When the wedding of Jade, Evie’s best friend, rolls around, she really wants to be a part of Jade’s big day.

But as the wedding dawns, rumors about Evie’s husband, James, begin to fly around — including the fact that he’s been uninvited. What secrets lurk between the rumors? And more importantly, are they true?

Jade had been my friend for years. When we were kids, our families lived across the road from each other — so we had grown up together. From diapers to high school, we were inseparable. And when college came around, we did the long-distance thing.

“We’re going to be friends until we’re old and gray and knitting scarves for our grandchildren,” Jade would always say.

I also believed her, especially because she made a concerted effort to keep up with our friendship.

Even when I celebrated my wedding four years ago — Jade shared the Maid of Honor spot with my sister and was part and parcel of the entire experience.

Now, Jade’s wedding is a few days away, and I’m a bridesmaid. We had been such close friends for so many years, so she had invited my family to share in the joy of her big day.

“Everyone?” I asked her, making sure she knew what she was doing.

“Everyone!” she confirmed, giggling. “They’ve all been a part of my life since we were just kids, Evie. Especially your grandmother! Remember all the toasted cheese sandwiches she made me over the years? That was the best comfort food I’ve ever eaten.”

We got to the wedding closer, and I was in charge of the big bridal party dinner a week before the wedding.

“Matthew and I don’t want to do the traditional bachelor and bachelorette parties, Evie,” Jade said. “We want something more classy.”

I sat down with her and took notes — Jade was stubborn; she knew exactly what she wanted, and if I wasn’t paying attention to her, I would mess it up.

“Tell me what type of event you’d like,” I said.

“Just something elegant. But also cozy. A dinner with plenty of drinks flowing.”

“And the guests?” I asked, jotting down notes.

“Just the bridal party,” Jade said. “But no parents, because Matthew will hold back on having fun if they’re around. He doesn’t enjoy himself because he thinks that if he shows himself having fun, my parents wouldn’t respect him.”

That seemed absolutely absurd. But Matthew was a scientist, and he was strange. For Jade, he was perfect, but he could be rather rigid.

“He’s not like James,” she sniggered.

I didn’t have no idea what my husband had to do with it. But I did know that Jade had a love-hate relationship with James.

Jade would love him on certain days, and they would get along like a house on fire, but there were also other days when she would simply be polite to him.

The dinner went off without a hitch. Jade looked incredible in a white dress — with white dresses being the theme for the events leading up to the wedding.

All of us partied the night away, reminiscing about the past — while a tipsy Jade sent my husband to get s’more ingredients from the 24/7 supermarket.

“Please, James,” she said, hanging onto my arm. “Please can you get the bride-to-be some chocolate and marshmallows?”

My husband, who had been drinking himself, ended up giving in and called a cab to take him to the supermarket.

“I’ll be back soon,” he said.

When James came back, the s’mores were made to satisfy Jade’s cravings under the night sky.

Everything was perfect.

After that, something changed, and I was suddenly left to wonder if Jade valued our friendship or not.

Two days before the wedding — I sat at home with a cup of coffee, thinking about calling Jade. I remembered my nerves had kicked in around that time. I loved my husband and I couldn’t wait to marry him — but the problem was that I hated being the center of attention.

“Hey, Jade,” I said when she answered. “I just wanted to say congratulations again! And that I cannot wait to see you at the end of the aisle.”

Jade chuckled.

“Thank you so much!” she gushed, breaking away to talk to someone in the background.

“Listen, Evie,” she said. “While you’re here, I have one thing to ask you.”

“Anything!” I said. “It’s apparently written in the bridesmaid constitution that I have to do everything you ask. Without question.”

“I’m glad you think that,” she said. “Because this is really important to me.”

“What?” I asked her, wanting her to just spit it out.

“Please don’t bring James to the wedding. Please,” she pleaded.

Why wouldn’t my husband be at the wedding? My entire family was going to be there.

“What? Why?” I exclaimed, spilling my coffee.

“Um, Evie,” she stammered. “Oh wait! I need to run.”

With that, Jade cut the call.

I didn’t understand any of it. Why would my husband not be invited to the wedding? Especially because Jade had been the one who introduced us in the first place. And she had played a pivotal role in our wedding.