Once Upon an Us

The salty breeze encircled her creating a sensation of being embraced in a soft blanket. One year ago, Anna felt like her whole world was crashing in on her. The happiest time of her life had abruptly become a nightmare. She never could have envisioned the twists and turns life had thrown in her direction. The worst part was that she had let it happen. Anna could have put on the brakes at any time but let herself get swept up in chaos.  

The water lapped up over her tired feet outlining each toe with tiny bubbles before it trickled back out to sea. It seemed odd that something so simple could give her such a rush of comfort. Anna had lost all sense of time sitting on the hard sand of the desolate beach. It was cold and unassuming which had allowed her mind to swirl with hindsight. The past replayed over and over in her mind like a bad movie. If she had only handled everything differently from the beginning, would it have changed anything? She would never know the answer to that question and it was fruitless to dwell on it. 

Anna and her fiancé Joel had never planned on having a big wedding. It seemed ridiculous to spend so much money on one day when they could secure their future with it. The two of them could exchange their love and vows in a beautiful garden or on a beach somewhere. It sounded like heaven.

The wedding business was huge and the cost of flowers, dress, cake, food, and venues were grossly inflated. They were simple and both of them doubted they would have the intimate affair that they desired with a commercial blowout. The definition of intimate could hardly be achieved with three hundred people attending. Overwhelmed and disconnected, Anna had felt that the wedding being planned was spinning out of control. A new catastrophe brewed almost every day. The whole thing resembled a pressure cooker that was ready to blow. 

Trying to object had become pointless. When the phone rang, she barely spoke a handful of words due to the litany of suggestions that came from the other end. The sound of a ringing phone had now filled her with such anxiety. How much more could she stand? It had quickly become a nightmare with the wedding spiraling into a circus. Unless something changed soon the train was going to leave the station with or without them.

Anna’s mother demanded the wedding be held back East. Joel’s mother said she would be devastated if all of her friends couldn’t attend. The phone rang… again. She usually saw the good in everyone but soon felt her cheerful demeanor rapidly evaporating. 

She needed to set her feelings straight with Joel and find out what his were as well. The sand packed beneath her feet and with every step a fear emerged. What if he didn’t understand? What if he called off their wedding and requested the return of the vintage engagement ring. Utter heartbreak was the worst-case scenario. Her mind was swirling with nonsense and she knew it. Immediately she began scolding herself for such a ridiculous thought. 

She had walked further than she realized and soon found herself in front of her house. The welcome mat brushed the sand from her feet as she opened the door and entered the kitchen. She slid her feet into her favorite slippers and out of the corner of her eye she spied it. A stack of magazines lay on the table and the emotion that came over her was not one of joy. Flipping through one Bridal Magazine after another soon left her feeling exhausted. All the dresses began to look the same. Tears silently streamed down her cheeks and the heaviness of it all pressed upon her. Anna soon fell asleep from crying, laying her head on a stack of glossy paper snippets strewn across the table in her kitchen.

The next morning Anna awoke and lifted her head. A cut out of a centerpiece from the magazine had become pasted to her forehead at some point during the night. In her bedraggled condition she continued to fumble about measuring the heaping amounts of grounds into the coffee pot. A blurry scavenger hunt began in search of her favorite mug. The inside of the cupboard looked like one gigantic pottery mosaic.

The magical beverage in hand would surely give her a clearer perspective. As the coffee brewed she glanced down at her feet to see two pink bunnies, who had seen better days, looking up at her. Worn and tattered their scruffy, little faces still managed to look happy. She poured a cup of the steamy delightful beverage into the mug and took a sip. It was warm and comforting like an old friend who could always be relied upon.

One shower later she pulled on a pair of amply worn jeans, a button-down shirt and grabbed her favorite cashmere cardigan out of the drawer. Today was a new day and it seemed best to embrace her reality. Reality. A funny word which solely depended on the perception of the certain individual living in the situation. 

Anna feared it would be difficult to relay to Joel that she had easily become overwhelmed. There had been so much taking place without his knowledge. Anna felt it only right to protect him and try to secure a good footing in the beginning of her relationship with the future in-laws. Unfortunately she did not comprehend what this sacrifice would do to her sanity. Now it was time to come clean about all she had kept from him. As she returned to the kitchen to tidy up she heard a car door shut outside.

Joel rapped on the wooden frame of the screen door. Anna stuffed the bits of Bridal magazine scraps quickly into a drawer. As Anna opened the door Joel immediately noticed her face seemed weary and weathered. He embraced and pulled her closer. The warmth from his body comforted her and she melted into his arms. 

Anna began to tell Joel everything and that she had wanted to spare him from all the demands both families had been repeatedly making. They sat at the kitchen table together. Anna explained how she had never wanted to upset anyone. Joel held her hand nodding occasionally as she spoke and smiled. Little did she know but his mother had been calling impressing her wishes and he too had also felt pressure. He kissed her hand and Anna looked into his sparkling blue eyes and relaxed. 

Joel was quiet as he stood up and walked across the room. Playfully looking at Anna he slid the vinyl record from its sleeve and placed it on the record player. She giggled as he pulled her up from the chair and onto her feet. They swayed back and forth to the music as they had done many times before. The stress in the room had dissipated and all that remained was their love and laughter. 

Several minutes later Anna pulled a pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator and filled two glasses. She noticed, as she sat them on the table, Joel removed something from the inner pocket of his coat. He pulled out an envelope and slid it across towards her with a wry smile. The envelope contained two airline tickets and hotel reservations. Excitingly she exclaimed that a trip would be just the thing and wrapped her arms around his neck. They both needed a break from all the wedding and family drama. 

Joel waited a moment and remarked about how they had wanted to go off just the two of them from the very beginning. Anna looked reminiscent and let out a sigh. How could she forget? They had planned it all out together. Neither of them gave it a second thought until their families had forbidden it.

Anna nodded her head in agreement as he reached into the other coat pocket. He opened his hand to reveal two gold bands and placed them on top of the envelope. Anna looked in disbelief as he explained that he had already picked them up from the jeweler and this was no ordinary trip. 

All she had to do was say yes and they would leave immediately. This was their beginning, their life and their future. He wanted her to know that he would never let anyone stand in the way of their happiness ever again. It was everything she longed to hear. They loaded up everything, locked the house and headed towards the Airport. They stopped answering the phone calls and simply sent a text to both families stating they were away and unavailable. 

Days passed with serenity and peace filling the space where angst and unhappiness had dwelled. They had followed their heart. The sun began to set with the last rays glinting the gold of his ring. The water's reflection looked as if the Harbor had been filled with sparkling diamonds. Joel reached out for her and Anna took his hand. They walked along the shoreline together.