10:00 AM 12.16.2016

10:06:00

"Molly, sweetheart, the flowers just arrived. Would you like to see them before I put them in the refrigerator?" Jennifer asked with hope in her voice. In twenty-four hours, Justin would be escorting Molly down the aisle. At least that's what Jennifer and the rest of the family were praying for. If it was left up to Molly, at this juncture, Molly and Owen would be on a plane to Vegas for an 'Elvis' wedding. Molly had had enough.

"NO!" Molly yelled through the closed door.

"Honey, please come out. You haven't eaten breakfast and you barely ate dinner last night," Jennifer pleaded at the closed door.

"NO!" was Molly's only response.

"Please, honey."

"What part of NO, do you not understand! I am not coming out...EVER!"

Jennifer heard Molly kick something then throw herself onto her bed. Jennifer then heard her daughter's quiet sobs.

"All right, sweetheart," Jennifer said softly at her daughter's bedroom door. "I'll check on you later."

10:08:25

"Justin?"

"Mom? What's wrong?" Brian, Justin and Bree had come into Pittsburgh for the wedding. They decided to stay at the loft Friday night so that they would be well rested for the main event the following day. They'd go back to the cottage on Sunday.

"It's your sister. She won't come out of her room."

"Pre-wedding jitters? Isn't that normal?"

"Did you have pre-wedding jitters, Justin?"

"Um, no. I was more worried that Brian would change his mind and go fuck a waiter in the backroom."

"Justin!" Jennifer couldn't believe what she just heard.

"Mom."

"But Justin, honey, Brian loves you."

"I know that, Mom. I've always known that but sometimes I was stupid and didn't appreciate what I had, back then. Deep down I knew Brian would follow through on his commitment and he still does. He's never lied to me but I've let him down hundreds of times. It would have served me right if he backed out."

"But he didn't."

"No, he didn't. He took charge and orchestrated everything to give me the perfect wedding. He knows me so well, better than I know myself. It was a night I'll never forget for the rest of my life."

"Damn!"

"Huh?"

"Oh no, not you, sweetheart...Molly."

"I don't understand."

"You said it yourself. Brian knew what you'd like. He knew what and how to make your wedding perfect for you. He took charge and he made it happen because he was thinking of you and only you. Not like the rest of us. All we've been thinking of is how to make this the social event of the year. You should see the list of ushers and bridesmaids. Molly doesn't know half of them. They're mostly who Sharon picked out because she couldn't insult anyone. If we had listened to Molly, it would have only been her best friend Joanne, and Katerina. And poor Owen! He tries so hard to help keep the peace. That's not how it should be. Molly knew exactly how she wanted her wedding to be and Emmett was ready, willing and able to oblige. Instead we have this humongous event and now your sister is in her room crying. She won't come out and she hasn't eaten a thing since yesterday afternoon. Instead of seeing them off on their honeymoon, I wouldn't be surprised if I saw them taking Molly to the hospital for malnutrition."

"Mom! You're exaggerating!"

"Maybe, but not about her crying. Justin, she won't come out of her room."

"You want me to talk to her?"

"Can you, honey? Maybe she'll listen to you."

"Okay, we'll be over in about twenty minutes."

"Thank you, honey."

"Bye." Justin hung up the phone and hung his head.

"That bad," Brian said as he came up from behind Justin and wrapped his arms around the smaller man.

"Bad enough. How much did you hear?"

"Not much, only from the part where you thought you let me down hundreds of times. And it's not true. I wasn't strong enough or grown up enough to live up to your expectations."

"No, Bri, I was wrong to have expected you to change into what I thought my perfect man should be. I was wrong to try to make you fit my fantasy. We both needed time to grow up."

"And now?"

"Now I've grown up enough to know that perfection is a myth. I don't need it or want it. I want us, just the way we are, flaws and all, because if it was all perfect it would be boring as all hell. And living with you is never boring, and always filled with love."

"Justin Taylor, I do love you. I know I don't say it as often as I should..."

"Brian, if I never hear it again from you, it wouldn't matter. The words don't matter because your actions have always spoken louder than your words. Sometimes I'm just too stubborn to realize it."

"Maybe Molly is just as stubborn. She is a Taylor, after all."

"I need to go over there and see if I can fix this."

"Can you take Bree? I have a few things to do. It would go a little faster if I was by myself." Justin nodded his consent.

"You gonna brown up for me?" Justin asked with a suggestive leer.

"You like it when I do, doncha?" Brian waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh yeah," Justin said waggling his own eyebrows.

The lovers kissed then held onto each other, slightly preoccupied with their own memories of their past indiscretions. Silently vowing to never knowingly cause the other pain, they reluctantly broke their embrace. If Justin couldn't convince his sister to come out of her room, there would be no wedding. Justin bundled himself and Bree up in their heavy coats and went to visit Jennifer and Molly.

10:16:30

As Justin sat in the front seat of the Cherokee letting the engine warm up, Bree was securely strapped into her car seat in the back. Justin could hear her lecturing Muñequita regarding her responsibility of keeping her Dada company as Bree performed her 'job' as flower girl at Molly's wedding. Justin pulled out his cell phone.

"Susan?"

"Hi Justin, all set for tomorrow?"

"Um, not quite. Are you busy right now?"

"No, not really. Why?"

"Can I drop Bree off at your house for a while? Molly is having a bit of a crisis and my Mom is freaking out."

"Tell me about it! Emmett's been here and gone. He's about to return the deposit and order pizza from every pizzeria in Pittsburgh. Please Justin, do something!"

"I'll be right over," Justin said with a very big sigh. With less than twenty-four hours to go, the wedding was becoming a disaster.

10:27:13

"Hi, Gamma Susan," Bree said happily.

"Hello, sweetheart. Are you ready for the big wedding?"

"Me and Muñequita practise."

Susan smiled. "That's great! And you're going to stay for lunch with me?"

"Yes, Gamma."

"Thanks, Susan," Justin said as he kissed Bree's cheek. "I better get going. Molly's having a meltdown."

Susan chuckled. "I'm sure it's not funny," she added when she saw the worried look on Justin's face, "but she'll be fine. Wedding day jitters, that's all."

"I hope you're right. You be good for Gramma Susan," Justin told Bree as he set her down.

"I will." She ran off inside the apartment.

"Any change in Dad?" Justin asked knowing what the likely answer would be.

Susan shook her head. "He says he just can't be there with…"

"Brian," Justin sighed.

"Sorry, I've done everything I could think of, but he won't budge."

"Well, fuck him!" Justin said vehemently. "I have to get going. I'll call before I come to pick Bree up."

"It'll all work out, Justin," Susan said placing her hand gently on Justin's arm.

"Thanks, but I don't think I have much hope of that happening … at least not the way we all want it to."

Justin quickly headed for the elevator. He needed to get to Molly and do some damage control.

10:42:00

"Molly," Justin pleaded at the door to his sister's room.

"Go way, Justin. Leave me alone."

"Molly, please, let me in. We need to talk."

"I don't want to talk to anybody. I hate this fucking wedding. I hate that everything has been taken out of my hands. It's not the wedding I want. It's not the wedding I always dreamed of having. I'm not going to do it."

"You don't mean that, Mollusk," Justin whispered against the door. He wished his mother would go downstairs. Having her stand behind him and listen to every word he said to his sister just made him more uncomfortable and less likely to persuade Molly to come out of her room.

"Molly, sweetheart, listen to Justin. You don't mean what you're saying. Everything will be fine if you just open the door," Jennifer begged.

"Mother, leave me the fuck alone!" Molly yelled.

"Mom, go downstairs and … press Molly's veil … or something," Justin said in frustration.

"Molly's veil is in the bedroom with Molly … and it doesn't need pressing," Jennifer said, annoyed.

The door to the bedroom opened a fraction of an inch. "Mom, if you go away, I'll talk to Jester." Molly's voice was full of tears, but also full of determination.

"I'm trying to help," Jennifer stated, but the look on Justin's face told her that she should do as Molly requested. "All right, I'm going," she sighed in resignation. She started down the stairs, praying that Justin would finally be able to get through to her daughter.

"Mollusk, let me in," Justin pleaded.

"No!" Molly said slamming the door and almost taking off the tip of Justin's nose as it got too close.

"Jee-zus, Molly, you almost de-nostrilized me."

Molly giggled in spite of her tears. "Sorry."

"Let me in, please."

"No, I can't. I don't want to be talked into this farce of a wedding."

"Then let's just talk about what you do want to do."

"I don't know what I want to do," Molly sobbed. "I'm so confused."

"I know, Mollusk, but I'm here to help you in any way that I can."

"I know, but I can't let you in."

"Then let's talk through the door," Justin suggested. He sat down beside the door and placed the palm of his hand just below the doorknob. "My hand is right below the knob, Moll. Place yours there and we can be connected that way. Good, I feel it."

"How can you feel it?"

"I just do."

"'Kay, Jester," Molly said with a little hitch in her voice.

"Good, now tell me what the problems are."

"Oh, Justin, I don't know if I can go through with this…with any of it."

"You love Owen, don't you?"

"Of course I do."

"Then hang onto that thought and tell me what else is bothering you. Maybe we can come to some kind of compromise."

"It's too late, and everything is so fucked up."

"Remember, you love Owen," Justin repeated. "Just talk."

"'Kay…"

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