I WAS DRESSED IN A COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE SHADE OF PINK. Actually, I was dressed inappropriately, full stop.

Earlier on the phone, Bria had told me that the party was going to be semi- formal and I should wear something cute. I had spent hours in my room looking for the perfect outfit, just to show up at the event like a flamingo in a sea of white .

It was the evening of my best friend, Daryl's, engagement party and I was excited. As kids, Daryl and I would always joke about who would get married first. We never thought it would be him.

The weather was perfect; it was that awkward period between seasons when the colors change from the bright hues of summer to more subdued tones of fall. The engagement hall on the other hand, was in stark contrast to the weather. Everything was white and trimmed with gold, from the cake, to the decorations, to what people were wearing. There were candles placed strategically all over the room, which gave it a candescent feel. It was very elegant, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from Brittany. She had august taste.
I saw Daryl across the hall and was making my way through the hoards of other party guest to congratulate him. Suddenly, Brittany, Daryl’s fiancee, popped out of nowhere. “Hey Azalea, it is so nice to see- what are you wearing?!” Brittany went from a cordial hostess to bridezilla in about two seconds, which I kind of expected. Being a perfectionist, she had planned the wedding down to the very last soup spoon. She obviously wanted to emphasize the white theme and my flamboyant pink cocktail dress clearly messed that up.
“Brittany, I can explain,” I replied in a hurry before she could really get upset. “When I asked your sister Bria, she told me it was an anything goes party, and I could wear whatever I felt like.”

"You should know better than to listen to Bria, she can barely tell her left from her right, being the irresponsible drunk that she is! Besides, do you see her here?No! Because I didn’t invite her because I just knew she would do something to mess up my special night!" shouted Brittany.

I could tell she was really getting upset about this, so instead of defending Bria’s reputation, I just gave up. Besides I didn't want to get on the wrong side of Daryl's wife-to-be, especially on their special night. Not to mention, Brittany could be a real pain.
"FIIIIIRE!" All of a sudden I was interrupted from my speculation by a giant flame ball on the other side of the immaculately decorated ballroom. People were screaming and scrambling for the exits.

I know this sounds really bad, but my first thought was, "Well, I guess I don't have to worry about changing anymore." But soon I snapped back to the fact that my best friend's engagement party was going up in smoke and I hadn't been able to congratulate him yet. "Where's Daryl?" I shouted to Brittany, but she had been carried away by the stampede of party guests escaping from the fire. I debated staying to look for him but as my lungs began to fill with smoke, I decided against it. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. The ornately placed ceiling decorations were crashing down in a not so graceful manner. "He can take care of himself," I murmured unconvincingly to no one in particular as I joined the disorderly crowd emerging from the ballroom.

Outside, there was even more chaos. Police sirens whining, firemen shouting orders to each orders. The smoke of the fire covered the stars of the night. There were already several Emergency Medical Service vehicles at the scene. I thought I saw someone that looked vaguely like Daryl being loaded into a van, but I was distracted by a vibration in my purse.




It was my phone. "Who could be calling me at a time like this?" I thought to myself. It was Brittany.

"Azalea, m-m-m-my en-engagement partyyyyyy is r-r-ruined." I could barely hear her through her sobs.

"Hold on," I responded absentmindedly, scratching my head. "Let me try to get to my car," as I carefully picked my way through the pandemonium. It took about ten minutes to locate my silver chevy in the mess surrounding the hall. When I finally got in my car and shut the door, I was surprised to see that Brittany was still on the phone.
"Ok, what were you saying?"

As Brittany rambled on about the loss of her precious party, I was checking myself in the rearview mirror, not really paying attention. I mean, if it was my engagement party that was being burned down, I would be pretty upset, but not like this. She was acting like her actual house burned down, not just some hall she rented for the night. Besides, why wasn't she talking to Daryl, I barely knew her.
"And Daryl's in the hospital," she remarked offhandedly but the mention of Daryl's name brought me back.

I interrupted Brittany's spiel. "What happened to Daryl? Where is he? Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I don't know... St. Mary's or something like that. I'm just so upset about the party though. Do you know how long I spent picking out the floral arrangement?"

Ugh, she was at it again. It was almost like she cared more about her stupid engagement party than her fiancé. I was literally screaming into my cell as my car's engine roared to life. 60 miles per hour on the highway was almost too slow as I rushed to St. Mary's Hospital. It was a miracle I made it there uninjured myself.
******

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Daryl is in the Intensive Care Unit undergoing a very risky procedure to save his skin from the numerous third-degree burns on his lower body. If he survives, he will probably be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.”

I couldn't believe the words that were coming out of this doctor's mouth. It was impossible. Less than 24 hours ago, Daryl and I had been shooting hoops at the park and talking about all the changes that came with married life. There was no way this could be true. That's what I kept telling myself as I paced back and forth in the hospital's waiting room.

When I was finally allowed into Daryl's room, I lost all resolve. I was so angry and so sad at the same time. I was crying, and screaming at the doctors, and pulling at my hair. Daryl was still asleep from the anesthesia they gave him. From knees up, he was still the same old Daryl, except from the knees down where there was no Daryl at all. Eventually, my lamentations receded into sobs and I fell asleep on a chair next to the hospital bed.
I woke a couple hours later to hear Daryl choking back tears. I quickly rose and went to see what was wrong. In his hands, he clutched a creased piece paper. From what I could see, it was signed Brittany.
"Just take a look at this," Daryl said handing me the wrinkled note. I sat on his bed, careful to avoid touching his bandages, and unfurled the paper.

Daryl,


None of this was ever supposed to happen. I have had some time to think about this, and I have decided it would be best if we postponed our marriage. I am very sorry about your accident, I can't imagine what you must be going through.
Brittany

She was worse than I thought. How could you just leave your fiance at a time when he needed you most. I looked Daryl square in the eye. Brittany didn't deserve someone as great as him. I wanted to tell him that I would always have his back, and I would always be there for him. Instead I just gave him a hug. We were embracing as the sun ushered in a new day.