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Maxine knew two things about today. One, she was the maid of honor. And two, she looks amazing in red.
The same could not be said however, for Grayson Hawthorne.
"You look like ship."
Grayson glared at the suit jacket in the mirror, "This can't be my entire day."
She burst out laughing, "Theres a way to fix this I'm sure. Why don't you just get rid of the suit jacket."
Grayson looked at Max, "Then it won't match up with Xander and Nash."
Max hummed, "Jameson should've known your blonde would get in the way of this."
"My blonde- It's not a condition Max."
"Really? Because it's a recessive gene. You know what that means? Mutation."
"You need to retake your biology class."
"Listen, I'm sure you can get away with being different. You're the best man.... Ish."
Jameson didn't outright declare a best man. He kinda just shoved all the very few best man responsibilities onto Grayson. It was a bit of an unspoken thing between them in a language she didn't quite understand. She only knew Chinese and English. She didn't speak Hawthorne man.
Grayson grumbled, "How are things going on your end?"
"Avery is an oddly chill bride. I think she's bottling in the anxiety. But I mean, less stress for me."
"And your speech?"
"Winging it."
"Lord have mercy-"
"Thats not a bad thing!!! It's just... This day is so important... For the first time in my life, I'm left speechless for what to even put on paper."
"Speechless huh..." Grayson turned to her. Maxine was rarely speechless.
Then again, she knew Grayson has been just as speechless as her. Ever since Jameson proposed, Maxine had noticed his gaze drifting to Lyra more often than not. Maxine was hoping she'd get proposed to next, but she had a feeling that wasn't happening if Grayson had anything to say about it.
That being said, Maxine knew when she'd be proposed to. Because Maxine knew when that time came, Nan would no longer be wearing her ring like some trophy. Xander was her favorite after all. And Nan still had her ring. She was also still alive oddly enough. But she wasn't going to say that out loud.
Maxine saw a message pop up on her phone from Issac, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at her younger brothers antics.
Adopted: Yo if she needs a getaway car
Max: Too late buddy
Max: Also thats my best friend
Max: And you're too young for her
Adopted: I don't think it's fair, I saw her first 🥲
Max: You were like 1
Adopted: I was like 3
Max: I met her when I was 3
Adopted: Then I was in the womb?
Max: Oh yee
Max: *yea
Maxine snorted, setting her phone, "I should probably get back to Avery. You gonna be okay?"
Grayson rolled his eyes, "No."
Maxine hummed absentmindedly before her eyes widened in realization, "Take off the jacket."
Grayson looked at her, "I thought we already discussed this."
"We did, and I'm telling you to take off the jacket." Maxine rushed out of the room.
Max: Where are you?
Jedi💕: The same place I was 30 minutes ago???
Max: 😘😘😘
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Max arrived in the garden 5 minutes later, dress lifted up as she ran on the grass in heels she probably shouldn't be running in.
Xander cleared his throat, his voice mimicking that of Jameson's, "If once is no, and twice is yes-"
Max grinned, swatting at his arm, "Please don't tell me that's apart of your speech."
"Oh it's apart of my speech. I spent hours digging through old footage for that first meeting clip and that's what he said??? Really???"
Max smiled, her hands grasping his shoulders as she leaned up to peck his lips, "First off. We spent hours. Second off, thats not what he said exactly."
"Yes, but it's funnier if it's wrong." she felt Xander's arm wrap around her lower back.
Max shook her head, looking out into the ocean. The venue Avery managed to find was gorgeous. Probably straight out of one of her mom's and Toby's postcards. The view however, both her and Xander could agree was the most spectacular part of it all.
"While I wish I could stay with you like this forever, I did have a reason for coming to find you."
Xander looked down at her, a grin on his face, "Please don't tell me you're breaking up with me on my brother's wedding day."
"No! I'm not like Donatello." Donatello. The awful antagonist from Lyra's mother's newest book. Both her and Xander have been reading it, and both found some entertainment in referencing it whenever they had the chance, "I came here for this." She pulled at the red tie Xander was wearing.
Xander smiled, leaning in for a kiss, "Oh?"
Max turned her head, "Nope, I mean the tie dummy."
Xander frowned, leaning away, "Oh."
Max turned her head back to Xander as he loosened the tie, before sliding it off completely and giving it to her. Max smiled at the little pout on his lips and couldn't help herself from wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss.
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Grayson turned to her, "Avery was looking for you. Where were you?"
Max tossed the tie at Grayson, "Getting you this, thank me later."
Grayson blinked, "Huh... This could work. Where'd you get a tie from though? We weren't supposed to where these."
Max shrugged, "When me and Xander were packing, we couldn't remember whether he was supposed to have a tie or not."
Her and Xander lived together a couple hours away from Hawthorne House. Xander was interning as an engineer. Xander the love of her life. That Xander.
"Yes Max. I know who Xander is."
Ship, she was trying to update the voices, not Grayson.
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Avery was crying. Full on crying. Avery shouldn't have been crying. Avery was fine when she left. Why was Avery crying?
Libby frowned, "Shes been like this for 15 minutes now, we can't get her to stop or tell us what's going on."
Alisa on the other hand was having her own panic attack watching Avery have a panic attack. Her need for stuff to be in order wasn't going to happen if the bride messed up her makeup. She was frantically calling back the makeup artist. Lyra on the other hand was bent down in front of the girl, trying to get her to take slow sips of water. It wasn't working.
Max walked over to the two, grabbing Avery's hand tightly, "Whats wrong, mommy's here to fix it."
Avery got snapped out of whatever she was in immediately, turning to face Max in genuine appallment at what she just said.
"There's our beautiful princess! Now whys she crying."
Avery stared at Max for a moment, before tearing up again, "The planner is MIA."
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Max was running around the venue searching for that motherfaxing wedding planner. It would seem being Maid of Honor also meant being a stand in wedding planner when your actual wedding planner was missing.
She was so focused on finding the woman, she practically rammed right into Jameson as he was exiting a room.
Jameson blinked, grinning, "Max! Just the gal I needed to see!"
Max frowned, "Is something wrong?"
"This is the most serious I've ever seen you look... Has something happened to Ave? Is she having second thoughts? Are you preparing a getaway car?" Jameson's expression quickly turned to that over worry, as he took a step around Max.
Max's hand shot out, shaking her head, "She's fine.... Just a few pre-wedding gitters. What's wrong? You have anything I can do for you?"
Jameson nodded, "Yes actually... I have a surprise for Avery... And I was wondering if youd be willing to go outside to my car and grab the USB drive. It should be in the glovebox."
"Why don't you just have one of your brothers go get it?"
"Because they'd look at the drive."
Max's face went through every color of the rainbow for a second as she simply stared at Jameson, "I-.... Is it one of those-.... You know.... Kinda things?"
Jameson nodded, "Uhuh. Think she'll love it?"
Max tried to keep the horror from her face, "Of course she will...."
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Max found herself making a quick stop at the open bar in the ballroom after going outside to grab the godforsaken USB.
She sipped a whiskey while patting her sweaty neck and forehead with a napkin, genuinely regretting all the decisions that brought her to this moment.
"You don't seem all that well, Peach."
Max turned to look at Nash, tilting her head, "That obvious?"
Nash sat beside her, "Whats wrong?"
"I have a sex USB in one hand and not enough whiskey in the other hand."
"And?"
"Oh right. A wedding planner to locate. In the meantime, I'm playing wedding planner. Ive had to coordinate with all her staff regarding last minute flower arrangement details, seating plans, I even had to talk to the orchestra. Oh and security because apparently the paparazzi are sending in drones. Or at least trying to."
"Sounds difficult."
"What have you done?"
Nash visibly winced, not saying much anything. Max felt her eye twitch, "Of faxing course."
Max stood up, finishing the glass before stomping off with the USB. What a load of bullship.
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
On her way back to Jameson, she happened to find the woman on her phone gossiping with a news reporter.
Her pay was definitely getting docked. She felt a little bit like Grayson thinking that, but she couldn't find it in herself to care.
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Maxine forced her best smile after dropping the USB off with Jameson, opening the door to the brides suite.
Avery practically threw herself into Max's arms, hugging her tightly, "You're back!"
Max smiled softly, "Yup. And I'm here to stay and help officially."
Avery grinned, "Good."
Avery grasped her hand so hard she felt the bloodflow completely stop traveling to that part of her hand. But that's how she knew Avery was absolutely drowning right now. And that perhaps maybe the one person capable of stabilizing her was her soul-sister.
Yes Avery was panicking even though she tried to hide it. But she couldn't hide anything from Max. Well that and an hour ago she was bawling over a missing wedding planner.
"Why's your lipstick a little bit smudged? Did you run into Xander." Avery glared at her.
And it would seem Max couldn't hide much from her either.
"Lets get you in your dress."
"Maxine."
Maxine grinned as she side stepped Avery, walking around her to grab the dress while Libby looked at her from where she was putting makeup on Alisa.
Alisa looked in the mirror, raising an eyebrow in annoyance at her distracted makeup artist, "Libby Grambs."
"Hawthorne, Mrs. Landry~"
Alisa turned to Libby, "He's taking my last name."
Avery walked over to her seat, snorting, "Not a bad idea."
"Grayson Kane... Not bad... But I kind of hate it."
"Yeah but Lyra Catalina Hawthorne sounds like a mouthful..." Alisa murmured.
"Then we can both just keep our own last names," Lyra huffed.
Avery smiled, "Jameson Grambs or Jameson Hawthorne?"
Libby snorted, "Jameson Grambs is nice, but do you really want to be stuck with our father's last name?"
"Avery Hawthorne it is."
"Alisa Landry just doesn't sound as good as Alisa Ortega."
"They both just sound wrong to me..." Libby mumbled.
Alisa raised an eyebrow at Libby, "What do you suggest then?"
"Mrs. Libby Grambs?" Libby smirked cheekily.
Max came back with the dress, setting it on the couch as she went over to Avery with a curling iron to touch up her hair, "Girl kissers!"
Lyra snorted, "What you've never kissed a girl before?"
Everyone turned to Lyra with their eyebrows raised.
"Got something you want to share?" Avery said.
Lyra shrugged, "What? If you've never kissed a girl to touch up lipgloss at the least then you two aren't true friends."
Max shook her head, "I just give her my tube."
Avery hummed, "Indirect kiss?"
Max raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Should I stop sharing drinks with you then. You know, cause it's indirectly cheating on my amazing and wonderful boyfriend~"
Avery faux pouted, "Meanie."
Max leaned down as the girls continued their conversations, whispering to Avery, "You good?"
Avery smiled, whispering, "Now that you're here."
Max couldn't agree more. After all, Max never felt more at home than when she was beside Avery.
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Max hooked her arm with Grayson's, watching as Jameson walked down the isle.
"I'm feeling nauseous..."
Grayson snorted, "You beginning to regret not writing an actual speech?"
Libby leaned forward from behind the two, where her arm was hooked with Nash's, "You didn't write a speech?!"
"Gee, thanks Gray."
"If it makes you feel better, I didn't write a speech either." Xander said from somewhere behind Nash and Libby. Though Maxine knew he was lying, because she'd seen him writing his speech multiple times.
"You're all just awful." Rohan said, "And can someone explain to me how I got here?"
"Avery wanted me as a bridesmaid and they needed an even number?" Lyra said.
"Sounds like a skill issue on Jameson's part," Maxine mumbled, making Grayson stifle a laugh from beside her.
"It's could be because he secretly wishes it was you in the white dress?" Alisa said, causing everyone to burst out laughing.
"How's he supposed to envision that if I'm behind him?" Rohan snickered.
"Jameson's not exactly known for thinking well under emotional pressure." Grayson smirked.
The wedding planner slipped inside the door, looking at Grayson and Maxine in annoyance, "You missed your cue."
Maxine glared, "Yeah well you were missing for hours. I think we can spare 5 seconds."
Maxine might as well have dragged Grayson down the isle after that one.
She could only hope Avery heard their conversation from the door she was standing behind, and could laugh a little before her big moment.
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Jameson held the USB drive to Avery at the alter.
Maxine let out a small choked up sound of distress. Why was he giving that to her in front of all these people?
And for whatever reason, Avery's smile seemed to brighten as she... Dismantled it- It's a faxing puzzle.
Maxine made eye contact with Nash, who was clearly trying so hard not to laugh from where he was behind Grayson.
Avery smiled as she finally seemed to solve whatever it was, two wedding rings popping out.
Jameson smiled, taking one of the rings and Avery's left hand, slipping it onto her finger, "The USB part is a photo album of all the blackmail I've collected on my brothers over the years... As my wife, what's mine is yours, Heiress."
Well at least Avery looked touched by the gesture because Nash's smile was immediately wiped off his face.
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Maxine stood up, clinking her fork against her glass. Shes waited years to do that. She smiled extra big, and she felt Avery's gaze on her as she stood.
"Hello, I'm Maxine, the bride's bestie since childhood. The maid of honor. The person who sent you all 30 emails regarding whether or not we should have an open bar."
She got a couple laughs at that one, so yay!
"This is usually the part where I say, I wrote my speech 20 seconds ago. But the truth is, I didn't write a speech at all."
She caught the look of absolute horror on her mother's face, but when she turned to Avery there was nothing but absolute trust.
"The truth is, Ive been thinking about this day for years. What would I say at her wedding? And later on that shifted into what would I say at her and Jameson's inevitable wedding?"
Because it was inevitable. From the moment she first saw the way Jameson looked at Avery, she knew that man was gonna be the one to marry her. After all, he was too far gone to do anything that wasn't marrying her.
"Jameson came up to me a couple months ago, asking for permission to marry his soulmate. I remember I joked about why he needed my permission to commit incest with Grayson."
Grayson looked horrified.
"We'd both laughed it off of course. But that statement of mine wasn't completely false."
Now Jameson looked horrified. And quite frankly so did everyone at that table except Avery and her boyfriend.
"The part about Jameson not marrying his soulmate, not the part about Jameson's soulmate being his brother."
Well Grayson looked a little less pale after that clarification.
"Jameson wasn't marrying his soulmate. He was asking permission to marry his heartmate. The person who occupied his heart. And vise versa. Avery and Jameson are so recklessly in love that I have more fear for them in regards to their love for each other, then when they're in a car alone together and Jameson is driving."
She saw Avery and Jameson both share a look with each other.
"Avery is my best friend, I know these things. She tells me everything. And I mean everything. There are things she's told me that she wont tell Libby or Jameson. And there's things that I know she's done, that if Alisa found out she'd put the girl on house arrest for the rest of her life."
Alisa rolled her eyes, simply sipping at her wine.
"Avery is my love, my sister, my soulmate. I know what she's feeling without her having to say a word. One look and we're both jumping off a bridge at the same time together. The thrill I get from simply being by her side outweighs any rollercoaster ride I could ever be on. Because that's just how much joy and excitement she brings to my life."
Avery turned back to her, smiling brightly. She thought in the corner of her eye she could see her mouth the words 'I love you'.
"And boy, emphasis on surprise because one night she didn't have 46.2 billion dollars, the next she did, then the next nearly all of it was donated to charity. She has gone through so much in such a short amount of time. And as her soulmate, I can say I metaphorically also did all those things."
She got a couple more laughs for that one.
"I've done so much preparing for this wedding. And even more today to help the bride and the entirety of the wedding party really. And I realized I'd only do that for one person, and she's my beautiful, smart, kindhearted, cunning soulmate. Not my partner in crime though. I don't commit crimes, so Jameson can have her for that one."
If Avery killed someone though, she would help her hide the body. No hesitation.
"So she might be your heartmate Jameson, but don't fool yourself into thinking that's your soulmate. Because that's my soulmate. She can only be mine."
Avery held a hand out to her, which Maxine grasped, squeezing tightly.
"I love you more than anything, Avery. I knew straight out the womb I was meant to find you. And thank God I did. Because I can't imagine my life without you, like I can the rest of these people here. No offense Xander, I love you sooooo much!"
Xander faux pouted.
"Congratulations Jameson, you have married the most wonderful woman in the universe. Now if you all don't mind me giving the floor to Jameson's soulmate. Grayson can you stand up please."
Grayson side eyed her, "I don't want to talk anymore."
"Awwww isn't it cute how shy he is."
"I knew I should've gone first."
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Avery pulled her aside later, kissing her forehead lovingly, "Thats my girl- You're my girl."
"I better get the same level of love at my wedding."
Avery smirked, "Of course you will, you're my soulmate remember."
Yeah, yeah she was. She hugged Avery tightly, feeling herself begin to tear up. She hadn't cried the whole day, but thinking about how she'd grown with the woman in front of her.
How a simple lollipop on the playground, changed the course of her life forever.
She couldn't help but begin crying.
Avery had grown into a wonderful woman. And she was proud to say she was one of the women that supported that process.
——— ♔ • ♧ • ♤ • ♧ • ♔ ———
Nan came up to her later, "It's far too loud and rowdy."
Maxine yawned, "You sleepy Nanna?"
Nan could only look at the girl with an oddly soft expression. Max hadn't seen it on her before. At least not when she looked at her.
Max's gaze fell to her right hand as it'd done many times before. Except this time. There was a glaring difference, "Your trophy..."
Nan hummed, "Xander is taking it to get altered. Apparently it's gotten too big for my fingers. He also thinks another stone would help remove any curses my late husband placed upon it."
Max fell quiet, "That so...?"
"Thats so."
Avery grinned, waving everyone over for the bouquet toss.
Maxine smiled brightly, running over as she placed herself in the very front.
She was next. Whether she caught the bouquet or not. But the bouquet as a sign of her destiny wasn't so bad of an idea.
Avery winked at her, turning around tossing the bouquet.
She watched it fly through the air...
And right into Grayson's hands as he was walking across the room to Jameson.
The entire venue fell silent as he stared at the bouquet for a moment, before walking to Lyra and handing it to her.
He then continued on his course back to Jameson.
On second thought, it would seem Lyra might still be getting engaged before her.
Grayson was a little rat after all. A rich little rat. Rat toad Grayson.
Lyra turned to her with an eyebrow raised, "Rat toad?"
Why did she keep doing that?!