Chapter 74 Superstition
Byron found the right moment to approach Pam at the rehearsal dinner for the wedding. The restaurant was filled with dozens of people for the bridal party, and everybody wandered around the table, talking to long-lost cousins and friends.
While Emily was catching up with some pals from Toronto, Byron went over to sit beside Pam.
“Could I ask you a question confidentially?”
“I think I know what your question is,” Pam said, “and you’ve come to the right person.”
They stepped away to sit in a corner of the room at a small table.
“I noticed Emily never likes to rush into commitment,” Byron began, “but lately I wonder if she’s ready for more. I caught her online shopping for wedding dresses. And with you, her best friend, getting married, maybe she’d be disappointed if I didn’t propose to her. But at the same time, I don’t want to do it if she’s not ready.”
“Wow, your overthinking is almost as bad as Mike’s,” Pam remarked.
“Can you blame me?” he replied, raising his arms in a defeated gesture, “It’s a confusing situation to be in.”
“Okay, here’s the thing,” Pam said calmly, “Emily has always loved her freedom. She is like a wild mustang that doesn’t want to be tamed. She needs to run free. Unfortunately, the very first guy she dated in high school was... guess who?”
“Josh?” Byron asked, his anger for the stalker re-igniting.
“Ding-ding-ding. Correct!” Pam said.
“I didn’t know that,” Byron muttered. He now understood why Emily was so flighty. Her first relationship must have made her believe that men had no respect for her freedom and would want to cage her in some way. His heart ached for her because she had probably never been able to enjoy a normal, fun, committed relationship without fear of being relentlessly pursued.
“Do you think she’d never want to be married?” Byron asked bleakly.
“She’s come this far,” Pam said, “I’d never thought she would be living with someone after just a few months of dating. Obviously, you’re really special to her.”
“So there might be a chance?” He leaned forward, hanging on her every word.
“If you’re going to propose,” Pam said slowly, “be very, very careful. You have to make sure to let her know that things won’t change, that you’re not going to suddenly become the ‘ball and chain’ of her existence. She needs her own space, her own career.”
“Of course,” Byron said, “I would never try to take that away from her.”
“Then you might be the one,” Pam said, giving him a friendly wink.
Over the next few days, Byron was extra attentive and tender with Emily. She had been through so much because of the stalker constantly pursuing her, and he wanted to make her life better. It didn’t matter if they couldn’t be married now. He would wait patiently until she was ready, if ever that day came.
The day of Pam’s wedding finally arrived. Byron had spent the whole night partying with Mike and his friends and woke up completely hungover in the hotel suite they had rented to ensure no one would drive home drunk.
It had been quite a bachelor party, and as far as Byron was concerned, the best part of the wedding was already over.
He knocked on the door of Mike’s room.
“Hey, Mike? We should probably get going.”
He didn’t hear any reply, and he opened the door just to make sure Mike was still alive.
Mike was sitting on the edge of the bed in a pensive pose.
“What’s going on?” Byron asked.
“I was just thinking... Pam would tell me if she was pregnant, right?”
“Of course she would,” Byron said with fake confidence. Maybe she will tell him, eventually.
“But I think maybe she is, and she’s not telling me.”
Byron shut the door so the others couldn’t hear them. This was getting out of control.
“How would you know she’s pregnant?” Byron asked as nonchalantly as possible.
“I just have a feeling?...” Mike said, “It’s weird, I know.”
“This is going to sound even more weird,” Byron said, “but you may be on to something.”
“You mean... she really is pregnant?”
“It was supposed to be a secret.” Byron felt like he was getting himself into trouble, but he felt bad about knowing and not telling the father.
“How do you know about it when I don’t?” Mike asked suspiciously.
“Emily.”
“Of course! So it’s really true?”
“Yes, but you can’t tell anyone I told you.”
“Are you kidding?” Mike got up and paced the room. “I have to go talk to Pam.”
“No, don’t do that,” Byron objected. “She didn’t want you to know until after the wedding. She thought you might get too nervous.”
“Why would I get nervous? This is the happiest day of my life, for two reasons now.”
Mike darted out of the room, but Byron caught his arm. “No! Don’t go. It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”
“That’s just superstition,” Mike objected, struggling to get away. “You don’t believe in that kind of stuff?”
“Yes, I do. My cousin went to talk to his bride just before the wedding, and then she walked out on him. I’m telling you, it’s a real thing.”
Although Byron did not entirely believe it would bring bad luck, he thought it made sense since people were likely to have a fight when pre-wedding jitters abounded.
“Okay.” Mike stopped trying to get away and took a few deep breaths. “Maybe I’ll send her a message. No, she might not have her phone with her. You go and tell her. I want her to know that I know, and that I love her very much.”
“You’ll tell her when you see her again,” Byron said soothingly, “It’s better not to rock the boat before the wedding.”
“No, I want her to know before we get married,” Mike insisted.
“Okay, I’ll go,” Byron said.
