I Don't Thee Wed

Aluva was frantic. Thirty  minutes before her wedding and Connie, her fiancé, was nowhere to be found. She ran back into the Church’s anteroom/dressing room and snatched her cell phone. “Call The Con.”

No answer.

“Shit.”

Carmela, one of two of Aluva’s bridesmaids enters the room. “What’s up?”

“It’s Connie. She’s gone.”

“What do you mean ‘gone’?

“Damn it Carmela, what the hell do you think it means. She left me. Split.  The wedding’s off.”

Aluva plops down on the nearest chair in tears. Carmela walks over to her and places her hand on Aluva’s shoulder then wipes Aluva’s tears away. “She’s not gone. Did you check the bathrooms? Maybe she got sick. Nerves and all.”

“I know Con. She’s as rough as nails. She did one tour in Afghanistan for crying out loud. No. Something’s up.”

Carmela kneels down besides Aluva. “What could possibly be wrong?”

Aluva cups her head in her hands.  “Maybe she doesn’t like me after all. Maybe the last fight we had a few days ago still is lingering in her head. It was such a stupid fight. I lost my temper because we were to meet Jack, Sam and Melinda for a pre-wedding dinner and she was late. She wouldn’t answer her phone. And when she did show up at the restaurant she was a bit drunk.”

“That was it?”

“No. During dinner she was rather quiet. She even rubbed my knee with her hand under the table a few times as if assuring me she loved me.  But I could see in her eyes something was wrong. Like a distant fog clouding over her as if she was troubled.”

“You read all of that by looking at her? That’s a bit deep even for me.”

“You don’t get it. She has this look if something is on her mind. She could stare right at you but not be looking at you if you know what I mean.”

“Like a glaze over. I’ve heard about people like that.”

“At the dinner, she had it.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning she doesn’t love me anymore. I just know it. I can feel it.”

“Maybe you are the one with cold feet. Ever think of that?”

Aluva chuckled at that remark. “From the moment we met I knew I would marry her. She was everything I wanted in a lover. Strong. Affectionate. Understanding.” Aluva begins to cry again.

Carmela walks over to the dresser, yanks out some Kleenex from the box then opens her large purse. From it she pulls out a pint of bourbon, opens it and pours a bit into a glass and walks over to Aluva.   “Here. Kleenex for the tears, booze for your fears.”

“How poetic.”

“If anything it might calm you down.”

Aluva cradles the glass in both hands and takes a sip “Eech.  This burns.”

“Bourbon. Now finish it without the theatrics.”

Aluva looks down into the glass as her thoughts swirl like the Bourbon within it. If I down this I’ll probably be high in ten minutes. Maybe not though. Carmela might be right for once. Aluva lifts the glass to her mouth and swallows the rest of Bourbon in one gulp. “God does that burn.” She hands Carmela the empty glass. “There, you happy.”

“Such a good girl. You’ll thank me later on. Now let’s go find Connie.”

Carmela opens the door leading to a hallway. “Do you want to stay together or split. Should I get Wendy?”

“No. She should be arranging the seat assignments for the reception. That was her only job and I hope she can handle it.”

“We have a good ten minutes before the wedding. No worries. We’ll find her.”

“And if we don’t?”

“I’ll marry you. I’ve always liked since college. We did have a fling you know.”

Aluva laughs. Her laughter echoes through the vacant hallway. “I wonder who waxes the floor. Look how shiny it is. It’s almost like you can glide on it.” Aluva takes a few running steps then goes to slide on the floor. When the leather soles of her high heels meet the linoleum floor Aluva comes to an abrupt stop and is flung forward with arms splaying about as she flies face first onto the floor. Carmela runs up to her and kneels beside her. “Are you okay?”

Aluva grabs her wedding veil and flings it off then looks straight at Carmela. Laughing Aluva grabs Carmela’s arm for support and stands up. “Yeah, I’m ok. I think a snapped off the heel to one of my shoes. Here, help me up.”

Carmela helps Aluva to her feet. Aluva looks about the floor. “See. One heel. One veil. I don’t think it matters now anyhow if I lost a heel or stand naked at the altar. She won’t be there.”

Carmela goes and picks up the veil and the heel. “We still have ten minutes. We’ll find her.”

Aluva reaches down and takes off both of her shoes then sets them against the wall. 

Carmela and Aluva turn quickly around at the sound of muted laughter coming from one of the rooms down the hallway. “Mom? If that bitch is drunk again I’ll kill her. She’s not going to ruin my wedding day like she did most of my life.”

“Calm down. It didn’t even sound like a woman’s laugh. Probably some kids. Want me to check?”

“No. You’re right. Let’s continue on this way. There’s only two rooms left anyhow.”

Aluva and Carmela are standing outside the small dressing room. “Nothing. She either left the building or is in one of those rooms to the left we didn’t look into.  How much time we have?”

“I lied before. Now we really only have ten minutes. No more no less.”

Muted laughter comes again from one of the rooms down the hall to their right.

“Damn it. That’s her.”

“Are you ….”

Before Carmela could finish her sentence Aluva runs to the first door of solid oak, turns the doorknob gently and pushes it wide open. Carmela runs up behind her and peers over Aluva’s shoulder into the room. “See. Nothing.”

Aluva puts her finger to her lips to advise Carmela to be quiet. “Listen.”

From behind the solid oak door of the next room seeps some muffled talking onto the hallway. Aluva tip toes to the door and places her ear to it. She can hear nothing. Tears are beginning to form. Please God say she’s not in here. Please.

Aluva grabs the doorknob and pushes the door open.

Aluva’s mom turns, sees Aluva and  slowly steps aside to reveal Connie just as Connie is wiping off her lips. “There you are dear. We were wondering where you were.   I was just telling Connie how happy she’ll be with you. Wasn’t I Connie?”

 “Love. It’s not what you ....”

“You were kissing my Mom! I saw it.” With tears streaming down her face Aluva walks up to her mom and without hesitation slaps her hard on her cheek causing her to stumble backwards into Connie’s arms.

“Watch it love. Like I said, It was nothing.”

“Fuck you Connie!”

Aluva’s mom recovers and is now standing next to Connie. She wipes a small dribble of blood off her lower lip and looks hard at Aluva. “You were so dumb. You didn’t see Connie and I had a thing going on. Well, missy, Connie loves me. This time the little queen bitch who I gave everything to doesn’t get what she wanted. For once I’ve gotten what I’ve wanted. Right, Connie?”

Aluva goes to slap her mom again but Carmela stops her by grabbing her arm. Aluva wheels around and goes to the door. She turn to face her mom and Connie who are standing side by side holding hands. “May you both live happily ever after.”