by Janae Keyes
“He’s marrying her tonight,” I cried out. Tonight, I would officially lose him forever. There was no going back after tonight. I would never feel his hands giving my body the gentlest of touches, and his lips kissing mine with fervor and need, I’d never be able to say those three sweet words to him or have him say them back. As I’d predicted from the beginning, Veronika had won.
I heard my doorbell ring. I groaned and buried my face in my pillow. April rubbed my back in an attempt to comfort me. This was the true pain of a broken heart and I wasn’t just experiencing the pain in my heart, but my entire body ached. From the top of my head to the tips of my toes, I was in deep physical pain.
“Brielle, you have a visitor!” Yelled out my mom’s voice from the living room. Who would want to see me?
With a groan, I dragged my sore body from my bed. I only seemed to do this when I had to use the restroom, but I had to see who wanted to visit. I shuffled through my house with April right behind me. Sitting on my couch was Patricia. She had a sadness about her as she sat. Her eyes came up to me.
“Patricia,” I breathed out as I tried to give her a weak smile, but I could barely manage that. My heart was just too weak for any of that. I found a seat in the armchair across from the couch.
“I want to check on you. I just got off the phone with my son,” she sighed and shook her head. “I’m still trying to figure all of this out. What makes him want to marry that girl?” I shrugged. I knew it had to do with the baby, but he didn’t have to marry her to be a good father.
“I think it has to do with his own father. He wants to prove something about being a man. It is stupid really, because it isn’t like his father will know or care, but Patrick seems to have this delusion that it will prove something to that man,” Patricia’s voice strained as she spoke. She shook her head. “If he should marry anyone, it should be you. He loves you so much, but he is blinded. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was already on the plane to Las Vegas with her and he seemed set in his decision. I taught him to be a strong man and to do what he always felt was right, I think that backfired on me. I could never call her my daughter-in-law. That gold digging piece of…” she stopped talking. “I’m sorry I came down here to rant.”
“It’s okay,” I shrugged. It was strange that I found this nice. Patricia was so broken up about Patrick’s decision and I was ruined because of it. At least in the end Patricia still had her son, I had just a broken heart.
“I should go,” Patricia insisted as she stood.
“No, stay,” my own mother interjected. “I was going to make some tea when I took these brownies out of the oven.” I knew I smelled chocolate. My mom should be a Heartbreak Concierge or something. The last few days she had been in my kitchen cooking up every comfort food she could come up with. She could make a killing off this because broken hearted girls everywhere would need this comfort and her good care.
“Okay,” Patricia answered as she stood and followed my mom into the kitchen.
I sat still in the armchair. I looked down at the coffee table. There was one dried rose sitting in the middle of the table. It was one of the roses he’d left when I was on the cruise with April. I’d kept one and allowed it to dry. At the sight of the rose, tears flowed down my cheeks. I was so sick of crying, but no matter how sick I was, the tears continued to come.
“I have an idea,” piped up April. I didn’t even look at her. I didn’t care about any ideas. The only thing I wanted to do was to lie in my bed once more to drown in my intense sorrow. “If anyone knows anything about Patrick’s travel plans it is Layla. I’m calling her, and you and I are flying to Vegas tonight.” My head shot up and I looked at April.
“No, it’s done. I’m going to let it go. I’ll eventually be fine, but for now just let me wallow. I’m not taking the chance of him rejecting me again,” I uttered through my tears.
“It is the only way. I know he wants to be with you. He loves you more than anything in this world. I’ve seen the way Patrick looks at you. I’ve heard the way his voice changes when talking to or about you. Patrick isn’t going to marry Veronika tonight because we are going to stop the wedding.” April was definitely determined. I wasn’t so sure about this, but something deep in my core was telling me that her plan wasn’t half bad.
THE LIGHTS OF Las Vegas sparkled and amazed. Though tonight I wasn’t in the mood to be sparkled and dazed in the delight of Vegas. Sitting in the back of a car, I turned to April who was on the phone with Patrick’s receptionist Layla. I sighed before looking out of my window. I wondered if it was too late. At this point Patrick and Veronika could already be newlyweds.
“Okay, Layla said that Patrick had a reservation at The Venetian, but it was canceled. She knows that the private jet he took did arrive in Las Vegas about three hours ago. She is trying to figure out where he might be staying and if he has an appointment at a specific chapel. For now we are headed to The Stratosphere. It was the only place that had a room,” explained April, who was in her getting shit done zone.
I allowed my mind to wander off to the first time I was in this city. April had turned 21 and now that we were both 21 it was time to party. We came with Keaton and Nate; whom April had just started dating. We partied the night away and April got drunker than drunk. The next morning, I was holding her hair as she vomited and cried. She was so afraid that with her drunken antics, she’d scared Nate away, but alas, she hadn’t and they went on to get married and have two children.
“We’re here, let’s check in and I will get a list of the chapels,” April proposed. I nodded in response. Half of me hoped we could stop this wedding and the other half thought we were insane for being here in the first place, but in the end it was worth a try.
I LET APRIL take charge as we checked into our hotel room. She’d found a list of chapels and figured out her top guesses of where Patrick and Veronika might go. I was scared of the prospect that he’d already married her, but at the same there was a tiny speck of hope, it was small, but worth going after.
New Year’s Eve was not the right to go driving through Las Vegas. The streets were packed with cars and it took us nearly an hour just to drive about a mile. We were running out of time. While in the car, April called all the chapels at the major hotels to inquire about a possible ceremony, none of those chapels had a booking for Patrick. With each chapel she called, I could breathe a small sigh of relief, but I also knew Vegas had a million chapels.
As our car pulled us onto a street fully lined with chapels my heart began to pound.
Here I was hoping that I could fight for the man I loved. I’d fought so long for the love I had for Keaton and this love was far above and beyond that. The love I had with Patrick was unexplainable and out of the galaxy. With Patrick, even with the drama, everything was alright in my universe. At the end of the day it was Patrick who held me tight and loved me. Losing that had brought me to my absolute breaking point.
“Driver, you can drop us here. I will call when it looks like we will head back. Thanks so much,” April thanked our driver who was great to put up with us and our wild goose chase.
“See you soon. Ma’am I hope you find this guy. He’s very lucky to have a beauty like you who is willing to go through all of this for him,” the driver expressed to me with a kind smile. I weakly smiled back as I slipped from the back seat of the car. Both sides of the street, up and down, were filled with chapels. My heart stopped. We couldn’t go into all of these.
I could just let Patrick go, I could live with knowing my one true love was out there and his name is Patrick Bailey. I could know that he was being manipulated and used by a woman who didn’t care for him one bit. I could live as a shell of myself, I’d done it for two years, what was the rest of my life? I could go on with no drive, no motivation, and work in the same building as him. I let out a sigh as I thought of my dismal future.
“Let’s go,” April insisted as she grabbed me by my arm and pulled me with her into one of the first chape
ls.
The chapel itself from the outside reminded me of a fairy tale, it was like a small white cottage and appropriately named, Little White Chapel. April and I were greeted by hoards of people and a woman who was doing her best to calm the insanity. There were masses of couples all waiting to say their vows and commit themselves to one another. I couldn’t see Patrick nor Veronika in the crowd.
“Welcome to Little White Chapel, our current wait from the end of the line without an appointment is three hours,” the woman announced to April and I.
“Not getting married,” April informed the woman. “We are looking to see if an appointment was made for a Patrick Bailey and a woman named Veronika, if not has a really hot white guy with dark brown hair and a bitchy pregnant blonde come through?”
The woman seemed to laugh at April’s description of Patrick and Veronika. She looked down the list she held on a clipboard in her hand before shaking her head. “No Patrick Bailey, and I haven’t seen a hot guy or a pregnant blonde tonight.” I let out a sigh and gave a kind smile.
“Thanks,” I muttered before April and I were out the door the next place.
Arriving at the next chapel I wasn’t totally convinced that Patrick would ever get married here. There was a guy dressed like Elvis out front, but it didn’t hurt to try, and like the last place they hadn’t heard the name nor seen anyone with their descriptions. I was running out of hope with each chapel we stopped at along the street.
We arrived at the World Famous, Chapel of the Bells. There was a line going out the door with happy couples, many no doubt had been standing in line for hours. April pulled me along and squeezed through the front door, hoping to find someone in charge. A kind looking old man gave us a smile.
“Oh, you will be our fourth lesbian couple of the night,” he grinned with delight, clapping his hands together.
“We aren’t together,” I quickly informed him. April burst into laughter and I couldn’t help, but crack my first smile of the night. “We are looking to see if you’ve had an appointment for a Patrick Bailey or if a white guy with dark brown hair and honey eyes has come in with a very pregnant blonde?”
“I don’t recognize the name, let me check with my assistant in the back,” the man said kindly as he stood from his seat and sauntered into an office. I looked anxiously at April. I watched as the man came out of the office and shook his head. “Sorry, no Bailey.”
“Well, thanks so much,” I sighed out.
“Have a Happy New Year!” The man yelled out after us as we left the chapel.
“Let’s just go back to the hotel,” I groaned out of exhaustion and the death of my perseverance.
Giving up was the only option in my mind at this point. I’m sure Patrick and Veronika were already married and enjoying their wedding night in some overpriced hotel suite. The thought of Patrick touching Veronika in the same ways he touched me, made me shudder. I swallowed hard as I tried not to vomit in my mouth.
“One more chapel,” begged April. I could see pleading in her eyes. My best friend just wanted the best for me and she wanted me to be just as happy as she was. I let out a sigh and gave a nod.
“But only one more, then we work on getting home,” I instructed. April stopped and seemed to look around the street at all the chapels we hadn’t hit up. “That one, Chapel of the Flowers.” she pointed out one last chapel. I let out an exasperated breath and followed her to the chapel. Like all the others, it was packed. New Year’s Eve seemed to be a pretty hot date to get married. “Excuse me, who is in charge?”
The mood in the chapel was one of hopefulness and excitement. Maybe this was a sign for me. I prayed it was a sign. I allowed the atmosphere to sink into me. I let myself smile for a moment.
“I am!” called a young blonde woman who waved at us from the corner of the room. I followed April as she weaved through the crowd. When we reached her I saw the stress on her face. It was obvious that it had been a long night and it would continue to be a long night. “What can I help you with?”
“Have you had a groom by the name of Patrick Bailey come through or a really hot guy with dark brown hair and sultry eyes, who was with a bitchy and pregnant blonde?” April inquired. I swear we asked this question a million times already tonight.
“Hot guy, brown hair… and a bitchy, pregnant blonde. I think I know who you are talking about. I don’t remember names, but I remember the ceremony was beautiful and she seemed to glow,” the woman beamed, but the smile I had adopted instantly dropped. He’d married her.
“Um… thanks,” April sighed.
It took everything in me not to burst into tears in front of all of those people. I held my breath until we were once more in the cool air. The moment the air hit my face, I the tears began to fall down my face. It was done, we’d reached the end of the line. Patrick was now a married man and I would no longer be with the man that had my heart.
“Hey… we will go back to the hotel, get some drinks and bring in the New Year,” April said softly as she pulled me into a hug. There was now no doubt in my mind that coming down here was a huge mistake.
“I just want to lie down. Can we just go to the room, so I can lie down?” I asked. Through the blur of my tears I saw April give me a sad nod.
THE REALIZATION THAT I’d really lost him, hit me hard. I curled into a ball in my hotel room bed and cried. April didn’t say much, there weren’t many times where she was lost for words, but tonight she was out of words. I pulled my pillow closer as I listened to April on the phone with Nate. She was trying to be sensitive to my feelings by standing in the bathroom to talk. Right now, April was my rock and I couldn’t be more appreciative for her friendship. I knew one day we would be in a retirement home together laughing away and reminiscing about the old days, but for now I was broken hearted.
“No, we didn’t see him. The chapel recognized them from our description and they got married… she’s a mess, but it is completely understandable. She’ll be fine in time. I know my best friend; she’ll eventually bounce back. I can only hope it doesn’t take as long as it did with Keaton’s accident.” I heard April sigh. “No, I haven’t told her about the baby. We just found out and she is already going through a lot. I don’t want my best friend worrying about me right now. I will be fine and this baby will be fine.” I wiped a happy tear from my eye. My best friend was pregnant again, I was so happy for her. This was going to work and she would give birth to a happy and healthy baby, I just knew it. At least April seemed to be getting her Happy Ending tonight.
“How are the girls? I miss them. Did they go to bed on time?... Nate! You let them stay up that late. Yeah, it is New Year’s eve, but… oh well, I love you.” I smiled at April and Nate’s love. They were in love from the moment they set eyes on one another, I coveted their happiness, there was something so beautiful about it. At once, explosions began to go off. I jumped up from bed and saw the beautiful flashes of color from outside. I glanced at the clock, it was midnight. I hoped no one else was bringing in the New Year with a broken heart.
“Happy New Year,” I whispered to myself as I hugged the blanket to my chest. Closing my eyes, I could almost see Patrick’s face, his honey eyes, cream skin, and amazing smile. Veronika should count her blessings, she was a lucky girl to have such a kind hearted, generous, caring, loving, and sexy man.
A knock came at our door. I didn’t remember hearing April order room service. I heard her still chatting with Nate in the bathroom. I dragged my body from the bed and sauntered across the room to the door. I could care less who it was as long as they let me get back to my sorrow. Swinging the door open I was confronted with the very man I was here for.
Patrick gave me a soft look. I couldn’t quite make out his expressions. I’m sure he was having the same issue with my face as I was beyond the point of shock and bewilderment. He should be enjoying the night with his new wife and not at the door of my hotel room.
“Oh shit!” April’s voice came. I turned to see her standing with
her phone in her hand at the entrance of the bathroom.
“I had a million messages from April, Layla, and my mom. Learning you were here, I had to find you. I had to… I needed to see you,” Patrick started, I shook my head. I loved him, but he was a married man and I did not mess around with married men.
“You should be with your wife,” I spat.
“I don’t have a wife,” he confessed. I blinked a few times. Of course he had a wife, the chapel told us that he and Veronika had married there. I didn’t know what kind of joke he was trying to play, but I wasn’t going to be apart of it.
Patrick
I WAS ACTUALLY going to do it. I stood in the bathroom of my hotel suite, I tried to control my mind that was running in all directions. I’d changed my mind about this multiple times during the day, but now it was nearly time. Veronika and I, along with her mother, would be going to the chapel in our hotel to be married.
Along with my changing mind was Veronika’s change of plans. We originally had a reservation to stay and be wed at The Venetian, but Veronika had reconsidered the choice and wanted to get married at the hotel with the fountains instead. That led us to alter our reservations from our pre-booked hotel to The Bellagio. Veronika wanted everything her way, I guess that was a woman on her wedding day.
I gave myself one last glance in the mirror, I kept it simple with black slacks, a white button up shirt, and red tie. I shrugged at my appearance before leaving the bathroom. Veronika was with her mom in the smaller bedroom of the suite. I had to wait for the two of them now.
There was a full bar in the room and I took full advantage of it, pouring myself a glass of whiskey. Taking a sip of my drink, I wandered to the large window that overlooked the fountains below. We were to get married during the next show on a terrace overlooking the majestic fountains.
I gave my watch a glance. It would be time to head down very soon. I went to move, but my feet stayed firmly planted in one spot, I wasn’t ready for this and I knew it, but I’d made my decision. My hand slipped into my pocket where I retrieved my wallet. I opened the leather and slipped out a photo, it was of Brielle. She looked gorgeous sitting by the pool at my house. She wore a bikini and her long hair was draped over her shoulders and she looked at me lovingly. I remembered the day I took that photo. This was before the drama, when we could be carefree and be us. Quickly, I returned the photo to my wallet, knowing that when I became a married man that I would be forced to get rid of it.