As Kim craved, she made some time for herself for a little distraction. And what better distraction to a woman than shopping itself? She walked in a little boutique, and began looking around. She didn’t really know what she was looking for. Before she got pregnant, all she could think about were clothes; what was in, what was out, what needed to be thrown out, what needed to be altered. Her life was all about fashion, and being the “wow” of the party. And now she had no idea what would fit her.

Two hours and five stores later, she had nothing in her hand except the only Chanel bag she owned and a muffin bag she got from the diner. She walked into the sixth store and was about to give up her search for distraction until… “Kim!” Darling yelled running to her. “Oh, thank goodness you’re here! I’ve been shopping for hours and I needed to ask someone for their opinion, but if I asked the saleslady, she’ll just be trying to make a sale, so I need you.”

Kim smiled and followed Darling to the dressing room area. Another hour spent at one place critiquing someone else’s attempt to distraction. They walked back to Kim’s apartment. “So how has it been so far with the whole moving on thing?”

“Okay, actually. I mean, it’s hard, but I’m just trying to take it one day at a time, and Gerald’s great. Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you about something. His birthday’s coming up, and I just wanted to know if he has a party, if he likes to party.” Kim started. “I wanted to throw a surprise party with all his friends and family as a token of my appreciation.”

Darling smiled, “Really? You know he’s never had a surprise party before. I mean, when we were younger, our parents always wanted to give him one, but I could never keep it from him.”

“Oh, great then. I guess that’s out of the question,” Kim hung up her jacket.

“Well, of course I’m not going to tell him now. I actually have a life to think about. Speaking of…I’m getting married in a week.” Darling said. Kim stared at her. “Yeah, after our talk, I went to his sister’s house and I told him I was stupid, and I loved him and I wanted to get married. We moved it up to next week!” She squealed.

“I’m so happy for you!” Kim hugged her. “Congratulations!”

Darling hugged her back. “Well, really, I have to thank you. There probably wouldn’t be a wedding if it wasn’t for you. Which reminds me, I want you there.” She laughed. “What am I saying? I need you there. You need to be there, Kim.”

“I don’t know, I don’t have anything to wear.” Kim said.

“Yes, you do. Please Kim, you have to be there. You’re the reason it’s happening.”

“Okay, I’ll be there. It’ll probably be a good distraction.”

On the day of the wedding, Kim ran downstairs when she heard Gerald walk in. “What are you doing coming home so late? Your sister’s getting married in like two hours! We should be there by now!” Kim exclaimed trying to put on her black pumps.

“What are you talking – oh my gosh, Darling’s wedding. It’s fine, they won’t be able to start the wedding unless the brother’s there. It’ll take me one hour to take a shower and get ready. Calm down.” Gerald said casually getting a beer from his fridge.

“How can you still be downstairs!” She yelled. “I am going to pick up your sister’s gift, and when I get back in twenty minutes, you better be washed, cleaned and dressed, ready to go. Got it?” Kim said, throwing on her jacket and shutting the door behind her.

Gerald laughed. He had to admit she looked cute bossing him around. And she looked beautiful in her pearl blue gown. After thinking about her a little bit more, he gave in to her demands and went to get ready.

Kim arrived back from the jewelers, and called Gerald. “Ge! Are you ready?!”

He came running downstairs in a gray suit. “Yes, I’m ready. Can you help me with this? It doesn’t look straight. I can’t be precise when I have a timeline,” he said walking towards her.

“Ha!” Kim responded. She met him half way, and flicked his collar up to reposition the tie. Her long slender fingers brought the end through the loop, and down the front and tightened the know, carefully drawing it up to the collar. “You’d think a man of your caliber would be able to tie a tie in any situation.

He looked down at her and almost recognized the old Kim he missed. She met his eyes with a smile. “Is there anything else you need me to do?” She playfully asked, her breath whispered warm on his lips. Her smile faded when she really looked at him, and felt his stare everywhere on her body. She needed to take her eyes off of him, but couldn’t.

“We should probably get going. Can’t be late to my sister’s wedding.” He chuckled, taking a step back and grabbing his suit jacket off the arm rest of the couch. “Let’s go.”

They arrived at the church, and Gerald whispered in his ear that he was going to the groom’s room and visit the groom-to-be. Kim found it the perfect opportunity to go find Darling. She knocked on the door and opened it slowly. “Hey,” Kim said. Darling was alone which comforted her in what she was doing. “You look beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous.”

Darling beamed. “I’m so happy you’re here. My mom’s downstairs checking everything, and I really just needed to hear that. And it’s coming from you!”

“Any premarriage jitters?”

“Shaking, but in a good way.” She answered.

Kim smiled, “I just wanted to come up here and thank you for inviting me. I mean, it’s been a really tough time, but you have been amazing through all of it.”

“Of course I’d be. You are an amazing person.”

“Well, I just wanted to give you these as a gift.” Kim went into her bag and took out a black box. “Um…when I first got hired, I bought these with my first pay-cheque. It symbolized success, loyalty, commitment and admiration. They’re real,” she chuckled, taking out diamond earrings. “I didn’t know if they matched your dress or if you already had something to wear, but I thought maybe it could be something old and something borrowed.

Darling’s jaw dropped. “They’re beautiful.”

“You don’t have to say that to be nice. I totally understand I you…”

“No, no, no, no. They’re gorgeous, and I’d be honored to wear them Thank you so much.” She turned to the mirror and put them on.

Kim couldn’t help but smile, “You are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”

While Gerald stood up at the altar next to the groom as one of the groomsmen, Kim took a seat near the back just so not to be noticed by everyone. She watched as Darling walked down the aisle and as the two of them said their vows and how the priest announced them husband and wife. She even shed a couple of tears at the beauty of it. So far the night turned out to be everything she hoped it would be – a distraction.

Once they got to the reception, Gerald needed to mingle with his family, and Kim respected that keeping her distance with an old friend of hers named Pinot Noir.

An hour in, she met up with a lonely Gerald. “Hey, are you gonna finish that?” She asked.

Gerald was surprised to see her so light. “Hey,” he said.

She grabbed his glass from his hand and chugged it down. “Thank you,” she giggled. Kim turned her back to the dancefloor. “Would you like to dance?” Gerald still had a stunned look on his face. “No? Okay, well…whatever. I mean, it’s good you’re driving, because I can’t.” She lifted her empty glass, and a server came with a tray of full ones. Kim took one, and laughed. “Thanks.” Back to Gerald, she smiled. “Whoever picked out the champagne did a really good job.”

Gerald covered his mouth trying to stifle a laugh. “Gerald!” A young woman caught his attention but he looked back at Kim.

“Go, I’ll be right here when you get back, I promise,” she vowed.

He returned to Kim filling up her own glass. “Kim, are you alright?” He took her hand and pulled the bottle away.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Yeah, well you haven’t touched alcohol in like nine months, maybe you should slow down.”

Kim shrugged, “Too late.”

“What?”

“I’m drunk,” she admitted laughing. “Can we please dance?” She begged.

“No, I’m not about to make a fool of myself at my sister’s wedding,” he answered. “Okay that’s enough for you,” he tried to pull her glass away.

Darling and Kevin arrived to the venue and made their grand entrance with the crowd cheering.

“Well, you’re lucky. You’re spared….for now.” She winked.

After dinner, and a couple more glasses of champagne, it was time to cut the cake and throw the garter and bouquet. When Kevin snuck under the dress to take it off, Kim was pushing Gerald to the centre of the crowd, where by chance he was the one who caught it. His face was in complete shock, but Kim was enjoying every moment of it which pleased him.

Since Kim was completely gone and Gerald didn’t feel like dancing, he decided to take Kim home and tuck her in bed before the effects of a hangover consumer her.

He was the first one in, and threw her jacket on the couch laughing, “You should’ve seen your face when you caught the garter!”

“Well, you shouldn’t have kept pushing me in the middle of the dance floor,” he said locking the door behind him.

“Come on you haven’t smiled like that in the longest time, she shot the garter directly at him, and he caught swiftly and threw it beside his keys on his desk. “Okay, well,” she started walking to him panting for air. “We are going to do it right here, right now,” she stared intensely at him.

Gerald’s smile faded and tilted his head, silently asking for clarification. “What?”

“Dancing,” she clarified.

“No,” he answered.

“Yes,” she shot back. There was a remote on the table and she the radio. “Come on,” she took his hand and pulled him to the middle of his living room. “I’m drunk, I won’t even remember tomorrow morning.” She said. “And so you put your hand here,” she placed on her lower back. “See, it’s not that bad.”

“It doesn’t really go with the music,” he told her.

She laughed and pressed her body against his, resting her head on his shoulder. “That doesn’t matter. See, you could dance. You’ve been lying to me all this time.”

Gerald sighed. She was drunk so instead of lying touching her, he was pretty much holding her upper body up. But he didn’t mind. This was exactly what he has been dreaming of these last couple of days. What’d it be like to hold her in such close proximity. He lightly threaded his fingers down her long brown locks; they were soft and silky. He her back, and closed his eyes, imaging what it’d be like if he did this exact thing in another situation where she wasn’t drunk.

Kim pulled her head off his shoulder and looked up at him. “I’m drunk,” she said.

He chuckled, “That’s the only reason why I’m dancing with you.”

Her eyes lowered to his lips, and she dampened hers with her tongue. “I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to kiss you,” she stated. Gerald stayed quiet. “But I’m drunk.” She repeated. “And I don’t know if this counts,” she stood on her toes and kissed him.

It was just a surprise to him as anything else, but a good surprise. He kept his hands on her waist, not wanting to instigate anything especially since she was drunk and he didn’t want to take advantage of her.

Kim wound her arms around his neck, and kissed him thoroughly, pressing her body against his. Something happened, because the next thing she knew, she stepped on his foot and fell, but his hand saving her body from a hard fall. She laughed, and relaxed on the floor, his arm still on her back.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

After her laughing fit she just stared at him. “I’ve been thinking about kissing you. I mean almost everyday sine moving in here I’ve been wondering, ‘what it’d be like to kiss Ge’, and now I know. And I’m spinning.” She said out of breath. “I’m spinning,” she chuckled and not from the champagne.”