Not Quite A Bride Read Free Page A

years and everyone knows me. I’m never sure if this thrills me or embarrasses me. A long table is set and waiting. And guess what? We’re the first of our party of nine to arrive.
    We sit down and get to work on a bottle of Chianti. Well, Brad and I do ... and about fifteen minutes later my very timely sister and her husband show up with arms full of gifts. (Ooh, hooray, I forgot there would be presents!)
    â€œMolly! Happy Birthday!! I can’t believe you’re thirty!”
    Ouch ... did someone just drop an anvil on my heart?
    â€œJamie, can we please celebrate without using the word or any references to the number thirty?”
    Jamie laughs ... does she realize I’m serious? They look around the empty table.
    â€œYou guys are so early! We thought we’d be the first ones here and could set this stuff up (meaning the stack of presents hiding Bryan). Didn’t you say 7:15?”
    Claire has to cut in. “Actually,” she says, pointing to that stupid watch, “it’s 7:30.”
    Jamie looks confused, but she’s never one to rock the boat, so she shrugs it off.
    Over the next half-hour my friends slowly show up. It’s a good thing looks can’t kill, or Claire would have murdered my two best girlfriends from college, Alex and Lauren, and their husband and fiancé, respectively, Steve and Rob.
    Lauren and I were pretty inseparable until a year and a half ago when she met Rob. We were the lone single girls from our group of core college friends and could always count on each other. Then she met Rob while interviewing for a job ... he was actually the one interviewing her. He called to tell her that she couldn’t have the job because she was just too cute, and instead of being upset (as a normal person who’d been out of work for seven months would), Lauren thought this was just the sweetest thing in the world, agreed to go out with him ... and one thing led to another. Honestly, when I have to hear them tell the story, I throw up in my mouth, just a little bit. After Rob came into the picture, Lauren forgot about our sisterhood and all the humiliating bouquet tosses and lonely Valentine’s Days we shared. Rob is great, but I still constantly have to remind myself not to be bitter and jealous ... I know it’s not intentional.
    Alex is the opposite of Lauren and me ... I don’t think she’s spent a total of five boyfriendless minutes since I met her my freshman year. Although, everyone was completely shocked when she announced her plans to marry Steve, the rebound from a three-year relationship that left her completely crushed ... but he fell so head-over-heels in love with her that she was convinced by it and vowed ’til death do them part only seven months into their relationship. Because Alex was always busy with one (or two) guys, we were never as close as I was with Lauren, but I still consider her a “core” friend.
    Once everyone is settled and happy (except Claire, of course) and drinking, I can’t help but look around the table: married, married, engaged, relationship, and me. I’m not sure which hurts more ... that or thirty. I push the thought out of my head, though; I’m determined to have a good time ... and I do. Lots of food, lots of wine, and the world’s largest slice of tiramisu later, I’m thoroughly enjoying myself. I’m definitely having a glass-is-half-full evening. I have wonderful friends, I have a favorite restaurant I can always count on, arms that rival Jennifer Anniston’s (when making muscles at the bathroom mirror after six glasses of wine, anyway). Life is SO good.
    Don’t start thinking this is a birds-singing-in-the-meadow story. The proverbial shit is about to hit the fan.
    â€œOkay, everybody, gifts! Gifts!” Jamie’s teacher skills are strong. She’s standing with one hand in the air and the other motioning to the pile of gifts at the end of our