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21st July 2015.
Equinox Village, Vermont.
The time shown on David Mitchell’s digital alarm clock was about 5:00am.
It wasn’t a completely unusual time to be awake, but it would be much better if he could sleep allot longer. David’s eyes were sealed shut but his mind was wide awake, and he knew trying to get some more shuteye was a waste of time.
He flung off his blankets and rubbed his eyes as he slipped his feet into a pair of ankle slippers laid out in front of his bed.
Dawn wasn’t even close to rising through the windows, but the chill was more than enough to create goose bumps on his skin and make him let out a shivering breath. Wearing nothing but a thin singlet top and a pair of blue stripped shorts, he wasn’t exactly dressed in ideal fashion for waking up early on a chilly morning.
When he slipped his arms through the sleeves of his long grey robe, his skin was already beginning to feel a slight relief from the chill.
His eyes glared over next to his bedside table, directly at his cherry wood walking stick.
An object he viewed with disdain.
He was perfectly capable of walking on his own two damn feet, but since his left hip started playing up, his stupid doctor was insistent on using a cane until he could have his hip replacement surgery.
His living room was like walking into a fridge and was about as dark as a cave in winter, no thanks to the fact that the sun was still far off from rising. He instantly switched on the lights and the central heating system.
Gia, his Latino support worker, was scheduled to arrive in another hour. She was a young girl, a freshly graduated student in home care and didn’t know jack on how to take care of him, but she worked hard so he couldn’t exactly blame her for that.
He looked around his living room and found it to be still quite acceptably clean for when she arrives. Every single book was still in place on his shelves, his coffee table and sofa were still clear of any scattered paper and take out boxes.
Save for his empty teacup he had before bed.
His beige carpet and tiles were still in spotless condition from when it had been vacuumed a week before and his kitchen sink was still emptied from the dirty dishes Gia had cleaned before she went home.
But that wasn’t the most important matter. What was he going to have for breakfast?
He began rummaging through his kitchen cabinets and fridge but couldn’t find anything beyond an empty carton of milk and expired eggs. A box of dry stale cheerio’s and a fresh cup of tea would have to do.
He sat down comfortably at his timbered round table, cup of tea in hand, and his box of cheerio’s already sitting at the table for him.
In the corner of his eye he couldn’t help but look at the framed newspaper clipping sitting over at the windowsill.
Particularly the part of the clipping containing a certain date.
21st July 1965
Gregory Mitchell found dead in his home, aged 93.
The 21st of July 1965. Exactly fifty years to this date.
The image of his father’s name spread across the front page in black and white still caused a jab of pain in his chest. But at least it didn’t create immense anger like it used to.
David hadn’t seen or spoken to his father since running away from home at 20 years old.
Soon enough, he began taking a small sip from his teacup, and his mind drifted back….
21st July 1965.
Detroit, Michigan.
David stood in front of the wall mirror in his hotel room, with an incessant need to keep correcting his tie.
His jet-black hair was combed over his head; his shoes were laced and polished, yet for some reason his stupid tie could never stay straight.
His best friend and former classmate Michael walked through the door already dressed and ready to go.
“Dude, you’re still obsessing over that thing?” He asked. “I already told ya, its fine”
David finally conceded. “I know.” He replied. “I just want everything to be perfect”
“It will, stop worrying”
“I can't help myself” he thought, he had been preparing for this day since he was about 10 years old. He wanted everything to be perfect, especially for the expected bride. He was even prepared to give up an organ if things went wrong in order to correct them.
“Alright, we gotta go” Michael said. “Otherwise we’re gonna be late.”
“Right” David replied. He took one last look at his tie then left with Michael.
Along the short walk downstairs, David’s palms wouldn’t stop filling with sweat nor would his heart stop pounding in his chest. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was getting, especially since he had absolutely nothing to be nervous about.
The chapel was beyond impeccable, easing some of David’s anxiety already.
All 200 chairs were wrapped with white cloth secured by silk ribbons tied around them in perfect bows, a soft velvet rug lined the aisle with small tea candles dotted on each side in front of the chairs. She was going to love all this.
Suddenly David was beginning to feel a slight sense of dread in the pit of his stomach and his proud happy smile was erased from his lips.
“Let’s go, buddy” Michael said to him.
David nodded his head, took one final deep breath, and took his spot at the altar. Michael standing by David’s side.
Before long, the ceremony finally began.
The middle-aged woman sitting at the organ began playing music, the entire crowd of people turned in their seats and then, the doors to the chapel finally opened.
David remained in his spot, standing tall and appearing completely in control, keeping his eyes on the bride slowly walking to his direction.
She looked absolutely stunning, wearing a beautiful lace gown that clung to every inch of her body perfectly, with the short sleeves hanging off her shoulders and a lace vale trailing the floor behind her.
He honestly didn’t think it was possible to think of her as more beautiful than when they met at 10 years old, but it turned out he was wrong.
She glanced over at David and Michael, who both gave her a nod of reassurance, then resumed to walk to her future husband, Richard, standing to David's left.
David resumed his stance and kept his posture while he felt his heart break just a little bit more.
He and Jennifer had always had a strong friendship. One that was born from love and devotion.
David had been in love with her since the day they met at junior high school. Just one simple glance was all it took.
He had hoped as they got older that maybe their relationship would evolve, and she may feel the same way. But that all changed when she visited him at collage and met Richard at a frat party. But David never held it against either one of them. He just wanted her to be happy and from the way she kept looking at her soon to be husband, that’s exactly what was happening.
He knew that she did love him in a way. It just wasn’t enough.
“You may now kiss the bride!” The pastor suddenly said.
Both bride and groom crushed their lips together, officially sealing their marriage, and shoving a cleaver against David’s chest.
He remained where he stood, though, keeping his poker face intact.
“It’s for the best” he kept reminding himself.
At the wedding reception David sat at his assigned seat at the bridal table with all the other groomsmen and bridesmaids sitting around him. The newly married couple sat at the head of the table.
There was nothing but live delightful conversation, the occasional clinking of champagne glasses, and lots of wedding cake.
David had a full plate of chocolate cake in front of him but absolutely no champagne. If he's anything like his father when it comes to alcohol, he’d be waking up in cell by morning.
Fortunately, the dozens of people, most of which he’d never met, didn’t seem to notice.
An hour later, the dance floor was crowded with drunk wedding guests. David remained in his seat having absolutely no intention of dancing.
Suddenly his reverie was broken when he felt a hand gently press on his shoulder. He turned around assuming it was an intoxicated Michael, but it turned out to be Jennifer.
“Hey” She said.
“Hey!” David replied, a little surprised. He stood out of his seat and very awkwardly gave her a peck on the cheek.
“Just thought I’d check on you” she explained. “Saw you over here all alone”
“I’m fine” David insisted. “How are you? It’s your wedding day. Are you going out your mind worrying about all the centrepieces out of place and the dozens of roses that aren’t perfect?” he joked.
“No, not quite.” She smiled. “I honestly didn’t think it was ever possible to feel this happy. I’m just hoping that all the guests are having as good a time as I am.”
David couldn’t help but stare longingly at her.
“How am I ever going to move on without you?” he blurted. “For as long as I can remember, it’s always been you and me. We’ve always been there for each other and now that can't happen anymore. How am I supposed to live with that?”
“Last I checked there were phones and a post office” she joked. “And I’m always going to be with you. Right in here”
She placed her hand on his chest. He wrapped his hand over hers, already feeling the comfort she gave him, but knowing that it was short lived.
“I better go and check on my other guests” she told him.
“Of course,”
“I’ll see you around”
She turned around and tended to the other guest tables with him watching after her.
Little did he know then, that once Jennifer and Richard returned from their honeymoon, they would live in a small comfortable home a few miles away from David’s house then Richard’s job at the law firm would send their travels across the globe to London.
David was hopeful that he would see her again over the years but unfortunately, he never did.
David arrived back in his house a little after midnight.
To his complete dismay, his father was still awake. Sitting in his regular recliner with multiple cans of beer littered all around him on the floor.
The regular smell of stale beer and cigarette smoke filled David's nose and made him feel the need to gag but he was used to this sort of environment, being subjected to it since he was five years old.
“How was the shit wedding?” his father asked as soon as the front door shut.
“It was fine” David replied. “I’m going to bed, try to keep the noise down, will you?”
“Surprised you didn’t try to talk her out of it” his father blurted. “You’ve been pining over her long enough”
David stopped in his tracks. “I would never do that!”
“Well, that’s a complete shock considering what a selfish piece of shit you are. Though, of course your mother would know all about that, wouldn’t she?”
Jesus Christ, this again?!
“It was an accident!” David screamed. “I was just a fucking baby! I had a fever and she drove me to the hospital!”
“Yeah, and she died on the way there!” His father yelled back. “It would’ve been so much better if you had never come here in the first place!”
“Yeah, like I haven’t heard that before!” David responded. “Just go to bed and sleep it off, its late”
“You were always a fucking disappointment!” his father screamed. “Even as a baby, you would cry all night, and would throw your food all the place-“
“You’ve told me all this before, Dad! I hate to break it to you but it’s nothing new!”
His father attempted to jump to his feet but lost his footing and had to lean against the arms of his chair for support. His eyes remained squeezed shut and his face turned so pale that David was convinced that he was going to hurl all over the floor.
“You know, your mother was never supposed to get pregnant” his father said suddenly.
David spun around staring back at him.
“She was supposed to get an abortion, god knows I tried convincing her enough times, but she refused. Look what that did to her!”
“Stop it, Dad! You're lying!”
“Weighing on you hand and foot, tending to your every fucking need like a little maid servant, and all the while you thanked her by getting her killed! Knew I should’ve smothered you as soon as I brought you home from the hospital!”
“Yeah, well why didn’t you?!”
“Cause you wouldn’t have been worth it! You were never worth having in the first place, you definitely wouldn’t have been worth going to prison for”
David could barely see anything through the flood of tears building in his eyes. He had used all his strength putting up a brave face for Jennifer and Richard at the wedding. Now he was completely drained, and open to all the wounds inflicted by his father’s lips.
“Yeah, well look at you. “said David. “A drunk grumpy old man working the same job at the same local auto shop and spends all his days drinking in front of the TV. I don’t even wanna think about what it would’ve been like if Mom stayed alive. As far as I’m concerned, she dodged a bullet”
David's statement was rudely interrupted when his father's giant fist connected to his jaw.
His head slammed against some shelving before both his hands broke his fall on the floor.
The usual sting of his father's punch radiated over his jaw and his tongue began to taste a few drops of blood. His father remained still, wearing the same unaffected expression he always did whenever this happened.
As usual, David said nothing and didn’t even attempt to retaliate. He remained the same docile, submissive child he always was and stood back up to his feet toward the stairs.
“Yeah! Go ahead and cry in your room as you always do you little pussy!!!” His father screamed after him.
David immediately slammed his bedroom door behind him.
There was no questioning it now. It was time. He had been pondering this ever since he had to drop out of college due to lack of funds. For some stupid reason, he thought putting it off to determine if things could improve would be a better idea.
He yanked out his giant duffel bag from under his bed and wasted no time stuffing it with all his clothes, his toothbrush and toothpaste, and his stash of money.
He was sick of all of this. Of always hoping things might get better and being proven again and again that they won’t. Of being hurt all the time and not just through a broken lip. But what he despised more than anything else, was the fact that it took him so long to learn that things were never going to change.
That was his greatest flaw, always having hope. Well, not anymore.
Where was he going? He absolutely no freaking clue. What he did know was that he needed to get out of that godforsaken town, there was nothing left for him there anymore.
21st July 2015.
David’s eyes slowly came back into focus. He was back in his living room, his tea and cheerio’s somewhat untouched.
The night of Jennifer’s wedding was the last time he saw not just his father, but everyone else as well. They all belonged in the past and David couldn’t afford to mix his completely shitty life with their bright ones.
He heard that Michael succeeded in completing his medical degree and was working as an internist over at Princeton.
Jennifer had lived the life she longed for too. She and Richard remained happily married for 30 years before they both retired.
In that time, they had four children and would travel to Paris and Tuscany on family vacations, but they mostly lived in London.
Richard made a successful career as a lawyer and Jennifer eventually pursued her Arts degree, working as a freelance photographer. Even opening up her own gallery.
She was able to keep that successful business of her‘s open for another 30 years before she had no choice but to sell it when it was time to retire.
As for David? He travelled from place to place wherever he could afford, working multiple jobs along the way such as a bike messenger and waiter in a fast food restaurant, but it wasn’t until he moved to Vermont when he met his future wife, Rose.
Rose was fresh English Literature graduate and had taken his interest instantly. She was beautiful, smart, and hopelessly funny. Despite how he always felt for Jennifer, it was never the same with her as it was with Rose.
He proposed to her after 3 years of courtship and they remained happily married for 42 years before she sadly died from lung cancer.
David had never once hated any of the experiences he had in his life, even when he lived with his father. Because for once, he did a lot more than survive. He lived.
He was confident that he would see everyone again, especially Rose. If not in this life, then it would certainly happen in the next one. For now, all he was going to do was just live.
The End.
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