The pole dancing class left everyone giddy and lightheaded, even without alcohol. They headed home or to their hotel rooms to shower and change into matching "bachelorette party" pajamas—pink button-up short-sleeved tops and lemon-and-flower patterned shorts—that Lydia's maid of honor had bought in bulk. Each bachelorette also received a plastic tiara.

The maid of honor's nail artist friend worked on manicures throughout the evening's activities. Keeley's turn didn't come until the "Quiz the Groom" game, but since she wasn't participating, it wasn't a problem. Collin's sister had already quizzed him, and Lydia attempted to guess his answers.

"What is Lydia's worst habit? What would she say is yours?"

Lydia pondered. "Um…I always take too long to get ready, so we're frequently late. His is not matching his socks."

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner!"

The game continued with questions like, "What would your fiancé say is her most embarrassing moment?" "Where was your favorite date together?" and "What nicknames do you have for each other?" These were perfectly normal couple questions, and Keeley grimly reflected that she and Aaron had been so out of sync they couldn't have played this game.

Had they ever truly known each other? How had she married someone she didn't know properly? No wonder their marriage ended the way it did.

Tears welled up, but her nails were still wet. She couldn't ruin the nail artist's work—a pale peach with tiny mint green flowers. Once the nails were dry, the artist dismissed Keeley to rejoin the party just as the next game began.

They played "Never Have I Ever," taking turns making statements. Anyone who had done what was stated had to take a shot.

Lydia went first: "Never have I ever been stuck in an elevator." Only Keisha drank—elevator malfunctions weren't common.

Collin's sister said confidently, "Never have I ever done something I regret." She was the only one who didn't drink. What kind of life was she leading? Everyone had regrets; Keeley certainly did.

"Never have I ever had a one-night stand." A few women, faces flushed, took shots.

The game continued. Keeley, a cautious person, hadn't experienced many of the things mentioned, only taking two shots until someone said, "Never have I ever kissed someone I didn't love."

She downed a shot. Aaron had kissed her long after she'd stopped loving him.

"Never have I ever gotten drunk." Another shot for Keeley.

"Never have I ever watched Keeping Up with the Kardashians." Another.

"Never have I ever received a gift worth more than $500." Yet another. Who was choosing these questions? It felt targeted.

Her head began to ache. If the game didn't end soon, she'd have a terrible hangover.

Thankfully, the others were growing restless. They opted for face masks and Lydia's favorite chick flick instead.

The movie followed bridesmaids trying to break up the bride and groom because the bride had tricked her fiancé (originally another bridesmaid's boyfriend) into marrying her by faking a pregnancy after a one-night stand. It was funny, and the couple who truly loved each other ended up together. Keeley wished real life were more often like that.

How many people found happiness with their loved ones? How many brides looked forward to their wedding day, only to be abused or abandoned?

What about Lydia and Collin? They'd been together since her freshman year of college, but even that wasn't a guarantee of forever.

Keeley hadn't always been so pessimistic. She used to believe people who loved each other stayed together. She'd seen too much ugliness to think that way anymore.

Aaron, Aaron, Aaron. It always came back to him. How different would her life have been if she hadn't pursued him? She would have gone to NYU, met her friends, gotten her PhD, had a happy marriage with a normal guy, and had children. If he'd been just a classmate for a few months, everything would have been different. She doubted the force that had reborn her would have bothered if she hadn't had regrets.

Keeley would have lived and died an ordinary person, as she'd wished. Even without Aaron married to some socialite, she couldn't escape her memories and regrets. Was true happiness possible while haunted by his shadow?