Esther winced as Kevin, the doctor, gingerly touched her gargantuan forehead lump. The rest of the family, bridesmaids, groomsmen and Kirstin and Scott watched on. They were back at Esther's hotel room surveying the damage.
     "Does it look bad?" Esther asked.
     There was a chorus of no's around the room, all high pitched, untruthful, and Esther knew it.
     "Maybe we could cover it with a flower crown?" Kirstin suggested.
     "It's that bad?" Esther panicked, "Give me a mirror."
     "That's not a good idea sweetheart," Shelly told her.
     "Mom, I need to see it," Esther was dead serious.
     Her bridesmaid Nicole passed her an ornate hand held mirror.
     All Esther allowed herself was a sharp intake before completely composing herself, "It's not that bad," she lied.
     "Are you kidding it's enormous!" Mitch spoke in a panic.
     Esther shoved the mirror at Kevin, "Yes Mitch, I know, I have a baseball sized lump on my forehead and who's fucking fault is that? She was furious and Mitch shrunk back. "I should think so," she snapped, slouching back in her seat, "What am I gonna do?"
     "I think the flower crown Kirstin suggested is a great idea, we are in Hawaii after all," Shelly tried to smile.
     "Yeah," Ester started nodding and didn't stop, "I need a drink."
     No one moved.
     "The women said she wanted a drink god-dammit!" Mitch announced, he waited a moment before he darted off to find something for her himself.
     Everyone started hovering around Esther again and talking over each other. Esther avoided touching her forehead lump as she rested her head in her hands.
     Avi, Kirstin and Scott hung back.
     "Mitch feels real bad, I can tell," Avi said to them.
     "Well he should, look at her face," Kirstin said and Avi is a little surprised because it sounded more like something Scott would say.
     "And I don't know if anyone else noticed but there's something going on with her eye," Scott pointed out.
     "It does look... like bloodshot," Avi's face scrunched up.
     "It wasn't like that before," Kirstin observed.
     "They're gonna have to take all her wedding pictures from her left side," Scott tried not to laugh.
     "It's not funny Scott, she's gonna look ugly on her wedding day," Kirstie fumed. "She needs some pampering, she needs to go to the spa, the poor woman's so stressed, just look at her."
     Esther was still sitting there with her head in her hands while everyone talked around her, trying to decide what was best for her. That was very unlike Esther, she was usually a control freak, every fine detail is done her way every time, Mitch has called her Queen Esther on more than one occasion.
     "You know what, I'm gonna take her to the spa, girls only, her bridesmaids can come too as long as they promise to shut-up," Kirstie decided.
     "That sounds nice," Avi smiled at Kirstin gratefully. "And I did say all expenses paid, so ahhh," he dived into his back pocket. "Use this to buy a drink for you and Esther," Avi handed Kirstin a hundred dollar bill.
     Her eyes were wide. She could honestly say she'd only touched a hundred dollar note a handful of times in her life. And here Avi was handing it to her like nothing.
     "Wait, how much does it cost to go to the spa?" Avi asked.
     "I don't know," Kirstie barely got out, still surprised.
     "If you need more let me know," Avi smiled.
     "Spa's are pretty expensive," Scott told him.
     Kirstie shoved her elbow back into Scott's stomach, "This is more than enough Avi, I'll make it work," she smiled.
     "Cool, see you later," Avi left Kirstin and Scott and the room entirely.
     "Wait, do I get money like that too?" Scott asked Kirstie.
     "I assume yours comes from Mitch," she beamed as she slid the note into her phone case.
     "Fuck me," Scott groaned.

...

Kirstie tried her best not to stare at Esther's face as they made their way to the spa, her eye was totally bloodshot now and the bruise was setting in.
     "I haven't been to the spa in so long," Esther said in content as they entered the clean, white and inviting environment.
     "Me either," Kirstin commented.
     "Well you deserve it," Nicole told Esther as she pushed past Kirstin.
     Kirstie cast her a deadly glare that thankfully no one saw.
     "I love your dress," said one of the bridesmaids, Candice is what Kirstie is pretty sure her name is.
     "Oh thanks," Kirstie smiled.
     "Where'd you get it?"
     "Ahh," her mind was blank, her and Scott had been in and out of so many stores that day. Candice's compliment was a brutal reminder of the fact that this dress and pretty much everything else she and Scott were wearing this week, was stolen. "You know, I've had it a while, I don't even remember," she chuckled nervously.
     "I could check the tag?" Candice stepped closer.
     "No, no, it's fine," she knew damn well she'd cut the tag out because that was where the security beeper was kept in this particular item of clothing.
     "Um, okay," Candice spoke slowly, backing off Kirstin with a curious eye before starting up another conversation with someone else.
     Kirstin let out a sigh of relief. Then she started to worry about whether or not she'd covered every tattoo on her body, because they were at the spa, and who knew who might accidentally see what. She was supposed to be good, and good girls don't have tattoos! She would just have to be careful, very, very careful, she had been thus far, right?

Kirstie stood with Esther as Esther waited, first in line for a massage. Of course there wasn't a literal line, the other girls were off doing other spa things at the minute. Kirstin was waiting to get her nails done and decided to wait with Esther.
     "You know you're even better than I could have hoped for," Esther said to her.
     Kirstin's eyebrow went up with a little confusion, "Yeah?" She was pretty sure it was a compliment so she smiled.
     "As Avi's date," Esther explained in case it was needed.
     "Oh right," Kirstin nodded.
     "It seems kind of weird right? Me making them bring dates so they'd behave better and not hit on my bridesmaids, well Avi, Mitch would hit on the groomsmen," Esther laughed a little.
     "Yeah, making your brothers bring dates is a little strange, not that I'm complaining because I am so lucky to be here," Kirstin smiled.
     Esther smiled back, "I just needed them on their best behaviour, it's not even about the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Normally Kevin and I try to look out for them at other gatherings, but this is our day and we don't have time for it. That's why I've more or less pawned them off on you and Scott, it sounds crappy, but-"
     "No-no I get it, and I don't mind, Avi's lovely, and Mitch is... no offence but Mitch is Scott's problem," she laughed a little, glad that Esther joined in.
     "Avi is lovely," Esther nodded. "Sometimes I think we forget that. He used to be Kevin's best friend you know."
     "He may have mentioned that."
     She sighed, "It's my fault they're not close anymore. I still feel bad about it. But what am I supposed to say? Avi I'm sorry I fell in love with your best friend, because I'm not sorry."
     "When Scott thought he was straight he slept with my Mom. I didn't talk to him for three weeks, it was the longest three weeks of my life."
     "Scott did what?"
     Kirstie felt her face heat up as she realised the mistake she'd made. "Um, it's not important what he did. I'm just saying that not talking to Scott sucked, and you must seriously miss talking to Avi."
     Esther nodded, "I do, and I've talked to him a couple of times in a 'I think I've gotten through to him' type of conversation, but Mitch must have his claws in deep. I just wish that it maybe could have gone the other way, Avi making Mitch a better person not Mitch making Avi a bad one."
     "Avi's not a bad guy," Kirstie jumped to his defence. "He's been nothing but kind and respectful to me."
     "That's all your influence Kirstin, you're not like the girls he's dated these past few years. He knows he doesn't have a prayer of getting in your pants so he's not trying," she crossed her arms, frustration written on her face.
     But it was Kirstie who was truly frustrated. "Esther I'm gonna be honest with you, mostly, I am a good person, but I have dropped more than a few hints about how much I want to sleep with your brother. And now he's either completely unaware, which I doubt because my flirting skills are impeccable, so that could only mean that he's ignoring my advances because he cares about you and Kevin and your wedding. He cares and he doesn't want to mess anything up so he's following all your rules, he's an absolute sweetheart and you're lucky to have him as a brother. But you can't expect him to do all the work to fix your relationship, your attitude sucks too."
     Esther's expression is nothing but shock.
     "And I'm sure Mitch isn't all evil, I'm sure there's a human in there somewhere. Maybe he's just sick of being accused of 'ruining Avi', 'corrupting Avi', whatever term you use. If Avi didn't want to drink and party with Mitch, he never would have. Esther I think you need to let loose a little too. So when you're ready to have a little fun, come find me." With that Kirstie left Esther to be called in for her massage, Kirstie had a little more being honest to do.

A/N: What do we think of Kirstie and Esther's conversation? How do we feel?

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please vote and comment, it truly makes my day :)

Hannah.