The Arrangement

The Arrangement_32

{Dixon's POV}

"Still no word from her?" David asked.

I shook my head no and looked down at my empty glass, I tapped the bar and the bartender came over with the whiskey and gave me a refill.

"She'll come around." David tried to reassure me.

Again I shook my head no, and showed him the letter I had gotten only days ago.

"It was all fake, just a pretty and elaborate illusion. Not that it was much before, but what do you expect when your marrying for all the wrong reasons?" I rambled.

"Wait," David put in confused, "so the minister wasn't real?"

I sighed in frustration "he was an officiant, not an actual minister. We chose him because we chose to have a non-denominational wedding." I cleared up, "but the issue is that the dudes ID was expired making all the forms and stuff he filled out invalid and un-usable, so all the weddings he performed this year aren't legal. The paper says there are over thirty couples, mine and Lila's included who's marriage was really all just a lie."

"That's crazy, so in a way, I guess it's okay that you guys split up then."

I could've punched my own friend at that moment. Lila and I hadn't split up and just ended our marriage, we were just trying to give each other a little space right now. But neither one of us had officially said 'It's Over'.

"I mean could you imagine how devastated you two would have been if you were both happily married and then found out about this."

"Yeah," I said and threw down a twenty on the bar without even touching my second whiskey. "Hey I gotta get going man, I got a report I have to present in the morning."

We said bye and I left, the whole cab ride home I shook my head in disbelief, Lila and I had, had a happy marriage. When she came back from the honeymoon things were good and even bordered perfection.

We got along great, never argued, disagreed about a few things but nothing major, and at the end of the day I looked forward to her cuddled up with me on the sofa as I watched a game on low and she read on her little kindle tablet silently.

It wasn't much but damn it, we were happy.

And maybe I'm naive or just hopeful, but I never told anyone (but my best friend) about mine and Lila's time-out.

When news broke about the officiants bad paperwork I had to tell them something so I told them Lila took off, it wasn't a lie, they just didn't know she left before any of this mess happened.

I got to the house and as usual I walked all over the house to see if she decided to come back while I was out, she hadn't.

I sat down at the large dining room table and laid my head against it.

Like so many times before, I replayed that same day over and over again, the day Lila accused me of cheating.

If I had just rescheduled the showing.

If I had just asked the woman to explain things to Lila.

If I had just fought harder for her instead of letting my pride get in the way she would still be here.

And to top it off that same Canadian buyer didn't even end up buying the apartment, it was eventually picked up by a middle aged couple who were expecting their first child via a surrogate.

Then I remembered about the letter.

Was David right?

If things had gone a different way and Lila and I didn't take time apart, how would we be handling this right now?

Would we get remarried, would she leave thinking it was a sign?

Just then I felt my phone vibrate, I looked and saw the familiar picture of Lila, only I noticed it wasn't her cellphone number, she was calling from work.

"Hello."

"Hi, can we talk?" She asked a little unsure. It felt good to hear her voice, I didn't miss her sad undertone though.

"Of course, what happened to your cellphone?"

I heard her soft sigh before she answered my question, "I threw it off of Elise's balcony."

I shook my head and even smiled a bit.

And for the first time since knowing Lila, there was an awkward silence.

I looked at the clock, it was almost 6pm, so i took a chance, what is there to lose right? "Have you had dinner?" I asked.

There was a pause on the line "no" she answered.

"Would you mind meeting me for dinner so we can discuss this topic in person, assuming you've heard. if not then I really need to tell you something about our marriage and possible see where we go from here."

Dixon" she began to protest.

"One dinner, we just talk, and if you never want to see me again then we can arrange for that as well."

"I'm suppose to go to my parents for dinner." She replied.

"Cancel, tell them your having dinner with me."

"Fine" she sighed.

"I'll pick you up from work." I instructed.

She remained silent before she responded, "fine see you later." And just like that she had hung up.

I sat still in the silence for quite some time before I got up to get ready, I had to shower off last nights hangover and this afternoons happy hour whiskey special.

When it was finally time to pick up Lila I didn't have a plan or anything in mind as I drove away from the house, the only thing I knew is that I NEEDED her back in my life and I would stop at nothing to get her back.