Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding 2)

The scene before them was as if nothing had happened. Jack was standing at Bekah's side smiling into her enamored face. Three women stood beside her, and Lexi was pretty sure she knew who they were. She remembered the last time she had been in proximity to Bekah's best friends, the Fearsome Four, as Ramsey had called them. She had nearly been sick listening to them talking in the 755 Club. It wasn't exactly a fond memory, and she wasn't looking forward to seeing them again.

As they approached, a glass of lemonade was thrust in each of their hands, and they were shuffled closer to the bride and groom. The closer they got, the louder Ramsey's father's voice rang in the afternoon air. It was clear he was making a toast.

"To honor my beautiful daughter…"

Lexi half-listened to the speech as her eyes moved back to Bekah's friends. They all had shining blonde hair in various stages of bleach. She wasn't certain if any of them were natural. Or perhaps they had been at one point, but they had now died their hair so often they couldn't remember if the shade was sandy or honey…or anything other than manufactured color that Lexi felt she needed sunglasses to even look at.

"and my soon-to-be son-in-law…"

The tallest one was easily the prettiest of the three. As much as Lexi hated admitting it, she didn't have Bekah's natural good looks and poise, but she was stunning in her own right. She couldn't place names with any of them since she had never been officially introduced. All that rang through in her mind was a terrible southern drawl talking about f**king in the middle of a crowded party where anyone could hear her…and Bekah encouraging her.

"I know that through their love…"

The thought turned her stomach as if she were still standing in the club hearing the words as she eavesdropped on their conversation. She assumed that the pretty one was the bitch with the drawl. Beauty and money tend to bring about a sense of self-righteousness. Not to mention the damn girl was wearing cowboy boots with her yellow sundress…a style Lexi still hadn't come to grips with.

"and devotion to one another…"

Lexi tried not to snort at the last statement as he eyes shifted to the one standing in the middle. She was a tiny little thing with a button nose and calculating, round, baby blue eyes. Unlike the other girls, her dress was loose fitting, and extremely conservative…even for a country club. Her demeanor oozed prude. If she hadn't been hanging around Bekah, Lexi would have thought she would be better placed in a church.

"they will have a marriage as fulfilling as any we've witnessed…"

The last girl seemed the most normal of the bunch…if that word could even be used about someone who was actually friends with Bekah. Her hair was cut short into a bob that curled up under chin with large sweeping bangs that completely covered her forehead. Her smile seemed genuine as she looked at Bekah's own happiness. Lexi wasn't sure if she could ever be friends with someone that Bekah had known for such a long time, but just based on appearances, this girl had to be the closest thing to a human being around.

"Saturday will be just the first of so many more wonderful moments in their lives…"

Lexi let her eyes shift back to Bekah and Jack. Their hands were lightly entwined as they stared up at her father. Every couple seconds they would sneak glances at each other. A pain shot through Lexi's chest from watching them interact together. One thing was obvious – Jack hadn't told Bekah anything. She looked so incredibly happy standing next to him, Lexi was having a hard time reconciling the situation in her mind.

"to the happy couple…"

She knew Bekah and Jack cared for each other, but somehow it had never felt real. It had all been a trick. Bekah had used Lexi to get Jack. There was absolutely no way that a sane person could participate in that kind of deception and still have normal human feelings. For some reason, seeing them together actually happy, everything came in perspective.

"may they remember this time forever."

Jack was marrying Bekah. This was really happening.

"To Jack and Bekah."

The crowd echoed the final sentiment, raised their glasses in unison, and took a swig of their beverage of choice. Lexi took a tentative sip of her lemonade, sputtered when she realized that the punch was spiked, and then downed another large gulp. She would need the alcohol to get through the rest of day.

The two moved in closer to the wedding party as the remainder of the crowd dispersed. She couldn't help but notice the twinkle in his father's eye from the toast and the look of adoration on his face as he stared at his only daughter.

"Ramsey, Lexi, so nice to see you could make it," Bekah said immediately including them into the group. Though, Lexi knew too well not to expect that to have been a welcoming. It was likely more that she was pointing out that the two of them had been missing.

Ramsey's father clapped him on the back at Bekah's statement. "Good thing you got back in time, son."

"I have to apologize," Lexi said speaking up in his presence, no matter how terrifying and imposing a figure he might be, "I was just admiring your beautiful trove of weeping willows." Lexi made a pointed effort not to look at Jack the whole time.

His father beamed. "That's understandable. They're gorgeous, massive trees right there on the lake." His wife bobbed her head along with the statements. Turning his attention back to Bekah, he asked, "What kind of trouble are you ladies getting into tonight?"

Bekah ducked her chin to her chest as if she were an innocent little girl up to no trouble whatsoever. "Nothing daddy."

"Don't daddy me. I'm footin' the bill. Where are ya'll headin'?" he bellowed.

Bekah glanced from her dad to Jack and back. "You want me to say in front of the groom," she asked giggling clearly putting on a show. "Well alright, we're just going to go to a few clubs daddy. We'll be in by midnight."

"Midnight," he scoffed as if it was the most ridiculous statement he had heard.

Lexi wasn't even sure what they were referring to in the first place. And she didn't see why it mattered that she was going clubbing tonight with her friends. It didn't exactly seem like an affair her father would typically be interested in.

"Could Lexi come with us since we're down one?" Bekah asked her smile turning into a smirk at the edges. Lexi snapped to attention at the mention of her name. Where exactly was she going? Did Bekah actually just include her in something? She hadn't signed up for this. Not to mention, she wasn't exactly thrilled with filling in if they were down one…whatever that one was.