Deadly Nightshade by Sem Thornwood
Chapter 18
Isabella
“Okay, I have to dress white, but I seriously don’t understand why my bridesmaids cannot wear funeral black.” I was talking utter nonsense, and I was aware of it. Honestly, I believed I was allowed to talk nonsense. This fucking wedding dress was too tight, and my anxiety was killing me. Nothing better than talking bullshit to calm my nerves.
“Bridesmaid,” Aunt Pippa corrected me. “You only have one bridesmaid.”
I shrugged, looking at myself in the mirror. The sight made me sick, but I was also unable to look away. Maybe I was having fun torturing myself or just trying to prep myself for a whole night of wearing this until it’ll become my salvation in the bedroom.
“If you’ve let me dress them in black, I’d have chosen more bridesmaids.” Well, I won't, but still.
Mia was my only bridesmaid. I thought maybe I can have Verona too, but Aunt Pippa said that she was too young. Mia said we can ask to some girls at school that we didn’t completely hate, but there was no point. There was no bachelorette party or a fun getting ready part. The fewer people saw me getting anxious about my wedding, the better.
Also, I wouldn’t be able to take their pitying looks.
Mia tried to adjust the neckline of her bubblegum pink dress. “I’d have preferred black. I mean, Mom, how did you think this was a good look.”
“Well, I asked you to choose it, but you told me you won't make any effort for the preparation of this wedding.”
I smiled slightly; at least my best friend’s attitude was the same as mine. This was really not like my wedding, but more like Aunt Pippa’s party.
“Maybe I should have chosen the dress. A pretty black Chanel would be lovely.” Mia fluttered her eyelashes at her mother, but she was not having it.
She came behind me to look at me in the mirror to make sure everything was in place. “You girls are talking crazy. Do you even know what kind of message that’ll send?”
“Oh yeah, because everyone thinks this is a marriage of love?” If you don’t want my nonsense Aunt Pippa, you’ll get my bitterness. I don’t make the rules. It’s just that.
With that, she gently touched my shoulders and leaned into my ear. Her eyes held a pity I couldn’t stand. Seeing everyone pity me but don’t do anything to actually rescue me was horrible. Aunt Pippa leaned into my ear and whispered with a voice that, unlike her eyes, had a bit of hope. “He is an old man, Isabella. He doesn’t have long. Just hold on until then.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.”
Then Aunt Pippa kissed my cheek and told me it was time to go. Time to tie myself to a horrible, hateful man.
