THE WEDDING:

I remember it like it was yesterday.

It had started out like any ordinary day. Except for one thing. It was to be my wedding day.

I couldn’t sleep the night before. The excitement that had coursed through my body at the thought of finally being with the man I loved seemed like a drug that threatened to send me to the depths of insanity. Hanging in the corner of my room was the white dress that I had chosen for myself. I remember seeing it displayed through that large glass window at the store. The feel of the cold glass against my nose and lips as I had gazed in spellbinding awe at the sheer beauty of the long gown. I had told everyone that I was going to get that dress for my wedding and everyone had agreed with me. Hn…who dared argue with me? After all, I was the daughter of a very important man and I was considered a princess to most people.

It had turned out to be a glorious day.

The sun seemed to say, as it rose from the horizon, that it was to be a day filled with happy memories. The birds seemed to sing songs even sweeter than before. The cold nip of the early morning air biting into my skin as I had danced around the yard in joy. Everything had seemed beautiful to me. Everything had seemed to breathe a life of its own. The flowers and trees bobbed and weaved with the wind as I had danced along the path, each petal shimmering with early morning dew, their beautiful colors seeming to dazzle the senses. I had picked over a dozen red and white roses for myself, a song of happiness escaping my lips as I paid homage to the wonders of nature.

/He is mine. He will belong to me. In a few hours, our new life begins. I am going to become a wife!/

I could barely eat. Father had tried to make me eat. Friends had tried to make me eat, but what good is food when you had a man waiting to feed you for the rest of your life? It was the last time I was going to eat in this house. Come tomorrow, I would be feeding my husband and he would be feeding me too.

The dress was a perfect fit as I had imagined it would be. It had caressed my body like silk…or better yet, like his hands on my skin. I had twirled around in the flowing gown, watching the folds billow around like clouds on a hot summer’s day.

The guests had arrived. The decorations set. The priest at hand and I eager and ready, hands tightening on my bouquet, barely able to sit still as I had paced in anticipation and readiness. I had memorized my lines. I could say them without blinking.

/Till death do us part. Forever and ever and ever…/

The sun was beginning to set. The glasses of champagne had begun to go flat, their fizzle long gone. The flowers seemed to droop and the guests were beginning to talk. Mumble, mumble, grumble, grumble. Even as I had sat on my chair beside the window staring at the dying sunset, I could hear every single word.

I kept on smiling, even as my roses began to wither.

Maybe he had got caught up in traffic. Maybe he had lost his way. Maybe he had forgotten the day. Yes that had to be it. He could be quite forgetful.

Silly man.

The stars were beginning to twinkle. The guests had all gone. The lonely sounds of the plates and cups that had never been used reached my ears as my roses had died a little more. My jaw had begun to ache. I guess I had been smiling for hours now, after all, I had only the lonesome ticking sounds of the clock for company.

The white gown is now creamy with time. The red and white roses now brown with age. He is taking an extremely long time getting here, but I had made a promise to him. A promise that I intend to keep, no matter how long it takes.

For as time passes me by…I shall keep sitting here…

….waiting.