CHAPTER 5–WEDDING PARTY PRE-CLEAN UP

               Chloe Carleton graced everyone with her presence around the third course. She entered the dining room giggling on David’s arm as if he was an expected member of the bridal party.  

               “Your husband has arrived.” Beatrice said. She stated the obvious as he stumbled in, dishevelled with Chloe. They were both giggling and tipsy. It’s embarrassing to see. David didn’t care. He didn’t look at April. He didn’t say a word to her. Everything was for Chloe and gushing for her.

               Damien pointed to three areas and smiled. It’s a public event. Public events were often video taped for memory, marketing, advertising, or security purposes. April couldn’t help but smile into her wineglass.

               Let her husband lick Chloe Carleton’s neck for the camera as she watched. David’s reputation now hit rock bottom if it hadn’t been there by now. No one did this in public, even during their own wedding. They weren’t in Los Vegas either and he was already to someone else.

               “David, you’re so drunk that’s not your wife.” Mr. Stone said to annoy, and angry enough to stand from his seat. Damien stood and cautioned him not to get near the two newcomers. Though inappropriate, even they desired this.

               April looked at Carolyn and Neil. She shook her head in disbelief. But Carolyn tipped her head and whispered to Neil before she gave April the nod to go ahead with whatever drama would unfold. Neil appeared like he would be happy if he saw blood by the end. April remained uncertain regarding the outcome.

               “What? It should be. Are you sure? Are you, my wife?” David asked, as though it were the funniest thing in the world and April was less than nothing to him.

               “No, but I will if you want me to be your wife.” Chloe didn’t care a wit about April. She never had. Throughout school, April was the dirt beneath Chloe’s feet whenever Chloe could remind her of it.

               “See. She is if I aspire to be. I’d rather she be my wife than the one I have now. So, she’s, my wife.” David’s alcohol soak logic figured this greatness out.

               “Stop the presses for this successful leap of logic and understanding.” Carolyn mumbled, rolled her eyes, and used jazz hands. “Wait he wants a divorce. Does this mean David really wants a divorce?”

               “That’s possible, should you wish? Are you sure about that David Moore? Do you want to divorce me to marry this woman?” April knew all about Chloe Carleton and her old money family. She was old hotel money who’d done nothing new with the hotels in so long that they were petering out and they were losing money at a slow pace. If nothing changed in the next ten to fifteen years, hotels would become obsolete.

               “Do you, David Moore intend to divorce April Davis Moore and marry Chloe Carleton is that correct David?” April asked as she emptied her glass. She took a bottle, displaying its label for the recording. ‘May Flowers Vineyards’ David said. He had insisted on a prenuptial agreement because he wanted to keep his money, but April also kept hers. Sometimes, there’s a perk you don’t expect, and David missed this one, but April hadn’t. But there’re catches and he’d just fallen into one of them.

               “Oh. Yes, I do.”

               “I want you to repeat that for Chloe to hear it. Make her feel special. Tell her all about how you will divorce me and marry her.”

               “I’m going to divorce April and marry your Chloe. As soon as I can. It’ll be easy. She’s worth nothing and she signed a paper that means she gets nothing when she leaves. So, it’s worse for her in the end.” David prattled on. “I never screw her so there no chance that she might be having my brat. That’s your honour and yours alone.”

               April heard David speak about his future child as a brat and as if getting pregnant with it’s an honour. It made her shudder. She felt thankful she’d avoided that mess. To think at one time, she’d wanted to have his child, and she had hoped it would settle him down. That it’d make him see things through a different lens. Grow up perhaps. She understood its impossibility.

               “Damien, is this all on video?” April hoped Damien’s video could capture David’s hand going down the back of Chloe’s skirt. She has a low back to her dress and his hand kept dipping into it.

               “Video? You didn’t say there were cameras. That’s entrapment.”

               “No, it’s not entrapment David. This is a public space. It’s a public event, where there’s no expectation of privacy. I’m sorry. I requested, then received the video. It’s on its way to my lawyer.

GOODBYE DEADBEAT.”

               “Mother, I don’t care what you say. But this is too much. I won’t have this. I can’t. You made me send April away saying she’d be a horrible Matron of Honour and to make Chloe my Maid of Honour. Well, look at this. You’re here trying to force April to be at her worst. After her husband and his family have hurt her for three weeks. You’ve no shame. Then Chloe walked in kissing and clinging to the man who hurt my friend and her husband. The man who’s supposed to love my friend. It’s clear that they’ve both had their clothes off together and drank together. You say you like Chloe? Why? What’s there to like? She’s rude and insulting. Chloe doesn’t like me or April. Sometimes I wonder if she’s your daughter because she’s more like you than I am. How wrong’s that mother?”

               “From here on out Chloe you are out of my wedding party. You’re no longer my Maid of Honour. I can’t have someone like you standing up for me. You don’t represent me in any way. David leave. Go away. Get lost. I don’t want you any near my wedding. Party member or guest. You are a persona non-grata. Mother if you have a problem with this, I don’t want to hear it. Not one word. If I hear it, firsthand, second hand, or third hand. Spoken, written, or in smoke signals. I will add you to the list of persona non-grata for the wedding. Understood? We arranged this with April to have her at the wedding and bring some peace for everyone. Neil will explain to his parents.”

               “Who’s explaining what to me?” David Moore straightened and tried to stand on his own. He seemed displeased by his surroundings.

               “It’s simple. You admitted that you’ve entertained Chloe Carleton as a friend with a lot of benefits. It’s captured on video David. You also agreed to marry her and divorce April. It’s quite the discussion. I’m impressed and I’ll thank you now. It’ll save us a large amount of time and money doing it this way. I’ll take April of your hands. If you’re this blind, I’ll just come in and clean up.” Damien thumped David’s back, remarking on David’s actions. He did it because he didn’t like him. “Now why don’t you both have a nice evening alone? Sober up some and try again tomorrow.”

               “What? No, that’s crazy. She was joking, we didn’t plan on doing that. It was all an exaggeration. Right Carolyn. Tell Damien. Please.”

               “I said what I said and I’m standing by it.”

               “Neil.”

               “This is the bride’s day. What she said stands.”

               “Oh, and April, you’re back in as my Matron of Honour. I hope you can work with Damien.” Carolyn said to April, and she pointed from April to Damien. David’s expression soured further, if it’s possible. HELLO BILLIONAIRE.