Anything But Mine

by Justice, Barbara

  While they were posing for photos, there was a knock on the door, and Mary appeared with a velvet box. “Mr. Moscolo asked me to deliver this to you,” she explained.

  “Thank you, Mary.” Jen opened the box, and found a platinum hair comb encrusted with pavé set diamonds, along with a note from Vince asking that she wear it as her “something new”.

  “Let me help you with that,” Kenny said, as he fastened the comb at the top of the chignon at the nape of Jen’s neck, just above her veil.

  Taking a deep breath, Jen studied her reflection in a nearby mirror and said, “I guess I’m ready.”

  Pablo brought the limousine to a stop in front of St. Ignatius Loyola Church on Park Avenue just before 3:30. Jen smiled when she saw Pablo glance at her in the rear view mirror. I’m so glad I was able to stop Vince from firing him earlier this week, she thought, recalling the conversation she had with Pablo when he told her, privately, that he would always be grateful and loyal to her for intervening with Vince when his job was in jeopardy. Jen reassured him that none of what had happened was his fault, and that he couldn’t have possibly known that she slipped through a side door after her gown fitting, but Pablo insisted that that he would always be in her debt for saving his job.

  Seth Jacobs, Vince’s best man, was waiting on the steps of the church, along with Jen’s brother Pete, and when they saw the limousine come to a stop, they signaled that it was okay for Jen and the rest of her bridal party to enter the church.

  Pablo exited the limousine, opened the rear door, and assisted Jen out of her seat and onto the sidewalk. Shivering from the biting cold, Jen quickly climbed the stairs to the church, and slipped inside the vestibule, where she waited for her parents, Gina, and Catherine to catch up to her.

  Once inside the vestibule of the church, the organist began to play, and everything seemed to move at warp speed. Pete escorted Grace down the aisle, and they were followed by Catherine and Gina.

  As the guests gathered in church rose from their pews, Jen heard her father ask, “Are you ready?”

  Jen’s stomach churned, and she began to tremble. I hope I’m making the right choice, she thought. Her father gave her a hug, and she drew strength from his embrace. “Yes,” she whispered. “I’m ready.”

  As they began their slow walk down the aisle, Jen’s eyes searched for Drew, hoping against hope that he would stop the wedding and declare his love for her. Instead, as they passed his pew, she watched as he smiled a sad smile and snapped a photo with his cell phone. If you really loved me, you would stop the wedding, she thought, desperately trying to telegraph a message to Drew as she passed him on her way towards the altar.

  Before she knew it, they had reached the end of the aisle, and Jen winced as Vince took her arm after her father gave her away. Trembling, she realized it was the first time she had allowed Vince to touch her since Tuesday. This is it, she thought.

  The ceremony was quick, and before she knew it, Jen had promised to love, honor and cherish Vince for the rest of their lives. As Vince slipped the platinum and diamond wedding ring on her left hand, she closed her eyes and prayed. Dear God, please give me the strength to be a good wife, and please help me not second guess my decision to marry him.

  When the priest pronounced them husband and wife, and they kissed for the first time as a married couple, Jen was startled by the applause from their wedding guests, and blushed.

  Vince noticed her embarrassment, and whispered in her ear, “I can’t wait to get you home later tonight.”

  Luke, Drew and Collette made their way through the receiving line at the back of the church, and descended the steps onto the sidewalk outside. As they were waiting for Jen, Vince, and the rest of the bridal party to finish greeting the guests and exit the church, Collette excused herself to make a phone call. “I just want to check on my mother,” she said, before walking down the block. “I’ll just be a minute.”

  “Sure,” Drew replied, before taking out his cell phone.

  Luke watched as Drew scrolled through the photos of Jen he had stored on his phone. “Why are you doing this to yourself? What are you, a glutton for punishment?”

  “It should have been me. Jen should have married me.” He hung his head and shook it from side to side. “How did everything go so wrong?”

  Lost for words, Luke felt nothing but pity for his friend. “I don’t know what to tell you, buddy.”

  “You know, Luke, it’s all my fault. I should have fought for her, and now I’m going to spend the rest of my life wishing I had. She loved me. She wanted me, but I was consumed by pride and self-pity. I never should have let her go. I made a last-ditch effort last night, but it was too late.”

  Luke’s mouth hung open in shock. “You what? What did you do?”

  Drew looked down the block, and saw Collette approaching them. “It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

  “I wish things were different for you, Drew.”

  “Me too,” Drew said as he ran his hands through his hair. “Me too.”

  Luke and Drew watched as Jen and Vince emerged from the church. They threw rose petals at the newlyweds as they made their way down the church steps, and Drew caught Jen’s eye just before she disappeared into the back of Vince’s waiting limousine. I’m such a fool, he thought, bitterly. And I’ll always be a fool for you.

  The rooftop of the St. Regis looked even more beautiful than Jen had remembered, now that it was decorated with flowers, candles, and hundreds of potted trees adorned with tiny white lights surrounding the perimeter of the ballroom. “Right out of a fairy tale,” Catherine observed, when she had a moment alone with Jen.

  “It’s pretty, isn’t it? My mom did a great job with the decorating.”

  Catherine agreed. “How are you feeling? Are you okay? Other than when we posed for pictures, you haven’t smiled at all since we left the apartment.”

  Jen nodded her head. “I’m fine,” she said, before admitting, “I’m just a little nervous about tonight, though, once we get home. I haven’t slept in our bed since Tuesday.”

  “If he hurts you again, I’m just a phone call away. Remember that,” Catherine said.

  “Thanks, Cath,” Jen said, as she hugged her friend. “I’m sure everything will be okay. He got what he wanted, after all.” Jen looked across the room at her husband, who was basking in congratulatory handshakes and pats on the back from his friends and colleagues.

  When the band began to play “Only You,” Vince escorted Jen to the dance floor for their first dance. He firmly held her in his arms as they swayed to the music. “You are such a beautiful bride, Jennifer. I don’t think you can comprehend the depth of my love for you. I can’t wait to get you home tonight so I can show you.”

  Jen closed her eyes and exhaled, before simply replying, “I love you too, Vince.”

  Over the next few hours, Jen danced with her father, brother, Seth and Luke. She was so busy greeting guests and visiting tables that she had barely had any time to sit and eat, until Vince insisted she join him at their table. “You’re going to pass out if you don’t eat, Jennifer,” he chided her.

  Jen joined him at the table, but as soon as she took a few forkfuls, she rose again to circulate among the guests, and crossed paths with Drew.

  “How come every man in this room has danced with you, except me,” he asked quietly.

  “Maybe because you haven’t asked me yet,” Jen replied.

  “Touché,” Drew said as he took Jen’s hand in his and led her towards the dance floor. “Can I have this dance?”

  “Sure,” Jen said, tentatively, as Drew took her into his arms. She resisted the urge to lay her head on his shoulder, or to hold her cheek next to his, and instead kept enough of a distance between their bodies to satisfy even the nuns who had taught her in elementary and high school, knowing that Vince was watching them with a laser-like i
ntensity.

  “You know, I’ve dreamed of dancing with you while you were wearing a wedding gown,” he said. “Only in my dreams, we were dancing the first dance together instead.”

  Jen bit her lip, before whispering in Drew’s ear, “That had been my dream too, Drew. But there were some circumstances that were out of our control.”

  “Not all of them.”

  Jen’s heart stopped, and her blood ran cold. “What do you mean?”

  Drew stepped back from Jen so he could look her in the eyes. “Didn’t you read my note?”

  “What note?”

  “I slipped a note in your purse during the rehearsal dinner last night. Didn’t you read it?”

  Jen froze in place, barely able to breathe. “I never saw it.” She tried to recall which handbag she carried to the rehearsal dinner, and remembered it was her large Louis Vuitton tote. “I had so much stuffed into my tote bag last night because I had just come from my final dress fitting, and I never saw it. What did it say?”

  “It doesn’t matter now,” Drew said. “Forget about it. Just rip it up when you find it.”

  “Drew,” Jen pleaded, “please tell me what you wrote.”

  “Like I said, it doesn’t matter anymore.” He abruptly took her by the arm, and pulled her back towards her table, where Vince was having a discussion with Seth. “Sorry to interrupt, Vince, but I wanted to congratulate you again. You’re one very lucky man.” Drew shook Vince’s hand, and returned to his table, where he grabbed Collette and dragged her out to the dance floor.

  “What was that about?” Vince asked, sternly.

  Jen shrugged her shoulders, and the blank expression on her face gave nothing away. “I have no idea. He must be drunk.”

  Later that evening, once they were in the privacy of the Fifth Avenue apartment, Jen asked Vince, quietly, “Are you happy?”

  Vince grinned. “You made me a very happy man today, Jennifer.” Because you’re mine, now and forever.

  “Good. I’m glad.” She turned and began walking towards the master suite, and as Vince followed her, she said, over her shoulder, “I’m going to need your help tonight, Vince.”

  Vince had a puzzled look on his face as he followed her. “Of course. What do you need help with?”

  As she passed through their bedroom door, she turned and looked at her husband. “I’m going to need your help with removing my gown.”

  “Okay,” Vince said, as he followed her into the master suite. Jennifer stood still as he inspected the back of her gown, asking, “Where is the zipper?”

  “There is no zipper. Zippers are bad luck on a wedding gown. You have to unbutton each button.”

  “You’re kidding, right? I never heard that before,” he said, as he opened one small, satin-covered button after the other on the back of Jen’s gown.

  “I never kid about superstitions, Vince.” Jen watched in the mirror as her gown loosened around her bodice and her waist, until Vince had finally released the last button. She slowly let the gown slip off the edge of her shoulders, and as she removed her arms from the sleeves, she heard Vince’s sharp intake of breath, and turned to face him.

  Vince felt nauseous when he saw the bruises on Jen’s arms, and his eyes filled with tears. “You said you had bruises, but I didn’t realize just how badly I hurt you,” he whispered as he gently touched the black-and-blue marks on her arms, causing Jen to wince. “Are you still in pain?”

  Unable to meet his eyes, she hung her head and focused on her wedding gown, now pooled around her ankles on the floor. “Yes,” she said, timidly.

  “Come here,” Vince said, as he felt a wave of remorse wash over him. He helped Jen step out of her gown before taking her into his arms. As he held her tightly against his body, he vowed her that he would never hurt her again. “All I ever wanted was to take care of you and protect you, Jennifer. I’m so sorry that I hurt you,” he apologized. “I’ll never hurt you again, and never force myself on you again, as long as I live. I love you.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

  When she awoke the next morning, Jen was surprised to find that her husband was not in bed with her. It was a moment before she realized that water was running in his bathroom, and that he was already in the shower. I’m glad he let me sleep in, she thought.

  Vince emerged from his bathroom with a huge grin on his face. “How is my beautiful wife this morning?”

  Jen smiled at Vince, and replied, “I’m good, thanks. You seem chipper today.”

  “How could I be anything but chipper? I’m married to the most beautiful woman in the world.”

  She sat up in bed and stretched her arms wide, and as she did so, Vince’s expression darkened as he focused on the lingering bruises on her upper arms. “Remember, Seth is coming by so we can go over some last-minute business. He should be here around 10:30, long before the rest of the guests arrive.”

  Jen looked at the clock on her nightstand, and calculated the time she had to get ready. “Okay, just ask Mary to make some coffee now, so she has some to serve when Seth gets here. The caterers will be here soon, too, but their coffee won’t be ready yet.” Jen slipped out of bed, and kissed Vince before disappearing into her bathroom.

  Once she finished blow-drying her hair, Jen checked the clock and realized that Seth had probably arrived for his meeting with Vince. Taking advantage of the few minutes she had alone, she went into her dressing room and found her large Louis Vuitton tote bag tossed on the floor, exactly where she had left it on Friday night. Closing the door to her dressing room in case Vince came into the master suite, she lowered herself onto the floor and dug through the contents of her tote bag until she found the note from Drew.

  Jen held the envelope in her hands, trying to decide whether or not to open it. Drew told me just to rip it up, she remembered. She turned the envelope over in her hands, and slipped a finger underneath the flap, unsure of what to do next. But if I don’t open it, I’ll wonder my whole life what he wrote. Before she could change her mind, Jen tore open the envelope and removed the single, folded sheet of paper. With trembling hands, she unfolded it, and read:

  Dear Jen,

  It’s hard to believe that just one year ago we were as close as two people could be, and on the brink of beginning what I think we both hoped would be a long, happy future together. I know in my heart that we would still be together if I hadn’t shut you out of my life and pushed you away, which is something I will regret the rest of my life.

  If you still love me, and if you still want to be with me, meet me tomorrow morning at 9:00 on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If you don’t meet me there, I will know that you are over me, once and for all time.

  No matter what, just know that I never stopped loving you. I will always love you.

  Drew

  “Oh my God,” Jen said out loud. “Oh. My. God.” She continued to sit on the floor of her dressing room, shaking, while she read and re-read Drew’s letter. After a few minutes, she looked at her watch and knew Vince would come looking for her if she didn’t emerge from the bedroom soon. God forbid he finds this letter, she thought, panic-stricken. With his temper and jealous streak, who knows what he would do to me, and to Drew.

  Jen’s legs felt weak as she rose to her feet and walked towards her safe, where she punched in the code on the keypad, and opened the door. She lifted the padding from the bottom of the safe and slipped the single piece of paper underneath, pushing it towards the rear of the safe. I’ll have to burn this letter once we return from our honeymoon. Quickly, she re-arranged her jewelry on top of the padding, then closed and locked the safe door.

  She slipped into a pair of khakis, a white oxford shirt, and her favorite brown suede ballet flats, before tying a long brown and gold silk scarf around her waist in place of a belt. Shaking, she placed her wedding and engagement rings on her left hand, and a pair of si
mple pearl earrings onto her ears. Staring at herself in the mirror, she wondered, how am I going to face Drew when he arrives in an hour? What am I going to say?

  Jen emerged from the master suite, and made her way towards the kitchen to check on the preparations for brunch. On her way, she noticed that the door to Vince’s home office was open, and as she walked past Vince beckoned her inside.

  “Come on in, Jennifer. Close the door behind you, and sit down.”

  Jen greeted Seth with a smile and a kiss on the cheek, and sat down next to Vince’s desk, noticing the piles of papers spread out on top.

  “I asked Seth to stop by early today, not only because we had some business to go over, but because I want to give you your wedding gift, and I needed his help in order to do so,” Vince said.

  “I don’t understand. You’ve already given me a gift,” Jen said, puzzled. “You already gave me the diamond-encrusted hair comb.”