"Hello! My name is Janice. I'll be your server today" The waitress in the diner smiled at you and Matt, a coffee pot in one hand. "Can I get you anything to start?"
"Coffee" you both said at the same time, looking away from each other. You kept your eyes focused on the cup as she filled it, refusing to look at Matt again.
The last hour was torture. When you got back into the car, Matt turned his music off and true silence filled the car. You thought you'd enjoy it, but it was the worst thing. Every few minutes, he'd sigh or tap his finger against the gear stick and you wished you could say something but you didn't. You couldn't. You were grateful when he parked in front of a diner. The noise was a good distraction from the argument.
You've never been friends, this wasn't news. Not getting along started from day one. So why was there a pit in your stomach that got deeper when he looked away from you?
Janice snapped you from your thoughts. "Have you decided what you'd like to eat?"
"I'll have a turkey club, please, on whole wheat bread" Matt closed his menu. "And a glass of water"
Janice nodded, taking his menu before looking at you. "And for yourself?"
"Uh-" you barely looked at the menu, too lost in your thoughts to think about it. "I'll just have a burger, please. And a water as well"
Janice nodded, taking your menus and giving you both a smile, before going into the kitchen. You both fell silent, sipping your coffee, trying best not to look at each other.
Your best was not up to your best standards as you couldn't stop taking quick glances at Matt as he looked out the window. He hadn't shaved in a few days and you noticed the stubble. It's like their was a new wall up between the two of you and you never felt more detached from him, which is saying something.
You looked back down at your coffee.
"Shit" he said in a low voice and he ruffled through his pockets.
You looked up and saw him digging through his pockets of his jacket. "What?" You asked. "What is it?"
"I had the vows-in my pocket-but they're-" Matt jammed his hand into his pocket and you saw his face relax. "Oh thank God, I thought they fell out"
Matt took his away back out his pocket, two notes in his hand. Each one was labelled carefully. One with Grace written in Lisa's handwriting and one with Lisa, written in Grace's handwriting.
"You have their wedding vows?" You asked, raising your brows in surprise. "Why?"
"The same reason you have their rings" He shrugged, making sure not to crease the papers. "They forgot them"
You smiled at the memory of your forgetful friends. "Right. Of course"
Matt's eyes flickered and he bit his lip. "Want to take a look?"
"At their vows?" You looked around as if someone was watching you both. "I-that seems wrong"
"Fine, then don't look at them" He said, setting down the note labelled Grace on the table. He started to open up the letter with Lisa's name. "I'll read them"
It took a few seconds for you to crack. "Wait" you chewed your thumb as Matt raised his brow at you. "Will you read them to me?"
Matt spent so long staring at you, you thought he was going to refuse. You held his stare, refusing to back down. Finally, Matt nodded and looked down at the notes.
"My darling, Lisa" He began. "It seems so strange that today is finally here. I feel like we've been building up to it since we met. When I was a little girl, I always.." Matt cleared his throat before continuing. "I always thought there was something wrong with me. I thought the things I felt and the way I loved, was wrong. I thought I was going against God and against nature. And then I met you"
Matt took a sip of his coffee and you did the same. You could see the tears forming in his eyes. You felt guilty reading them.
"The moment I met you, I knew the way I loved wasn't wrong because I was loving you" The more he read, his voice got deeper. You could tell he was getting emotional. "Being with you could never be wrong and God could never be mad when he made someone like you. I promise to love you when you wake me up at 4am because you took the blankets, and I promise to love you when you nearly burn our house down. I promise to love every version of you. I-" Matt looked up at you and cleared his throat. "I love you"
You wiped the tears away from your eyes but Matt saw.
"That..wow-" You cleared your throat.
Matt folded Grace's letter back, careful not to crease it anymore. "I didn't know she felt like that" he said after a minute. "Like she was..wrong"
You nodded and picked up Lisa's vows. You were careful opening them. "I'll read these, yeah?"
Matt nodded and took a sip of his water. "Yeah"
"Grace" you started, already feeling the lump form in your throat. "I don't even know where to begin. I've tried to write down all the ways I love you, but I'll never find the right words. I don't think there is a word to describe the love I have for you. I think the best word is permanent'" You paused, taking a gulp of water for your dry throat. "Anyone that knows me, knows I'm afraid of commitment. The idea of having something forever, terrifies me. But the idea of having you forever..that's all I want. Committing to you isn't any trouble. I'm sure of you and I'm sure of us. I love you, permanently. I'll love you when your old with a bad hip" You laughed. "I'll love you when you do something stupid and make me want to tear my hair out. I want all of our friends and family to witness me saying that. I'll never back out or run away from you"
When you finished reading, you folded the paper back up, wiped your eyes and grabbed the other note on the table. You pushed them towards Matt , not able to look at him. "Here. Put these away again"
Matt took the vows and put them back in his pocket. "It's probably-" He cleared his throat and you knew the vows made him emotional, just like they did to you. "It's probably best that we read them now, so that we're prepared for the ceremony"
"Yeah" you wrapped your hands around the coffee mug. "They really love each other"
Matt tapped his finger on the table, a concentrated look on his face. "You know, Grace is my closest friend. I don't want her to get hurt"
Your head snapped up, meeting his eyes. "Lisa would never hurt Grace" You said defending your friend. "Didn't you hear her vows? I've never heard her sound so sure of something in her life"
"I'm just saying. If anything happened-"
"And I'm saying, it won't" You shot him an icy glare.
