“You know, most grooms are extremely happy on their wedding day.”
“That’s because they’re marrying someone they actually want to marry.”
She unzipped my tuxedo bag and pulled out the suit. She laid each of the articles across the couch and went over them with a lint roller.
“You don’t have to do that, Mom. Joan and a stylist usually help me get ready.”
“And I just told Joan that I would be helping you today. Is that alright? Can a mother help her only son get ready for his wedding?”
“Of course,” I began to undress.
She didn’t say anything as she helped me into my outfit. She just hummed and smiled, giving me a sympathetic look whenever our eyes met.
I’d told her about Melody weeks ago, told her that I thought she was “the one” and that I was going to bring her to Miami for dinner. But then she left me and I had to make the trip alone.
“You look exceptional, Mattie,” she looked me over in the mirror. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Mom.”
“I’m sure Melody will forgive you one day. When she does, bring her down for lunch okay?”
I flinched. “I’m not so sure about that.”
“I am. I hate to ask, but did you and Selena sign a pre-nup?”
“Yes mom,” I groaned. “There’s a pre-nup.”
“That’s my boy! Now, is there any way you could set me up on a date with Tom Cruise? I was reading Us Weekly this morning and they mentioned you two were in talks to be in Minority Report 2.”
“Go find your seat, Mom.”
She gave me another hug and whispered. “You’re the only one that has to live with your decision. Not me, not anyone else. Remember that.”
As she walked out, a young OWN producer walked in. She nervously tapped her pen to her clipboard and waited for security to shut the door.
“Mr. Sterling, Miss Ross would like to take a few pictures before the wedding if that’s alright with you.”
“That’s fine.”
“And after the reception, we’ve set up rose petals as opposed to rice for the guests to throw. It was a last minute change, I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.”
“Okay well,” she opened the door. “I’ll come get you in about twenty minutes for the pictures. Your stylist will be on hand.”
I turned away and heard the door close. I thought about all my family members that were waiting in the audience, waiting for me to be married off. I thought about all the celebrities that had RSVP’d—Anne Hathaway, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Ryan Reynolds, and fifty other ones I’d once worked with. I wondered if they really believed that Selena and I were in love.
“Miss Carter isn’t here,” Joan cut through my thoughts and slammed the door. “You’re still going through with this?”
“It’s a little too late to back out don’t you think?”
“It’s never too late to back away from the biggest mistake of your life,” she reached up and adjusted my tie.
“I already lost Melody. No use in losing Selena too.”
“You really disgust me sometimes.”
“Okay that’s it Joan! You’re fired!”
She snorted. “Please.”
“I’m sorry,” I hugged her. “I’m sorry. She really didn’t show up? She’s really not out there?”
“You expected her to be?”
“I called her last week and she finally answered…She hung up after a while so I sent her a letter package at work. I told her to meet me at the coffee shop on Amsterdam Avenue if she still had any feelings for me. I told her I would call off the wedding if she showed up at six. I waited for an entire hour and she never came.”
“You told her that she needed to come to you? I’m not surprised she didn’t show up.”
“She clearly doesn’t care about me anymore. I’m not putting myself out there again. She’s so—”
“The word ‘again’ implies that you did it at least once already,” she adjusted my cufflinks. “You haven’t.”
“You weren’t there! You don’t know!”
“I do know.”
“Ten minutes ‘til we start the pictures Mr. Sterling,” the producer poked her head through the door.
I looked over myself in the mirror. “Be right there.”
“It’s never too late,” Joan kissed my cheek and dropped her car keys on the floor.
“Joan you dropped your—”
“No I didn’t,” she walked out.
Chapter 27
Melody
“Dear Melody, “I know I hurt you. Words can’t express how sorry I am or how much I’ve missed you. I’ll do everything I can to make it right, including canceling my wedding to Selena next week. If you have any feelings for me at all, please meet me at the coffee shop on Amsterdam Avenue at six o’ clock. I hope you’ll show up so we can be together again. –Your favorite actor, Matt Sterling.”
My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I was ecstatic, overjoyed. Some of the hurt and anger I’d felt started to melt away.
I told Sophie I was leaving work after lunch and practically ran out of the building. I went home and changed clothes.