Do you think, everything, everyone, is going mental,
It seems to me that it's spiraling outta control and it's inevitable,
It seems to me, we're on all fours,
Crawling on our knees,
Someone help us please
Oh well I guess I musn't grumble,
I suppose that's just the way the cookie crumbles

Oh yes, I'm fine,
Everything's just wonderful

Three weeks.     

I'm getting married in three weeks, and even though the flowers have been ordered, I've picked out the cake, written my vows, my dress is just waiting for me to step into it, and I've made every arrangement imaginable, I still feel like there's a million things left to do.    

The families and our friends will be flying out, in two weeks for the bridal shower, Trace's bachelor party, and the rehearsal dinner. That's when the real insanity is going to begin.     

I'm beyond excited, but my nerves are starting to kick in.     

I'm trying as hard as I can, to keep from going into bridezilla mode, but it's getting more and more difficult as times goes on.     

I've been planning my dream wedding, practically since birth. Honestly, I think every little girl does. I grew up dreaming that someday, some wonderful man would sweep me off my feet, we'd have the big fairytale wedding, and live happily ever after.     

In my own weird little way...I got just that.     

I never really saw myself being with Trace. But now...I can't imagine ever being with anyone else.     

Even when I finally realized how I felt about him, I never thought he'd want me.     

Trace, is a typical guy. He and Justin were a little too fond of the Hollywood lifestyle. Parties every night. Drugs. Alcohol. Women. You name it, they more than likely did it.    

Then suddenly, Trace just lost interest. He stopped going out, he stopped dating. He walked away from the life that he and Justin seemed so caught up in.     

And then, it was like it all just fell into place. He asked me on a date, and the rest is history.     

I just wish things would have gone as easily for Justin and Ally.     

I like to think I'm a good person. I try to treat everyone with respect, I give money to homeless people on the street, even though I know I probably shouldn't, I've volunteered in animal shelters, and I....I just...I want people to think of me as being one of the nicest people they've ever met.     

I adore my friends...I really do, but lately...I'd love nothing more than to strangle the life out of Justin and Ally.     

Justin is...well...Justin's never been a normal guy. We all know that, and we still love him, despite his mood swings, and craziness. We even ignore the ego when it pops up.    

But lately...he's just...I don't even know what you'd call it.     

I completely supported his decision to propose to Ally. I honestly believed she would have said yes.  She just seemed so in love, and it's common knowledge that Justin is quite the charmer. Call me naive, but I didn't see how it could go wrong.    

I know it might sound selfish, but my issue with Justin's proposal, was his timing.     

I'm not saying the world should revolve around me because I'm the bride to be, but lately...I've felt like nobody is too concerned about the wedding. Trace included.     

Everyone is so wrapped up in Justin's jealousy and Ally's disappearing act. I mean...it started before all of that, really...it's been downhill since they got together.     

Don't get me wrong...I was probably their biggest cheerleader. I was thrilled at the thought of the two of them as a couple.     

But once they made their big announcement, suddenly...all anybody wanted to talk about, was Justin and Ally. How they got together, how everyone knew it was destined to happen. Everyone was so excited about it.     

But, as the excitement over Justin and Ally and their relationship grew, the excitement over my wedding died down.    

For a long time, it didn't bother me. At that point, the wedding was still several months away, so I was more than happy to celebrate the fact that two people, who have always belonged together, finally realized it.    

But now...well...it's just not fair.     

I know they're having their problems, and Lord knows, I wish they could fix them, and go back to being the adorable couple they were, I just...I wish we could put it all aside for awhile and get through the next few weeks.    

I'm sure I sound like a complete whiny brat, but I swear...it's not that. I just...I've got a lot going on, I'm stressed out to the max and well...I need to vent somehow.     

I guess it's my own fault that I've let it build up so much. I didn't want to upset anyone, and I'm sure jumping up and down, screaming about my wedding, would have done just that.    

It's just kinda tough to sit back and smile, when even your own Mother, is more worried about your two best friends and their drama, than your wedding.     

It's crazy, but it's true.     

My mommy called this morning, and all she could talk about was how Justin showed up in Memphis, supposedly to fix everything with Ally.     

Little does she know, her future son-in-law, is right there with him.     

I completely understand why Trace wanted to go with Justin. If Ally shot him down again, there's no telling what kind of mess Justin would be, and someone needed to be there with him.     

I get it. I really do.     

I want Ally back here, just as much as Justin does. She's my best friend, and maid of honor...how could I not want her here?    

I know...I should probably be mad at her, but I can't.  I know she's got to be hurting beyond belief, and I wish she'd let me help her, but she's pushed everyone away.    

I just figure, when she's ready, she'll come to me.     

My sister, Leighanne, says she's just in Memphis for a week to watch J.J, and then she's coming home, and for the love of all things holy...I hope that's true.     

There are five people I absolutely need at my wedding, and Ally's one of them.    

And no, it's not just because she's the maid of honor...she's like my sister...she just...I can't get married without her there to back me up.     

There for awhile, she really had me worried. I actually had nightmares that she might not ever come home, and I refused to marry Trace, until she did.     

The front door opens and Trace and Justin enter the house, tossing their bags down by the steps. Trace strolls over to me, a huge grin planted on his face. He gives me a quick kiss, then throws himself onto the couch beside me.    

"How'd it go?"    

"Really good." Justin smiles. Even I can admit that it's really nice to see that look on his face again. He's done nothing but mope around for a month, but it looks like the old Justin, is finally coming back to us.    

"So...you're back together?"
    

"Well....no. Not yet, anyway. We're going to wait it out for awhile, and see what happens. But, I think after the tour stars, we will be. For now...we're just friends."    

"Aww...Justin...that's awesome." I can't help but smile at him. He's just so...happy.    

Even though I've been a little irritated that the wedding's been put on the back burner, I'm ecstatic that things seem to be going back to normal. Once Ally comes home, I'm sure we'll all be just fine.    

"Yeah...so, from here on out...it's all about the wedding. No more drama." He nods seriously, and I can feel my smile growing.    

See...even they drive me crazy...my friends still manage to be the most amazing people in the world, and no matter what...I wouldn't trade them for anything.

********************************************************    

"Trace, slow down!" I screech as he weaves in and out of traffic.     

I don't care what he says, he is not teaching our future children how to drive. I won't have my babies cruising the streets like they're in the Indy 500.     

"Laur...I'm on the freeway. It's ok." He says with a grin.    

We reach the airport in record time, thanks to speed racer, and as we reach Ally's gate, I can feel a knot building up in my stomach. I really don't know why I'm so nervous about seeing her.     

I guess, I just feel kind of weird that we haven't talked in so long. I've had Ally at my side, my entire life. Maybe, I'm just not used to her being so distant.    

When she and Justin broke up, I really expected her to come to me. Even when they had a minor argument, the two of us would get together, drink way too much red wine, and talk about how men were put on this earth, just to annoy women.     

It was just so weird to see her leaning on Trace, instead of me.     

Trace has never been the type to get into emotional things. He doesn't like to talk about feelings, and very rarely lets anyone know when he's upset about something. I was actually kind of shocked that he got himself so involved in this Justin and Ally thing.     

Normally, he avoids getting into other people's business...he's a great listener, but I've never seen him jump in and try to solve other people's problems like that.    

He said he was just tired of seeing Justin miserable, and didn't want to lose his best friends. Which I completely understand. If I would have had the time to devote to it...I would have been right there with him, pushing those two back together.     

But, I can't help wondering, if his involvement means something else.    

I know it's pretty common for people to get cold feet before they get married, and I think that might be what's happening here.     

I think he just needed to focus on something else for awhile, and Justin and Ally provided the perfect distraction. At this point, those two are about as dysfunctional as it gets.         

Honestly, if I wasn't so busy with putting all of this together, I'd probably be scared out of my mind, but I barely have the time to breathe, much less worry about my fear.     

I mean, really...marriage is a pretty terrifying thing when you think about. You're committing yourself to one person for the rest of your life. In a way, you're giving that person a part of yourself that you'd never give to anyone else.     

Vulnerability is probably the scariest thing in the world.    

Luckily, I've had my sisters around to assure me, that it's all perfectly normal, and everything will be fine.    

Ally finally enters the airport, and practically runs for us. She tackles me in a hug, and I almost want to cry. I really, really missed her.     

"Laur...I'm so sorry."    

"It's fine, Al. You're back now...and that's all that matters." She smiles brightly, then turns to Trace.    

"You....I am going to kick your ass, you little shit." She slugs him in the arm, and winces in pain as he rubs the sore spot. "Out on the porch, my ass."    

"He made me do it. Besides...obviously, it worked."    

Suddenly, her expression changes, and her smile seems much more forced than it did a second ago.        

"Yeah...worked like a charm. Anyway..I'll grab my bag, then we can go. Cool?" She heads off toward baggage claim, and Trace turns to me with a satisfied smirk.    

"See, baby? I fixed it. Told you, I'm the shit." He struts off after her, and I follow behind.    

Something tells me, there's a lot going on that no one but Justin and Ally know about.    

And frankly, it has me a little worried.

*********************************************    

When I was little, Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday. Something about the chill in the air, and the way the leaves changed colors just...I don't know, it always seemed really special to me. Of course, I haven't had one of those real Thanksgivings for several years.    

When the four of us moved to L.A, we worked out that we'd fly our parents out for Thanksgiving, and we'd make the trip back to Memphis for Christmas. I really miss Thanksgiving at home, though.    

All four families crowded into one house, the guys watching football, the girls in the kitchen. It was great. In my opinion, it was the absolute best way to spend the holiday.     

But now...my Thanksgivings seem so....fake.     

Our parents come out for a couple days, we're all running around in shorts and T-shirts, rushing through dinner. The trees are still as green as they ever were, and there isn't a single trace of that fall scent.     

It may seem silly to some, but Thanksgiving is actually one of my main reasons for wanting to move back home.    

When Trace and I have kids, I want them to grow up the way we did. I want them to feel the comfort of a small town. I want them around their grandparents as much as possible, and I want them to see the weather change.     

I know it's crazy...but I even miss the snow. I miss the cold, the ice...all of it.     

I really can't wait to move back. California just isn't me. Everything is way too fast paced, too crowded and just too complicated.     

Thank God, Trace wanted to move back too, because I'm not sure how much longer I can stand this place. I'm glad my friends like it...but it's just not me.     

My phone rings, and I reach for it, after wiping mashed potatoes off my hands. Ally informs me that our parents are boarding their flight as we speak, and they'll be arriving in a few hours.     

I've gotten most of the cooking done for tomorrow, so it'll just be a matter of re-heating everything and getting everyone together.     

"Anyway, I'm leaving work in a few....umm...do we need anything? We've got plenty of food, right?"    

"Are you kidding? There's enough food to feed an army." I giggle and shake my head. "What are you so worried about?"    

"Oh...umm...nothing. See ya in a bit." She hangs up before I can respond, and I just know she's got something up her sleeve.     

I wish I could say things around our house have returned to normal, but I'm not a liar.     

Granted, everyone seems to be getting along, and Justin is happier than he's been in quite some time, but Ally is just...different.     

I expected Justin and Ally to have a hard time adjusting to just being friends again and Justin does seem to have some trouble with it. He's so awkward around her, and it's cute, in a weird way. It's so easy to see that he doesn't know exactly what to say or do around her.    

Which, with the way she's been acting, I can't really blame him. She's been overly nice to him, and it's just...strange.     

Ally has always spoke her mind. She's never held anything back, but lately...you can almost see everything building up inside of her, and I'm fairly certain that she's going to explode any moment, and it will all be directed at Justin.    

I never got any details about what happened in Memphis. According to Justin, everything went fine. But, Ally...well...she seems a little less optimistic.         

She'll say they talked, and they're friends now...but the look in her eyes is a dead give away.  When she looks at Justin, there's nothing but disgust there.     

But, I'm not going to pry. Whatever happened there, is between the two of them, and that's where it will stay.    

Besides, I'm not about to stir up their nonsense two weeks before my wedding.    

I'm not that crazy.

*********************************************    

"Oh come on! You call that pass interference? Pull your head out of your ass!" Trace screams at the TV, along with Justin and our fathers.     

I will never understand men and football. I don't think I really want to.     

It's nearing 5:30, and the plan is to sit down to dinner at six. I've been in this kitchen all day, and I'm more than ready to collapse at the table, and stuff my face.     

It may sound a little mean, but I'm kind of glad Ally went to work today. She's a terrible cook, and I want my last Thanksgiving in this house to be perfect.     

I'd have to kill her if she burnt the turkey or something.     

My mother, Lynn, Ann and Kathy, Trace's mother, each help me set the table and lay out our feast, and before I know it, we're all seated at the table, but one chair is still empty.     

She swore she'd be here by six, and if she doesn't show up soon...I may have to wring her neck.     

Finally, when we're half way through our pre-dinner prayer, she bursts into the house, dropping several bags on the floor.     

"I'm here...I'm here...I'm here." She runs into the dining room, her heels clicking on the tiled floor the whole way.     

"And where were you?" Justin eyes her suspiciously.     

Her now, normal, fake smile appears and she turns to Justin. "Oh...you know that Charlie...he just loves to work me over."     

She smirks at him and arches an eyebrow. Justin scrunches his nose up and turns to whisper something to Trace.    

Clearly, they aren't going to put aside their childishness, so we can get through this dinner in peace.     

"Anyway...speaking of Charlie." Ally clears her throat, and smiles. "His family is actually out of town, and he was planning on spending Thanksgiving holed up in his apartment, alone. So, I invited him here. Is that alright?"    

I can feel my eyes widen, and Trace and Justin both jerk their heads in her direction. Trace looks like he's trying to contain his laughter, and Justin looks downright furious.     

"Of course, sweetheart. The more the merrier." Dave, Ally's father, grins at her. "I'd like to meet the man who has my little girl slaving away all the time."    

"Good. He's outside. I'll be right back." She smiles sweetly, but when her eyes rest on Justin, her expression seems much more wicked.     

As much as I love Ally, I can't believe she's doing this. She's just asking to start a fight, and even though Justin has been pretty stupid when it comes to her, I feel awful for him.    

It's a well known fact that Charlie is a very sore subject for him, and Ally is just rubbing salt in the wound.     

After several moments, Ally re-enters the dining room, Charlie on her heels. She grabs an extra chair, and places it between her seat, and Justin's. She quickly introduces Charlie around the table, and immediately...everyone seems to love him.    

He's funny and charming, and I can see my own Mother swooning each time he looks at her.         

Overall, dinner goes fairly well, minus Justin's pouting. He didn't say a word all through the meal, and sat with his jaw clenched, his eyes never leaving his plate, the entire time.     

Ally, of course, turned into miss social butterfly, talking about the millions of things she and Charlie do together.    

If I didn't know any better, I'd really believe she likes him. She touches him any chance she gets, laughs as loudly as she can at his jokes, whispers to him when she thinks no one's looking.    

Unfortunately, I know what's going on.     

I don't know what Justin did or said, but it's obvious, Ally's pissed, and she's done being nice.     

I just hope Charlie's smart enough to see through her act.

************************************************    

Once the football is over, the turkey's gone, and our parents have returned to their hotels, I finally get to sit and relax. Trace brings me a glass of wine, and curls up next to me on the couch. This is exactly why I'm marrying this man, he takes such good care of me.    

"You were amazing today. Everything was great." He smiles, then kisses me slowly. To this day, my knees get weak every time he does that. I can't even explain it.    

I just figure, that's exactly how it should feel when the person you're meant to be with kisses you.     

"So, where's Al and Justin?"    

"Well...." Before I can explain, Justin slowly saunters down the steps, a bottle of jack in his hand.     

He enters the living room, takes one look at Trace and I, then erupts into a fit of laughter. 

I guess it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving unless atleast one of us got falling down drunk.     

It's happened every year, as far back as I can remember. Back home, we would sneak off into the woods behind Ally's house, with beer that we'd stolen from one of our Dads. We'd set up a ten, and spend the whole night drinking, imagining we were much drunker than we really were.     

I guess it's our weird little tradition.    

Justin plops down in the middle of the floor, and looks up at us, a goofy grin on his face. "Man...you guys...y'all  are so lucky."    

Trace chuckles softly and rolls his eyes. "Yeah, man. You're drunk."    

Justin laughs stupidly, and takes a long swig from the bottle. "I have every right to drink...I am an emotional wreck." He slurs each word, and it's getting harder to keep from laughing at him.    

I know he's upset, hell...anybody would be, after the show Ally put on at dinner. She did it just to spite Justin, and we all know it.     

I just...I don't understand why she's being so flat out mean, about all of this. Trace and I are trying to keep the four of us together, and Ally just keeps pushing everyone away.    

I guess it's silly of me, but I just keep thinking back to when we were all little. Things were so easy. We always swore we'd be friends for the rest of our lives, but right now...it's hard to see us making it to the end of the year, and that just hurts.     

"The woman I love, hates me. And she's...dude...Charlie is cool as fuck. Do you have any idea how much that fuckin sucks?"    

"Alright...you need some sleep, man." Trace hops off the couch and quickly pulls Justin to his feet. The two of them stumble up the stairs together, and I can't stop the frown that's forming.    

I really thought things were on an upswing. I thought Justin and Ally had worked through their issues, and could be civil.    

They can apologize to Trace and I all they want, but I know, nothing's going to change. They're both too damn stubborn and immature for their own good, and that certainly doesn't help anything.     

I'm finally realizing, that maybe...they just don't belong together, and we all need to go our separate ways.

"Everything's Just Wonderful"-Lily Allen