‘What do you mean you have to tip a taxi driver?’ Norman said when they arrived at the airport.
‘You have to add 20 per cent to the fare,’ Kate whispered. She was embarrassed by how loudly he was speaking. The taxi driver could undoubtedly hear his whining.
‘I’m not tipping a driver just for doing his job!’ Norman went on.
‘I’ll pay the tip,’ Chloe said, taking out the last of her dollars. ‘Here you are, sir.’
‘Thank you, ma’am,’ the taxi driver replied.
They all got out and grabbed their cases from the boot. As she looked up at the airport doors, Kate felt an unbearable sense of longing. It was a longing for what could be but also for what could have been. She had spent three days trying to get rid of Trevor and now all she wanted was for him to save her. It was supposed to be mission accomplished but it felt like the biggest failure of her life.
She felt a pit open up in her stomach. The girls and Norman were already walking through the airport doors, but she found herself lingering outside. She was desperately searching for something. It was the most embarrassing thing to admit but she couldn’t deny it.
She was looking to see if Trevor would magically appear and stop her from boarding the plane.
Those kinds of things didn’t happen in real life, she reminded herself. She knew it was just a Hollywood trope that was completely detached from reality.
But deep down, that was what she wanted.
She suddenly had cold feet about marrying Norman. Her entire dating life since her J-1 had been a search for a man who was the polar opposite of Trevor. A man who would never hurt her.
But after the revelation that Trevor never cheated on her, her entire life had been turned upside down. She had always believed he was a no-good cheater who didn’t deserve an explanation, but nothing could have been further from the truth. She had ripped his heart out all because she feared confrontation. She had spent nine years thinking of herself as the victim when in actual fact she was the villain.
‘You ready, Kate?’ Natalie asked.
Kate realized she was still lingering outside the airport doors. ‘Yes, sorry. I’m ready,’ she said, snapping out of her daze. She took one last look around, but couldn’t find what she was looking for. What she was longing for.
So she went inside.
The girls checked in for their flight and got their boarding passes. Trevor had kept his word and there were four first-class tickets to Dublin in each of their names. He could have been spiteful and cancelled the flights. A part of Kate wished he would keep her trapped in Vegas, keep her locked in their marriage. It was such a dysfunctional thought to have, but it was there nonetheless.
Kate realized the fact that he hadn’t cancelled their tickets meant one thing and one thing only. He wanted Kate out of Vegas, as far away from him as possible.
Norman was trying to buy a ticket for the same flight and was haggling with a man over the price of a last-minute seat. It gave the girls a few minutes to talk without him hearing them.
‘Are you okay, honey?’ Chloe said, rubbing Kate’s arm.
‘Yeah . . . I’ll be alright,’ Kate said with a sad smile.
‘Were you hoping Trevor was going to chase you through the airport?’ Natalie asked.
‘Of course not.’
‘It’s okay, Kate, we all have that fantasy,’ Chloe said.
‘We can wait a few extra minutes out here if you want?’ Natalie suggested.
Kate knew there was no point. She didn’t deserve a happy ending. ‘No, girls,’ she said. ‘My story with Trevor is over. He doesn’t want me.’
‘I know exactly how you feel, Kate. Officer Byrne doesn’t want me either,’ Siobhan said.
‘I don’t think that’s exactly the same . . .’
‘But we can’t give up hope, Kate. If it’s meant to be, they’ll fight for us!’
‘Of all the insane things that’s happened on this holiday, Siobhan falling in love has to be the craziest,’ Natalie laughed.
‘I’ve never felt like this before, girls,’ Siobhan admitted. ‘It’s like he makes me horny . . . but in my heart!’
‘Back to Kate, please,’ Chloe said. ‘Are you sure Trevor actually submitted the annulment?’
‘Well, I’m pretty sure. But not 100 per cent sure.’
‘Maybe you should call and check with the chapel. You know, just in case you accidentally commit bigamy on Friday,’ Natalie said.
‘I hadn’t even thought of that. You’re right!’ Kate said. ‘Will you three distract Norman while I call them?’
‘I think he’s fairly busy trying to get a cheap plane ticket,’ Siobhan said, looking over at him.
Kate took out her phone to google ‘The Little White Wedding Chapel’ and called the number that popped up.
‘Hello,’ a man’s voice said.
‘Hi, is that Vinnie?’ Kate asked.
‘It sure is. Who’s asking?’
‘It’s Kate from the other day.’
‘Who?’
‘Trevor Rush’s wife,’ Kate sighed.
‘You mean ex-wife?’ Vinnie said.
The words hit her like a ton of bricks.
‘Oh,’ she said. ‘That’s actually why I was calling. I was just checking to see if he submitted the annulment.’
‘He sure did. About an hour ago. I was surprised, too. Of all the couples I’ve married, I really thought you two were going to make it,’ Vinnie said.
‘Did he seem . . . how did he seem?’ Kate asked.
‘Honestly, he seemed pretty upset. He asked for the annulment to be processed immediately.’
‘So . . . it’s done then?’
‘I already scanned the papers and submitted them online. The judge will approve them first thing in the morning and the marriage will be erased from history.’
‘Oh . . . alright.’
‘Isn’t that what you wanted?’
‘Yeah . . . I suppose everything worked out. But Vinnie, if you ever happen to see him again, will you tell him something for me?’ Kate asked.
‘Sure, what would you like him to know?’
Kate felt the tears rise again. This was it. Potentially the last thing Trevor would ever hear from her, even if it was unlikely Vinnie would pass on the message.
But it was worth a shot.
‘Tell him he was right,’ Kate said with a quivering lip. ‘Tell him I made a huge mistake and I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. Tell him that I should have trusted him, instead of assuming the worst-case scenario. I dumped him because I thought he had found someone better and was about to dump me. If my stupid pride hadn’t got the better of me, none of this would have happened. I ran away to protect my heart but instead I broke it. And I broke his too, by being a coward. And tell him that even though he hates me, I still love him. I always have and I always will. If I could drink another Four Loko and wake up married to him again, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Tell him that even though I ruined everything, I’ll always be his ride or die.’
‘I don’t have a pen and paper, should I have written that down?’ Vinnie asked.
Kate let out a bittersweet laugh. ‘No, it’s okay, Vinnie. It probably wouldn’t have made a difference anyway.’
‘Well, if I see him, I’ll tell him what you said. My memory isn’t what it used to be, but I’ll try.’
‘Thanks, Vinnie. Take care,’ Kate said, hanging up.
She took a breath and tried to calm herself down. She was an emotional wreck, but she couldn’t let Norman see her crying. He would ask too many questions.
It was officially done. The annulment was signed, sealed and delivered. The judge would sign it in the morning and the marriage would be erased. She had gotten away with it. She had married her ex on her hen party and somehow was able to go back home and marry her fiancé without him finding out or without committing bigamy. It was a downright miracle. A blessing from above if ever there was one.
And yet, it felt like a curse.
‘I got a ticket,’ Norman said, coming up behind her. ‘But the bastards put me in the back of the plane beside the toilet and charged me $2,000 for it!’
‘Of course it matters!’ He suddenly noticed how puffy her eyes were. ‘Were you crying?’
‘No, it’s just my hay fever,’ Kate lied.
‘I don’t think there’s any pollen in—’
‘Come on, Norman,’ Kate interrupted. ‘It’s time to go home.’
After an agonizing five-hour wait, the girls boarded the flight and took their seats in first-class. Norman was forced to keep walking to the back of the plane and Kate was beyond relieved she wouldn’t have to listen to him sulking for ten hours.
The flight attendant began closing the overhead compartments and instructing people to take their seats. First class was even more luxurious than business class, but it made no difference. Kate wanted to be anywhere but there. It wouldn’t be long now before the plane took off.
But as Kate looked out the window, more and more intrusive thoughts began to creep in.
Why the hell did she want Trevor to suddenly appear and beg her to stay? Not that it would require much begging, she’d be gone in a heartbeat. But she was being beyond irrational. What was Trevor going to do? Storm onto the plane? The mere idea was outrageous, especially considering modern airport security measures. He would surely be arrested, if not shot!
But if anyone could do it, it was Trevor Rush.
No.
He was out of time anyway. The cabin door was closed. There was no way he could stop the plane at this stage.
Or was there?
She needed to snap herself out of it. She didn’t deserve a Hollywood ending. She deserved a taste of her own medicine. This feeling was what Trevor experienced nine years ago. Actually, that feeling must have been infinitely worse. To be dumped and blocked by the person you love without rhyme or reason? It was gut-wrenching. And all that time he had spent wondering what he had done wrong, when he hadn’t done a single thing to hurt her. He deserved so much better than that.
He deserved so much better than her.
She needed to let Trevor go. She had hurt him twice now. The only silver lining was that now he might finally have some closure. He could date any woman he wanted in Vegas. Women infinitely more attractive than her. If holding a torch for Kate had kept him from meeting someone new, maybe extinguishing that torch for good would be a blessing in disguise.
For him, at least.
But the thought of him with someone else turned Kate’s stomach. What if she should be the one to run through the airport? Maybe she had done enough damage and maybe she needed to get off the plane and run back to him?
‘Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts – we will be departing shortly,’ the voice on the intercom said.
Kate felt smothered once again. The massive first-class cabin suddenly felt so claustrophobic. She had no idea what the right thing to do was. Everything she had believed about Trevor had been wrong. He was still the man she fell for all those years ago. Underneath the persona, the vulnerable man she loved was still alive. The mask he put on online was clearly to hide the gaping wound she had given him. Just as she adopted the persona of a perfect, people-pleasing planner to hide the scar she carried. The scar she had unknowingly given herself. But considering they had both once loved each other for their true, bare selves, didn’t that mean they were supposed to be together?
She tried to calm herself down and rationalize.
It was too late to get off the flight now anyway. Wasn’t it?
Ugh, why did this feel like such a pivotal moment in her life? Maybe she was just drunk on the drama of the situation.
What was she supposed to do? Run to the back of the plane and tell Norman she was still in love with Trevor? Get off the plane and run back to Vegas to find Trevor, only for him to repeat the same harsh words? How could she leave a man who loved her for a man who had just dumped her?
She considered calling off the wedding but all she could hear was her mother’s voice in her head saying: ‘You’ll be back to square one’, or ‘The clock is ticking’. As much as she hated to admit it, the idea of being alone terrified her. She wasn’t brave enough to blow up her life and live in its ruins. After such a chaotic few days, perhaps stability and security was what she needed now more than ever. And wasn’t that what Norman had always been?
While Kate was still trying to figure out what to do, the plane began to move.
It seemed as if the decision had been made for her.
‘I’m starting to think he’s not coming,’ Siobhan said, looking out the window.
‘I told you already,’ Kate sighed. ‘Trevor is done with me.’
‘Trevor? I was talking about Officer Byrne. It’s not always about you, Kate.’
‘Siobhan, I think Kate’s nine years of history with Trevor trumps your nine seconds with Officer Byrne,’ Natalie said.
‘Love is love,’ Siobhan shrugged.
‘How are you feeling, Kate?’ Chloe asked.
‘Too many emotions to list,’ she sighed.
‘But you love lists.’
‘If you want, I can say there’s something wrong with the left phalange?’ Natalie suggested.
‘No, girls. I don’t deserve a happy ending. I’m the bad guy. I punished Trevor for something he didn’t do. He has every right to hate me,’ Kate said.
‘But hate sex can be so hot,’ Siobhan sighed.
‘It’s too late anyway, girls. Vinnie said the annulment is already submitted and will be approved first thing in the morning. It’s time for this insane story to come to an end. My chapter with Trevor is closed. And my new chapter with Norman is about to begin,’ Kate said.
‘I suppose not every chapter can have a climax,’ Natalie muttered.
‘Girls, from now on we are all Team Norman. I’m marrying him and I need you all to support me. No more mentioning Trevor. We have to go back to never saying his name. I have to forget the past few days. I hope none of you brought any of that stupid merch home. We can’t have any evidence of what happened lying around. And please delete any videos from that night.’
‘Oh come on, Kate, we won’t show anyone. They’ll just be for us,’ Chloe said.
‘So you’re okay with me re-watching the video of you pissing yourself?’ Kate said, raising an eyebrow.
‘Fair point.’
‘Seriously, girls. This hen party never happened. We are never to speak of it again, deal?’
‘Deal,’ the girls replied.
‘I used to think it was just a saying. But I finally understand what people mean.’
‘What phrase?’ Chloe asked.
‘What happens in Vegas . . .’ Kate said, looking out the window one last time, ‘. . . stays in Vegas.’
But although the phrase was somewhat relatable, Kate knew it wasn’t entirely true in her case. One thing had very much not stayed in Vegas. Something she knew she should have left behind but couldn’t. Something the girls didn’t even know she had in her possession.
Because after nine long years, Kate finally had the key to Trevor’s locket.