Chapter Two
Up the coast from Beverly Hills, Highway 101 snakes and curls its way through tranquil beach towns such as like Malibu, La Conchita and Carpenteria before finally making its ascent into Santa Barbara. The narrow freeway carves through staggering cliffs whose landscape has been eroded by years of ocean-spray, with ledges precariously dripping waves of ice plant down the sides of the towering hills. Across from the highway, as if it were a different land all together, gentle ocean waves lap against the shore like carefree children dancing on tiptoes across the golden sand. A low layer of fog retreats from the shore on its way back out to the twinkling blue ocean from which it came. Sleepily emerging in the late afternoon from the clouds, the sun’s rays trot across stiff white undulating caps through the waters of the Pacific. One temperate weekend afternoon in November, Jacqueline, Robert and Lilly hopped into Robert’s Mercedes, dropped down the top and tripped up the coast to see Jacqueline’s picturesque venue in person.
“What a perfect day for this trip!” Jacqueline proclaims. “It’s a pity it won’t be this clear in the spring. I’m just crossing my fingers the fog comes late next year.”
“This is nothing,” Lilly shrieks from the back of the car, wind whipping through her silk scarf while they journey northward. “It’s barely even foggy out, plus you want an evening wedding, right? It’ll all burn off by then.”
“You girls don’t know the first thing about meteorology,” Robert scoffs playfully while checking his Blackberry.
“Babe, put that down! We’re on a weekend away from work, business and everything that doesn’t involve our wedding. Not to mention how illegal it is to drive through the canyons with that phone in your hand.”
“I thought you fancied a little danger,” he raised one eyebrow in Jacqueline’s direction, kissing her cheek without ever taking his eyes off the road.
Lilly folded her arms in disgust in the back of the car. Immediately changing subjects she asked, “Jacq, when was the last time you were even in Santa Barbara?”
“Shit, I don’t know; not since college I think. Maybe eight years? I really hope this place has stayed as beautiful as I remember it.”
“Well from the looks of these Wine Country Wedding magazines, I think you’re good.”
“I hope so,” Jacqueline couldn’t stop beaming. “I can’t wait to share this city with you both. My days in college were so amazing, although, it is mostly a blur at this point.”
Lilly chimed in perfectly on cue, laughing along with Jacqueline. For years she’d heard famous tales about Jacqueline’s alcoholic stupor that was college. She couldn’t blame the girl, it really did sound like a blast. Deep down she was just praying this whole wedding wouldn’t trigger Jacqueline to fall down that path again. Her thoughts were interrupted by the chime of Robert’s Blackberry.
Putting on his Bluetooth device, Robert quickly maneuvered his phone and made an important sounding call.
“Hey, it’s Robert, just got your message. Uh huh, yeah but you know I’m driving my fiancée up to Santa Barbara for the weekend to pick our venue. No, I understand. I would never want to let you down. You’re absolutely right. I promise, I’ll make it happen.”
Puzzled Jacqueline waited nervously for her fiancé to end the phone call. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”
“Oh you know that huge account we’ve landed with the merger? Turns out most of the paperwork we drafted is rather questionable and our clients are furious. I have to fly to New York as soon as we get to Santa Barbara. You know, to smooth out the wrinkles and make this happen. I’m sorry Jackie.”
He did sound sincere enough. “Oh, that’s too bad. We can head back to LA and reschedule this visit if you want.”
“Don’t be silly. We’re almost here. I’ll just have Eve book me the first flight out of the Santa Barbara airport. I don’t need to see the hotel. I just want you to be happy, so you make sure you love it and I’ll sign my name on the dotted line.”
What he just said was supposed to relieve her doubts, but for some reason Jacqueline was still upset. “What happens if something like this comes up around our wedding? We couldn’t possibly reschedule and I refuse to be married in a ceremony to a man via teleconference!”
“You’re ridiculous Jackie. We’re going to get married in the most beautiful ceremony thanks to your impeccable sense of style and we’re going to live happily ever after. I promise, even if that means shutting off my cell phone the entire day.”
“Really?” her spirits lifted. Shutting off his phone was a major commitment. He owed that at least to her and knew what it was worth. “So what should we do then?”
“I’ll just drive us to the airport and you can use my navigation to get yourselves to the hotel without me. Why don’t the two of you have some female bonding time and go wine tasting downtown?”
Shooting a quick glance at Lilly, who was desperately trying to hide her disdain for Robert, Jacqueline began speaking faster than she could control, “Oh Lil, you have no idea how much fun we can have here! The shopping on State Street is to die for. And if you want, we could maybe treat ourselves to some spa time in Montecito! Oh this weekend is going to be fantastic. I wish the wedding was closer!”
Everything worked out as planned. Jacqueline was distracted enough so that Robert’s foul play went unnoticed and Lilly was there for the moral support Jacqueline had no idea she’d ever need. The wedding would be planned beautifully so all the guests could be fooled into believing their sham of a fairytale wedding, and Lilly’s wild spirit would most likely bring out Jacqueline’s penchant for drinking to no end. She hadn’t visited Santa Barbara for several years for a reason. And in one fell sweep, Robert made it possible for Jacqueline to fall back off the horse and ruin years of psychological progress that had led Jacqueline to her current perfect life at her perfect job with her perfect fiancé.
Up the coast from Beverly Hills, Highway 101 snakes and curls its way through tranquil beach towns such as like Malibu, La Conchita and Carpenteria before finally making its ascent into Santa Barbara. The narrow freeway carves through staggering cliffs whose landscape has been eroded by years of ocean-spray, with ledges precariously dripping waves of ice plant down the sides of the towering hills. Across from the highway, as if it were a different land all together, gentle ocean waves lap against the shore like carefree children dancing on tiptoes across the golden sand. A low layer of fog retreats from the shore on its way back out to the twinkling blue ocean from which it came. Sleepily emerging in the late afternoon from the clouds, the sun’s rays trot across stiff white undulating caps through the waters of the Pacific. One temperate weekend afternoon in November, Jacqueline, Robert and Lilly hopped into Robert’s Mercedes, dropped down the top and tripped up the coast to see Jacqueline’s picturesque venue in person.
“What a perfect day for this trip!” Jacqueline proclaims. “It’s a pity it won’t be this clear in the spring. I’m just crossing my fingers the fog comes late next year.”
“This is nothing,” Lilly shrieks from the back of the car, wind whipping through her silk scarf while they journey northward. “It’s barely even foggy out, plus you want an evening wedding, right? It’ll all burn off by then.”
“You girls don’t know the first thing about meteorology,” Robert scoffs playfully while checking his Blackberry.
“Babe, put that down! We’re on a weekend away from work, business and everything that doesn’t involve our wedding. Not to mention how illegal it is to drive through the canyons with that phone in your hand.”
“I thought you fancied a little danger,” he raised one eyebrow in Jacqueline’s direction, kissing her cheek without ever taking his eyes off the road.
Lilly folded her arms in disgust in the back of the car. Immediately changing subjects she asked, “Jacq, when was the last time you were even in Santa Barbara?”
“Shit, I don’t know; not since college I think. Maybe eight years? I really hope this place has stayed as beautiful as I remember it.”
“Well from the looks of these Wine Country Wedding magazines, I think you’re good.”
“I hope so,” Jacqueline couldn’t stop beaming. “I can’t wait to share this city with you both. My days in college were so amazing, although, it is mostly a blur at this point.”
Lilly chimed in perfectly on cue, laughing along with Jacqueline. For years she’d heard famous tales about Jacqueline’s alcoholic stupor that was college. She couldn’t blame the girl, it really did sound like a blast. Deep down she was just praying this whole wedding wouldn’t trigger Jacqueline to fall down that path again. Her thoughts were interrupted by the chime of Robert’s Blackberry.
Putting on his Bluetooth device, Robert quickly maneuvered his phone and made an important sounding call.
“Hey, it’s Robert, just got your message. Uh huh, yeah but you know I’m driving my fiancée up to Santa Barbara for the weekend to pick our venue. No, I understand. I would never want to let you down. You’re absolutely right. I promise, I’ll make it happen.”
Puzzled Jacqueline waited nervously for her fiancé to end the phone call. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”
“Oh you know that huge account we’ve landed with the merger? Turns out most of the paperwork we drafted is rather questionable and our clients are furious. I have to fly to New York as soon as we get to Santa Barbara. You know, to smooth out the wrinkles and make this happen. I’m sorry Jackie.”
He did sound sincere enough. “Oh, that’s too bad. We can head back to LA and reschedule this visit if you want.”
“Don’t be silly. We’re almost here. I’ll just have Eve book me the first flight out of the Santa Barbara airport. I don’t need to see the hotel. I just want you to be happy, so you make sure you love it and I’ll sign my name on the dotted line.”
What he just said was supposed to relieve her doubts, but for some reason Jacqueline was still upset. “What happens if something like this comes up around our wedding? We couldn’t possibly reschedule and I refuse to be married in a ceremony to a man via teleconference!”
“You’re ridiculous Jackie. We’re going to get married in the most beautiful ceremony thanks to your impeccable sense of style and we’re going to live happily ever after. I promise, even if that means shutting off my cell phone the entire day.”
“Really?” her spirits lifted. Shutting off his phone was a major commitment. He owed that at least to her and knew what it was worth. “So what should we do then?”
“I’ll just drive us to the airport and you can use my navigation to get yourselves to the hotel without me. Why don’t the two of you have some female bonding time and go wine tasting downtown?”
Shooting a quick glance at Lilly, who was desperately trying to hide her disdain for Robert, Jacqueline began speaking faster than she could control, “Oh Lil, you have no idea how much fun we can have here! The shopping on State Street is to die for. And if you want, we could maybe treat ourselves to some spa time in Montecito! Oh this weekend is going to be fantastic. I wish the wedding was closer!”
Everything worked out as planned. Jacqueline was distracted enough so that Robert’s foul play went unnoticed and Lilly was there for the moral support Jacqueline had no idea she’d ever need. The wedding would be planned beautifully so all the guests could be fooled into believing their sham of a fairytale wedding, and Lilly’s wild spirit would most likely bring out Jacqueline’s penchant for drinking to no end. She hadn’t visited Santa Barbara for several years for a reason. And in one fell sweep, Robert made it possible for Jacqueline to fall back off the horse and ruin years of psychological progress that had led Jacqueline to her current perfect life at her perfect job with her perfect fiancé.
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