“Right about what?”
“Maybe fighting to keep everything exactly the same between us is a battle we’re never going to win, you know?”
Charlie smirked. “Are you saying we have to evolve?”
“To be clear, I don’t wanna. But…I’m never going to give up on us, and you’ll never get rid of me. But you’re right that we do have to figure out what it looks like to grow together.”
“So instead of drinking and walking around HomeGoods, you think, maybe we could, like, just sit and have a glass of wine one night?”
“And…talk?”
“And talk.”
“Well, you know me. I’ll try anything once.”
“God,” Charlie said, fanning her eyes. “I really should have married you.”
They laughed.
“I think it would be better if I left without making a scene. It was a beautiful wedding, you were a beautiful bride, and I’m so happy I was there to see you get a new number one.”
“You’re always my number one, you know that.”
“You can keep telling Tristan that to keep him in line…”
“You know I can hear you,” Tristan muttered.
“…but it’s not true. And that’s OK,” Wren said.
They hugged. Wren felt ten years younger in Charlie’s arms. Like a carefree kid. The irony was not lost on her that there was literally a kid between them now, the hug a little more spaced out than before. That was just the way it was going to have to be.
Wren was extremely nervous walking down the dimly lit ramps of Shark Alley. Sweating, trembling, fiddling with thering in her clutch like some big old doof. Was this what guys felt like all the time? It was a miracle anyone ever got engaged and that more people didn’t puke from the nerves.
She rehearsed what she was going to say as a sandbar shark swam by her behind the thick glass, almost escorting her.You good? Need me to eat anyone for you?its dark eyes seemed to ask. She would tell Arthur that he had always been her future, but she was only just now able to see it without fear. She would not apologize for saying no all those years ago, but she would create a beautiful, full-circle moment that would say it all. He would get it. He would say yes.
Arthur was waiting for her at the bottom, as promised, his silhouette popping against the blue water behind him. A hammerhead shark glided right past him. It was eerie and beautiful, and just a little scary, for many reasons.
“Hi,” Arthur said, watching her approach. She could see the apprehension in his eyes. This place held a lot of pain for him, she understood that. But hopefully she could change that.
“Hi,” she said.
“You look beautiful.”
“So do you.”
He laughed.
“No, really, you do,” she said. “Blue must be your color.”
They stood there together and watched the sharks for a moment. It was hypnotic and peaceful. A few other wedding guests quietly perused around them, everyone in a near silent trance.
“You probably remember the last time we were here,” Wren said. Her voice was so shaky, betraying her.
“I do,” he said. “It’s OK. We don’t have to talk about it.”
“No, we do. There’s something I want to say.”
“OK.”
