[JEMMA]

After our two dances, I danced with Daddy and Tan danced with Mom, then we danced with Tan's parents and the Best Man and Maid of Honour. I thought Geoff got a little handy, though never obnoxiously so, but I was happy when he started dancing with someone else. I don't know why he bothered me so much, but he did. Of all our friends, if I thought anyone would be guilty of doing something disgusting to me, I would have guessed Geoff, he seemed that slimy. But he hadn't been at the Bachelorette Party. If he had done something, I believed he would do it for himself, and not for me to suck some stranger I'd never seen before. I could see him dancing with my other girlfriends and more than one of them removed his hand from their ass. Erin was tall enough Geoff could practically put his head on her bosom and I thought Erin would slap him at some point. Instead she stormed off, and he smiled to himself, his weaselly little smile. What a creep! 

9 o'clock rolled around and Tan and I cut the cake together. We passed a few pieces out to family members before Tiffany took over and started passing out plates to the other guests.

"Are you ready to leave?" Tan asked just before nine-thirty. "I have plans for you tonight."

"Yes, I am. I'm ready to go when you are. I just have to grab my things from the wedding bag."

"Why don't you get it. I'll start making our excuses."

I found Tiffany, who'd carried the bag from the wedding. "Tan and I are leaving," I said. "I need to get my things."

"Okay, Brenda. You're sure you're all right?"

"I'm sure. Thank you."

We went out to the limo she'd come in and pulled out both bags. "Everyone else got their purses and clothes, Brenda. Why don't you just take these? You can use them for any souvenirs you buy in St. Lucia." She handed them to me. The bags were nylon and would fold into nothing in my suitcase.

"Thank you. I'll return them to you."

"No problem. You take care of yourself. Maybe see a doctor when you get back, just in case."

"Thanks for everything you did for me, Tiffany," I said. "I can't thank you enough." I hugged her and she kissed me on the cheek. 

"I'd do anything for you, Brenda, you know that." One more hug and she was gone. 

I looked in the one bag, found my stained little cape. I took it out and threw it in a dumpster. One symbol of my degradation gone. My clothes and purse were in the other bag. I dug around in my purse until I found the blackmailer's phone. I put it in one of the nylon bags and smashed it to the ground, three or four times. I opened the bag and the phone was smashed into a thousand pieces, none of them larger than a penny. I dumped all the pieces into the same dumpster. The rest of my shame trashed. I went to look for Tan.

I found him saying goodbye to his parents. I joined him, linking my arm through his, purse in hand. 

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Tan. I want to thank you for the gift of your son. He must get his character from you and I appreciate it so much.

"You're welcome, Brenda," his Mom replied. "You can call us Mom and Dad now."

"Thank you, Mom," I said, laughing. "We need to leave now. Tan has big plans tonight."

"Don't do anything we wouldn't do," Tan's Dad laughed.

"I hardly think that's possible, do you, Father. We'll see you when we get back from the honeymoon," Tan said.

We went and said goodbye to my parents as well. They inquired after my health, but I told them, honestly, I felt fine now and they shouldn't worry. I reminded them I'd call them after I got back. "I love you both," I said. "Thank you."

"Of course, sweetheart," Dad said. "You kids have a good time on your honeymoon."

"We will, don't worry."

I waved to the rest of the room with a quick good night and thank you, and taking Tan's arm, left to finally become a woman.