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If I don’t make it in time, I’m fucked. And so is the woman I love.
I careen at eighty miles an hour down the highway and luckily, traffic is light. My eyes are alert for cop cars on the side of the road, just waiting to hand me a speeding ticket. But luckily there are none. Even so, I feel as if each mile takes fifteen minutes. My heart hasn’t stopped beating twice as fast as it should. My nerves make my arms and hands tingle. Wrapping my hands around the steering wheel in a death grip is causing my fingertips to go numb. After all, I can only think of Prim and saving her from the worst mistake of her life. Even if she doesn’t want me, she shouldn’t marry him. Living alone, hell even dying alone, would be better than living with him.
Then it occurs to me. What if she loves this guy now? What if he came back from rehab a changed man, and now their wedding is for real? I push that thought out of my mind. If that’s the case, then at least I tried. I made an effort because if I don’t do this, I’ll never forgive myself. It would just be one more thing to regret in my long life, and when I’m done kicking myself for what I said to her when I found the video, I can kick myself again for not trying to save her from a terrible marriage.
No. I’ve got to do this. Even if it goes horrifically wrong, I have to know that at least, I attempted to avert disaster.
Finally, I see St. Mary’s Chapel down the way. The parking lot is full, but I don’t care. I swerve into the lot and then screech my brakes to a halt at the church before jumping out of the car, leaving the door open.
When I bolt into the church, I’m hit with my nightmare scenario. At the end of the aisle, standing at the altar are the priest, the drug addict, and Prim. Are they married yet? Have they already said ‘I do?’
I don’t even want to contemplate the possibility that I’m thirty seconds too late. This wedding can’t continue.
But now, the celebrant has stopped talking and he’s staring at me down the length of the aisle as I pant. I’m sure I look like a crazy person with my hair askew and my clothes disheveled. Hell, everyone in the chapel is now staring at me and Prim’s eyes go wide.
“Who the fuck are you?” the groom snarls. He’s good-looking, I’ll give him that, but there’s a tell-tale pallor to his face that speaks to a long-term drug addiction.
I merely hurtle forward, skidding to a stop in front of Prim. Trying to catch my breath, I grab her hands in my own and begin speaking. “I need you, honey. I made a mistake. I love you and I don’t want to live one more day without you. Please leave this place and come away with me.”
Prim opens her mouth to speak, but the drug addict beats her to it.
“What the fuck? The hell do you think you’re doing, trying to steal my bride? Get the fuck out before I fucking break your neck, you fucktastic fuckwad.”
Um okay, great use of the word “fuck.” This is the guy she’s marrying? He’s got a big mouth, but let’s be honest – the boy’s a wimp. His hands are soft from holding a pipe and razor, and hell, underneath that tux it’s all soft, pliable fat and not strong, carved muscle.
I watch as Prim’s eyes fill with tears as she looks from the drug addict to me and then back again.
“Please Prim,” I rasp, my voice desperate. “Come away with me. Leave this place. You don’t belong here.”
But she’s as still as a statue and a chill runs down my spine. Oh shit. What do I do if she doesn’t want me? Do I turn around and walk down the aisle, and say ‘proceed with the wedding?’ Do I go out to my car and bang my head against the steering wheel and cry?
My breathing begins to slow and I become aware of a young woman standing next to Prim who resembles her. This must be her sister. She jerks her chin at me, indicating for me to whisk Prim away from this misery. But I can’t do that because Primrose has to come of her own free will. Trust me, the temptation to be a caveman is strong, but on this point, I know I have to let the woman I love make her own decision.
Time has slowed to a standstill. I can hear my pulse pound in my ears, and I watch as a single tear gathers in Prim’s eye before rolling down her cheek. I want to lean forward and lick it off before taking her in my arms and whispering that everything will be okay.
