Chapter Text
Charlene Turner’s first wedding was at the age of five.
She married a boy named Scott. He had hair that covered his eyes and freckles covering his body. At the time, she thought it was love. She’d seen enough Disney movies to know that much.
They’d had a wedding on the playground in Kindergarten. They exchanged ring pops. Charlene tried to kiss him, but Scott complained that she had cooties and that was the end of their brief relationship. She cried to her best friend Willa, who had been the one that “planned” the whole event. She was a planner, eager to play adult.
Now Willa was actually an adult, and the last thing on her list of things she wanted to accomplish was to plan a wedding. Yet, somehow, she’d gotten roped into planning her best friend’s wedding again. She regretted offering her assistance every day.
Willa had always loved weddings, so the idea of being the maid of honor and helping plan her best friends wedding seemed like a dream. She’d organize a bachelorette party, write a speech, watch as Charlene tried on wedding gowns. It would be wonderful. After all, at the time, she had genuinely believed that weddings were a wonderful experience that would showcase the love between a couple.
She’d been wrong. Weddings were hell with fancy dresses and bowties.
She hadn’t gone a day in the past year without talk of weddings. She wasn’t sure she could have another conversation about the table runners not matching the napkins. So, when her phone buzzed with an incoming call, waking her up, she ignored it. Charlene could wait.
After a few moments, her phone buzzed again and she groaned, rolling over in bed to pick it up.
“Charlene, what time is it?” She muttered, not bothering to check the caller ID.
“Unimportant.” Willa sat up, rolling her eyes at her friend.
“Charlene, I am going to see you tomorrow. Let me get a good night’s sleep tonight-”
Her friend cut her off, going into a fast ramble. “Okay, I know that everything is going to be fine but I can’t help but think there is something I was supposed to do that I didn’t do and what if the whole wedding falls apart? Oh dear God, this is going to be a disaster! Terry and I should just elope, it would be easier and there is less of a chance of things falling into shambles-”
“Charlene, keep the bridezilla in check,” Willa muttered, propping her chin on her hand.
“Wills, I’m serious.” She could hear the panic on the phone.
Willa sighed. “This wedding is going to be perfect. You are not allowed to elope, you are getting married in a week. I did not spend the last year of my life planning a wedding for you to run off to Vegas.” Willa used the calming voice she’d become accustomed to using whenever Charlene had a wedding meltdown. “I will be there tomorrow at 9:00 sharp for our flight, so be ready. I know you’re probably more nervous because Maybeck already flew home, but don’t be. Everything will be fine. Alright?”
Charlene’s shaky breaths evened out. “You’re right.”
“I always am, Charlie. Now call your fiance, tell him you’ll see him tomorrow, and go to sleep. Okay?”
“What would I do without you, Willa?”
“You’d be a mess.” Willa smiled. She bid her friend good night and hung up. She collapsed onto her bed once more and closed her eyes. One more week. She could do this.
Her phone rang again.
No, she couldn’t.
---
The next morning, as Charlene hastily flung the apartment door open, Willa became aware that she had never seen her best friend look so utterly disheveled. She wore a baggy sweatshirt that clearly belonged to her fiance, her hair looked as if it hadn’t been brushed in days, and the mascara under her eyes made it clear she had fallen asleep in her makeup.
“I’m freaking out.” Charlene turned, making her way down the hallway.
“I’ve noticed.” Willa followed, judging her surroundings carefully. As she entered the bedroom, she saw three suitcases, all of which were open. “You haven’t packed yet?”
Charlene shook her head. “I did. I just wanted to make sure I had everything and things got messy.”
“Go get ready,” Willa began to sort through the stuff. “I’ll fix this.”
“You’re wonderful!” Charlene yelled, running out of the room.
“I know!” She began to repack everything, adding in a few things she knew Charlene would need. 15 minutes later she was knocking on the door of the bathroom. “Charlie?”
The door opened and the normal Charlene exited. Blonde hair pulled sleekly back. Perfectly done makeup that didn’t seem possible to achieve in 15 minutes.
“I’m good.” She smiled, zipping up the makeup bag in her hand. “Are we ready?”
“Whenever you are.” Willa smiled. Charlene walked down the hallway and Willa took the opportunity to glance at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t as modelesque as Charlene was, but it would do. “My cars right downstairs!”
Two hours later, they were sat in the waiting area at the airport. Willa checked her watch, glancing at the boarding screen above the desk.
“Willa?” Charlene broke the silence that had formed between the two. “Did we forget anything?”
Willa pulled out her phone, pulling up a checklist. “We have the makeup, we packed enough clothes for the week, you have the suitcase for the honeymoon. Your dress is at your mom’s, as are the groomsmen suits. My dress is at my mom’s, Terry’s suit is with his aunt, and your mom is picking up the bridesmaid dresses today. Your shoes, the veil, and jewelry is packed. We didn’t forget anything.”
Charlene nodded. “I know. I just can’t help but feel panicked.”
“It’ll be fine. You need to stop worrying, this week will be great.” Willa grabbed her friend’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Charlene sent her a grateful smile, returning it.
“Boarding for Flight 219 to Orlando is beginning.” Charlene suddenly stood, gripping her carry-on tightly.
“I wish Terry were here.” Charlene was now gripping her bag so tightly her knuckles had gone stark white.
“You’ll see him when we get off the plane, Charlie. He’s picking us up at the airport.” Willa reminded her, gently guiding her friend toward the line that was forming by the gate.
“I know.” Her grip lessened a bit. “I just get anxious about the wedding. I want it to be perfect-”
“And it will be. Now come on, your ticket.”
They settled onto the plane minutes later, Charlene fiddling with her thumbs. Willa raised an eyebrow.
“Call him.”
“Wonderful idea.” Charlene agreed, pulling out her phone and quickly dialing.
Willa closed her eyes and leaned into the chair, trying to get comfortable for the flight ahead.
“Hey, babe! ...Yeah, we just got on….We should be taking off soon….I’m excited to see you too!.... Yeah, she’s here… Oh, uhm, Willa?” Willa opened her eyes. “It’s for you.”
She grabbed the phone from the blonde, ignoring the look of curiosity her friend gave her. “Terrence Maybeck.”
“She’s freaking out, isn’t she?” A deep voice asked. Willa laughed.
“Of course she is.”
“Keep her calm, will you? Dell and I will be at the airport, but it is a six-hour flight…”
Willa ignored the mention of the best man, choosing to deal with that problem later. “I’ve got her until then.”
“Thank you. I have to go, I have to figure some wedding things out with Dell and my aunt.” She grimaced again. “Can you-”
“Transferring the phone now.” Willa handed the phone back to Charlene, who smiled as she put the phone to her ear.
“... I love you, too. I’ll see you when we land.”
Willa pulled out her headphones as the flight attendants walked up and down the aisle.
“I couldn’t help but notice you frown at something Terry said, Willa.” She shook her head.
“I didn’t frown at anything.”
“I need you to promise me something.”
Willa turned her head. “Anything.”
“Don’t argue with Dell,” Charlene said. Willa winced.
“Anything but that.”
“Willa, I’m serious! He’s the best man, you’re the maid of honor, if you two don’t get along-”
“He’s arrogant! And extremely condescending. He thinks he is the only human being that matters in every situation.” Willa crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly.
“He was like that, in high school. You haven’t honestly given him a chance since. He’s a genuinely good guy.”
Willa looked ahead. “He pisses me off.”
“You only hate him because he is one of the only people you’ve ever met who is just as smart as you.” It was Charlene’s turn to cross her arms.
“I hate him because he’s the only person, regardless of intellectual level, who uses my brain to make me feel inferior to them.” Willa huffed. “He’s an asshole.”
“Was.”
Willa glanced at her friend. The blonde had her eyes wide, a pout on her lips. Her signature pouty face. The same face that had scored her numerous roles in L.A.
It guilted her, and everyone who saw it, every time.
She turned ahead once more, pursing her lips. “I can try.”
“That’s better than nothing.”
“No promises.” Willa put her headphones in, allowing her eyes to shut. Maybe she could get some sleep. As the plane began to take off she felt a tap on her arm. She glanced to her left, raising a brow.
“Are you sure my mom is picking up the dresses?”
Willa sighed. This would be a long flight.