CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AVERY AND GEMMA
July 5th, 2020
The wedding was officially four weeks away. Gemma had not been working at Target as much due to severe burnout, which was nice -- until she had to lock herself in her room to avoid Avery and wedding planning.
Ever since Gemma realized her feelings for Rowan were still there, she was trying to avoid wedding related things at all costs. She knew it wasn't right, but it hurt her to see Avery so happy about getting married, and about the baby they will be welcoming in seven months. Thankfully Gemma would be long gone by then and back in New York, but Avery's excitement still pained her.
All she had to do was get through the wedding, and she would be on the next plane back to New York.
Today, however, was not a day Gemma could avoid. She gulped as she stood outside David's Bridal, not prepared to see herself in a bridesmaid dress, nor Avery in a wedding dress.
"Come on," Marcie attempted to drag Gemma into the building, though she stood still on the walkway.
"I can't," Gemma shook her head. "I don't think I can do this."
Marcie stopped in her tracks, giving up on trying to lure her best friend into the building. She turned to face Gemma, who just stared at the large letters spelling out David's Bridal.
"All we have to do is go in, try on the bridesmaid dress Avery picked out for you, and then leave. Hopefully by then, she'll still be looking for dresses so you won't even have to see her in it."
Gemma inhaled and exhaled slowly. "Okay." she agreed.
Marcie walked into the store, with Gemma following close behind. It didn't take long to spot Avery, who was sitting just outside the dressing rooms with Miranda and Peyton.
"Gemma! Marcie!" she squealed.
"Hi," Marcie said flatly. Gemma didn't say hello but instead, gulped as she saw a row of pink bridesmaids dresses on a rack next to Avery.
Just as Avery was going to speak again, a David's Bridal employee approached the group.
"Which one of you is the bride?" she asked. Avery immediately raised her hand with a grin on her face. "You can come with me to start looking at some dresses, and you can bring one person from the wedding party with you."
Avery did not hesitate before choosing Miranda to come with her.
"Perfect!" the employee smiled. "Now, the rest of you can begin looking through this rack of dresses Avery picked out for you. You should find your size with a note on the hanger with your name on it."
Peyton found her pink bridesmaids dress immediately while Avery and Miranda walked towards the many rows of wedding dresses. Gemma waited until Peyton was in the dressing room to find her dress. She hesitated before walking into the dressing room, despite Marcie basically pushing her into the small box of a room.
The light pink, silk bridesmaid dress with only one strap fit Gemma perfectly. She spun around in the mirror, surprised at how well the dress fit around her body. She did not even tell Avery what size dress she wore, simply because the bride to be never asked. Though somehow, Avery chose the perfect size for Gemma.
"Does it fit?" Marcie asked from behind the door. Instead of answering, Gemma opened the door to show her best friend.
Marcie's eyes widened. "You look so good!"
Gemma smiled, though it was a sad one. The dress did look good, but she wasn't excited for the event she'd be wearing it for.
"Thanks," she sighed. "Now, let's just pay for this thing so I can get out of here."
"Agreed," Marcie started walking towards the register, with Gemma following close behind.
Though before they could reach the check out desk, Avery appeared out of nowhere with five dresses in her hand. She eyed Marcie and Gemma suspiciously, who were making it obvious that they were trying to leave.
"Leaving so soon?" she asked. "You haven't even seen me try on any dresses!"
"I have to work soon," Marcie quickly came up with a lie. "And I drove us, so we gotta get home."
"Well," Avery smiled a big, nongenuine smile. "You go, Marcie. I can take Gemma home."
"I - " Gemma started speaking, but was quickly cut off by the bride to be.
"I have to try these wedding dresses on, come on!"
Avery walked back to the dressing rooms before Gemma and Marcie could respond, as usual. Gemma quickly paid for the dress, with every intention of just leaving once she got her receipt. Though of course, the register was down and the employee had to restart the system before Gemma could pay for the dress. She stood there, impatiently waiting. Gemma was hoping to be out of the building before Avery came out with a dress on, though with how long it was taking for the system to restart, Gemma knew it was not going to work out in her favor.
"Oh my god," she heard Avery's voice from the dressing room. Gemma kept her eyes locked on the card reader, that was still restarting.
"I think this might be the one." Although Gemma was not looking at Avery, she could tell that her former friend was close to tears.
"You look beautiful," Miranda sniffled.
"You have to buy it!" Peyton squealed.
"Gemma, Marcie!" Avery was crying now. "Come look!"
Gemma slowly turned around, while Marcie sighed. The employee informed Gemma that it should only be a few more minutes until the system was back up, though it was a few minutes too late. Gemma was stuck now -- there was no way she could walk out and leave like she originally intended.
Gemma's jaw dropped when she saw Avery in the wedding dress. It was simple; plain white with thin straps and a V-neck. Despite being pregnant, which Avery was clearly not trying to hide anymore because her baby bump was present, she looked beautiful in the dress.
So beautiful, that it made Gemma's eyes well with tears.
"Don't cry, Gems," Marcie whispered so the rest of the bridal party could not hear her. "Not here."
Gemma blinked rapidly and took a few deep breaths in and out. Her tears disappeared, though she still felt defeated when looking at Avery in the gorgeous wedding dress.
"This is definitely the one." Avery cried happy tears.
As the bride to be walked back into the dressing room to take the dress off, Gemma felt tears glide down her face, which she quickly wiped away before anyone, aside from Marcie, could notice.
"Card reader is back up!" the employee smiled.
Turning back around, Gemma immediately inserted her card into the reader. As soon as her bridesmaids dress was wrapped up in a bag with the David's Bridal logo printed on it, Gemma and Marcie took off before Avery was out of the dressing room. Thankfully, Miranda and Peyton did not notice the two sneakily leave.
Gemma was still crying when she walked out. Marcie hugged her best friend tightly before the two got in Gayle's car, which was parked right out front.
Gemma was grateful that Marcie drove them back home, given Gems could not stop her tears. While she cried, she realized something that hurt her more than she already was.
There was a distinct difference between the tears shed by both Gemma and Avery, when trying on their dresses.
Avery was crying happy tears -- because she would soon be married to the person she loved. Gemma, on the other hand, was crying sad, defeated tears -- because in only four weeks, Avery would be marrying the person that Gemma loved.
This was all Gemma could think about on the ride home.
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Rowan took his time driving to Men's Warehouse, where he would be buying a tuxedo for the wedding which at this point, was only four weeks away.
Wesley, who was sitting in the passenger seat of Rowan's car, and their mother in the backseat, both wondered why Rowan was driving so slow.
"Dude," Wes laughed. "You aren't even going the speed limit."
"Is something bothering you, honey?" Charlotte asked in a motherly tone.
Rowan kept his eyes fixated on the road, driving even slower towards the green light, which he was hoping would turn red. But despite him driving even slower, the light stayed green, and Rowan coasted right through it.
"I'm just nervous, I guess." he admitted. He wasn't entirely sure why he wasn't looking forward to buying a tuxedo. Rowan figured that it must have just been wedding nerves. Because that happened to all grooms -- right?
"Why are you nervous?" Charlotte asked. From the backseat, she reached over and placed her hand on her son's shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze.
"Probably because he's marrying the devil, herself." Wes scoffed. It was obvious that he did not like Avery, and he did not hesitate to make sure everyone, including Rowan and his mother, knew that.
"Shut up," Rowan scoffed.
"Oh stop it, you two!" Charlotte raised her voice. "This is an exciting day."
Wes responded with whatever, while Rowan just nodded.
Within the next few minutes, the Taylor family arrived at Men's Warehouse, partly due to the fact that Rowan kept hitting every green light despite driving five miles under the speed limit. Charlotte was quick to exit the car, then Wes, and lastly Rowan dragging behind.
As soon as they were in the building confirming their appointment, Charlotte immediately started throwing different tuxedos towards Rowan.
"Mom," he sighed, eyeing the price tags. "These are over my budget."
"I'll help you pay!" Charlotte shrugged it off like it was nothing. Rowan did not want his mother to help pay, though it wouldn't hurt. Given he was not working since he was taking the summer off before starting his career, Rowan's bank account was slowly dwindling from paying for wedding expenses. So having Charlotte help pay for the tuxedo was not necessarily a bad thing.
"Thanks," he attempted to smile while he sifted through the different tuxedos.
"How mad would Avery be if I showed up to the wedding wearing this?" Wesley joked while holding up a bright blue tuxedo.
Rowan rolled his eyes. "Very funny,"
"I'm seriously asking," Wes laughed.
"Wesley, knock it off." Charlotte tried to sound stern, though ended up letting out a laugh as well.
"If you're done acting like a dumbass," Rowan sighed. "I'm gonna go try this on."
Rowan did not let either of them respond before walking into the dressing room. He could hear them talking from behind the closed door, though.
"What's up with him?" Wes asked their mother. "He's acting weird."
"Wedding nerves, dear. It's normal."
"I don't know," Wes believed there may have been other reasons for his brother's strange behavior, but did not feel as if now was the right time to mention it. "He hasn't acted like this before."
"Don't push him, Wesley."
"Okay," Wes sighed. "I won't."
Rowan listened to their conversations while trying on each outfit his mother picked out for him. He did not have any specific idea on what he planned on wearing, since most of the attention would be on Avery, anyways. Rowan just wanted something that fit, and felt comfortable.
Of the five tuxedo's Charlotte picked, only one of them fit Rowan. The rest were too tight, though the one he was currently wearing was just right. Exiting the dressing room, Charlotte gasped when she saw her son.
"Rowan!" her eyes began to well with tears. "You look amazing!"
"Thanks," he attempted to smile as he looked at himself in the mirror. He knew this tuxedo was the one he would be buying, though for a reason he could not decipher, Rowan was not happy about it. He felt indifferent.
"Is this the one you're going to buy?" Wes asked.
"I guess," Rowan shrugged. "All the attention is going to be on Avery anyways. So it doesn't matter what I wear."
"Oh, that's not true." Charlotte frowned. Wes just nodded, knowing there was some truth to his brother's statement. Rowan did not respond. Instead, he walked back into the dressing room to take the tuxedo off.
"Come on," he said once he was back in his regular clothes. "Let's go."
"Are you sure?" Charlotte asked. "Do you want to try on - "
"Nope," Rowan interrupted her. "This is the one. Come on, I'm ready to pay."
Neither Charlotte nor Wes tried to protest. They just followed behind Rowan, who was quick to walk up to the check out desk to pay. The Taylor family was only in the store for a total of fifteen minutes, when typically, things like this took time and consideration. But Rowan did not care. He just wanted to find a tux and leave, because it was not as big of a deal to him as it probably should have been.
Nobody said anything on the way out of the building, or on the car ride home. Rowan thought about Avery, who was likely still shopping for her dress. His thoughts then drifted to Gemma, who was also likely shopping for a bridesmaids dress.
As soon as Gemma crossed his mind, and for yet another reason Rowan could not explain, a smile formed on his face for the first time that day.
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