The Big Day

The room was hot. Stifling hot. The building was old so everything in it was old, including the air conditioner and vent system. Derrick did his best to try to “think cool” so he wouldn’t sweat through the cheap rent-a-tux he was wearing. It wasn’t comfortable now and he couldn’t imagine it would get any better if he was soaking wet. His groomsmen were loosely gathered around him in the cramped room. It was in moments like this that he realized he didn’t have that many friends. There were five of them all together, him and the four groomsmen. He had four because his bride-to-be had four bridesmaids and it had to be even. So to get the four, he had to scrap his barrel of friends down to the casual acquaintances. There was a cousin, a college acquaintance, someone from his high school track team and his soon to be brother-in-law. None of them really had anything in common and there wasn’t a terrible amount of things to talk about so they stood around in the silence. And the heat.

              There was a knock at the door and the priest came in. Derrick didn’t want a big wedding, much less a religious wedding. Those ideas came from his mother-in-law, Sharon. She had a finger in every aspect of the wedding, from the planning to the day itself. Even their honeymoon was in a place she picked out. His bride-to-be Melissa claimed she loved and approved of everything but Derrick knew better. Melissa was being submissive to avoid confrontation with her mother. It was something Derrick had noticed the entire time they dated.

              They went to college together and although she was quite a bit older than he was they seemed to click almost instantly. She had a big smile full of perfect white teeth and soft green eyes. Derrick was convinced shortly after meeting her that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was a very outgoing outspoken women when it came to what she believed in and that drew people to her. It wasn’t until they started dating and he met her parents that he saw a change.

              The normally chipper and take no punches Melissa instantly transformed into a docile and submissive version of herself. She was someone else entirely. And it didn’t take long to realize why. Her mother was a bully, plain and simple. The first time they met they had all gone to dinner together. It started at the hostess stand and didn’t end. She terrorized the wait staff with snide remarks and complaints about previous trips. Nothing that the poor waiter did seemed to be good enough. She even had her husband servile. Anytime she would rant he would just look down at the floor until she was done. Once or twice Derrick noticed him making eye contact with the waiter with an apologetic look on his face. It was so bad that at the end of the night when Derrick noticed she didn’t tip, he quietly made his way to the waiter and gave him some money for the trouble.

              This animosity towards the world wasn’t lessened when it came to her family. If Melissa wore or said or ate anything that Sharon didn’t approve of she made sure to let Melissa know. Sometimes it was an outright attack and other times she guilt tripped Melissa into doing what she wanted her to do. Years of psychological trauma and nobody seemed to mention it or even acknowledge that it existed. Derrick tried once.

One night they were heading from her parents’ house after a very passive aggressive dinner. Her mother had gone on a tirade against the race riots happening in the country, using ethnic slurs and wildly inaccurate information she had read from social media and Melissa. The same Melissa who nights prior had championed and talked passionately about those same events was sitting like a child in timeout. Her mother even asked her wasn’t it all “too much” and Melissa gave a non-answer to let Sharon keep going. He brought it up on the way back to their apartment but she went docile again and said it was easier than fighting with her.

              Derrick’s mom, on the other hand, was the total opposite. Linda was a bubbly woman who made friends everywhere she went. She always had a smile on her face and to most people she was the nicest person they’d ever met. She never said a bad thing about anybody and always went out of her way to help someone even if they were a stranger. Growing up with Linda, Derrick never once had a moment of self-doubt. His mother constantly filled his sails and was supportive in everything he did or tried to do. She encouraged her children to try new experiences and form their own personalities.

              The minute she met Melissa she latched on. Knowing about the problems she had with her mother, Linda went out of her way to make sure that Melissa thought of her as a second mom. She doted on her and was always learning about and keeping up with Melissa’s interests. The more they got to know each other the more they had in common.

              Derrick’s mom was fairly young and with Melissa being ten years older than Derrick they seemed to have similar pop cultures. They both played piano. They both sang in their high school choirs. They even had their own craft bags; Linda was a knitter, Melissa was into crochet. They got along so well that occasionally Linda would come and “kidnap” Melissa for a quick lunch. And while Melissa was typically quiet about Linda he knew that she loved having another person that was so supportive of her.

              It was also Linda who was over the moon when Derrick announced his plan to pop the question. She was so happy that Melissa would part of their family forever. She had helped out where she could and where Sharon would allow. She helped Derrick pay for the rings and even helped put up the money to get Melissa’s dream venue. Everything going into the day was perfect or as perfect as they could manage.

              The priest finished up making tedious small talk and then left the room. The cousin groomsman came up to him with a phone and charger in his hand.

              “Hey man all the socket in here are dead do you know somewhere I can charge this?”

              “Yea I think so, the priest walked us around a bit the other day. Lemme see it.”

              “You sure man? I can probably find it.”

              “No I know where it is I can get there and back real quick I can’t have anybody getting lost this close to the time.”

              “Okay man, thanks.”

              He handed over the phone and charger and Derrick went out into the hallway.

              During their walking tour with the priest he pointed out all kinds of rooms and areas in a historic old building. Melissa was keen on everything he had to say. Derrick was just along for the ride but he remembered one room in particular as having a lot of modern touches. He figured at least that room would have a working outlet.  

All the hallways looked the same on all three floors. Old thin wooden doors with big old brass knobs going up one side of the hall and coming back down the other. The first door her tried was stuck so he forced it and heard an unnatural creak. It was a maintenance closet. After that he figured he would be gentler with the other doors. Didn’t want to lose the deposit. Every other door in that hall was lock so he went downstairs to the next floor. Same hallway.  He paused momentarily to retrace his steps in his mind so he could get back to the right room. He checked the first door it was unlocked. He opened the door slowly and unraveled. Inside the small room lined with bookshelves overcrowded with all manner of books and journals Melissa in full dressed was being pressed against the wall by his mother.

              They were alone in the room, bodies interlocked, sharing a very sensual kiss. They seemed to not notice him in the room and he felt the floor drop from under him. What was he supposed to do? Could he back out without them noticing? Just ignore it and act like it never happened? Should he say something? Should they call of the wedding? They were less than fifteen minutes from starting the bridal march. The entire congregation was filled with family and friends. What does he tell them? “Weddings off, bride and grooms mother are making out in the back” He also thought for a moment that maybe he was wildly misreading the situation but it was seemingly clear. There was love between them or at least lust.

              Before he could decide what to do, the room reacted to his presence.

              “Oh!” Melissa screamed seeing him out of the corner of her eyes. She instantly collapsed into a ball on the floor sobbing.

              Linda immediately covered her mouth, “Oh god Derrick I’m so sorry.”

              “Uh…” he started but couldn’t find the words. What was he supposed to say?

              Melissa was still on the floor crying, hiding her face.

              His mother was a deer in headlights. Her eyes were wide and welling up with tears.

              She stammered. “Derrick…we…we didn’t mean for this to happen.”

              He took a moment, “What is…THIS…exactly?”

              His mother was trying to gain composure but she was ghost white and shaking.

              “Melissa and I…well we’ve gotten so close in these past few years and…”

              Melissa’s wail interrupted her.

              “I’m sorry Derrick, I…I’m the one that instigated this…I said some things I shouldn’t have. I made inappropriate advances and that was a mistake. We both…we both made mistakes but this is my fault.”

              Melissa looked up at Linda and shook her head.

Her whole face was coming apart. Mascara was running down her face, the tears had streaked the foundation and her bundling up had ruined her lips. All of that had translated to corset of her dress which was also ruined. The wedding was off. Or at least not happening today.

Melissa was quieter but she was still crying and still not looking at Derrick.

              “Please,” he said to her trying to get her to look up “please help me understand this.”

              Her lip was quivered as she spoke, “I’m so sorry Derrick…I…your mother…”

              She swallowed hard and looked at Linda.

              Linda shook her head, her lips tight and tears rolling down her face.

              “I love her.”

              Before he could respond she continued.

              “I’m IN love with her. Derrick I love you and… never in a million years did I want this to happen like this but I can’t…I can’t marry you knowing how I feel about your mother. She came in here to tell me that we needed to stop and that it was over and I couldn’t stand it.”

              In the silence that followed Derrick had a million things to process.

              He exhaled heavily, “So how long…”

              “The last nine months,” Linda said.

              “Wow…nine months…”

              “That’s just when things started progressing. I’ve been in love with her for years.”

              Blindsided, Derrick didn’t know how to respond. He looked at his mother

              Linda face was gaining color but she was still trembling.

              “So you…” he motioned towards Melissa.

              Linda nodded “I love her too.”

              Another long exhale and Derrick spoke “I want to leave now.”

              “Derrick please.” His mother’s voice was wobbly.

              “I need to just not be here…right now.”

“I’m not gonna stop whatever is going on here” he motioned to the two women. “I don’t have it in me. Especially if you’re both…in love.” Speaking it confirmed it in his mind that it was real.

“But this,” he motioned this time between himself and Melissa “we don’t have to…I mean obviously we’re not gonna…

              Melissa started to cry again.

He continued “So I’m just gonna go now.”

He turned towards the door and faced his mother.

“You can tell everyone I got cold feet or I got sick or whatever but I can’t go out there.”

              He walked towards the door and stopped.

              “Or make the priest do it, he’s probably good at giving bad news.”

              Derrick closed the door and walked back the way he came. He saw an exit and took it. He pushed through the door and felt the warm breeze of the outside hit him. It was cool, ice cold, against his body which was now drenched in sweat.