The Wedding Day

“What time is it?” Mark asked nervously, getting up from his seat and walking over to the window to look out into the car park. Jeremy wouldn’t have minded, if this wasn’t the tenth time he had done it in the past fifteen minutes. His grey suit was going to crease at this rate.

“Eleven thirty.” Jeremy said, barely even checking his watch, having answered this question every five minutes or so since picking Mark up first thing that morning, and driving to the hotel.

“Forty-five minutes to go. Forty five minutes. It’s getting busy out there.” Mark replied, and took his seat once more.

“Are you doing okay?” Jeremy asked, knowing fine well that Mark was doing better than he ever had in his life.

“Me, I’m doing great. I am great! I mean, I’m nervous as hell, but my God I’m excited.” He got up again, went over to the window and looked out.

“My parents are here. What time is it?” He waved out of the window to his parents.

“Eleven thirty-five.” Jeremy replied.

“Should we go down? No, it’s too early isn’t it? I really hope my mother cracks a smile today. She looks like the most miserable person on the face of the earth.”

“Sit back down Mark, just try to relax.” Jeremy said. 

“It’s just so hard to relax; I mean I must be the luckiest man alive.” Instead of returning to his seat, he walked over to the other side of the room and lay on the chaise lounge.

“Mark please, your suit is going to get creases.” Jeremy was beginning to get frustrated and trying not to show it.

“I don’t care about creases. I don’t really care about any of this stuff.” Mark claimed, indicating the room around them.

“No? I thought you were excited.” Jeremy reminded him.

“I am excited, but not for the suits, or the canapes, or the DJ. I’m excited to be marrying the love of my life. Jen. Jen, Jen, Jen. What time is it?”

“Please, stop asking what time it is. How about I tell you when it gets to ten to twelve?” Jeremy suggested.

“Alright, fine.”

“Do you want to practice your vows?” Jeremy asked, knowing that Mark knew them by heart, and that he had heard them so many times, he practically knew them by heart too.

“No, if you hear them one more time you might walk out on me.” Mark and Jeremy laughed at this. They both knew that Jeremy would never walk out on Mark, and Mark would never walk out on Jeremy. They had been through everything together.

Friends since primary school, they had cried at funerals together, danced at parties, fought over girls. Mark was the first visitor at the hospital when Jeremy’s daughter was born, and stood proudly at the front of the church as her Godfather when she was baptized. Mark had been Jeremy’s best man, and now Jeremy was Mark’s best man.

Jeremy had welcomed Jen into their circle of friends two years ago with open arms. She had fit right in, and Mark said he was going to propose to her, Jeremy went ring shopping with him. Jeremy’s own parents had been at the hotel since early that morning, there to support Mark as they always were. Mark’s own mother had seemed less than impressed when he and Jen announced they were engaged after just one year together. It was odd, she had always appeared to like Jen, and yet this news did not bring her any joy. Unlike Jeremy, one of five and the only boy, Mark was an only child. Jeremy could only assume that Martha felt she was losing her son. He had hoped she would come around but judging by Mark’s description of her face, she hadn’t.

Mark jumped up suddenly bringing Jeremy back to the present day. He once again strode over to the window and looked out.

“The car park looks full. Maybe we should go down.” Jeremy checked his watch.

“It’s eleven forty-five. Five more minutes.” Mark started pacing the floor.

“How do you think Jen is doing? What do you think she’s doing?”

“I think she’s enjoying some champagne, getting her hair done. She’ll be laughing with the girls, that sort of thing.  Have you spoken to her?” Jeremy was remember his own wedding photos fondly, the excitement and anticipation on his wife’s face, the bridesmaids helping her with her veil, fastening her shoes.

“No, not this morning. Maybe I should go and see her.” Mark started to walk towards the door, and Jeremy immediately got up and stood in between him and the door.

“You know it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.” Jeremy reminded him.

“Okay, what if I just stand on the other side of the door to the bridal suit, and just talk to her?”

“Mark, let her enjoy these last twenty minutes with her friends.”

“Yes, you’re right. Okay, let’s go down. You have the rings?” Mark opened the door. Jeremy patted his breast pocket and nodded.

They started walking down the hall, giddy with excitement. As they passed a long, gold framed mirror, they each checked out their appearances, stopping to adjust their ties, and flatten the inevitable creases. They paused outside of a set of wooden double doors. Mark put his face close to them, listening.  The words “The Bridal Suite” were written on a plaque on the door.

He pulled his head back, confused and slightly alarmed.

“What is it?” Jeremy whispered.

“I can hear my mother. It sounds like she’s arguing with Jen.” Jeremy pushed Mark aside and placed his ear against the door to listen himself. He could hear hushed, harsh tones but he couldn’t make the words out.

He stepped back from the door and lead Mark to the opposite side of the landing.

“We should just head down and pretend we haven’t heard anything.” Jeremy desperately wanted Mark to follow his advice and get downstairs, but he could tell by the anger in his face that he wasn’t going to.

“I can’t, who knows what she’s saying in there. I’ve had enough. It’s my wedding day, she’s my mother. She should be happy for me.” Mark pushed Jeremy aside and walked towards the door, stopping momentarily to gather his thought. He grasped the door handles, and walked in, Jeremy following close behind him.

Mark stopped so abruptly, that Jeremy walked into him with a thud. Mark stood silently in shock, unable to process the scene in front of him. His beautiful bride to be, the love of his life, stunning in her lace Ivory fishtail gown, was locked in a passionate kiss with his own mother.

“But, you hate her. I don’t understand.” Mark’s eyes looked pleadingly at his mother. Jeremy looked from Mark, to Martha and back again. Mark turned, and left. Jeremy started after him, but Martha stopped him.

“Please, Mark, wait!” Martha shouted after him, and followed him.

“Martha!” Jeremy shouted, about to leave.

“Jeremy, wait. Let them go.” Jen called after him. Jeremy turned to face her, fury in his eyes.

“I know you must be angry with me...” Jen started, but her words trailed off. Tears threatened to ruin her make-up.

“Angry? You’re damn right I’m angry. What the hell is going on?” Jeremy demanded.

Jen sat down on the edge of the bed, picked up her wedding bouquet and fidgeted with it.

“I called it off months ago. She was devastated. She kept calling me, telling me that she loved me, that she knew I loved her.” The tears spilled over her eyelids, streaking mascara down her cheeks.

“Do you?” Jeremy asked.

“I... I don’t know.” She replied.

“What about Mark? Do you love him? Did you ever?”

“Yes, of course. I mean, I think so.”

“Which is it? Do you love Martha, or do you love Mark?”

“I love Mark, I just don’t know if I’m in love with him. The truth is, I think I’ve always liked women. Martha is so beautiful, so graceful. It was an instant attraction. But Mark loved me so much, and I thought maybe if I stayed with him, I would fall in love with him eventually. I called things off with Martha, and tried to forget about it. But today, she came here and told me she loved me, and that it wasn’t right to marry Mark.” She looked up at Jeremy, and slipped off her engagement ring, holding it out for him.

Jeremy took the ring, and turned, running from the room.

Outside of the hotel, Jeremy found Mark and Martha in the car park. A crowd was forming to watch them.

Jack, Mark’s father stopped Jeremy as he raced towards them.

“What’s going on Jeremy?” Jeremy stopped, looking at him, not knowing what to say.

“I just need to speak to Mark a minute mate, can you try and get everyone back inside.” Jack turned and started to gather the guests, and Jeremy continued on towards the mother and son, a relationship changed forever.

“Mark, please listen to me. I am so sorry. I did not mean for this to happen.” Martha pleaded with him.

“Oh, you mean you didn’t mean for me to walk in on your kissing my fiance, twenty minutes before our wedding?” Tears were streaming down Mark’s cheeks. He turned to look at Jeremy, who walked up to him, and took his hand, place the engagement ring in his hand.

“I’m sorry Mark. She gave me this.” Mark took the ring and stared at it momentarily, before crumbling against Jeremy’s supportive arms. Jeremy looked at Martha over Mark’s shuddering shoulders.

“Martha, you should go and talk to Jack. And send one of the Groomsmen out. An announcement needs to be made.”

“Jeremy, please I need to talk to Mark. I need to explain.” Martha stepped towards them.

“You need to do as I ask. Come on Mark, come with me.” Jeremy started to lead Mark away, as his whole world collapsed around him. Jeremy would take care of him. One of the Groomsmen would come out, he would tell him to announce that there had been a last minute change, and the wedding was no longer going ahead. He would take Mark home, and he would get him through this, just like they got each through everything.