The Unspoken Truth at Table Four
The voice belonged to Chloe, another bridesmaid who had evidently finished her third glass of champagne. The entire table swiveled to look at her, the clinking of silverware completely stopping.
I felt my stomach drop. “Know what, Chloe? What are you talking about?”
Chloe looked around, suddenly realizing she had crossed an invisible line, but the liquid courage kept her talking. “At the New Year’s Eve party… you know, the one you had to miss because you had the flu? Megan got cornered in the kitchen by her own insecurities and made a massive pass at Tyler.”
The groomsman who had originally asked about Tyler nearly choked on his drink.
“She told him she always thought they had a ‘spark,'” Chloe continued, her voice dropping to a loud whisper. “Tyler shut her down immediately. He was totally polite but firm, told her he loved you, and walked out. Megan was absolutely humiliated. She swore us to secrecy, and when she banned him from the wedding, we all just assumed Tyler had finally told you and you two agreed he should sit this one out to keep the peace.”
My mind raced, connecting a dozen different dots. Tyler’s sudden reluctance to attend group events over the last few months. His complete lack of argument when I tearfully told him Megan didn’t want him at the wedding. He hadn’t been indifferent; he had been trying to protect my friendship with the bride.
I pulled out my phone under the table. My hands were shaking as I typed.
Me: Did Megan hit on you at New Year’s?
The three gray typing dots appeared almost instantly. A long minute passed before the text came through.
Tyler: I am so sorry. Yes. I didn’t want to ruin your best friend’s wedding for you, or make you choose. I was going to tell you after the dust settled. Please tell me you’re okay.
I wasn’t okay, but I was suddenly incredibly clear-headed. I looked over at the sweetheart table. Megan was laughing, looking picture-perfect, completely unaware that the illusion she had curated was shattering at Table Four. She hadn’t excluded Tyler because our relationship wasn’t “serious.” She excluded him because his presence was a walking reminder of her own rejection and infidelity just months before walking down the aisle.
I stood up, smoothing down the expensive bridesmaid dress I had paid for myself.
“Excuse me,” I said to the table.
I didn’t cause a screaming scene. I simply walked up to the head table, leaned in close to Megan, and whispered over the loud music.
“Your relationship with the truth isn’t serious enough for me, Megan. Tyler says congratulations on the wedding.”
The color instantly drained from her perfectly contoured face. Her jaw dropped, but before she could formulate a lie, I turned around, grabbed my purse, and walked out of the venue. The empty chair next to me at the reception was nothing compared to the empty space Megan was about to leave in my life—and frankly, I couldn’t wait to get home to the “random guy” who actually respected me.
