These Are the Moments by Jenny Bravo Read Free Book Online

pillow and grunting into it. “Why tonight? WHY?”
    “I’m sorry,” Viv said. “I know you needed a night out. How about I text Owen?”
    Wendy lowered the pillow. “Oh yeah. Tell him to bring a friend for me.”
    “Point taken,” Vivian said, stepping into the kitchen and bringing back the bottle of wine and two glasses.
    Another hour later, half a bottle down and an entire cheese plate massacred, the girls sank into the couch with half-open eyes.
    “Everything changed so fast,” Wendy said. “It’s like whiplash. Every day. Over and over.”
    “You’re just adjusting,” Vivian said, taking a slow, careful sip.
    “Yeah, and when does that end?”
    “When you give up and realize that this is life. And it’s rarely ever fun.”
    “This coming from the starry-eyed bride-to-be. Don’t you have some dandelions to wish on?”
    “You’re lonely,” Vivian said, point-blank.
    Wendy sniffled. “Yeah. I’m lonely.”
    “Can I ask you something?”
    “I’d say yes, but I feel like I shouldn’t.”
    “I’m asking anyway,” Vivian said, her head resting in her palm. “Are you happy? Because I know Happy Wendy, and you just don’t seem to be quite there anymore.”
    Wendy knew she had good friends. That’s why she missed them so much when they were apart. It was equally wonderful and embarrassing to have someone know her so well, to see to the very core of her.
    “Yes,” Wendy answered. “I’m moderately happy.”
    “You’re sure?”
    “The surest.”
    “Okay then,” Vivian said, her eyes fogging as she thought, “And this wedding…”
    Wendy closed her eyes, feeling tipsy. “Will go off with no drama from me.”
    “Wendy?”
    “Mhmm.”
    “Want to be my maid of honor or something?”

Chapter 12
    Then
    He had a girlfriend now. Wendy wasn’t stunned by this. They’d all seen it coming for a while even if he never said it out loud. She could tell by the way he’d have “plans” on Friday nights, the way Owen would wink and air-quote “plans” in reply.
    Erica Cedar was the girl in the corner from Simon’s birthday, and they’d met at a football game. He talked about her to Wendy, but only occasionally, and to Wendy’s surprise, this new relationship had no impact on theirs. Wendy and Simon still talked all the time. They still hung out at youth group, since Erica never went. And eventually, he started mentioning her, but never in a good way.
    “Erica’s fighting with me again,” he’d say.
    “What now?”
    It wasn’t Wendy’s favorite topic of discussion. But they were friends. Friends talked about this kind of thing.
    “She says I’m spending too much time with y’all. I ditched our last date to go to the movies. I guess that wasn’t the smartest move.”
    He never brought Erica around. It was like there were two Simons. Hers and theirs. “You were with your friends. She can’t be jealous of that.”
    “Yeah, I know. I just have to pick my battles, I guess.”
    With Christmas coming up, Wendy had decided to throw a party, per Mom and Dad’s suggestion.
    “You should invite your friends over,” Mom said. “For a Christmas party. We’ll light a bonfire.”
    “I’ll cook,” Dad said.
    “We can invite the neighbors,” Mom added.
    Soon, it wasn’t her party with a few friends. It was a full-out Christmas extravaganza where her friends were “welcome to join.” Mom and Dad loved Christmas. They loved hosting parties. This was the perfect excuse.
    So, Wendy invited everybody.
    “Should I bring anything?” Reese asked.
    “Saturday? Deal,” Owen said.
    “Is it worth my time?” Simon said, joking, kidding, maybe.
    Three weeks before Christmas, the day of the party, Wendy hopped on AIM between vacuuming the house and cleaning the guest bathroom.
    Simon messaged first.
    SGuidry4: Hey.
    WMLake3: Hey! Ready for tonight?
    She was excited. Simon would be at her house. She liked the idea of that.
    SGuidry4: About that.
    She considered signing off.
    WMLake3: