The Groom's Dove

The Real Me

004

~The Groom~

"Running behind. Start without me. " No remorse, nothing.

She's the reason I'm sitting here, 20 minutes early. Lateness is indiscipline, should be treated like a crime and shows how disrespectful someone is unless she's the one running late.

I drop my phone and pick up the coffee cup. After some thought, I pick the phone back up.

"How late?"

I wait. 3 minutes, not yet read.

A sigh escapes my lips and I bring the coffee cup to my lips. Wrong move. It burns my tongue.

I spit it out and grab some tissue from the table. "Oh God..."

"Mr Ashford are you okay?" I nod, dismissing her. I sigh again for the umpteenth time and lean into my seat.

It's time and she's still not here. I grab my phone and my coat, and there's Dove Pierce, the wedding planner, walking into the restaurant.

She has a glow different from what I saw in Charlotte's penthouse. She looks real. More real.

Our eyes meet and she hesitates before walking over.

"Flying solo?" She asks once she's settled her coat down.

"Charlotte is running late." I explain and sit back down.

"Oh..." She nods. The waitress walks to our table and takes her tea order. She takes a sip and nods.

I clear my throat.

The restaurant becomes quiet and I can't help but adjust my tie. I see her shuffle her posture and straighten her blazier.

She avoids eye contact with me and looks to the door occasionally. I sipped my coffee this time.

Why is it so bitter?

I reach for the sugar, and at the same time the wedding planner reaches for it.

We both laugh. "You first." I say to her, She hands it over to me when she's through.

"So..." She starts when she has taken a sip. "Tell me about your dream wedding?"

I stare at her with wide eyes. No one's ever asked. Charlotte has never asked. Never cared.

"Oh..." I am still surprised that she had asked that question. "My grandparents' 60th anniversary." I say.

She puts down her cup and focuses her attention on me.

"It was simple, yet beautiful." I laugh a bit. "Their dance event after 60 years pulled the entire crowd to tears. It was so... Full of love."

I pause. What if I am boring her out?

I look up to see her reaching for the tissue. "Are... Are you crying?"

She laughs. "What is wrong with me?"

"Are... Are you okay?"

"It's just so beautiful." She smiles, dabbing under her eyes. "I don't know what I'm doing."

I'm at a loss for words. I begin to laugh and she joins in. For the first time in months, someone is listening to me. For the first time in months... There's someone I'm not boring out with my grandparents' story.

"I apologize about that."

I shake my head. "It's fine. Really."

"So tell me about your work with the non-profit institution."

"You know about that?"

She blinks. "Of... Of course. I found out."

"Oh..." So I tell her. About the schools being built in Honduras. "It was difficult at first but the kids made me want to make it work more than ever."

I tell her the challenges. How some officials opposed my vision.

"With my grandma's help though, it scaled through. " She nods, taking in every word. "What about you?" I ask.

She thinks for a while. "Wedding planning has always been my dream. To give people their fairytale weddings. "

She tells me of the struggles. Of when she began newly and had to toggle recordings without errors.

"I once mixed up a Latino couple with a Russian couple. Trust me, I don't want to relive that memory."

I can't help but smile.

We talk more, about her business, the small victories and time disappears. I realize I'm smiling. I'm genuinely smiling for the first time in weeks.

She has a way of making everything feel... Lighter.

"So Mr Ashford..."

"Liam." What am I doing? "You can call me Liam."

She doesn't look quite comfortable about it.

"Well..."

I recognize the perfume scent and the murmurs that erupt throughout the restaurant before she speaks.

"Liam! Traffic was absolutely bad." She walks up to me in her designer clothes and sunglasses. She kisses my cheek without warmth.

"Isn't that Charlotte De Vos?"

"Quick. Take a picture."

Charlotte gives them her sweetest smile.

"That must be her fiance."

"I'm so jealous..."

"Have you been waiting long?" She asks me. No apology. No recognition for Dove.

"Not long." Dove says before I can speak. "I just got here." She straightens her back and pulls out her laptop. Her face is firm and she's no longer looking my way.

I miss the woman I was talking to seconds ago.

"Tea?" Charlotte waves her hands.

"I'm fine. Too many calories. The minor adjustments?"

"All applied." Dove replies and hands the laptop over to Charlotte who scrolls through. She nods.

"About the music, we'll do Mozart."

"Jazz is really good Charlie..."

"Come on Liam honey. Your grandmother's taste is lovely but this isn't 1950." She turns to Dove. "Mozart it is Miss Pierce."

Dove nods.

"Anything else?"

Charlotte thinks for a while.

That's right. Alex, my college roommate. We always say we'll be each other's best man.

"I'll have my college roommate as my best man...."

"I've already asked my ex's brother to do that. We need symmetry in the photos."

I almost laugh. Symmetry?? I don't even know we need symmetry.

"Your order ma'am."

"What is this?" Charlotte asks the barista with a snarl.

"Your order ma'am..."

"Does this look like a cherry cake to you?!"

Not again.

The barista bows. "I'm sorry ma'am..."

"Sorry?! What if I'm allergic to this?! Of yours this carless why work here?!"

Camera's flicker. Whispers travel.

"Serves her right."

"She messed up my order too one time."

"I'm sorry ma'am." The girl is almost in tears.

"How hard is it to get a simple order right?!"

"It's fine." Dove says. "I'll pay for this instead." She turns to the barista. "Be more careful next time. Okay? " She nods and runs off.

Charlotte rolls her eyes. Dove exhales.

"Why were you quiet?"

Silence.

""Why did you say nothing?" She repeats. "You're too soft, Liam. People need to learn the consequences."

I catch Dove's eyes. She quickly looks away.

Her phone rings "I have to take this. It's Vogue."

We sit at the table in silence. No words, nothing. I just stare at my hands.

"She's just stressed." I hate that I'm making excuses for her. Again.

Dove's professional smile is plastered on her face. "Weddings bring out a lot of strong emotions." But her eyes say a different thing.

She knows this isn't about weddings and strong emotions. We both know.

"Can..." She raises her head and meets my eyes. "Can I ask you something?..." Her voice is quiet. " Do you... are you happy?"

The question cracks something open in my chest.

Before I can answer, Charlotte's back. "Let's go, Liam. We have the venue walkthrough."

"Your phone." Dove says as I stand to leave. Her hand brushes mine as she passes me the phone.

The contact lasts one second but electricity shoots up my arm. Our eyes meet. She feels it too.

Charlotte is already at the door, impatient. I walk away but the warmth of Dove's fingers on mine remains.