A Prior Engagement

by S. L. Scott

  “I don’t think so. There was nothing obvious.”

  William found comfort in Walter’s words, but that Tom had driven her home and let her go up unescorted, sounded as if she was operating of her own free will. That was unexpected and even more disappointing. His heart hurt that she hadn’t called him or come back when she had the chance. “Thanks, Walter.” He turned to leave, but turned back and said, “Take care of her.”

  “I thought that was your job?”

  “I did, too, for a short time.” They shook hands and William got back on his bike and rode home.

  Everleigh had spent hours in the family library going through books in the large bookcases and reorganizing them, doing anything she could to keep her mind occupied. When she returned to her bedroom, she saw her phone on her vanity charging. Tom said he hadn’t seen it, so she assumed it was lost in the scuffle that day. She should have questioned how it got there, but she didn’t want to waste time. She picked it up and immediately checked for missed calls and messages of any sort. But when she found none, it reinforced what Tom had told her. William didn’t want her.

  Needing a shower, she let the warm water cover her as she braced her body against the cold tile. ‘He didn’t want her’ messed with her thoughts and perspective. Ten minutes passed before she realized she hadn’t even washed her hair. She hurried through the process, not bothering with the repeat step.

  Spending the next hour getting dressed in her pristinely pressed, classic-styled clothes, she felt uncomfortable in the familiarity of the action. She was disappointed that she was exactly where she had been months earlier—like William had never come into her life—like he hadn’t changed her inside, or captured her heart.

  She was looking for the shoes that matched her outfit in her large walk-in closet when Tom appeared in the door. “Hi,” he said, trying to sound sweet.

  Leaning against the wall for support, she looked at him with no reply. He lowered his eyes and took a deep breath before speaking. “I know I screwed up, but I’m asking you, no, I’m begging you, Everleigh, to give me another chance at making this right between us.” He stepped closer to her and kissed her on the cheek. She flinched, but he remained calm.

  When he took her shaking hands in his, she raised her head to look him straight in the eyes. “I will never love you. I will only love him.”

  He dropped her hands and she trembled in front of him waiting for the first hit, but it didn’t come. Instead, with fisted hands, he said, “You will be a good fiancée to me. You will marry me in the fall. You will play the role as you have for years, keeping mine and your name respectable—”

  “No, I won’t! I don’t care—”

  “You will or Mr. Ryder won’t see graduation. I’ll make sure that diploma never gets handed out. Then, I’ll make sure there isn’t a company or person willing to hire that piece of shit in the entire state of New York. I will ruin him. I have an entire file on his family, friends, classes, his work, his hobbies. I know where he drinks, his grocer, and his landlord. They’re at my disposal now. I will ruin everything he has worked for if you so much as smile at him again. Do you understand, Everleigh?”

  The tears that had formed in her eyes spilled down her cheeks as she remained silent, listening to the future laid out before her. He finished by saying, “This will be the last time you act like this. You will answer me the first time I ask you a question, you will give the appearance of what I expect of you, and you will be my wife. I’ve spent too many years invested in us for it to end like this. So, I’m asking you again, do you understand everything I told you and expect of you?”

  She nodded, turning away from him and looking at her bare feet. “Yes.”

  He turned abruptly and left her alone in the closet. Once she knew he was gone, she slid down the wall, and wrapped her arms around her knees and cried.

  Ten minutes. Ten minutes to cry. Ten minutes to process his threat. Ten minutes to mourn the loss of her dreams. Ten minutes to say good-bye to William in silence. She stood up, went into the bathroom to touch up her make-up, put her shoes on, and walked into the formal living room to see her parents and Tom having a hushed conversation over cocktails.

  They stopped, and all looked surprised to see her. She took a deep breath, lifted her chin up, and said, “I’m ready.” The four of them went to dinner at an exclusive French restaurant. This was the night she started playing the role that was expected of her, all for the love of William.

  Chapter 25

  A week later, Professor Lang approached William who was studying in the lounge. There was an uncomfortable silence between them and William knew it was because Evie never returned to school.

  The professor sat next to him, and said, “I’ve wanted to talk to you. You have one week until you’re finished.” He patted him on the back. “You’ve done well. You always make me see things in a new way. You’re a very promising writer which brings me to my next topic, the fall semester. I was wondering if you’d consider being an assistant. I teach three classes. It doesn’t pay much, but it’s good experience and I could use someone as solid as you by my side.”

  William was stunned by the offer and more than flattered. “I’d be a fool not to take it.” He shook hands with him. “I’m honored. Thank you, sir.”

  “I’m pleased you’re eager. I think we’ll make a good team and the position will give you solid experience for your resume.” He looked down, his demeanor changed. As if to compose himself, he looked back up and said, “I thought you should also know that Miss Wright dropped my class last Tuesday.” William didn’t respond, but the pain on his face was evident. “And I talked with a counselor on campus. I can file a report of what I’ve seen, but I wanted to talk to you about it first.”

  William stared straight ahead, feeling numb. “She wouldn’t want that.” There was a finality to his statement although he delivered it flat and direct. The thought of Evie made his heart clench. He turned to look the professor in the eyes. “She definitely wouldn’t want that.”

  “I’ll take that into consideration. As for her courses, I was relieved to receive the notice because I was going to have to fail her. I didn’t get details regarding the reason, but I did leave her a message. She hasn’t returned my call. The good news is she’ll receive a W for withdrawing instead of an F. Have you heard from her?”

  William blinked, easing the burn from his eyes then replied, “No. We haven’t spoken. Uh, she’s . . . I guess she’s made her choice.” He leaned over, picking his bag up off the floor and ran his free hand over his temple to soothe the tension. “I guess I should be going. I still have a paper to turn in this Friday to earn that B.A.”

  “I signed the paperwork on Tuesday afternoon. I appreciate your efforts and look forward to receiving a complete analysis still, but for the record, you’ve graduated. Congratulations.” He reached his hand forward once more to shake hands, and William gladly accepted.

  “Thank you again, sir.” William turned and hurried out, desperate for fresh air. As soon as he was outside, he gasped like a fish that had escaped its tank. It should have been a moment of celebration, but it wasn’t. It felt all wrong. He still felt all wrong without her.

  Evie dropping Lang’s class cemented her choice, and William wasn’t it. He leaned his arm against the wall for support, this fact sinking in. Pushing off, he unlocked his bike from the rack, and rode with a vengeance, trying to lose himself and his heart along the way.

  Everleigh woke up to another morning of sunshine and the smell of breakfast wafting into her room. Like any depressed soul, she covered her head with her blankets and wished her day away. All she wanted to do was sleep. She had grown tired over the last week and lost motivation to perform basic daily functions like showering or brushing her hair. But, she knew she would have to leave the safe confines of the soft pink room today. Since the last formal dinner, everyone had left her alone and she wallowed in her misery, considering herself lucky to have the time to herself. Her luck had
run out though. In less than one hour, she had a wedding gown fitting to show her family and future mother-in-law, and knew she couldn’t keep them waiting. It was chosen by the mothers without her involvement. The wedding was moving forward with her participation or without.

  She threw on fitted jeans and a T-shirt that she had worn in high school during her more rebellious days. A pair of high-top sneakers were dragged from the back of the closet, also vintage from high school, and slipped them on. She scrambled into the bathroom and brushed her teeth—the one bit of maintenance she hadn’t scrapped. She skipped the large ring and instead put on her usual depressed face, sighed, and then left for the salon.

  She arrived late and after everyone else. As Everleigh was taken to the large salon with cream-colored sofas, she noticed all of the fashionable women were wearing pastel dresses, fitting colors for a happy wedding planning activity such as the big reveal of the bride’s dress. She heard a collective gasp and a “oh my” when she joined the party. Her mother stood as did Audrey, her face was one of disbelief and Audrey’s of pure you-go-girl pride. Kitty Wright eyed her then asked, “Dear? Did you get assaulted on the way here? Is everything okay?”

  Everleigh was confused by the question before realizing it must be in reference to her appearance. “I’m fine, Mother.”

  Tom’s mother stood to kiss each of Everleigh’s cheeks. “Are you having a pre-wedding insanity moment? I hear they are quite common.”

  “I didn’t dress like this to make a point. I threw on some clothes and came over. That’s all, nothing more!” Everleigh snapped at the group. She turned to the sales lady and rolled her eyes. “Where’s the damn dress? Let’s get this over with.”

  The group of ladies consisting of her mother, sister, Tom’s mother, and three bridesmaids, all distant relations of hers or Tom’s, went silent. She reappeared five minutes later and the group remained silent, but out of awe this time.

  Everleigh stepped onto the platform in front of the mirror and smoothed the skirt down over her hips then stood in shock at her reflection. The salesperson had twisted her hair up with a delicate diamond comb and was now standing in the corner taking in her work. The group was stunned by her beauty.

  Everleigh couldn’t stop from commenting. “The dress, the hair, it’s perfect.”

  The two mothers smiled at each other, clasping hands in pride of their work and in her beauty. Standing in front of the tri-fold mirror, she noted how much she felt like those books on exhibit, once more feeling like she was only something to be looked upon instead of someone with feelings and a mind of her own. The smiles dropped from everyone’s faces when Everleigh said, “If only it was to the perfect man.”

  With an audible huff, Tom’s mother turned on her expensive heels, and as she walked out, said, “I never!”

  Closing her eyes, she didn’t care about her. She didn’t care about any of this and lost herself in an image of William and how her skin felt when he touched her and how her lips tingled after kissing him. She would not have her happily ever after. She now knew her true prince did not want the burden of her any longer and she anchored her shoulders into a hunch.

  Audrey, watching her sister’s breakdown, rushed to her side and lifted her chin. “Open your eyes, Evie. Look at me.” As her big sister focused on her, she took her by the hand and led her back into the dressing room. With the door shut behind them, Audrey hugged her. “Don’t sell your soul to the devil. Find him. Find him and fight for him. I’m sure he’s fighting for you.”

  In the weakest of voices, Evie said, “He told Tom he didn’t want to fight for me. William hates me, Audrey. He never even called.”

  “Have you called him?”

  “I can’t,” she said, tears falling down her cheeks. “He told Tom that I, this mess, was a burden. I don’t want to trouble him anymore. I love him too much for that.”

  “First off, why would you believe anything Tom has to say?”

  “William went to his office to talk to him. I called and asked his assistant. She confirmed he had been there. But that doesn’t change the fact that he hasn’t spoken or called me. He’s done with me and my messed up life. He needs a chance to live his own life without the complications I bring.”

  Audrey stood there shocked by this revelation and then took her sister into her arms again, comforting her as she cried.

  When Everleigh finished the fitting and dried her tears, she took a silent vow to move forward without William. The one thing necessary to help her move on and find closure was to see him one last time, even if from a distance. She didn’t want the last image she would ever have of him being restrained by the police. So she left the dress salon alone even after her mother begged her to have tea with her down the street. She caught a cab and went to the first place she thought he might be at this time of day, his work.

  Standing in front of the small open garage door of the bustling business, she watched the chaotic cyclists riding in and out on their missions. Feeling brave, she walked straight to the counter where a girl was shouting out assignments. “We’re not hiring,” she said without looking at Everleigh.

  “I’m looking for William Ryder. Is he working—”

  “He’s off today. He’s off all week.”

  Evie thanked her before she turned and left. Her feet seemed to have a destination of their own as she walked in the direction of William’s apartment. Fifteen minutes later, she stood outside his building. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the door open and disappeared inside.

  She knocked and stood there waiting, her emotions a jumbled mess. Another knock. She needed to see him just one more time then she prayed he’d be out of her system and they both could move on.

  Disappointment shrouded her heart and her thoughts clouded over when no one answered. She heard no movement inside the apartment either. She left, more heartbroken than she had started that day and headed home. Hoping to resolve her feelings in a different way, she detoured to the park she loved. That had become their park and was filled with the memories of more carefree times. She was kidding herself though. Those memories had their own set of problems woven into them, but none of that mattered because William had loved her then.

  William had ended his bike ride at the little park Evie used as her escape. He locked his bike to the bench and lay on the small grassy hill. With his earbuds blaring, he was listening to songs that ended up depressing him even more. He couldn’t help but picture the times he held her and touched her, kissed her and talked with her. He wondered if these seared images would ever stop haunting him, reminding him of his loss. He lay there with his eyes closed, praying for anything to erase or replace these visions of her, when a shadow blocked the sun that was warming his body. His eyes snapped open, and he was blinded by the sun’s rays behind the woman’s head—his earthbound angel.

  She backed up, allowing the sun to touch his skin again, and the woman lay down between the space of his arm that was stretched out and his chest. William tried to get control of his aching and racing heart as Evie settled her head on his shoulder not saying a word.

  Lost in this bliss, he pulled her close by wrapping his arm around her, loving the feeling of her against him again. They stayed together this way for a few minutes before anyone spoke. Then he took the liberty. “Why did you choose him? I know you can feel how right we are?”

  She didn’t want to answer, but needed to say something to her love. “There’s no time for questions or answers.” Her tone broke his heart. He knew right then there wasn’t a battle to fight anymore. She had already given up hope, given up on them.

  “This is good-bye, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” she answered the only question she knew deep down she had to. She had to keep control of her emotions and stay strong and steady with him, for him. He had worked too hard to have her ruin his life. Tom was clear with his intention for destruction if she returned to William. Even with that weighing on her mind, she also knew Tom would not disapprove of her ending it
in person. It made it all more real.

  “You didn’t return any of my calls.” His tone held a slight irritation in it.

  “What calls?” She sat up and he did the same, but she knew it didn’t matter if he had called. The reality that Tom held all the cards sank in. “I’ve got to go.”

  They both stood and as he looked deep into her eyes he saw the love he’d always known. She was lying to him to make it easier for one of them, maybe for both of them. “I just wanted to make sure you’re doing okay and to tell you good-bye.” She turned to start the long walk away from him, a walk she never thought she would have to make.

  “I have one final request,” he said, refusing to accept this as the end.

  She turned back, not able to face him as she waited for him to finish.

  “One last kiss, my love.” He walked closer and she didn’t voice a denial. Her eyes gave her approval for the request and he took her face in his hands, tilted her mouth toward his, and brought their lips together.

  The kiss deepened and they lost themselves one last time in each other. As they parted, William looked down at the beautiful girl in front of him with her eyes still closed and knew what they had between them was more real than ever and definitely not over. He smirked with a new conviction as she looked back at him, searching his face in bewilderment.

  “Good-bye.” She didn’t look back as she walked away. All she could think of was how her body sold her out. She cursed each disloyal part, starting with her traitorous lips and tongue, hands, and heart. They all fought valiantly over her logical brain and won the battle. She hated that she would remember every element of that kiss for the rest of her life and never again feel the passion they shared.

  But for William, it confirmed the thoughts he had started to bury deep down inside. And on that very spot where he still stood, he was re-committed to having a relationship with the beautiful girl because he knew she still loved him, too. So he started on a plan of his own.