The Venue

by T J Payne

  “Uh, nope. Not seeing anyone.”

  Caleb’s smile seemed to get bigger, but that just meant that his lips pulled tighter, exposing even more of his teeth.

  “Same old Amy,” he said. “I get it. It’s fun to play the field. I would too if I wasn’t in love.” He pointed to the ring on his finger as if offering proof of his affections.

  “That’s, uh, that’s great. I mean, this is really incredible. The trip here alone was fucking fantastic.”

  “That’s good to hear, Amy. I want you and your parents to have the time of your lives.”

  Amy shuddered under his unblinking gaze. “So, um, how are you, man?”

  “Me?” Caleb’s eyes went wide, seemingly surprised that anyone would ask anything about him. “I’m better than I’ve ever been. Lilith has changed everything for me. I see things so much clearer now. I finally found peace. And now I’m about to have the happiest day of my life.”

  “That’s awesome. I’m happy for you.”

  “I appreciate that,” he said. He stared at her for another moment. As Amy was about to say something else to end the silence, he suddenly broke eye-contact and began to step around her. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to see to.”

  “Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry. Didn’t mean to keep you.”

  Caleb took a few steps down the stairs and then turned to look at Amy again. “But I just want to say that I hope you and your parents really get into the spirit of the occasion.”

  “I’m sure we will. My mom’s been looking forward to this for months. She really likes you.”

  “Really?”

  “Uh, yeah. She always asks if I’ve heard from you. Sorry I’ve been a flake. Adult friendship is hard, you know? But we’re all really happy for you, Caleb.”

  Amy couldn’t tell, but it seemed that, for the first time in this conversation, a different emotion cracked through Caleb’s stiff face. It almost appeared to be a look of confusion.

  “And you’re looking good, man,” Amy stammered on. “I’ve never seen you so fit.”

  “Lilith and I are on steroids,” Caleb said.

  Amy let out a laugh. Finally, it was the Caleb she knew and missed. The one with the quick, dry wit. Always a sarcastic comment.

  But his face didn’t seem to register that this was a joke at all. He just looked at her with that blank expression. It was then that Amy realized that he wasn’t joking. Those arms, that chest, that neck of his… Heaping, lumpy muscle mass like that didn’t just happen.

  Caleb turned to walk away again.

  Amy wanted to call after him, to invite him to her room for a drink, to do anything to see if she could break through this weird mound of fleshy emptiness in front of her and find the old friend from her cherished childhood memories. She said the first thing that came to mind.

  “Is that Coach Sanborn down there?” she asked.

  She didn’t know how or when the pieces had finally snapped together in her brain, but she suddenly remembered where she knew the bald man with the bulging forehead veins and the tracksuit from. Coach Sanborn. Their high school cross-country coach.

  Amy had joined the cross-country team sophomore year.

  When she showed up for the first practice, she saw that Caleb had also signed up. It was like that a lot in high school — Amy would start a new activity, walk through the door on the first day, and Caleb would already be there waiting.

  Unfortunately, Coach Sanborn thought that “coaching” meant “break teenagers apart and then build them back up.” He ran them until they were nauseous. His theory was that the harder he pushed them, and the more horrible the circumstances, the better runners they would become.

  Cross-country fucked up Amy’s body. Her left knee still ached if she didn’t stretch it daily.

  In truth, Coach Sanborn wasn’t even a trained coach. He was just an English teacher who did it as a part time gig and seemed to learn most of his coaching techniques by watching inspirational sports movies.

  “Yep. That’s him,” Caleb said with a smile. “He made me into the man I am today.”

  With that, Caleb walked off down the stairs.

  Amy watched him go.

  ***

  Amy walked back into her room.

  Mariko had flopped out on the bed and was idly flipping through a magazine.

  “There was a line at the front,” Amy said. “I didn’t get an extra bed.”

  “Tough shit, loser,” Mariko said as she shimmied her body to the center of the mattress and then spread out her arms and legs to take up as much space as possible.

  Amy sat on the edge of the bed. She stared off.

  “You okay?” Mariko asked, sitting up.

  “This whole thing feels weird,” Amy said.

  “Weird like how?”

  “Our high school cross-country coach is down there.”

  “So?”

  “Caleb shit himself in practice once.”

  Mariko let out a laugh. “Wait, wait, wait. You mean, like, literally shit himself?”

  “Like poop came out his butt, ran down his leg and soaked into his sock. Yeah. Literally.”

  “Oh shit. Literally.”

  “It’s not that big a deal. It happens a lot with runners.”

  “One more reason to take that half-marathon off my bucket list.”

  “A good coach would know that runner’s diarrhea happens. A good coach, hell a good person, wouldn’t make it a thing. But Coach Sanborn used it as motivation for everyone else. He made an example of Caleb. No one wanted to run slower than ‘Shit Streak.’”

  “Good runner’s name.”

  “It was a bullshit thing for an adult to do to a kid.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Who invites their asshole high school coach to their wedding?”

  “Shit Streak, apparently.”

  “It’s not just Coach Sanborn.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There are other people I recognize down there. Caleb’s cousin Rick is here. He tore Caleb’s shoulder out when they were wrestling as kids. Caleb’s childhood priest is here. He accused Caleb of stealing and told Caleb’s parents. There are the girls on the plane. They sounded like they were complete bitches to Lilith in college.”

  Mariko let out a loud sigh that Amy knew meant she wasn’t convinced.

  “That’s all petty kid stuff,” Mariko said. “It happens to everyone. You move on.”

  “Caleb hated these people. There are only so many seats at a wedding reception. So many plane flights you can book. A wedding is cruel math. There are people who don’t make the cut. Friends who just aren’t close enough to be invited.”

  “Maybe there was no one else to invite.”

  Amy nodded. That actually made a bit of sense.

  There was the part of her that was surprised that Caleb had actually invited her. They hadn’t spoken much since high school, and if she was being honest, they hadn’t been “friends” since middle school. But when she thought about it, there wasn’t anyone else from their childhood whom she would have expected him to invite. Caleb didn’t make friends easily.

  “And what horrible thing did you and your parents do to poor Caleb?” Mariko asked.

  Amy thought. “Nothing,” she finally said. “Except wanting his fucking wedding to be over.”

  CHAPTER 6

  The next day, Amy woke up refreshed.

  She apologized to Mariko for being so weird about wanting a second bed. They had slept — each on her own side — without excessive tension, sexual or otherwise.

  Then she apologized for being weird about the wedding in general. Mariko told her that she now needed to apologize for being so weird about all these apologies about being weird.

  They laughed. Things felt like they were back to normal.

  Amy chalked it up to jet lag messing with her mind and emotions.

  They met up with Amy’s parents for breakfast, free of charge at The Venue’s café. Most of the menu optio
ns contained French words that Amy was afraid to pronounce, but she tried anyway. She ended up with some sort of pastry and egg dish that melted the moment it touched her tongue, releasing its rich flavors to swirl around her mouth. Hands down, it was the best unpronounceable French pastry and egg thing that she had ever eaten.

  After breakfast, they wandered around the outside areas of The Venue, taking in amazing views of the jagged valley below.

  That short walk made them feel they had earned a little relaxation. The spa at The Venue offered three different styles of massage. They tried them all; Amy fell asleep through most. At the end, she decided that she still preferred the good old shiatsu. She didn’t need anything fancier than that.

  She didn’t see Caleb at all that day. She hoped he was off enjoying himself with his bride-to-be.

  Every now and then, Amy would wander past the front lobby and see more guests arrive for the wedding. She thought she recognized some people — an uncle or cousin of Caleb’s whom she had met decades ago. They were all friendly. And they were all drunk.

  Amy got pretty drunk too. Expensive booze went down smoothly. She wondered if her bottom shelf liquor back home would taste like rubbing alcohol now.

  Occasionally, at the pool or at the café, she would strike up a conversation with another guest. Some people knew Caleb from work. Some from college. Nobody had any particularly interesting stories or memories of him. Mostly the conversations were of the Can you believe how nice this place is? He rented out this whole building for us? He must be doing really well! variety.

  All in all, it was a perfect day. Amy didn’t even miss her phone. While drunk, she commented to Mariko that life without a phone was so satisfying, she vowed to lock hers away every weekend from then on. Mariko bet that Amy wouldn’t make it through one month back home. Amy’s parents sided with Mariko.

  They parted ways to take afternoon naps.

  When they woke up, it was time to get ready for the wedding.

  ***

  Amy checked herself out in the mirror.

  Her dress was a whopping eighteen bucks from the Target clearance rack. It had a nice floral pattern that paired well with her beige cardigan and blue heels. Nothing too fancy. She wasn’t trying to impress anyone, especially at a wedding with her parents and ex. But the dress did have pockets, which was always a deal clincher.

  As she was putting her hair into a simple bun, the bathroom door opened. Mariko stepped out. Her black hair was straightened down to her bare shoulders. She wore a sea-green gown that effortlessly flowed across her figure.

  “You look nice,” Amy said after she realized that she had been staring for a moment.

  “You too.”

  There was a knock at the door. Amy broke her gaze away from Mariko and went to answer. Standing there were her parents. Candice wore a purple, short-sleeved dress that Amy recognized as being the same one she wore to Amy’s grandma’s funeral. It was probably the only dress Candice owned. Roger, meanwhile, despite having probably gotten dressed five minutes ago, had already taken off his suit coat, loosened his tie, unbuttoned his top button, and rolled up his sleeves.

  “Let’s get this over with,” he said.

  Roger offered his arm to Amy. They all stepped out of the room and walked off down the hall.

  Other doors opened as they passed. Wedding guests in suits and gowns filed out. Nobody spoke to each other. There were just nods of recognition, an acknowledgment that they were all here for the same reason and going to the same place.

  A sign had been set up at the end of the hallway:

  “6pm. Hunt/Foley Wedding Service in the Chapel. Please proceed this way.”

  They followed the arrow down the grand stairway.

  ***

  The chapel was a rounded room off of the main lobby.

  It felt small and modest, particularly by The Venue’s standards. The only light source came from flickering votive candles in crystal bowls that lined the aisle and altar. One wall had stained glass windows, but with night settling in outside, the room felt particularly cave-like.

  Rose petals draped the aisle and benches, but in the faint light Amy struggled to determine if the petals were crimson or just black.

  She led her parents toward an open pew, knowing that her father would want a seat as far to the rear of the chapel as possible. Amy wouldn’t mind either. Anything to decrease the probability of having to interact with Caleb’s parents.

  They took their seats on the hard bench.

  A strange hush fell over all the guests as they entered this petal-covered and candlelit tomb. They came in small groups and quietly found places to sit.

  Bit by bit, the pews filled until no one else arrived.

  For several minutes, the congregation sat in the darkened room, the only sounds being the rustling of their clothes as they shifted their weight on the pews. A whispered word or two occasionally drifted among the crowd, but the murmur would fade away before it became an actual conversation.

  Just when Amy felt that her butt was going numb from sitting on the flat wood, the chapel doors slammed closed with a deafening bang. The couple in front of Amy jumped. A nervous laughter drifted out among the gathering. And then, like a leaden blanket, the silence descended over the crowd again, smothering out sound and conversation.

  They sat in that stillness for another minute.

  The door swung open again with a loud clang.

  Caleb emerged from the darkened hall beyond. His mom clutched his arm as he escorted her up the aisle. Caleb’s stone-faced father staggered on after them, swaying a bit on his feet. He evidently had begun celebrating early.

  Behind them came a man in a suit, clutching a Bible. Amy recognized him as Father Dave. She had never met the man before, but she knew his face from the baptism photos that had adorned Caleb’s childhood home.

  The procession silently marched up the aisle, their footsteps muffled by the rose petals beneath their shoes. An unease moved through the crowd as no one knew whether to stand or remain seated. Ultimately, everyone opted to just watch.

  Caleb made his way to the front, deposited his parents in a pew, and then stood by the altar with Father Dave.

  A stringed quartet then played out from a darkened corner of the room; Amy didn’t even realize they had been there the whole time. As the guests heard the familiar notes of The Wedding March, they rose to their feet, this time without hesitation.

  All eyes were on the door as Lilith emerged from the darkness.

  Her white, form-fitted gown was elegant but simple. A white veil hung over her face. Amy suddenly realized that she had never actually seen Lilith’s face on any of the invitations. It filled Amy with a weird sensation, being unable to imagine what Lilith looked like beneath that veil. It felt as though a ghost were walking down the aisle, one steady step at a time.

  Instead of watching the faceless bride migrate to the altar, Amy chose to look over at Caleb. His face beamed. That was the smile that Amy had missed. His lips gently curled up, softening his cheeks and his eyes as he watched his love float toward him. His mouth hung open slightly and Amy was sure that he was holding his breath.

  In spite of herself, a knot welled in Amy’s chest and a tear rolled toward the edge of her eye. In that moment, she felt nothing but joy toward her dear, old friend.

  The violins pulled her out of that moment, though. Partway through the song, they transitioned from The Wedding March to The Ride of the Valkyries. At least, Amy thought that was what the song was named. She had heard it mostly in movies over scenes of helicopters swooping in to machine-gun down a village.

  But after a few measures of the sinister, angry song, it transitioned back to the soaring strains of The Wedding March.

  Amy looked around; nobody else seemed to have noticed. Or at least, she couldn’t tell if anyone noticed — most people’s faces were hidden behind the shadows that the flickering candles threw around the room.

  When Lilith reached the front of the chapel
, the music stopped. The group stood in silence for a moment.

  “Let us pray,” Father Dave said.

  Although Amy was not a particularly religious person, she bowed her head anyway.

  The wedding of Caleb and Lilith had begun.

  CHAPTER 7

  The service itself was fairly unremarkable.

  Amy figured that Father Dave probably wrote a single wedding service twenty years ago and had been recycling it ever since. He recited from First Corinthians and then he told some story about empty shoes and open hands, or something. Amy zoned out. She felt the service leaned a bit too far toward the patriarchy — a lot of stuff about a wife being dutiful. Amy wasn’t going to raise a fuss about it, though, as she was always a bit too lazy to be a true feminist.

  And so, her mind drifted to thoughts of how thirsty she was, and how at the same time she kinda needed to pee. Eventually, she started wondering if she had ADHD and maybe that explained why she never finished the things she started in life.

  Her attention only returned to the service when Father Dave announced that the bride and groom had written their own vows.

  Amy sat up straight. She was going to hear Lilith’s voice for the first time.

  “I, Lilith, choose you, Caleb, to be my husband from today until eternity.” Lilith said. Her voice wavered slightly, as though she were unaccustomed to speaking louder than a whisper in front of people. It made Amy smile a bit — Lilith must be a shy girl, slightly overwhelmed to have all eyes on her for once. Adorable. And probably a good match for Caleb, who Amy knew could get steam-rolled by a stronger personality.

  “From the moment I met you, I knew that you had everything I needed to be happy,” Lilith continued.

  As she said that, Roger rubbed his fingers together in the “money” motion in front of Amy’s face. Candice quickly swatted her husband’s hand down.

  Amy swallowed her giggle.

  “With you in my life, I can achieve all my ambitions. All my dreams. All my fantasies.” Lilith’s voice seemed to be gaining strength as she continued. The tremble had vanished. “You have allowed me to be the person I was always meant to be. The real Lilith is now freed because of you. And everyone will soon see how strong she truly is and always was. Together, we are something greater and more powerful than anyone here has ever known. Those who laughed at us, will learn to cry. Those who hurt us, will be in pain.”