Previously: Our Family Wedding VI (Velda)
“I Do.” Two words, and you change the lives of everyone in a room, even if you don’t know them. If looks could kill… but there’s no going back now. You’re here and, even though you don’t want to, it’s too late to take it back. You came to right a wrong, maybe even repay a little bit of the hurt that’s been eating at you for years. But you don’t expect to be surprised. This is not a dream. You’re looking right at them and you can hardly get the next words out. Still, you already spoke up.
"She cannot marry him. She is married to me."
(Him) Bad Things Happen to Good People.
I met her in my second year in college, at the Vet's office in the city. It was one of the many jobs I took to cover my tuition expenses. It was an ordinary day, and it changed my life forever. She was a beauty. I knew I did not stand a chance with her – girls like her never gave guys like me a second look. But she never did play by anyone's rules but hers. And she wanted me; she always joked that I reminded her of a guy back home who loved her almost as much as I did. She also joked that her parents would die if they ever found out who she was with. And then one day a year later she asked me to marry her.
I thought it was another one of the cruel jokes she played on everyone for her own enjoyment, but she was serious. We loved each other and she was willing to defy her parents for me. We were married secretly, and we promised ourselves a one-month honeymoon before we would tell everyone and face the consequences. She disappeared three weeks later, and I never heard from her again. Her friends who only tolerated me when I was with her could not hide their disdain for me as they made it clear that my wife was gone, and she did not want to be found.
I spent months trying to deal with losing her. But then there was a tragic murder in our family, so I gave up on finding her and returned home to run the business.
Until an invitation I could not ignore showed up in the mail.
(Her) Good Things Happen to Bad People too...
That's what I said to myself when she announced she was getting married, and to a prince, no less. She was so happy, it was painful to watch. She finally had everything, it seemed - a fantastic wedding in the works, a wonderful charming husband-to-be, a childhood love that refused to let go, tons of money and friends, the love of everyone around her, a perfect life. Her bright smile never wavered. Dress shopping, flowers, the honeymoon. Guest lists, linens, too many bridal showers. The perfection of it all. I hated her more than usual. Living in the shadow of her perfect, happy bubble was suffocating. But soon I learned something that could bring it all crashing down like a pack of cards. And it all happened by accident. Lucky me.
Velda learned that the young Bride had married a boy at her university two days after it happened. But it was not to last. She had one weakness and Velda knew it. A ten-minute phone call was all it took, and two weeks later she was on a plane to France where she would complete her semester, and then travel around the world for a year before returning to a college of her choice, anywhere else in the world. It would be like her marriage had never happened. Only, Velda discovered much later that she disappeared without first ending the marriage as instructed, no papers were ever signed before she rushed off and disappeared. She claims she couldn’t bring herself to hurt her innocent, young husband, the one person she ever truly loved. That was surprising. Velda had it taken care of, of course, she never leaves a stone unturned, after all. Still, it was the perfect chance to shake her perfect little world up a bit and make this wedding fun, for me.
Now, we’re all looking at the only stranger in the room as he unfolds himself to stand tall on his feet. He looks surprised, like he cannot believe what he just did... but… more. He’s dazed, shocked. I feel almost sorry for him, but I know that now he has no choice. This is not something you can ever take back.
One would think that no one would be more surprised to see him than the bride, but the look of horror on her groom’s face is enough to get me curious. He looks like he has seen a ghost, and suddenly more things are falling into place...
The man who dared to stop the wedding walks up the aisle, and as he moves closer to her you could see him transform; his confidence grows and suddenly he exudes such an aura of rage that we are all held spellbound by what we know is about to happen...
"You cannot marry the one man who murdered my brother in cold blood and killed my mother with grief.”
There is a gasp from all the guests, a mumbled accusation from the groom, and tears from the bride. Even her tears are perfect. But right now, we are not looking at her. All eyes are on the only stranger in the room...
Coming up: Our Family Wedding VIII (All in the Family)
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