The Bride Wore My Nightmares Chapter 10
“You only made it to community college?” Mom asked, deliberately trying to embarrass her.
“That’s right. But I’ve found my motivation to study now. I plan to finish my bachelor’s degree online.” Vanessa’s posture couldn’t have been humbler.
Mom didn’t bother responding.
“Mom, our plan is this — set a date for our parents to meet, then get engaged, then have the wedding in Maui this winter,” Ethan piped up at the first opportunity.
I nearly lost it beside them — no cushioning at all? Why the panic? Was he trying to make his own agenda more obvious?
“Let’s eat first and talk about all this later,” I said, stepping in for Mom and Dad.
The meal was excruciating. All through it, Ethan kept steering back to the engagement. He said Vanessa’s grandparents were particularly eager to meet us soon.
Vanessa was even more enthusiastic. Her parents, she said, had long ago picked Ethan as their favorite son-in-law. The cost of the wedding, how to split it between the families — all of that was very easy to discuss.
I said, with studied blandness, “Since you two have it all figured out, why not go get a pre-marital medical exam at a clinic as soon as possible?”
Vanessa’s grip on her water glass tightened. She forced a smile. “Where did that come from all of a sudden?”
“Isn’t a pre-marital physical the modern thing these days?” I said innocently, turning to Ethan. “Peace of mind for both parties, right?”
Ethan nodded. “You’re right, Maddie. We’ll pick a date and go.”
Vanessa had no choice but to nod along.
I smiled sweetly and reached over with my chopsticks to serve her some salad — carefully, precisely, catching a small tuft of cilantro on the way.
Vanessa, distracted, popped it into her mouth without looking. Within moments, her hand kept drifting up to scratch at her neck.
I watched the flush of red hives creeping up her throat and my smile widened.
She was severely allergic to cilantro.
Back in the day, she used to force me to run to the cafeteria and grab her lunch. Once, a Chipotle burrito bowl accidentally came with a pinch of cilantro — she upended the entire bowl over my head in front of the whole cafeteria. Salsa and sour cream dripping down my hair — I could still remember the feeling, vividly, to this day.
Vanessa knew something was off, but she couldn’t afford to react — not without wrecking the fragile “reconciliation.” She excused herself, claiming some sudden family matter, and made a hasty exit.
Ethan chased after her like a lapdog, frantic.
The three of us were left in the house, a full table of food between us, and no one said a thing.
“Maddie?” Mom called. Her mouth opened, then closed. She said nothing.
“Mom, I really am okay.”
I smiled and lowered my head, slowly picking at my rice to reassure her.
Vanessa, the worst is still coming for you.
…
Mom and Dad had assumed Ethan was just talking. What none of us expected was that within days he was seriously shopping for gifts, arranging a formal visit to Vanessa’s parents’ house.
“It’s not me that’s rushing — it’s Vanessa,” Ethan explained to them.
“What’s her rush? You’re still in school. Didn’t she say she was going to finish her bachelor’s?”
Ethan stammered. His excuses didn’t hang together. His face went red.
I sighed and changed the subject. “You have to propose before you get engaged, right? When’s the proposal happening?”
“Next month, probably. School’s about to start. I want to propose before I go back.” Ethan snuck a glance at Mom and Dad as he spoke.
Neither of them so much as blinked.
“Dad, Mom, can you two be there on the day? I want to surprise Vanessa.”
“I think that’s great. Dad, Mom, you should go.” I nodded and chimed in.
They hadn’t expected that from me. They stared at me, incredulous.
After a long pause, Dad slammed his fist on the table.
“Ethan, did you put Maddie up to this? Do you think you deserve to be called a brother? I ought to beat you senseless!”
Ethan hurried to defend himself. “Dad, I swear to God! Maddie just said it on her own because she’s a good sister! Right, Maddie?”
He turned to me, eyes brimming with gratitude. “You’re the best. This proposal — I’m going to do it beautifully. Everyone’s going to see how happy I am.”
“Is that so?” I smiled and lowered my head, hiding the flicker of mischief in my eyes. “Then I’ll be looking forward to it.”