Cassie

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. The phrase filtered through Cassie's thoughts as she packed only just a tad bit more than the bare essentials for her upcoming trip to Key West. She had no idea why the thought had resounded in her mind, because it simply wasn't true. At least it wouldn't be for long, that is. Soon she and Evan would be planning their own wedding, bachelor and bachelorette parties and all. She figured she had plenty of time for that.

One thing she knew for sure was that she wouldn't drag her friends down the coast and pressure them to take time away from work and family simply to show their support.

Don't judge.

She hadn't quite broken the habit of judging, but damn if she wasn't getting a tad bit better with it each day. Cassie's new outlook on life dipped into the spiritual realm with healthy doses of daily gratitude and freeing herself from the ugly, heavy habit of judging others.

Part of her was secretly relieved to be taking a break from reality. Teaching and her passion for writing had been eating up most of her free time lately and Evan had accused her more than once of becoming old before her time, and being an anchor of sorts lately. She was no anchor; just focused, determined, and diligent.

Since when were those qualities considered negative?

She had stuffed her last piece of clothing into her suitcase when her phone started ringing. Evan. She had promised to call him before she left for the airport.

"Hey."

"I thought you said you'd call to say goodbye."

Cassie's pulse sped up. "Haven't left yet. Besides, I thought I told you I didn't like goodbyes."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you want to call it. It's not hello, so to me it's goodbye. So you must be leaving soon?" She heard the pressing of a keyboard from his end of the conversation.

"Yes, I'm just finishing up here and then heading out."

She heard the clicking of his fingers on the keyboard.

"Evan? You there?"

"Yeah, I'm here." More typing. She rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I'm heading out for the airport now. The limo should be here any minute." Cassie made her way to her galley kitchen and glanced at the clock on the wall. Literally any minute, she noted.

"Have a safe flight, my darling, and don't do anything I wouldn't."

"Of course not, Ev."

"Call me when you get there?"

"Will do. Love you." She tilted her head down, foreshadowing the antics of the bachelorette activities ahead of her this week.

"Love you too. I wish you didn't have to go for the whole time, honey."

She had pondered the very same thought. If only there was a way that she could skip out early, maybe spend a long weekend in the Keys with her friends and then still get back to the kids at school and save some of her diminishing personal days.

"Actually, I was thinking of–"

"What? No, don't you even say it. Don't worry about me, you deserve the entire time to relax. You hear me?"

She sank down onto the kitchen chair. "Yeah, you're right I guess." Cassie twirled the ends of her hair. He had intercepted her idea rather quickly, she thought.

"You know I am. Like I said, I'll be fine. You have a good flight and we'll talk soon, huh?" More typing still.

Cassie sighed into the phone. "Talk soon. Love you."

And he disconnected their call. She gazed down at the solitaire white gold diamond on her ring finger. Before she had a chance to weed through her feelings on their conversation, she heard the beeping outside her window.

Evan did have a point, though. It had been a particularly grueling past few weeks, with a stomach bug ravaging its way into her school this past month and the hours she had put in with her writing lately. She would concentrate on trying to have a good time, if that was even a thing. In the back of her mind she knew that real fun was something you didn't try to have, true fun just happened and she decided that she would do her absolute best to allow it.

Jules looked shot by the time they arrived at the airport. "You know, you really should lay off the martinis for a while," Cassie gently suggested. She glanced around at Sara and Jen who clinked their own glasses with Jules's. Who knew limos came stocked with a full wet bar? Well, their limo did and contained the makings for every one of Jules's favorite poisons. She must have spent a fortune on this ride, Cassie mused. But then she remembered that she and the bridal party had paid for most of this trip. At least she hadn't shouldered the responsibilities of the maid of honor; Sara held that honor.

Thank God.

"Ah – don't be such a wet blanket," they crooned together. Was she? A wet blanket, that is? Evan's voice filled her head, prompting her to let loose and enjoy this vacation.

Without giving herself a chance to back out, she reached for a glass and poured the remaining drink from Sara's tumbler. Nobody needed to know that the tumbler only held about a sip or two, the point was, she had joined in and she had to admit it felt pretty good to sit back and go along for the ride instead of always trying to steer.

Jules allowed the limo driver to escort her from the vehicle and then she led the way through the packed lines in the airport, charming her way through the best she could manage. That was Jules, always smiling sweetly. Damn if she couldn't charm the skin off a snake. "Come on, we can try for an upgrade if we make it before the gate opens up."

Smooth as she may be, it wasn't in the cards for them to get their seats upgraded. Jules tutted her disapproval as she glanced around the plane. Cassie couldn't make out one empty seat from where they stood.

"This is ridiculous," Sara hissed as she squeezed through the tight aisle.

Three seats were together and Cassie had volunteered to sit across the aisle from her friends. In her opinion an aisle seat was far better than a middle one.

"I get the window."

"We know, Jules, we know."

"Do I really have to sit here?" Jen frowned at the middle seat and then set her gaze on Sara's aisle seat.

"Hell no," Sara said.

"Guys, you have to remember, we're going to Key West, to the beautiful warmth and ocean…"

They turned to Cassie as one and scowled. "Why don't you take your newfound gratitude and switch with me then, huh?" Jen nodded toward her seat. No thanks, Cassie thought. She had swiped the aisle seat first through the online travel site and wasn't about to give it up.

"Just sit down, Jen. We'll be there before you know it.'

"That's what I thought." Jen sulked her way into her middle seat and threw her head back with a cluck of her tongue.

This is going to be a long flight, Cassie figured. She inhaled and counted to five, held for five, then promptly released the breath.