Planners, mood boards, menu choices, and cake tasting- it was a whole new world for Nancy. Her life was like having a good dream and then getting a second better dream in one night. It had turned out better than she had imagined it would. The little girl from a village so remote she always had to mention the name of the nearest town, twenty kilometres away, for anyone to get an idea of where she came from, had flourished in the big city.
She had a good job and a great man who was set to marry her in the coming weeks. Nancy came to the city with her friend Cathy. They came from neighbouring villages. They attended the same high school and college. A great friendship emerged from their interactions. The young girls spent countless nights dreaming of a bright future. They were almost like sisters, but life took different turns for each.
Cathy hadn’t been as lucky when it came to her career. She had just enough to get by. The divide grew tenfold when Oscar, Nancy’s fiancé, entered the picture. Oscar came from a rich background and had a high-paying job. It was an unspoken divide. Cathy couldn’t keep up with the expenses of joining Nancy and her new circle for their brunches, trips, and hangouts.
“Babe, you haven’t come up with your list of bride’s maids,” Oscar told Nancy.
“I know. Choosing has been hard, but I think I’ve finally nailed it,” said Nancy.
“I have four groom’s men. You know the clique,” said Tony.
“I’ll do four, too, for balance,” said Nancy.
“So, besides Cathy, who else is on your list?” Oscar asked excitedly.
“Cathy won’t be in the line-up,” said Nancy.
“Why? I thought she was your closest friend. I actually thought she’d be your maid of honour,” said Oscar.
“Oh well, sometimes we outgrow friendships,” said Nancy. What she truly wanted to say was that Cathy didn’t fit in with her new clique. Cathy wasn’t going to help her with her wedding vision.
“So, who’s the maid of honour?” Oscar asked.
“I’m going to ask Steph,” said Nancy.
“Tony’s girlfriend?” Oscar asked.
“Yes. Plus, it makes sense since Tony is your man of honour,” said Nancy.
“Babe, you know we don’t have to pick a couple. It’s best to pick someone you can actually go to for advice,” said Tony.
“Yes, but Steph has really been helpful with the wedding planning,” said Nancy.
Nancy picked three more bridesmaids from her new friends and a colleague. Steph was instrumental in coordinating the girls. She quickly formed a group chat where they shared ideas on the designs, colours and tailors. With Steph at the helm of planning, everything was expensive and picture-perfect.
“Have you sent out the invitations?” Steph asked Nancy.
“I’m finalising the list,” said Nancy.
“Make sure you have a guest list with people who can gift enough to make up for how much you spend on their food,” Steph advised her.
Steph’s words changed Nancy’s perspective. “Maybe this is how this side of the world worked,” she thought. As she was making the final adjustments, Cathy called her.
“Hey, how’s the plan coming along? Do you need any help?” Cathy asked.
“No. I have a planner, which has taken away most of the work,” said Nancy.
They caught up on a few things. That call came when Nancy was debating whether to invite Cathy. She did, but she was unsure whether it was out of guilt or loyalty.
Cathy felt hurt that she wasn’t asked to be part of the wedding line-up, but she was also relieved when she saw the gowns and the activities the bridesmaids engaged in before the wedding. She was happy that she still could watch one of her oldest friends get married to a good man. She had gotten the impression that Oscar was, indeed, a good person.
Meanwhile, Steph was making the lives of the wedding vendors miserable. She shouted at the photography crew and makeup artist on the wedding day. Nancy’s colleague, who wasn’t particularly part of the friend group, disliked Steph. They argued about everything, including the design and the chosen vendor. The vendor Steph chose almost messed up their outfits. The adjustments were made on the eve of the wedding despite charging them exorbitantly.
Despite the drama, the wedding went smoothly, and Nancy started her marriage with the love of her life. A few months into it, Nancy and Oscar started having frequent fights. Nancy ran to Steph for advice, which mostly made the fights worse. Additionally, Oscar’s childhood crush returned to the country as the fights continued. Sharon was a friend of Oscar’s group of friends. She was close with Steph.
Sharon always thought she would end up with Oscar. As she was hanging out with Steph, Steph mentioned that Oscar was having marital problems. Sharon saw that as the sign she was waiting for.
Sharon wasn’t subtle about wanting Oscar. She showed up everywhere. Nancy’s woes intensified. She was scared that Sharon’s return would break her marriage. She shared these concerns with Steph, unaware that she was the reason Sharon thought she could win back Oscar.
Nancy’s fights with Oscar increased.
“I know you were with Sharon,” said Nancy when Oscar came home late.
“No. She was there, but I had gone to hang out with my other friends,” said Oscar.
“That’s just an excuse to see her,” said Nancy.
“Where’s this information coming from? Steph?” Oscar asked.
“Was it supposed to be a secret?” Nancy responded.
“I hope you know Steph is not the friend you think she is,” said Oscar.
Nancy was overwhelmed, so she asked for leave. She decided to go to her rural home. Coincidentally, Cathy had lost her grandmother, so she was home too. Village life is communal, so everyone around went to help out, including Nancy’s family.
Nancy and Cathy ended up spending significant time together. It was grounding for Nancy. She helped Cathy with the arrangements. Since the phone connection was poor at her home, she hardly spoke to Oscar. It gave her time to reflect on their marriage. After the funeral, she had a heart-to-heart talk with Cathy.
“I owe you an apology,” said Nancy.
“I was angry, but I got some of it,” said Cathy.
“I was wrong. You deserved much better. I have never questioned our friendship,” said Nancy.
“How are you?” Cathy asked.
“I don’t know. My marriage is hanging by a thread, I invited foxes into my life and marriage, and I’m trying so hard to fit in,” said Nancy, in tears.
“Do you think you made the wrong choice in marrying Oscar?” Cathy asked her.
“No. He is the right man for me,” said Nancy.
“Then get rid of the foxes and work on your marriage,” Cathy told her.
They talked for a long time, which marked a new dawn in their friendship. When Nancy left home, she knew what had to be done to get back on track. The time apart also gave Oscar time to think about the situation. He was happy to learn Nancy and Cathy had reconnected. They knew they had to change how they interacted with their friends. It went without saying that Steph would no longer be privy to their marriage.
It would be difficult not to spend some time with her because Oscar’s best friend was dating her, but they would figure it out. Nancy also became intentional about nurturing her friendship with Cathy. They were all hopeful that there would be less drama in their lives with those changes.
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