CHAPTER THREE: A SUDDEN APPEARANCE
May 21st, 2020
Gemma swore she never felt her eyes grow so wide. She probably looked like a crazy person, with her eyes the size of golf balls and her mouth slightly open. But how else was she supposed to react? Her old best friend of nearly twelve years was standing right in front of her, as if she never ditched Gemma in the first place. She was shocked by Avery engulfing her in her arms not just once, but twice.
"I know you're excited to see me, but I didn't know you'd be so excited that you're speechless!" Avery laughed, her straight-teethed smile so clean, it was blinding. Gemma felt as if she was going to pass out, though before she could, her sister's voice was heard from behind her.
"Who is at the door?" Olivia asked, though before giving Gemma the chance to respond, she turned around and saw the one and only, Avery Nelson, for herself. "Holy shit," Liv's eyes widened, almost to the same size as Gemma's.
Waving at Olivia, who looked as if she'd just seen a ghost â Avery walked into the house she once spent every weekend at, without giving Gemma the chance to speak. She had yet to speak, since she opened the door and met face-to-face with Avery, only thirty seconds ago.
"What - " Gemma's voice cracked. "What are you doing here?" the words fell off her tongue quickly, though a lack of confidence and pure shock was laced thick between her words.
"I'm sure you got my wedding invitation, did you not?"
"Who's here?" Gayle peeked her head into the living room, giving Gemma more time to wonder what the fuck she was going to say to her ex best friend. To Gemma's surprise, her mother did not seem appalled as Avery stalked through their living room. Jax, who was sitting next to Liv, was fast asleep with his airpods in his ears - so he likely could not even hear the shitshow that was going down only a few feet away from him. "Oh, Avery." Gayle nodded.
Marcie peeked her head into the room as well, eyeing Avery confusingly. In the photos the two were looking at only less than an hour ago, Avery looked entirely different. Her hair was now bright red -- likely the result of bleach, and a few tattoos took up her legs.
Avery hated tattoos. Gemma eyed the dolphins on her calf, and the flowers on her ankles in confusion.
"I didn't think you were coming until tomorrow," Gayle spoke again, immediately grabbing Gemma's attention. She looked back and forth between her mother and Avery, and it was in that moment -- a lightbulb went off in Marcie's head.
"Ohhh," she mumbled, putting two and two together. Liv watched the scene unfold before her, shoving a handful of popcorn into her mouth. "This is Avery." Marcie whispered so low, she wasn't sure if anyone could hear her. Gemma heard, though she was too focused on why her mother seemed unphased by Avery's sudden appearance.
"She had plans to come over?" Gemma questioned, trying to put together the thousand piece puzzle in front of her. "What is going on?"
"Yeah," Liv spoke up, for the first time since Avery arrived. "I'd like to know too,"
"Like I said," Avery laughed a piercing laugh. She turned towards Gemma, smiling at her as if they were still best friends. "You got my wedding invite, correct?"
"Um - " Gemma nodded slowly. "Yes."
Talking to Avery felt so weird. For a moment, Gemma wasn't sure if she was dreaming. Even if she was, this wouldn't be a dream. It was a nightmare.
"Well, I sent one to your parents too, and your mom and I have been talking over the past few weeks."
"You have?" Gemma and Olivia said in unison.
"Honey..." Gayle spoke up, immediately noticing the hurt, and confusion that appeared in her daughter's eyes.
"I'm so confused," Gemma shook her head. "I need a second."
Despite her mother, and Avery calling her name, Gemma ran upstairs and slammed her door shut. Her head was pounding -- she didn't know what the hell to make of the situation that just unfolded before her.
She wondered how Avery acquired her address in New York, though she was so shocked to even receive the wedding invitation, she didn't even ponder how Avery got her address. It didn't hit her until she was on the plane with Marcie, that is, when she began to wonder how her former friend found the address her New York apartment.
But it all made sense now. Avery didn't just send an invite to Gemma -- she sent one to her parents as well. It was the only explanation for how Avery acquired Gemma's address.
The one thing she couldn't wrap her head around, though, was why Gayle had been talking to Avery? And over the past few weeks? That was something Gemma did not understand. How could her mother do that to her?
"Gems?" Marcie's voice sounded behind Gemma's locked bedroom door. "Can I come in?"
Gemma didn't want to let Marcie in, given she wasn't in the right state of mind to talk about what went down only minutes ago. But one thing Gemma never did was shut her best friend out, because if anyone was going to be there for her, especially now, it was Marcie. Marcie was an outsider to the situation, so if there was anyone for Gemma to confide in, it was her.
Sighing, she unlocked the door. Plopping down onto her bed, Gemma stared at the ceiling as her roommate walked in. Marcie closed the door slowly behind her, dreading the conversation to come. She was going to wait a little longer to tell Gemma what she knew -- but given Avery's sudden appearance, she knew she had to tell Gemma now. Marcie was awful at keeping secrets, and this was something she wouldn't be able to keep from her best friend. No matter how mad Gemma would get, Marcie knew she couldn't keep her best friend in the dark about it. Gemma needed to hear it from her, anyways.
"I have to tell you something," Marcie quietly spoke as she joined Gemma on her childhood bed. "Please don't be mad at me."
"What are you going to say?" Gemma laughed, though the sound of her vibrating vocal cords was not genuine. "That you're apart of whatever the hell is going on down there?"
Marcie froze. Her eyes widened, and when she didn't respond, Gemma looked her up and down in confusion. Gemma opened her mouth to speak, figuring that her question was only a joke. Never would she have imagined that Marcie, the outsider to the situation, was actually in on whatever it was that was going on. Which even now, minutes later, Gemma still didn't know exactly what was going on.
"Oh my god," Gemma shook her head. She refused to believe that Marcie's silence was actually confirming the question she asked as a joke. "There's no way. I don't know exactly what's going on, but please tell me you were unaware that Avery would be coming here."
"Gems - " Marcie gulped, inching closer to her best friend on the bed. Gemma only backed away, looking at her roommate with confusion clear in her eyes.
"Wait," Gemma shook her head once more, trying to piece the puzzle together. She was still confused, though Marcie's silence, and the desolate look she was giving, gave Gemma some of the answers to the puzzle. "Is that why you were so adamant on bringing me home?" Gemma asked. "Because you knew about Avery's wedding?"
"Please, let me explain." Marcie begged, but Gemma could only feel anger brewing within her due to the secret her best friend had been keeping from her, for days now.
"Please," Gemma gestured for Marcie to continue. She didn't want to be mad at her best friend, though she couldn't help but feel betrayed by Marcie's actions. How could she be included in something that would only hurt Gemma? It didn't make sense as to why her own mother would be somehow involved with the infamous Avery Nelson, but for Marcie to be in on it too, hurt Gemma in ways she couldn't imagine.
"Okay, look." Marcie started, her face feeling hot. This wasn't how she wanted Gemma to find out. She wasn't even supposed to find out until tomorrow, anyways.
"Your mom called me a few days ago," she took a deep breath and laid back on Gemma's childhood bed, knowing her explanation may take a minute. "She said that your old friend Avery was getting married. I know your mom has had a lot of odd jobs throughout the years, one of them being a wedding planner. Avery asked your mom if she would help plan the wedding, and she said yes."
"What the fuck," Gemma shook her head in denial. Her mother knew how much Avery's disappearance hurt her, so why would she go behind her daughter's back and do such a thing? It had been years since Gayle worked in wedding planning. Throughout the years, she never held onto a job for more than a few years, and the last time Gayle worked in wedding planning, was at least five years ago. "Why did she say yes?" Gemma felt weird asking Marcie such a question; it was strange that Marcie was in on the family's secret, and Gemma wasn't.
"Apparently a typical wedding planner is extremely costly, and your mom is doing it for a lot cheaper. It's saving Avery money and your mom is making money in the process."
"Okay..." Gemma whispered, nodding to let Marcie know that she could continue.
"Avery then asked your mom if you could come, and in a panic, your mom said yes. I guess she was so excited about you being there, so Gayle didn't know how to backtrack from saying yes. In the midst of it all, your mom gave Avery our address, which is how you ended up receiving the invite."
"So where do you come into all this?" Gemma asked, still trying to piece everything together. Her mind was rapidly moving, due to the anxiety of knowing that Avery was still downstairs, the fact that her mom said yes to planning this wedding, and Marcie's involvement in it all. This was too much for her to handle -- she hoped it wouldn't get worse from here.
"Your mom knew that you would never agree to attend Avery's wedding, so she uh - called and asked me if I could convince you to come home. It conveniently just so happened to be your dad's birthday, and since turning fifty is a milestone, your mom knew you wouldn't question coming home even though you just saw your family at graduation. When you originally told me no to spending the summer in Michigan, that's when your mom decided to spontaneously plan something for your dad's birthday." Marcie finished, her eyes glued to the ceiling. She refused to look up at Gemma, who was sending her a look full of confusion and betrayal.
"Jesus," Gemma held her head in her hands. She felt her head pounding, due to the newfound information that she did not intend to receive. "I don't even know what to say."
"Are you mad at me?" Marcie asked, her voice low. She bit her lip in nervousness, hoping her best friend wasn't mad at her. In the entire time she and Gemma had been friends, not once did they ever fight. Marcie didn't want this to be the first time. She wasn't a very confrontational person -- situations like this made her anxious.
"No," Gemma spoke after a moment of silence, instantly relieving Marcie. "I'm more mad at my mom, if anything. For fucks sake, she could have easily done something else to make some cash. And using my dads' birthday as an excuse to drag me home? That's low."
"I don't think it's right, either, for the record," Marcie voiced. The last thing she wanted was for Gemma to believe that what Gayle did was okay, when it certainly wasn't. Marcie just didn't know how to tell Gayle no -- because she really wanted to get out of New York for the summer. Now thinking about it, it was selfish -- involving herself in Gemma's family secrets just so she could get away for her last summer before adulthood officially began. But once she told Gayle yes, she didn't necessarily know how to get out of it. "But once I was involved, I didn't know how to get myself out. And I guess your mom said yes because she needs the money -- she said she hasn't been working as much due to her knee and back pain."
Gemma rolled her eyes, wishing she could stay mad at her mother, for going behind her back. Gayle essentially stopped working within the last few months due to her severe arthritis in her knees and back. Despite picking up odd jobs like working as a receptionist, Uber driving, and more -- Gayle just found it easier not to work, considering her husband owned a hardware store and the family still met ends meet, only if one parent was working. But it still didn't make sense as to why Gayle agreed to help with the planning in Avery's wedding, because Gemma knew there was no way she needed the money that bad.
"This is such a mess." Gemma groaned. "I don't blame you in getting caught up in it, though. I know you were just trying to help."
"I'm still sorry, regardless. I just really wanted to leave New York for a bit, and have a break before going back. But if you don't want to stay, I understand. I'm sure your mom will too,"
"Yeah," Gemma shook her head. "We are not staying. There's no way I'm going to Avery's wedding."
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May 22nd, 2020
The next morning, Gemma woke up bright and early. Normally she wasn't an early bird, though when she randomly woke up at 7:36AM, she couldn't fall back asleep, no matter how hard she tried. After scrolling through her phone for a few minutes, she ultimately decided to get up and start her day. She tiptoed past Marcie who was sleeping on an air mattress on the floor, given Gemma's twin bed just wasn't big enough for the two of them.
"Marcie," she whispered her friend's name, gently kicking the air mattress, which was running low on air after being used all night. "Marcie," she said again, louder this time.
"What?" Marcie yawned, her eyes barely opened. "What time is it?"
"Almost eight. I'm going to Dunkin', do you want anything?"
"Hmm," Marcie pondered for a moment. "Get me a glazed donut."
"You got it," Gemma laughed, changing from her pajamas into a pair of shorts and a thin white hoodie. Throwing her hair up in a messy bun and deciding she looked terrible, but she was just going to Dunkin' so it didn't matter, she left her room to let Marcie continue sleeping.
Gemma was surprised to see her sister awake as well, this early in the morning. Typically, the residents of the Perry household didn't wake up until around nine, so it was strange for Gemma to see Olivia sitting at the dining room table, with a book in her hand.
"Morning," Gemma sat across from her sister.
"Where you going?" Liv noticed their mother's car keys in Gemma's hand.
"Dunkin'," she half smiled. Gemma knew she wasn't going back to sleep, so if she would be pulling an all day-er, then she desperately needed some coffee. "Wanna come?"
"Sure," Olivia agreed with no hesitation. Just like Gemma, Liv found herself unable to sleep as well. After tossing and turning since 6:59AM, Olivia figured she may as well get up and be productive. She sat at the dining room table, reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower, until her sister came jogging down the stairs. Olivia didn't question why Gemma was up so early -- she figured she was up for the same reason. Lack of sleep.
Realistically, Gemma and Liv could have walked to Dunkin', considering it was only a mile down the road. Though as the May weather became warmer, the two were glad they drove instead. At only eight o'clock in the morning, the weather was nearing a warm seventy-five degrees.
"So," Liv spoke as they pulled into the parking lot. The line to the drive thru was nearing the street, so without hesitation, Gemma whipped her mom's jeep into the nearest parking spot. She had no desire to wait in the long drive thru line, when she could easily just go inside the building and be out within a few minutes. "Avery showing up yesterday was weird."
"It was," Gems sighed as she got out of the car. Liv followed close behind her as the two walked into the empty lobby of the coffee shop. "Did mom tell you that she's been in contact with Avery?"
Olivia's eyes widened, confirming that she had no knowledge of their mother's secret. "No?!" she exclaimed as she walked up to the counter, waiting for an employee to take their order. "How did you find that out?"
"Marcie was kind of -- in on it." Gemma was embarrassed as she admitted to her best friend's involvement. "Avery invited all of us to the wedding, and offered to pay mom to help in the planning process. She asked mom if I would be there, and in the spur of the moment, mom said yes."
"How much is Avery paying her?"
"I'm not sure, but apparently wedding planners are super costly and Avery is saving money by hiring mom,"
"Jeez," Olivia rolled her eyes. "Mom could have easily just made some quick cash by Uber driving, if she really needs money that bad."
"That's what I said!" Gemma sighed. She had yet to talk to her mother about this, considering she stayed in her room for the remainder of the night, last night. Still in shock by Marcie's involvement and her mother's contact with Avery, Gemma figured staying in her room for the rest of the night, to wrap her head around everything, was best.
"Maybe she said yes because it's been forever since any of us have seen Avery, and mom did consider her family."
"You're probably right," Gemma sighed. "I still might talk to mom about it though. I don't entirely understand why she agreed to it, but I can't help wonder what other reasons she had to say yes. She knows about what Avery did to hurt me all those years ago, and I can't help but wonder why she suddenly decided to forget that and agree to help her out."
Before Liv had the chance to respond, an employee approached the two, ending their conversation.
"Sorry for the wait," the employee with a nametag reading Aimee, smiled. "What can I get for you?"
Olivia began with her complicated coffee order, consisting of cream and sugar, a shot of espresso and an unsweetened vanilla flavor. She also ordered a ham and egg sandwich with extra meat, causing her total to be more than Gemma intended to spend. Rolling her eyes at Dunkin's overpriced menu, she began her simple order of a small coffee with cream and sugar, as well as a glazed donut for Marcie. Just as she was bringing out her wallet to pay for everything, Gemma heard her name being called from behind her.
Freezing in her spot, and almost dropping her wallet in the process of retrieving her debit card, Gemma turned around slowly. Olivia spun around as well, rolling her eyes as she made eye contact once again, with the person she had no interest in seeing. Gemma opened her mouth to speak, but once again, found herself at a loss for words. The red headed girl smiled a bright smile, rushing towards Gemma and Liv.
"Gemma! Liv!" Avery gushed, pulling the two in for a group hug. Gemma awkwardly stood there, debit card in hand, while Olivia was quick to dismember from the uncomfortable embrace.
Snatching the debit card from her sister's hand, Olivia swiped the card to pay for their food and drinks, while Gemma stood there for the second time in a twenty-four hour span, staring at her ex best friend with nothing but a shocked expression.
She knew coming back to Michigan was a bad idea.
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a/n: I'm honestly enjoying this different writing style!! let me know what u think <3
things are picking up hehe