chapter 3
Chapter three
“Wynonna,” Nicole started, her voice shaky. “We need to... I need to tell you something.”
She looked down at her hands and tried to breathe in deep. She could feel the knots in her stomach tightening as each word slipped passed her lips.
“I need you to just wait until I’ve said everything before you say anything. I should’ve told you before, but everything blew up and you just told me leave.” Nicole ran her hand through her hair and squeezed the back of her own neck as she looked up. She could do this. “Wynonna, I-“
A knock at the door broke Nicole out of her trance.
“Nicole, just checking that you’re alright?.” Gus’s said, from the other side of the locked door.
“Yeah, um, I – I’ll be out in a minute.” She stammered. She heard Gus walk away and look back at her reflection in the full length mirror.
She’d been so focused on practising the conversation she needed to have with Wynonna, that she’d barely managed to get ready.
Her black pants hung loosely on her hips, undone and revealing a V of her black underwear at the front. Her black shirt was still hanging on a coat-hanger with her black blazer. Nicole slipped her blazer off the hanger and put it on the bed. She picked up her shirt and slipped it on over her black bra. Starting with the top button, she watched her own reflection as she slipped each button through the little hole.
She had this. Right?
Did it really matter in the end though? Nicole would be gone again soon and she wouldn’t have to feel Wynonna’s anger anymore. She’d have this weight off her shoulders by telling Wynonna the truth and she could go back to working on her case and catching the bad guys.
That’s what she was good at. She was confident in her role as a detective. She wasn’t confident when it came to matters of the heart. She’d been a nervous wreck when she’d first started dating Waverly. And now... Things were just different with Wynonna.
Waverly made her feel calm and safe, even when she was a nervous wreck. Wynonna had the opposite effect. But not in a bad way. In a way that Nicole craved and couldn’t find anywhere else.
“You got this, Haught.” She said to herself as she slipped her blazer on and gave herself a final once over.
As she walked through the house, she did her best to smile politely at people while trying to practice her speech in her head. She couldn’t see many familiar faces, but she didn’t want to appear to be rude, so she did her best to smile. She hadn’t kept in contact with anyone from Purgatory when she’d left, except for Waverly and she wasn’t really expecting anyone to remember –
“Nicole Haught, is that you? It is!”
Nicole started to turn and was almost bowled over as she was embraced. She was so close and yet so far from the bar that had been set up in the kitchen. The little bar that surely held a beverage that would help to calm her nervous and make conversations like the one she was about have easier.
Why did she think she could do this?
“Stephanie.” Nicole gave her best this-definitely-isn’t-a-fake-smile fake smile as she faced the girl. “How are you?”
“Same old, same old. Nothing ever changes in this town. How are you?” Stephanie asked, taking a sip of her drink.
“Oh yknow... Same old, same old.” Nicole said. She wasn’t sure why Stephanie was trying to make small talk. As far as Nicole could remember, Stephanie hadn’t liked her. Heck, she hadn’t really liked Waverly either. Maybe the two had grown closer since Nicole left.
“When I heard that you were here, I didn’t believe it at all. I wouldn’t be caught dead at any of my exs weddings. But here you are!”
Or maybe Stephanie was just as awful as ever and Waverly was using her as a seat filler for photos.
“Here I am. And not dead.” Nicole grimaced.
It was going to be a long night.
“Nicole! Oh, I just have to steal you away!” Nicole felt herself being pulled away from Stephanie before she even realised what was happening. “You looked like you needed saving.”
“Thank you, Mercedes.” Nicole smiled, and this time it was genuine. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been very good.” Mercedes held out her hand to show of the giant rock on her left ring finger.
“Wow, congratulations.” The ring was definitely not Nicole’s taste but she could tell that Mercedes really loved it.
“Thank you!” She pulled her hand back to herself and looked at her ring, for what Nicole imagined to be the umpteenth time.
“So who is the very lucky person?” Nicole asked.
“Perry.”
“Perry Crofte? Forbes list of Billionaires Perry Crofte?”
“One and the same.” Mercedes nodded with a smile. “Apparently he had a giant crush on me through high school, but he was kind of a giant nerd. But a few years ago we both happened to be in Venice and it really is the most romantic place on the planet because the next thing I new I was head over heels in love and now I’m going to be Mrs Nerd.” They laughed.
“That’s amazing, Mercedes. Really.” Nicole smiled.
Once upon a time, Nicole thought that Mercedes Gardener was a shallow opportunist; that she didn’t really care for anyone else unless it benefited her somehow. Nicole quickly learnt that she was wrong. Mercedes came from a wealthy family. She was raised by a family who got everything they wanted. Unlike the Earps who took everything by force, the Gardeners fortune meant even Mercedes great, great grandchildren would be able to afford anything their hearts desires without having to work a day for it. Mercedes loved her designer clothes and her fancy bags, but she had donated all of her time, and much of her inheritance to charities around the world. Money couldn’t buy happiness, but it seemed that in Mercedes case, giving it away absolutely could.
“What about you? Is there a Mrs Haught?”
“Wynonna!”
Nicole’s head snapped around as Gus called for her niece.
“Oh, girl.” Mercedes chuckled.
“What?” Nicole looked at Mercedes. She raised an eyebrow and Nicole knew that she’d given herself away. She rubbed the back of her neck “Is it that obvious?”
“To someone who knows you? Yes. To someone who just saw your head nearly come off your shoulders with how quickly you turned it at the sound of her name? I’m afraid so.”
“Ugh. This was a bad idea.”
“Now, we’ve all been there, Nicole.” Mercedes winked.
“You and – “
“Yes, ma’am. It was back in high school. Probably why I didn’t notice Perry.” She looked up and slightly to the left, as if she could see the memory playing out before her. “No, that’s definitely not why I didn’t notice him. Still, it was long before she became Wynonna Earp.”
“She’s always been Wynonna Earp.” Nicole shrugged.
“You know what I mean.” Mercedes smiled softly. “The ceremony is about to start, come sit with me.”
Nicole followed Mercedes to where Perry sat, saving her a seat. His face lit up the moment that he saw her, and as Nicole sat in the empty seat beside Mercedes, she wondered if it was that noticeable when she looked at Wynonna.
She knew what she felt when she looked at Wynonna. It was drowning and flying and falling and leaping and running so fast that you couldn’t breathe, but being perfectly still all at once. It was taking your first steps and stumbling, opening your eyes for the first time and not being able to see clearly. Because Wynonna clouded her vision so completely, even when she was no where in sight. Nicole just hoped that she hid it better than Perry did. The difference though? Perry didn’t have to keep it a secret.
Nicole’s feelings wouldn’t be a secret for much longer. She had to tell Wynonna. Nicole had told Waverly that she would. And Waverly deserved better than hiding this secret from her sister. Nicole knew how close they were, what their relationship meant to both of them. She sighed and closed her eyes. With or without the perfect speech, she’d tell Wynonna.
Music filled Nicole’s ears.
She’d tell Wynonna. But right now, she’d watch Waverly get married.
Nicole opened her eyes. While Nicole had her eyes closed, Gus had taken her place at the front of everyone who had gathered to witness Waverly and Champ get married. Champ stood to one side of Gus, with Doc standing beside him. Nicole knew that it would mean everything to Waverly to have those she held closest be such a big part of her special day.
The music changed and everyone stood. Nicole would’ve sworn, hand on a bible, that time slowed down as she turned and saw Waverly and Wynonna standing at the bottom of the aisle.
Waverly was absolutely glowing and for the first time, Nicole really believed that she had done the right thing by ending their relationship. As the brunette looked up the aisle and locked eyes with Champ, Nicole could see how truly happy she was.
Wynonna was wearing a floor length black dress that fit her like a glove. She held her arm out and Waverly slipped her arm through with a smile.
Nicole watched as they walked down the aisle together. Nicole caught Waverly’s eyes for a moment and they smiled at each other.
In that moment she didn’t have it in her to glance at Wynonna, so she closed her eyes and breathe in deeply. When she opened them, Waverly and Wynonna were almost to where Gus stood. Only it wasn’t Waverly and Wynonna. It was Nicole who had her arm entwined with Wynonna.
Had she passed out? Was she still dreaming?
Nicole blinked rapidly to see Wynonna place Waverly’s hand in Champs.
“Please be seated.” Nicole started to sit down, her butt was almost on the seat when the worst thing happened.
Nicole’s ringtone sounded and suddenly all eyes were on her.
“Shit!” Nicole shot up and reach into her pocket. “I’m so sorry.”
She switched it off without looking at who was calling and sat down. She shot a pained look at Waverly, who only smiled gently back at her.
She still wasn’t game to look at Wynonna.
It really was going to be a long day.
When the ceremony ended, Nicole quickly made her way to the bar. She ordered a whiskey neat and quickly downed it before ordering another. While waiting for her second drink she pulled her phone out of her pocket and switched it back on. She had two missed calls from Rosita. She clicked one of the missed calls and the green phone icon, before putting the phone to her ear.
“You have the absolute worst timing.” Nicole said when her partner answered.
“Why? We you getting lucky?” Rosita laughed.
“No. The ceremony was literally about to start when you called. And rather than Gus everyone just heard-“
“You didn’t put your phone on silent?” Rosita laughed again.
“No.”
“Oh! I bet everyone loved listening to Jill Andrews telling the devil to take you back.” Rosita laughed harder. “Or was it telling the devil to take Wynonna back? Or is Wynonna the - ?”
“Did you need something?” Nicole interrupted, taking a sip of her drink.
“Sorry.” Rosita cleared her throat and took a deep breath to calm herself. “I was just ringing to check in on you.”
“I’m good.”
“I can’t believe you!” Nicole heard Wynonna’s voice from behind her.
“I gotta go.” Nicole didn’t give Rosita a chance to respond before hanging up the call and sliding her phone into her pocket. She turned to face the angry brunette, “Wynonna, I-“
“You couldn’t put your phone on silent?”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’ll make sure I apologise to Waverly.”
“You bet your ass you will. Whiskey, neat.” Wynonna said as she approached the makeshift bar. “Was it important at least?”
“It was my partner.”
“Why aren’t they hear? All the extra love at weddings.” Wynonna swallowed her drink and motioned to the bartender that wanted a second.
“She’s not the kind of partner.” Nicole realised that this was the most civil their conversation had been in a long time, and she didn’t want it to end. “We’re working a big case.”
Wynonna only nodded and looked into her glass. Nicole sighed realising that might be the best she got. She finished her drink and placed her glass on the bar before starting to walk away.
“Waverly told me the truth.”