Once Again

by J. Lea

  “Sophie, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.” He places the ring on her finger. Sophie is barely holding in tears. I hand her a ring, and she says:

  “Matt, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.” She’s trying to hide her shaky voice by smiling, but we all see how emotional she is, and I smile encouragingly at her. Sophie and Matt hug, and the priest finishes:

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” A smile is playing on his lips as he says that. Matt grabs Sophie, leans her back, and kisses her. Everybody erupts in cheers and claps. We congratulate the newlyweds, and I take a moment to search for Jake’s face in the crowd again. No sight of him—he obviously isn’t coming, so I should stop looking for him. In the tent, Rod Steward is playing Have I Told You Lately? on the speakers. People are laughing and talking excitedly, and I’m trying to join in the fun, but it’s not the same without Jake. We sit at our appointed tables. I’m sitting with the newlyweds at the table in the far end of the tent. The other tables that seat eight people each are set in semicircles left and right from the center, where a dance floor is. People are chatting and having fun, and before the first course, the DJ—they finally settled on a DJ—announces Matt and Sophie’s first dance as husband and wife. We clap and cheer, and Brian Adams’ Everything I Do, I Do It For You starts playing. Sophie wraps her arms around Matt’s neck, and his arms go around her waist. They kiss, and then start dancing their choreographed slow waltz. I still can’t believe Sophie managed to persuade Matt to take dancing lessons with her, but by some miracle, he agreed. Not that he couldn’t dance before, but they wanted to practice their first dance as husband and wife. They look beautiful, their arms around each other, wide grins on their faces, love shining from their eyes. Afterwards, we are served the food, and I attack with gusto. All I ate today was a piece of bread with honey for breakfast, and I’m starving by now.

  A few hours later, everybody is on the dance floor, having fun. Even I got a few dances in, my mood hasn’t improved significantly. I’ve come to accept that Jake isn’t coming tonight, even though I hoped he’d be able to make it until the very end. After an especially energetic dance, I collapse in my chair, sweaty and out of breath. I undo the strap of my heels, take the shoes off, and rub the tired soles of my feet.

  “May I have this dance?” The music is so loud I barely hear the question. My feet still hurt, so I look up to politely decline the offer.

  “Thank you, but I think I’ll pass thi—” When I realize it’s Jake standing in front of me, a smile stretches over my face. Butterflies start swarming in my belly, thousands and thousands of butterflies. “Jake, you came!” I throw myself in his arms, dropping the shoe on the floor in the process. I hug him tightly, never wanting to let go.

  “Babe, you look exquisite,” he compliments me when our lips finally separate. My eyes take all of him in; it’s the first time I’ve seen him dressed so elegantly. He’s wearing a black three-piece suit, the pants that are a perfect fit, shiny black shoes, and a tie with an elaborate pattern. The waistcoat peeking out from his jacket makes him even more desirable. I’m staring at him with my mouth open, but I don’t care. He looks like a god, complete with an arrogant smirk on his lips, and the piercing in his eyebrow. Holy smokes, he’s hot.

  “You’re really here?” I ask incredulously, and the corners of his lips turn up as he nods.

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he says. He wraps his arms possessively around my hips, his lips inches away from mine. His warm breath tickles my lips.

  “You’re late,” I say.

  “I know.” He leans his forehead against mine. “I had some errands I couldn’t put off, but now I’m here, and I’m not letting you out of my arms.” I smile, and his lips meet mine in a passionate kiss. I feel whole again, and his fresh taste and enticing smell take me to heaven. I need a few moments to come back down to earth when he ends the kiss. “You’re the most beautiful woman in this room,” he whispers. He helps me put my shoes back on, and extends his arm toward me, inviting me to the dance floor. I place my hand in his, and they fit together like two pieces of a puzzle when we lace our fingers together. Jake’s smile falls when his gaze lands on my wrist, and he stills. “He did this to you?” he says through gritted teeth when he inspects the ugly bruise Kevin left on my wrist.

  “It’s okay, Jake. It’s nothing.”

  “It doesn’t look like nothing to me. Damn, I should’ve been with you.” He mutters something, and runs a hand through his hair in frustration.

  “It’s just a bruise. Besides, he can’t hurt me anymore. He’s in jail. Let’s forget about everything, and just have fun, okay?” I give him a sweet kiss to try to melt away his anger. He reluctantly nods his head, and takes me to the dance floor. We’re staring into each other’s eyes the whole time, our fingers intertwined. A new song comes on, and I immediately recognize All Of Me by John Legend. I smile at him, and Jake nods. “Just for you, babe.” He winks, and gives me a quick peck before we melt into the song. I can’t believe he requested to play this song. It’s my favorite. “I love you,” he whispers, and we dance the remainder of the song in blissful silence.

  A little before midnight, the DJ announces another dance: “Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce Mr. and Mrs. Grant!” Sophie and Matt run into the tent, holding hands. I didn’t even notice them slip out. Sophie is no longer wearing her wedding dress; she changed into skintight leather overalls that show off her curves. Matt is wearing frayed jeans and a leather jacket. Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta start singing You’re The One That I Want. Matt slowly takes off his jacket and throws it on the ground. Underneath, he’s wearing a tight grey T-shirt. We are all completely surprised when they start dancing to a choreography they must have learned in secret, because Sophie didn’t mention a thing to me. They are dancing a scene from the movie Grease. And they are brilliant. They complete each other perfectly. We are all grinning and clapping and whistling in encouragement. When the song ends, Sophie jumps into Matt’s arms, both breathing heavily. Matt carries his wife to their table.

  “Sophie, you guys were incredible!” I exclaim, still shocked by their great performance. “You left us all speechless.”

  “We did well, didn’t we? It took us weeks to nail the choreography, but it was worth it. I had so much fun!” She laughs, and I hug her tightly, congratulating my best friend for a wonderful show.

  “Come. I’d like you to meet someone,” I pull Jake up by the sleeve when we haven’t even sat down for a minute.

  “Who?” Jake’s eyebrows shoot up.

  “You’ll see.” We walk to the other side of the tent where Sophie’s parents are sitting with my mom and dad, in a middle of a lively debate. We walk up to my mom. I lean down to her.

  “Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet Jake.” My mother raises her head, and looks at Jake. She smiles pleasantly, and she elbows my father.

  “Robert, Ella brought Jake.” Dad looks over and nods.

  “We’ll be right back,” he tells Sophie’s parents, and they smile and wave at me. We move a few steps aside so we can have a little privacy.

  “Mom, Dad, this is Jake,” I start the introduction. “Jake, these are my parents, Nicole and Robert Vaughn.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Jake shakes their hands, his other hand still protectively on my back.

  “Come here,” Mom smiles, and wraps him in a tight hug. While they’re hugging, I notice her whispering something in his ear. I raise my eyebrow at her, and she just winks at me.

  “We finally meet you.” Dad pats Jake on the back. “For a while there, I thought she made you up,” he adds, making Jake laugh. We chat pleasantly for about half an hour, and then it’s time to cut the cake.

  After we stuff ourselves with the delicious cake, Sophie throws her bouquet, and Matt tosses her garter—which, coincidentally, Jake catches—and the festivities finally come to an end. People start heading home. Matt and Sophie are sitting at the table
, in their little private bubble, talking, undoubtedly, about what a wonderful day it was. It turned out to be a great day for me, too, with Jake finally appearing at the reception. And we even danced to a few songs, even though he doesn’t like to dance.

  Chapter Six

  Jake

  The next morning, we are lying in bed, my arms wrapped around Ella, and her back to my chest. We are still tired from the wedding, so we spend the day lazily lounging in bed, enjoying each other’s company.

  “I took a look at the pictures¸” I tell her. A couple of days ago, she sent me some pictures of the building she wants to open her salon in.

  “And? What did you think?” she asks, turning to me.

  “I like it.”

  “Sophie says the same,” Ella smiles at me. “Do you think I should rent it?”

  “If that is what you want, sure. Why not? You are a great masseuse, and I have no doubt your business will be thriving in no time.”

  “I’ll still take some time to think it over. I don’t want to act rashly.” She intertwines her legs with mine. When she turns to me, I kiss her on the forehead.

  “There’s something else I need to tell you. I promised you no more secrets between us.” I run my fingers lightly over the bruise on her wrist that the man from my past gave her. How could I have let him put a hand on her? I tuck the stray strand of hair behind her ear.

  “You know you can tell me everything. Is something wrong?”

  “No and yes.” Wrinkling her forehead, she waits for me to continue. “I landed in Indianapolis yesterday morning.”

  She gives me a confused look. “Morning? But you only showed up at the wedding in the evening. What is going on, Jake?” I rub the nape of my neck.

  “I found out who the journalist is that stalked you is. I know him, actually.” Ella’s hand flies to cover her mouth.

  “But you said you had no idea who he is.” There’s hurt in her voice.

  “Babe, I didn’t know until yesterday. James took a picture of him when he attacked you in the club. He showed it to me, and I connected the dots.”

  “Oh God,” Ella exclaims in horror. “Who is he?”

  “I know him from the period of my life I’d like nothing more than to forget. From the time Liz and I were still together. It seems he was in love with her the whole time, and wanted to be with her, but she picked me. His name is Brian. I’ve only met him in passing, but I instantly knew he was bad news. He was a bastard then, and he’s even worse today. It shocked me that he managed to get a job as a journalist. Who would even want to hire him? I wasn’t even aware of his existence until Liz told me he was Timmy’s father.”

  “Kevin is Timmy’s father? And Brian is his real name?” She is perplexed. “Now that you mention it…Timmy does have his eyes.”

  I nod. “I went to see him yesterday. I had to see him with my own eyes. I warned him to stay away from you, and that you have nothing to do with this. Luckily, he’s going to jail for that last stunt he pulled at the club. You and James helped put him away for some time with your statements.”

  “Thank God. Just the thought of him makes my skin crawl.” Ella sits up in bed, leaning her back on the bed frame, and pulling the covers over her chest.

  “They can’t prove he sent those threatening photos, but we all know it was him,” I add.

  “What about Liz and Timmy? What happens to them now?”

  I shrug. “They’ll be able to live a more peaceful and relaxed life now. No more running or looking over their shoulder. And they won’t need Keith anymore.”

  “Poor Timmy. No wonder she was ashamed to tell him about his real dad. Who would want a person like him as a father of their children?”

  Ella

  “Hey, Brett,” I greet my client as he comes through the door of Ace. Flashing me a smile, he winks at me, and heads to the massage room. It’s been a month since Sophie and Matt’s wedding, and a week ago they left for their honeymoon to the Maldives, where they’re undoubtedly having the time of their life. I can’t wait for them to be back so I can hear all the juicy details about their time there. I join Brett in the massage room, where he is already lying on the table.

  “How are you?” he asks, as I pour some massage oil on my hands.

  “I’m fine, thank you. It’s a busy time of the year at work.”

  “You look tired,” he remarks. “Is everything okay between you and Jake?”

  “Couldn’t be better,” I assure him. He still hasn’t lost hope that, one day, I’ll break up with Jake, and give him a chance. I told him multiple times that won’t happen, but I guess it doesn’t help. I will be forever indebted to him for helping me chase off Brian, and I’m most grateful he was at the right place at the right time. If it wasn’t for him, God knows what would’ve happened. I think of him dearly, as a friend, but he will never be more than that.

  “It’s good to hear that. Well, if you ever tire of him, you know where to find me.” He winks, making me laugh.

  “I’ll remember that,” I say, and start kneading the muscles of his nicely defined back. We settle into silence, listening to the gentle music playing in the background.

  Jake is away again at a race, so I have the house to myself. I spend all my free time on searching for potential locations for my salon, but I don’t find anything more appropriate than the building I went to see first, and fell in love with. I sent Jake pictures of another place I also went to check out, but I wasn’t impressed with that one as much. Jake’s opinion would be appreciated, but I doubt he had the time to look at the message as he is in the middle of preparations for the race this weekend. However, I know he supports me, and if I decide on either one, he’s going to help me paint the walls, and furnish the place.

  After his hour is done, I say goodbye to Brett, and clean the place. Anna, my co-worker, comes in and dresses into her uniform, while I take mine off, as my shift is over. After a quick exchange of words, she hurries to greet her first client, and I head home. Since Sophie is away enjoying in the sun, and Jake is halfway around the world, I’ve decided to have a quiet night in, with a glass of wine in one hand, and a good book in the other. It’s been too long since I read anything. Ever since Kevin—I should probably start calling him Brian—has been in jail, I no longer need James. Truth be told, I’m relieved; I’m not used to have people following my every step. I cherish my privacy. I unlock the front door, and shove it open with my foot because I’m carrying a box full of fan mail. Throwing the keys on the shelf in the hallway, I dump the heavy box on the floor. I change into my favorite, stretched-out sweats, pour myself a glass of red wine, and grab my book. I stretch on the couch, and open the book to chapter five where I last finished reading. Romance novels are my favorite; they take me into another world, where I can switch off my brain, and forget about everyday worries and the real world. I engage with the characters, breathe with them. Right in the middle of the most intense part, where the hero is defending his loved one from bad guys, the doorbell rings. Putting the book away on the coffee table, I walk to the door. I assume it’s Camilla, Jake’s housekeeper. We technically don’t need her anymore as I clean the house and buy the groceries, but we didn’t have the heart to fire her since she’s practically become Jake’s family, and I’ve come to love her as well. But when I open the door, it’s not Camilla standing on the doorstep, it’s Jake’s mother, Mary. Lost for words, I stand there for a few seconds, and then finally speak up.

  “Jake’s not here. He’s in Italy,” I say, politely.

  “I know. I came to see you. May I come in?” she says reservedly. I nod, stepping to the side to let her inside. “I’d like to talk to you,” she says. Still speechless, I give her another nod. Showing her to the living room, I pass her to the kitchen to get her a drink. I can breathe easily now that she’s not around. What does she want to tell me? I hope she’s not here to warn me away from Jake. This option is not possible. I love him too much to give him up. With two glasses of iced tea in my hands, I
join her in the living room. I sit down on the sofa with a small smile in her direction. Running my palms down the length of my thighs, I wait for her to speak, but as I look up, I find her assessing me. The awkward tension between us is not enough, now she has to terrify me with her unblinking stare.

  “You said you had something to talk to me about?” I ask, to break the uncomfortable silence. Mrs. Burns nods and takes a sip of her iced tea, setting it carefully back on the coffee table.

  “I’ve been thinking about our past encounters, and I’ve come to realize I may have been a little unfair to you. Jeff thinks I should apologize, and Jake shares his opinion. So, I decided I should come see you.”

  “Are you here because of them or because of you?” I ask her bluntly.

  “I’m here because of me. I know I haven’t behaved kindly toward you, but you have to understand. Every mother fiercely protects her children. I didn’t want him to go through the same hell he’s already been in. It was a very hard and trying time for all of us.” Her eyes tear up. I get up, and bring her a tissue from the shelf in the corner. “Thank you,” she says. I notice the corners of her mouth turn up slightly. “I don’t know how much Jake has told you, but he’s been through a lot in the past. It wasn’t easy on him, and it wasn’t easy on Jeff and I. It hurt us to see him destroy himself.”

  “I know. He told me everything.”

  “Everything? Even about Liz?”

  “Yes. I know he was married to her, and that she wanted to pass her son as his.”

  “He must really love you in order to tell you that, because he doesn’t share the details of his past. With anybody. It is as if he wants to bury that period of his life.”

  “Look, Mrs. Burns.” I take a deep breath. “I’m nothing like Liz. I would never force anybody to be with me. If I am in a relationship, it has to be a committed one. If I thought he didn’t love me, I would leave him immediately.”