"This is stupid, Michelle. Just plain stupid!" Drew hissed as the she and Michelle made their way through the department store.
"You think so, Drew?" Michelle asked breezily as she flipped through a row of dresses. "This is nice." she said, holding up a summery gown of pale green. "I think you'd look good in this."
It was all Drew could do to keep from howling in frustration."What is with you, Michelle?! Have you completely lost it?"
"Nope." Michelle replied, replacing the green dress. "I know exactly what I'm doing."
"Yeah, and what is that?"
"Moving on, Drew. Moving on."
Drew grabbed the arm of her former rival."Moving on? I think it's called running away, Michelle. And it's not fair. Not to you, not to Danny, and certainly not to-"
"I told you never to say his name to me." Michelle said coldly.
"Who, Danny?" Drew asked, encouraged by the flames that seemed to shoot up in Michelle's eyes."Well, I think it's about time someone around here mentioned his name. Especially since he's the reason you're doing all this."
Michelle turned away, shaken."No, he's not." she said firmly and continued to look at dresses."So did you like the green or the pink better, Drew?"
Drew threw up her hands. "I don't care, Michelle. You pick it out. It's your wedding."
The smile Michelle had plastered on her face faltered."Yeah." she murmured softly. "It's my wedding."
For a moment, Michelle was lost in remembrance of another wedding, only a few months ago. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since that cold February day. Now it was August and she was preparing to walk down the aisle for the wrong reasons a second time.
It was Drew who interrupted Michelle's daydreaming by saying, "Do you think he'll know about it?"
"Who?" Michelle asked with false brightness.
Drew rolled her eyes."Danny, of course. Do you think he'll know about the wedding."
Michelle took a deep breath and gave another fake smile. "I don't know, Drew. Probably. His family's got goons everywhere and I'm sure they report back to him."
"You still don't know where he is?"
Michelle shook her head and pretended to be seriously studying a dress of deep blue silk. "No.
Ray brought by the annulment papers in April for me to sign and mentioned something about having them air-mailed to Danny. So I'm assuming he's overseas."
Drew studied Michelle in silence for any sign of her true feelings,but Michelle was doing a damn good job of hiding them.
"So how is ol' Ray, anyway?" Drew finally asked.
"He's fine." Michelle neglected to mention the pity she's seen in Ray's eyes when he'd brought her those papers. How he'd begged her to not give up on Danny."Michelle, Danny loves you." he had said. "I know he does."
Michelle had laughed bitterly. "He's got a funny way of showing it, Ray."
"I don't know why he left like he did, Michelle. But I know there's an explanation. Did he give you any signs that night that something was wrong?"
Michelle had remembered Danny's strange behavior, his desperation, that night,but she saw it now through a fog of pain and anger and assumed he'd just been toying with her. Again.
"Just give me the papers, Ray." she had said wearily. Ray hesitated for a moment, then finally,with an air of resignation, handed them over.
So she was a free woman.
Free.
Sure.
"Michelle?"
Michelle's had snapped up. "Oh, sorry Drew, what were you saying?"
Drew sighed. "I said I think I like the green dress best."
"Oh, well, good! Finally, you're showing some enthusiasm about this wedding!"
"Yeah." Drew muttered. "But I still think it's really stupid. I mean, what if Danny does hear about this and shows up or something?"
Michelle truly hated herself for the little spark of happiness that danced through her at the idea of seeing Danny again. "He hurt you more than anyone you've ever known, Michelle. Why the hell would you want to see him again?" she asked herself.
The answer was obvious.
She'd also loved him more than anyone she'd ever known.
Drew wasn't dumb. She caught the look on Michelle's face."Oh my God." she breathed."That's it, isn't it? You're doing this because you want him to show up! You think if he gets wind of you getting married, he'll be on the next plane to Springfield!"
"Drew, don't be ridiculous!" Michelle said, but the hands holding the dress were trembling.
"I knew it! I knew there was more to this than meets the eye!"
Michelle whirled around to face Drew."Dammit, Drew, listen to me. I am getting married because I want to. I'm getting married because I can't spend the rest of my life huddled in Rick's house, moaning about how the love of my life threw me away like I meant nothing to him. I can't do that, Drew and I won't!Now you either stop asking so many questions and support me in this or leave me the hell alone!"
Drew held up her hands. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I'll be the supportive maid-of-honor!"
"Thank you." Michelle sighed, her anger draining away."Now, why don't you go try on that green dress and then we'll run by the florists. We've only got another week!"
Drew took to dress."Ok, Michelle. If this is what you want to do, fine. But I still think it's a huge mistake."
Michelle watched Drew walk to the dressing room and felt tears sting her eyes. "So do I, Drew.
"So do I." she whispered.