The next morning, Heather and Carole were up early sitting in the kitchen looking at different wedding dress designs and preparing to go searching for her perfect dress later that day.
"Did you tell Kevin all the plans so far?" Carole asked as she looked through the book with Heather.
"Yes," Heather answered pointing to different designs. "He was ecstatic about everything!"
Lalie came down the stairs and listened by the kitchen door upon hearing Heather and Carole discussing wedding plans.
"Well, I just hope he likes the way it turns out," Carole hoped as she also pointed at different designs, only to have Heather shake her head in disapproval at them.
"Mom, how fast how can you reserve a chapel and a reception hall?" Heather looked up at her mother.
Carole looked up at Heather and asked, "I don't think it would be that much trouble. Why?"
"I don't want to wait," Heather replied in a serious tone. "I want to get married this week."
Lalie widened her eyes in anger and ran up the stairs.
"This week?" Carole asked in shock almost putting her hand over her mouth.
"This week," Heather repeated in a stern voice. "I discussed it with Kevin last night and he feels strongly about it too. We don't want to wait any longer."
"Do you and Kevin have a place to stay after you get married?" Carole questioned about Heather's plans after they get married.
"We'll find something," Heather responded sounding sincere. "I just want to get married!"
"If you think it's for the best," Carole left the decision up to Heather and Kevin.
"This is the one!" Heather ignored Carole's comment and pointed to a dress in the catalogue. "Come on Mom, let's go to this place!"
Carole looked at Heather's choice as Heather flew up the stairs to get ready.
Heather left the house without saying anything to Lalie, who was sitting in the living room.
Carole came behind Heather. Lalie stepped up and asked, "Where are you going?"
"We're going to see if we can find a wedding dress for Heather," Carole smiled as she walked out of the house and shut the door behind her.
Lalie watched from the window as they pulled out and said to herself, "I won't let her do this." Lalie walked over to the bathroom and let her hair down before grabbing her purse and leaving the house.
Lalie drove to her destination and nervously stepped out of the car before walking up the stone path and ringing the doorbell.
"Lalie," Vivian said in surprise.
"Vivian," Lalie replied, sounding uncomfortable. "Is Kevin here? I need to talk to him about something."
"No," Vivian answered, still standing in the doorway. "I'm afraid he isn't."
Lalie looked disappointed as she started to turn away and walk back to her car.
"Lalie," Vivian called out. "Wait."
Lalie turned around and looked at Vivian. "Yes?"
"Come in for a minute," Vivian stepped to the side to let Lalie enter as Lalie hesitantly entered Vivian's house.
"What is this about?" Lalie asked as she sat down on the velvet couch.
Vivian sat across from Lalie. A glass coffee table separated the two. "I know you know what Heather is doing."
Lalie took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "That's right, I do. I also know that you were the one who started the whole thing."
"She could have declined that offer," Vivian replied, crossing her legs. "I just wanted her to show Kevin that she wasn't right for him. He never had gotten over her from high school. And now look at them," Vivian rolled her eyes.
Lalie nodded as she said, "You still shouldn't have done that to Kevin, though. I'm really angry about what is going on. I've spent a lot of time with Kevin and-" Lalie looked down and didn't continue her sentence.
"And what?" Vivian said in a soft tone that encouraged Lalie to continue.
"I know how great of a guy Kevin is," Lalie explained, looking up. "You have no idea how much it'll hurt him if he finds out what Heather did but he has a right to know."
Vivian thought about the tape but didn't tell Lalie about it. "I'm sure he will find out. I'm aware of all the time you two have spent together recently. I haven't seen him come home that happy in a long time."
Lalie looked at Vivian and almost teared up. She didn't know how to respond to that.
Vivian continued, "He'd come home and tell me how much he enjoyed your company. Whether it was with the bowling or the carnival you went to that night, he'd always have nothing but nice things to say. If he weren't engaged to Heather, I'd think…" Vivian cut herself off.
Lalie knew what Vivian was going to say and elabored on that. "You'd think that we should be together."
Vivian tilted her head and smiled at Lalie. She could see it in her eyes that she felt something for Kevin. "Lalie, are you sure you aren't feeling more than just a co-worker relationship with him?"
Lalie teared up and looked down. "I can't deny that over the time I have spent with Kevin that I have started to develop feelings for him. And I know it's wrong to feel that way because he's engaged to my sister, but look at what Heather is doing to him!" Lalie started to cry.
Vivian stood up and walked over to Lalie with tears in her eyes. "I am so sorry, Lalie. If it wasn't for me and that plan-"
Lalie composed herself and looked at Vivian. "It hurts me that all this is happening."
Vivian looked at Lalie and said in a sincere tone, "When Kevin speaks about you and the things you do together, I can see it in his eyes and his smile that he feels something for you, also. When I told Heather that she was the only one who could help him move on, I was wrong. It was you, Lalie."
Lalie was taken aback as tears rolled down her cheeks as she stood up. "I'm probably in no condition to drive but I have to leave and think over this situation. I can't let any of this happen, I just can't!"
Vivian stood up and nodded as she walked Lalie over to the door. Vivian smiled with tears still in her eyes. For once, it was a rather sincere smile. Lalie dabbed away her tears and took a deep breath before she drove away to clear her thoughts.
Kevin arrived home about a half-hour after Lalie left. He went to the airport to pick up his brother, James.
"Hi, Mom," James called out putting down his suitcase as he walked over.
Vivian smiled as she walked over to James and hugged him. "How was the flight?"
"Pretty good," James replied looking around the house. "Is Dad here?"
"Business trip as usual," Vivian sighed taking Kevin and James' jacket and hanging it up.
James shook his head with a frown but changed the topic. "I can't believe my brother is getting married," James laughed. "I'm really glad I made it back for the wedding."
"Me too," Kevin replied. "Did you ever meet Heather?"
"I'm not sure," James responded in thought. "I've heard the name before. I think I was leaving for college when you started dating Heather."
Vivian looked uncomfortable before speaking up, "James, I'm sure you'll meet Heather really soon."
"At the wedding, you'll see how much we've grown as a couple and how much we mean to each other," Kevin smiled, completely unaware of what was going on around him.
Lalie was sitting at home later that evening thinking about what she and Vivian discussed earlier. Lalie admitted her feelings to Vivian - and Vivian told her that Kevin might feel the same way.
"I have to tell Kevin at work on Monday," Lalie told herself as she heard the key going into the front door and Heather and Carole entered.
"I can't believe we had to go to so many stores before we found that design!" Heather exhaustedly said but sounding very happy at the same time.
"I'm just so glad we found it!" Carole marveled. "The alterations should only take a few days to get done."
"That'll be perfect," Heather smiled as she glanced over at Lalie in the corner of her eye. "That way I can march down the aisle later this week."
"Are you sure Kevin wants to do that?" Lalie stood up walking over to Carole and Heather. "Isn't there something you're supposed to tell Kevin?"
Heather widened her eyes at Lalie and nervously laughed. "Lalie, of course I'll tell him about that. Then, we'll be walking down that aisle! You are going to look so beautiful in that dress we bought yesterday," Heather tried changing the topic.
Carole gave them both a strange look as Heather decided to go upstairs and call Tracy about getting her a bridesmaid dress.
Lalie had her arms folded and walked back into the living room after Heather ran up the stairs.
"So, what did you do today?" Carole asked as she fixed the pillow on the chair and sat down.
"Not much," Lalie lied. "Passed some time at the mall, the usual."
"Just imagine how quiet it'll be around here after Heather gets married next week," Carole teased. "Then, you'll really need something to do!"
Lalie fake smiled and took a deep breath.
Chapter 30
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