I went to bed that night with my mind running in restless circles, and when morning came, I knew I was not going to get any clarity sitting alone in my house staring at unanswered questions. Evelyn’s wedding rehearsal dinner was scheduled for that evening at a lakeside restaurant in Cedar Grove, and even though the thought of seeing her again made my stomach twist, I knew I needed to be there. If something was wrong, if something bigger was happening behind the scenes, I would catch a glimpse of it among the smiles and champagne toasts. Secrets always find a way of slipping out at gatherings, especially ones wrapped in celebration.
All day at work, I kept getting distracted. I was supposed to finish preparing a project outline for a system update our team was deploying the following week, but my thoughts drifted constantly to Evelyn and Gavin. Every time I tried to focus, an image flashed in my mind of Evelyn’s face last night, pale and tight, the corners of her mouth drawn in like she was holding her breath.
Around two in the afternoon, I stepped away from my desk to refill my water bottle. As I walked past the elevator, I overheard two of my coworkers chatting about relationships and finances. One of them laughed and said her husband handles all their accounts and she never sees the bills. It was meant to be a lighthearted joke, but it hit me the wrong way. I thought of Gavin at the bridal shop last month, how he hovered around Evelyn when she tried to pay for her alterations. He had nudged her hand away from her purse and told the clerk he would handle it. Evelyn laughed then, but there was no joy in it.
The more I replayed recent memories, the more uneasy I became. Gavin always grabbed his phone the second it buzzed, even mid-sentence. He never left it face down on the table like most people did. He kept it in his hand, screen pointed away from everyone, especially Evelyn. She once told me he had added a complicated passcode because he traveled for work and needed extra security. At the time it seemed normal enough, but now it felt suspicious.
And there was that afternoon three months ago when a woman I had never seen before showed up at my office reception asking for me. She said she needed to ask a question about someone named Gavin Rhodes. I remember blinking in surprise because she looked anxious, almost frantic, but before I could even get her name, she received a phone call and hurried out. Back then, I assumed she had the wrong person or maybe it was some bizarre misunderstanding. It did not feel like a misunderstanding now.
I usually tried to keep out of Evelyn’s romantic life, but as I gathered my things to leave work early and head to the rehearsal dinner, I felt an urgency I could not ignore. Something was wrong. And if Evelyn would not tell me, then I would have to look for the cracks myself.
The venue sat right on the water, with large windows facing the lake. The early evening sun glowed orange over the surface, people mingled on the patio, and the waitstaff moved briskly between tables. It should have been beautiful, and maybe it was for everyone else, but my nerves made the whole place feel slightly off balance, like a painting hung crooked on a wall.
I spotted Evelyn near the bar, surrounded by her bridesmaids. She was smiling, but it was the hollow kind that never touched her eyes. When she saw me, she gave the smallest nod, the kind of acknowledgement you might give a distant acquaintance. Not a sister. Gavin was across the room talking loudly with two of his groomsmen. When he caught sight of me, he walked over with that polished grin. He asked if I was ready to take on my role tomorrow, his tone dripping with that same condescension he had used last night. I told him I knew exactly what my role was. He chuckled like I was being dramatic and said I had a habit of making simple things more complicated than they needed to be.
I wanted to ask him why he always snatched his phone so quickly when it buzzed. I wanted to ask him where he had been the night Evelyn called me crying two weeks ago, saying she felt alone in her own relationship. I wanted to ask him who the woman at my office was and why she had known his full name. But I kept my mouth shut because Evelyn was walking toward us. She touched Gavin’s elbow lightly and asked about seating arrangements. He turned toward her, his entire demeanor softening instantly, and I felt like I was watching someone slip into a costume they wore only for certain people.
Dinner passed in a blur of toasts and laughter, but beneath it all, an undercurrent pulled at my attention. Evelyn avoided being near me. Whenever I approached, she excused herself to talk to someone else or check something with the coordinator. She kept one hand lightly resting against her lower stomach like she was bracing herself.
Halfway through the evening, while guests moved to the dessert table, I stepped into the hallway to catch my breath. The noise inside was overwhelming. I leaned against the wall and pressed my fingers to my temples, trying to fight off the pounding ache building behind my eyes. That was when I heard two bridesmaids whispering just a few feet away.
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