The disclaimers: Every character who matters is at least 18. A work of fiction (more or less). Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is coincidental (for the most part).
Part 2 picks up on Sunday morning, the day after the MC stumbles upon his bride-to-be getting banged by his fiancé's sister's ex-boyfriend minutes before the wedding ceremony. The enraged MC sets off a wedding-destroying nuke, and then goes back home and drinks himself into comfortable oblivion. The next day a phone call from his ex-fiancé's sister, Hayleigh, gives the MC's world an unexpected turn.
~~~@~~~@~~~
~~~ SATURDAY EVENING ~~~
They had a lot more questions, but I convinced them that I was too worn out to continue. Danni gave me another hug, and whispered in my ear. "Just so you know, tonight I am going to burn my bridesmaid's dress and shoes and stuff in the firepit, and I am going to send the ashes to her house."
Finally something to laugh about. "I love you too, sis."
With the interrogations over, I headed upstairs. I kept my word to Uncle Jim. I was completely checked out by 10 o'clock. I didn't even need to open the second bottle. Just as well. It would come in handy the next day.
~~~ SUNDAY ~~~
My father's knock on my bedroom door brought me out of my hangover slumber. I awoke on my stomach, so my father must have played fire watch and turned me over. The hangover wasn't as bad as I expected, but what I expected set a high bar. Dad poked his head through the door. "Hey, Champ, still alive?" He was understandably tentative.
"G'morning. Yeah, I think I'm still alive. But I won't mind if you'd kindly shoot me and put me out of my misery." I put enough snark in it that he would know for sure I was joking.
"If you can make jokes there's hope for you." Dad slipped fully into my room and quietly closed the door behind him. "Got a few minutes to talk?"
There was no avoiding this, so I gestured to the desk chair near the window. I roused myself and leaned back against the bed's headboard. That lessened the residual spinning. My tongue felt like it had five coats of enamel paint on it.
My father was remarkably calm, all things considered. "I got most of the story last night from your mother and sister, and more details from my brother that I do not intend to share with either of the women. Ever. You should get tested for STDs, by the way. Now, you have every right to be hurt and angry. Just don't let the hurt and anger get the upper hand."
"It won't. I think I'll wallow in self-pity and righteous anger for a week or so, and then get on with getting on with my life. That's the plan, anyhow." There, I had a plan! Yay me.
My father didn't say anything right away, and his response was not what I expected. "For what it's worth, I think you're being foolishly unrealistic. Things like this don't go away in a few weeks, or even months. Some men carry around the scars from a betrayal like this for a lifetime. Listen to me. Take the time to recover, or you'll regret it."
That made sense. "I will. Well, I will try. You know what I mean."
My father wasn't finished. "Taking some time, that's on the one hand. On the other hand, you can't wallow in this for too long. You still intend on enrolling in law school, is that right?"
Good old Dad. Right to the point. "It is. I need to rethink some things, like housing and budgets, but it should be fine. No worries there."
"I'm honestly relieved to hear that. Keep your eye on the prize. And as odd as this may sound, be glad that you dodged a bullet. So then, any plans for the day?"
I decided some more gallows humor was in order. I didn't want my family pussy-footing around me, and the more I moped around the more they would walk on eggshells around me. "Well, I thought I might head back to the church for Sunday services. Get me some of that old-time religion. Good for the soul. Or so I hear."
That got an unrestrained laugh from my father, which was rare. "Smart ass. Any others?"
"Yes, actually. I'm going to see if I can get any refund on the airfare and the beach house rental. But I have an idea I'd like to float first. What about you and Mom going? You two haven't had a real nice vacation in years. Better you two go than letting it all go to waste, right?"
"That's very thoughtful of you, Tom. Any other time I would take you up on it. But I have a top-priority project that absolutely must be completed this week. Big bonus riding on it, too. I really can't get loose." Then my father's eyes lit up; he had an idea of his own. "What about going with Danni? You two get on well, and I know she would enjoy the beaches and tourist attractions."
I mulled it over. Danni could be a lot of fun. But what's that old sports saying about a tie-game being like kissing your sister? If I was going to a couples resort, I wanted to go with a girl to couple with. "I don't think so. The rental only has a one bedroom and one bed. The whole setup is designed for couples. Under these circumstances it would just be too awkward, at least for me. Is that weird or selfish?"
Dad pondered only briefly. "Not at all. Well, I have chores to do. Your mother has a late breakfast waiting. I made her promise not to pester you too much. You're on your own with Danni. Come down and join us when you're ready."
So began my first day of renewed bachelorhood.
Breakfast conversation for the most part mercifully avoided the bull elephant charging around the room. That is until my father innocently asked Danni if she had used the firepit last night. His question caught me in the middle of swallowing some orange juice. Half went up my nose and the other half sprayed out my mouth and across the table. That set off Danni, and by the time we were able to stop laughing we both had tears rolling down our faces. My mother waited until we had composed ourselves before asking the obvious question: "WHAT is so funny?"
