Ending with Forever by Lan LLP Page A

the office ask about you all the time. Maybe when you become a full-fledged doctor, you can take my place so I can retire.”
    “Maybe. You never know.” I grin. “Is Emi around or is she tying up loose ends before the big day? I know how meticulous she is. Everything has to be perfect.”
    “This is true,” he chuckles. “She’s in her room. Go on up there. She’ll be ecstatic to see you.”
    I skip up a massive wooden staircase reminiscent of the one in Gone with the Wind and then sprint down a long hallway to Emi’s room. I’ve often teased Emi that she lives in a castle because of its magnitude as well as the many rooms it has. They even have their own laundry shoots and intercoms because of the distance. The kids’ bedrooms are separate from their parents on a different wing. When I arrive, I see a rose-colored gossamer swag with flowers hanging above Emi’s door. This must be her mother’s creative handy work. She loves to decorate and make everything fancy, earning herself the bedazzle queen title. I can’t imagine how incredible the wedding will be.
    “Knock, knock,” I holler from my side of the door and then press my ear against the door to listen.
    “Who’s there?” she asks in an exaggerated girly voice, knowing full well that it’s me on the other side. “I’m not expecting anyone, but you sure sound familiar.”
    “Let me in or I’ll tell everyone you kissed Terrible Timmy,” I threaten as I hold back my giggles. Timmy earned his name by picking on all the girls in class. He terrorized us until freshman year in high school. Emi was forced to kiss him at a girl-boy party in a dark closet. She chose dare instead of truth.
    “You wouldn’t. That’s our secret,” she yells. “And for your information, he wasn’t a terrible kisser.”
    “Gross! I’ll take your word for it. Now let me in!” I demand.
    “Alright. What’s the secret code?”
    “Holy laughing Buddha,” I whisper. 
    The door flies open with Emi’s arms thrown around me, crushing me against her engorged boobs and small baby bump. “Lily, I’ve missed you, girl.”
    “And I’ve missed you.” I squeeze her back.
    “Not as much as I have,” she whines and then smacks me in the arm. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again! I freaking cried for a solid week when I thought you died in that accident. Thank God Belle called and filled me in.”
    “Trust me. It was no joyride for me either,” I assure her as I rub my tender arm and acquaint myself with the new Emi. “You couldn’t be any more glowing than if you were sitting under a bright sun on a beach in Bora-Bora,” I compliment. She’s pregnant and soon to be a bride. These two factors alone should boost up her radiance level several bars.
    “Shut up! I’ve gained a shit ton of weight already and my fingers are too fat to fit my engagement ring. Devan had to resize both rings so I can wear them tomorrow.”
    “Yeah, whatever.” I roll my eyes at her. “Tell me about Devan. How did you two meet and why didn’t I hear about him sooner?”
    “It started out as nothing. He was an assistant instructor for one of my law classes. I asked him to help me with a project and guess what? He knocked me up and gave me an A for the semester,” she kids.
    “Funny. All joking aside, do you love him or is this about the pregnancy?” I ask frankly as I reach down to her belly and place both palms over her protruding little bump. Sadness washes over me, knowing that my belly would be about the same size if I hadn’t lost my pregnancy. I’m happy for my best friend but self-pity can be selfish. I’m ashamed to admit that. 
    “I do love him. He’s good to me and his heart is all mine. Thanks to that laughing Buddha of yours, we’ve all found our Mr. Happy Endings, Lily. Carson seems dreamy and perfect. I hope you don’t mind that Belle’s been filling me in since we haven’t been able to talk.”
    “Of course not. I’m sorry I haven’t tried harder.