Chapter 4

I'd been dreaming about seeing the aurora for ages.

But Norhaven was too far, and I could never find the time, and the flights cost a fortune.

Then I heard about Aurora Point in Northvale. I could see the aurora there, too. It might not be as jaw-dropping as the ones in Norhaven, but it was still breathtaking.

So Ryan and I decided that after the wedding, we'd take a trip to Northvale.

I spent hours researching, found a cozy local guesthouse, and even marked all the best spots to watch the aurora.

Worried he'd get cold, I even bought two extra-thick down jackets and a whole box of heat patches.

But just because Claire casually mentioned wanting to come along, Ryan scrapped all our plans and switched the trip to Santara without a second thought.

He said, "Claire doesn't like the cold; she's more of a beach person. Santara's warm, so she'll be comfortable and everyone can enjoy themselves."

I looked at him and asked, "But what about the aurora?"

Ryan brushed it off, saying, "We'll go see it next time, just the two of us."

Again, it was always "next time."

I couldn't even remember how many times he'd put things off for Claire, always promising there'd be a 'next time.'

But I didn't want to fight with him before the wedding, so I gave in and changed the tickets to Santara, for all three of us.

Now that I didn't have to worry about them anymore, I could finally chase after what I've always wanted.

I had just dug out my old Northvale travel plans when Ryan messaged me again. [Hey, did you finish the Santara travel guide yet?]

[Claire isn't a fan of crowds, so when you pick the spots, try to skip the popular ones. Makes it easier for her to get some great shots for her feed.]

I stared at his message, not sure if I should be pissed or just laugh it off.

When we were planning the Northvale trip, I spent a whole month researching, saving dozens of guesthouses and restaurants. When I sent it to him, he just replied, "Whatever."

But now that Claire was coming along, he was suddenly all about the itinerary for the first time ever.

I didn't bother replying. I just opened up the flight booking and hit "request refund" on my ticket.

I would leave their tickets as is.

Wasn't the beach what she wanted?

Now that I was not going, he could finally dote on her all he wants.

I went back to my original plan and booked the flights and accommodations for Northvale, three tickets, just like before.

But this time, it was me and my parents.

Three days before the wedding, I headed over to HR to put in a vacation request.

The HR rep glanced at my form and grinned. "Why not use your wedding leave instead?"

A coworker leaned over and teased, "Wedding leave is only three days, but with your annual leave and the weekend, that's nine days! After tying the knot, you gotta go on a honeymoon, right?"

The HR rep handed me the approval slip. "Alright, I'll save your wedding leave for you. It's good for the whole year, just let me know whenever you want to use it."

I took the slip and smiled, not bothering to explain.

*****

The next morning, the three of us dragged two big suitcases and headed straight for the airport.

After a long flight, we finally landed in Northvale.

Northvale was freezing, but the sky was a brilliant blue.

I took a deep breath, the cold air filling my lungs, and suddenly, all the tension in my mind just melted away.

We rented a car and drove north, soaking in the snowy landscapes, the woods, and the frozen rivers.

Once we'd settled into the guesthouse, we wandered down the village road at a leisurely pace.

Mom walked slowly, Dad held her hand, and I followed behind.

Dad turned around and called, "Hurry up, don't dawdle! We need to get back for dinner before it gets dark."

Mom laughed and tapped his arm. "What's the rush? We're out here to relax; let's just take it easy."

I quickened my pace and caught up, slipping my arm through Mom's.

She glanced at me, a small smile tugging at her lips. She didn't say anything, but her grip on my hand tightened.

I walked for a while with my eyes closed.

The snow crunched under my feet, Dad was humming off-key up ahead, and Mom was giving him a hard time for being so out of tune.

Suddenly, I thought, maybe it'd be nice if this road just went on forever.

*****

The afternoon before the wedding, Ryan stormed over to Julia's place with Ethan and a whole crew of friends, making a big entrance.

They were loaded up with balloons, streamers, and even two huge bags stuffed with double happiness cutouts.

As they headed upstairs, one of the guys teased, "Dude, aren't you supposed to avoid the bride before the wedding? Why are you so eager to show up?"

Ryan just chuckled. "Claire's coming over tomorrow to take photos, so the place has to look perfect for her pics. With your taste, I'd better keep an eye on things myself."

"Claire? The bridesmaid, right? Man, you're putting in more effort for her than for your own wife!"

Everyone burst out laughing and started ribbing him.

Ryan scratched his nose and grinned, keeping quiet.

Ethan jumped in to break it up. "Hey, cut it out. If Julia hears you, she'll flip."

When they got to Julia's place, Ryan knocked on the door, but nobody answered.

He waited a moment and knocked again, but still nobody answered.

The guys exchanged glances, and one of them whispered, "Maybe she went out?"

Ryan pulled out his phone and checked the chat; the last message was from two days ago.

He asked if she'd finished the Santara travel guide, but Julia never replied.

He didn't really think much of it, just thought she was busy.

Just as he was about to call her, the neighbor next door heard the commotion and peeked out from behind her door. "Who are you looking for?"

Ethan stepped forward with a smile. "Hi, ma'am. My friend's getting married tomorrow, and we're here to help decorate the bridal suite."

The neighbor paused, sizing them up, her brows slowly knitting together. "Decorate the bridal suite? That can't be right. They announced a few days ago that the wedding was canceled.

"The whole family packed their bags and went on vacation. You didn't know?"