Chapter 3 - The Restroom Was Too Quiet to Lie In
The restroom door had locked behind me with a soft click that sounded louder than it should have. I stood there a second with my back against it, just breathing. The marble was cool through my dress. Outside, the hallway hummed with heels and low laughter, the band starting something bright in the ballroom. In here, the vanity lights buzzed faintly over the sinks.
I didn't look at myself right away. I looked at my phone.
The screen was smudged. My thumb left a print when I woke it. I had the venue's number saved under Bennett Wedding - Office. James had programmed it into my contacts back in March when we signed, so I wouldn't have to hunt for emails. My hand wasn't shaking, which surprised me. My cheek throbbed.
I walked to the far sink, the one under the brightest light, and set my clutch down on the counter. The stone was cold against my palms when I leaned in. That's when I saw her in the mirror. Gray updo still pinned, earrings still in, burgundy dress still straight. And the red mark blooming across my left cheek. I touched it with two fingers, lightly, the way you'd test heat from a stove.
The door to the hallway opened then, and two women came in laughing. They stopped when they saw me.
"Oh, sorry," one of them said.
"It's fine," I said. My voice sounded normal. That steadied me.
They took the sinks near the door and kept their eyes down, reapplying lipstick, washing hands. I turned slightly so my left side was away from them. I didn't want to explain. I picked up my phone and opened the contact. For a moment I just stared at the call button.
I'd spent months saying yes. Yes to the upgrade on the flowers. Yes to the extra hour for the photographer. Yes to covering the deposit when Tiffany said she and Daniel were stretched thin. This phone call wasn't about the money. Not really. It was about the way she'd looked at me in the hallway when she said it, like I was staff.
The women left. The door swung shut. Silence settled again, just the lights and the faint air from the vent.
I pressed call.
It rang twice. A man answered on the venue side, polite, professional. Background noise behind him, glassware maybe. "Good evening, this is coordination, how can I help you?"
I looked at my reflection. My fingers were still resting near my cheek. "This is Mrs. Bennett," I said. "The Bennett wedding tonight. I'm the payer on the contract."
"Yes, Mrs. Bennett. What can I do for you?" Papers shifted. He was listening now.
I took a breath. The air smelled like soap and cold marble. "Activate the cancellation clause," I said. "I'm certain."
There was a pause. Not long, but I felt it. He lowered his voice a little. "Mrs. Bennett, are you certain?"
My eyes didn't leave the mirror. The red mark hadn't faded. If anything, under that bright light, it looked clearer. I thought of Daniel standing in that doorway, saying nothing. I thought of Tiffany's hand dropping back to her side.
"I'm certain," I said.
"Understood," he said. I heard typing, quick and even. "I will notify the manager on duty to begin staff notification."
May you like
"Thank you," I said.
I ended the call before he could ask anything else. The screen went dark. I set the phone face-down next to my clutch and pressed both hands flat on the counter. The marble held steady under me. Somewhere beyond the wall, the music played on, unaware. I stayed a moment longer, listening to my own breathing slow, then picked up my phone and straightened my dress in the mirror.
