstool and chased after Nika. After the sound of brief struggle, she reappeared, dragging Nika by the collar of her sweater. “You. Sit. Now.”

Nika shot her a dirty look, but complied. “We can’t just let her go around trash talking our friend because she’s pissed that Linc dumped her. That’s way uncool.”

“Yeah, but going up there and reading the riot act to her isn’t going to do any good either.” She turned to Sara. “Why would she say that to you?”

Sara shook her head. “I don’t have any idea. I was just up there to make sure she was okay after this morning and she told me that right before asking me to get out.”

“Oh, that double bitch.”

They both looked at Nika, in unison asking, “Huh?”

“That’s why you were just asking me about how long it’s been over between me and Paul, isn’t it?”

“So…I’m the double bitch for asking?”

She shook her head. “No, she’s the double bitch. I bet she’s trying to use my fling with him to get at you. And in the process, she wants to drive a wedge between the two of us. She’s just…evil.”

Veronica frowned at her. “But, why would she want to do that? It’s a little far-fetched, Nika.”

“Because…” She faltered. “I don’t know. I don’t speak evil bitch, so I can’t translate.” Her head whipped over in Sara’s direction. “But seriously, you have to know that I wouldn’t do that you. Never. I mean, I really see him as more of a big brother, which I guess is sorta messed up considering, but even if I didn’t…no.”

“Sara,” Veronica said. “She’s right. She really wouldn’t do that to you. And you know I would tell you if I even thought she was lying right now.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah.”

“Anyway,” Veronica continued, “you have to know that Paul wouldn’t ever do that to you either. If you were able to check his cell phone statement, you’d probably find hundreds of calls from Paul to me and Lincoln and Nika in the last month about what he should get you for your birthday, what kind of ring you might like, if it was too soon to ask, etc. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was calling your dad about it as well.”

Considering the fact that those two had a standing golf game and lunch planned every month, it wouldn’t surprise her. “Yeah…okay. I just wish I knew why Jane would say that to me?”

“Say what to you?”

Sara jumped at the sound of Lincoln’s voice behind her. She hadn’t noticed him come inside from the garage where he was helping Paul. “She told me that…”

“Sit down, Burrows.” Nika snapped and pointed at the empty barstool. “We need to know everything about your relationship with that evil bitch.”

Panic flashed through his eyes. “I don’t care what she said. I didn’t have sex with her.”

Veronica waved her hands in front of his face to get his attention. “Uh, hello…I thought you told me everything. Why would she say something to make us think otherwise, Lincoln?”

He shook his head. “This whole thing smells like a set-up. I’m outta here.”

“Oh, no you don’t.” Veronica jumped off the barstool and chased him out the backdoor.

“See, Sara? Evil. Now it looks like Linc and Veronica are about to get in a fight because of her.” She shrugged. “This is mean, but I can’t wait to see what she does to ruin Mike’s weekend. I mean, I love him and all, but he’s been a total dick this entire weekend so far.”

Somehow, Sara doubted that anyone would be able to hurt Michael more than she already had, even someone with Jane’s apparent evil mojo.

Nika grinned and shoved a magazine in front of her. “What do you think of this dress? I’m totally in love with the beadwork on it. And this train…It goes on for like a week.”

“It’s nice.”

“But…”

“I don’t know that I want a big wedding, Neek. I’d always envisioned planning my wedding with my mom and…It’s just not the same.”

“I get that.” She put her arm around Sara’s shoulders and gave her a quick hug. “You can do a small, understated wedding and it will still be beautiful, but you know you can’t get away with less than three bridesmaids.”

“Three?” Sara was confused. “I was just thinking two.”

Nika shook her head. “Nope. You gotta ask Kristine to be a bridesmaid. New sister-in-law etiquette.”

“Oh, that makes sense. I guess let’s look at plainer dresses.”

Her friend shot her a look of pure horror. “We can go understated, but plain and wedding are words that do not belong in the same sentence.” She shook her head and went back to flipping through the glossy pages, finally throwing it down on the counter in disgust. “I’ll be right back. I’ve got an issue from a few months ago in my bag and I think I remember a dress in there you’ll like.”

Sara absently flipped through a few of the magazines while she waited. So Nika had been looking at wedding dresses for the last few months, even though Paul only started talking to everyone about proposing within the last month. Interesting.

Had she started looking at dresses when she found out she was pregnant?

Strong hands closed over her shoulders, gently massaging away the tension from shoulders to neck. “A little light reading, Mrs. Kellerman?”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sorry this is so late today, y’all. Being sick half the week through me seriously behind schedule.

Jen

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