Into the Light

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Thank you for stopping me last night but this topic is off limits, you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” She stood up and walked away, defeated. I was harsh and I knew she had good intentions. I wanted nothing more than to climb into my man cave, drink beer and watch reruns of Seinfeld all day. Fuck, I would do anything to erase all this mess right now.

…

“Hold still, Lex!”

I stood there on this podium-looking thing in the middle of Adriana’s guest bedroom. She placed pins along the hemline, circling both legs.

“Okay, done! Not bad, big bro.”

“I feel like a penguin. Why do the suits have these tail things?”

“Because it’s a classic tuxedo, you doofus.”

As I glanced around the room the three matching dresses caught my attention. One would have to be Charlotte’s, right? The wedding was just over a month away. There was no way of avoiding it. I would have to see her. And I would have to walk down the aisle with her. I would have to dance with her.

“I know what you’re thinking. You’ll have to see her in a little over a month, have to walk down the aisle with her, dance with her.”

“Seriously, Adriana, what the fuck?”

“I know, right? It appears as I’m getting older I’m becoming more psychic. Either that or you’re easier to read.” She packed up her pins and placed them in her sewing kit. Sitting on the floor cross-legged, she looked me in the face. I knew the look so I decided to avoid it by walking behind the screen and changing back into my jeans.

“Look, Lex, if I have to rearrange partners and stuff I can.”

“No Adriana, this is your wedding. Don’t change anything. We are adults. We can behave for a few hours.”

“Like six hours, Lex.”

“What! Your wedding goes on for six hours?”

“Well, eight if you include the ceremony.”

This is why I didn’t do weddings. I hated all this shit, it was just for show anyway. You don’t need to spend ridiculous amounts of money and invite hundreds of people to show how much you love each other. Fuck, eight hours of pretending to smile.

“Listen, I got a flight to catch. I better go.”

“To London?”

“Yeah. So look, I won’t see you till the wedding.”

“You’re not coming back to New York?”

“No, Adriana. Please don’t ask. Not now.” I headed out of the guest room to be greeted by a nervous Elijah. The guy looked like he was about to crap his pants. I wondered what his problem was. “I was just leaving, Elijah.”

“Listen, Lex…I um…well, there’s um…”

“What?” Frustrated, I pushed him aside.

She was here, in the living room.

“Sorry. I tried to warn you.”

I shot him back an annoyed look. He could have warned me if he wasn’t babbling on like a schoolgirl. She stood by the door, avoiding my eyes. She looked different. She was wearing these low cut jeans, a grey hoody that said Just Sweat and her converse. Her hair was tied back in a rough ponytail but it wasn’t her clothes that caught my attention, it was her face. It looked paler and even more tired than last night. There were dark circles around her eyes which looked swollen. She had been crying and I ached to just reach out and touch her, caress her face and take away the pain she was living, but I was the one that said it was over. I couldn’t go back on my words...could I? But she was my wife. To have and to hold till death do us part.

“Oh hey, Charlie. I thought you were coming after eight?” Adriana asked nervously.

She paused, staring down at the ground. “Sorry, Adriana, I have something on tonight. I hope you don’t mind, I just needed to do this fitting now.”