Accident Prone

Suzy cursed internally. How is it possible that someone recognized her? No, the woman (aka Brianna) probably mixed her up with someone.

"I don't think so."

Brianna narrowed her eyes. The server-lady responded that she does not know her, without looking at her. That was suspicious. Brianna brushed her thoughts aside, assuming that maybe the server-lady had bad experiences with guests who bullied her, so she became jumpy.

Brianna turned to leave the kitchen and her steps halted at the door when she remembered from where that woman looked familiar. She saw her photo; Mia showed it to her.

"Suzy? Suzanne Gorman?", Brianna called, and Suzy's eyes widened in horror.

"You've got the wrong person…", Suzy mumbled in response while cursing her luck, hoping that this person will believe her and leave this damned kitchen. She is so close to accomplishing her goal!

Suzy waited in the hallway and stopped one server lady, pulled her into the broom closet, knocked her out, and got in her clothes so that she can blend in with the staff and tamper with drinks. After all, she still had plenty of drugs in the lining of her purse. It was easy to get her hands on the drinks because they were running slightly behind the schedule, and the other lady accepted Brianna's help without looking away from the fruits she was arranging.

"It's already mixed.", the lady said. "Pour from the red shaker, and then from the yellow one slowly so that they don't mix. Leave half an inch space from the top for fruits..."

Suzy was delighted. She had on her mind an explanation that she is new, a temporary hire which is not unusual for these grand events. However, everyone was super-busy, and the moment they glanced at the uniform she was wearing, no one bothered to look at her face.

When Mia drinks this, she will make a fool of herself and the wedding will be off. Suzy couldn't tell which drink will be for Mia, so after confirming which tray has drinks for the bride's room, she spiked all of them. That would be a big scandal in front of all these people and Hunter will not think of being close to Mia anymore.

Suzy's plan was perfect, but she didn't think that someone will recognize her. First, her makeup was different from what she usually wears, and second, who looks at the faces of the lowly staff?

"It is you!", Brianna nearly shrieked, making Suzy's head snap in her direction.

'BANG!'

Brianna smacked Suzy in the face with a heavy pan, and the sound was muffled by the rumbling of the vents that were pulling the steam out of the kitchen.

In that one moment when cast iron connected with her face, Suzy saw stars of the Milky Way and swayed slightly before plopping on the floor unconscious.

Brianna dumped the tray with drinks that Suzy was working on in the trash, making the glasses break with a clatter which got attention from the girl that was arranging fruit pieces in the drinks.

"These cocktails will not be served.", Brianna announced before reaching for the second tray with finished cocktails for the guys and flipping it into the sink. She didn't know if Suzy tampered only with one set of drinks or both, so it's better to be safe than sorry.

The woman gaped at the mess of broken glasses. "What have you done?"

Brianna pointed at Suzy who was unconscious on the floor. "Do you know that woman? Is she working here? I have a good reason to believe that she snuck in here with an intention to tamper with the drinks. I suggest you check the fruit punch and anything else that is not sealed. And call the security."

The woman frowned and it took her a second to nod vigorously before she reached for the phone that hung on the wall next to the door. She pressed one button and informed the person who picked up the call that there was an intruder.

…

Brianna got in the bride's room with a tray full of champagne glasses.

"There was a small accident with drinks in the kitchen, so we get champagne for your last toast as a single woman!", Brianna exclaimed to Mia enthusiastically.

Mia didn't ask any questions. She was happy that the drinks are here, and they can finish that off and the wedding can start.

They downed their drinks and the girls headed out to line up, leaving Mia and Madeline in the room.

"How are you doing, sweetie?", Madeline asked Mia.

"I wish that my mom is here.", Mia responded. She is not really sentimental, but this is one time where she felt the absence of her mother. Mia's memories of her mother are distant and fading with the passage of time, but the ones she has, are warm and filled with nostalgia.

Madeline sighed sadly and wrapped her arms around Mia. "I'm sure she is watching you from above."

Mia didn't resist Madeline's hug, knowing that it's making Madeline feel better. Madeline told Mia more than once that she hopes how one day their relationship warms up to the point of being like mother and daughter, and Mia knew that Madeline's words were honest.

Mia was used to her independence and she protected herself by keeping people at a distance. Other than Brianna and Liz, she didn't have anyone really close to her. And then Hunter entered her life and things started changing. Who knows? Maybe one day her heart warms up to Madeline as well.

Also, Mia was aware that she gets extra care from Madeline because Madeline feels guilty for how they treated Mia in those first months when Hunter introduced her as his girlfriend (and then fiancée). At that time, they suspected Mia to be a gold digger and Mia would be lying to say that she didn't enjoy the shocked expressions of Madeline and Nathan when they confirmed Mia's background. Of course, they didn't find out everything, but just the property and villa where Fabricio lives are evidence that the Russo family has wealth comparable to Andersons (if not more). Mia didn't blame them for underestimating her, after all, she always liked to dress up normally without attracting attention, but it bothered her that they immediately assumed how she is with Hunter for the money. If they checked her background before making assumptions, they would realize that Mia had good reasons to believe that Hunter is with her for the money. But all that was left in the past.

Madeline hoped for a harmonious family and she knew that accepting Mia as her daughter-in-law wholeheartedly, meant that Hunter will stay close as well.

Madeline loved Mia for the fact that she is kind and smart and simple, just like Hunter. The two of them are a good match and they make each other happy. 

After a quick knock on the door, Fabricio peeked inside. "May I come in?"

Madeline let go of Mia and walked out, to give father and daughter a few minutes of privacy before they need to leave the room.

"Do you have everything you need?", Fabricio asked, making Mia look at him questionably. "Something new, something old, something blue, something borrowed?"

"How do you know about that?", Mia asked.

Fabricio smiled before admitting: "Penny told me."

Mia nodded in understanding. She was not ready to accept Penny as her step-mother, but she was aware that Penny and Fabricio are getting along well and that her father is happy, so she didn't want to meddle in his life. The moment Fabricio welcomed Hunter as his son-in-law, Mia decided to give Fabricio a chance. Mia was confident that as long as Fabricio does not try to control her life, their relationship will improve over time.

"I have everything.", Mia confirmed.

"I was hoping you will wear this…", Fabricio said and opened his hand to show on his palm an exquisite hairpin that was decorated with sparkling deep-blue sapphires. "Your mother wore this at our wedding, and I thought of giving it to you. If you want it."

Mia's chin trembled and she felt her eyes stinging. Somehow, it felt like her mother was there, within that hairpin, or around it maybe.

"I will be honored…", Mia said in a whisper because she lost her strength to talk.

Fabricio walked behind Mia and put the hairpin in her hair, making it the only non-white item on her, yet it looked like it belongs there.

Fabricio looked at Mia with complex emotions swirling in his eyes. "You are a big girl now, a young woman who is about to start your own family. I hope you don't forget that you are coming from a loving family. Your mother loved you a lot, and so do I."

Mia shot him a side-look. "Are you trying to make me cry and ruin my makeup?"

Fabricio smiled and extended his hand for Mia to take. "It's time, sweetie…"

Mia rolled her eyes. "I can't go out like this. Help me with the veil, it needs to cover my face…"

Fabricio knew that even though Mia is pouting, she was happy. And that made him happy as well.

Fabricio reached for the fine see-through veil made out of French silk tulle and helped Mia to arrange it over her face evenly. He took a step back and observed her with a smile. "You remind me of your mother. Beautiful. Hunter is a lucky man."

Mia smiled a little. "Thanks, dad."

He extended his hand, and Mia put hers into his and they walked out of the room together.

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