The 3 Month Plan

Mr and Mrs Williamson

I take a deep breath to steady myself. This is it, I'm doing this. There is no backing down now.

Frank watches me for second. "You look stunning," he says grabbing my hand. "You make a beautiful bride."

I didn't have this with Rocky. A wedding. We had a party to let people know we were married.

"Is it too much?" I ask.

Frank grins. "The wedding or the dress?"

I frown. "The dress," I reply. "But I guess the wedding too."

"I'm not going to lie. This is crazy but it's very much needed."

"Needed?" I question.

"You and Rocky are still very much in love but at the moment you are at each other's throat. That's not what love is about. He is making your life hell because he loves you, and I never thought I'd say that about anyone. He's making it difficult so you can go back home to him. And you, you're very much in love and trying to stay away to not hurt him. You're frustrated with him and claim to hate him because he's not letting you live but truth be told, you can't live without him and he's not living without you. You're both hating each other because you love one another. That's the insanity in all of this."

I shoot him a glare. "That's not helping."

He gestures his fingers across his lip. "Keeping my mouth shut."

A small fake wedding to get Rocky off my back. Never thought it would come to this. To make it worse, Frank paid for everything because I cannot afford it. Frank, like Rocky, has his own business. It's not as big as Rocky's but he's definitely successful and makes enough that him forking out for a small wedding does not create an indent in his wallet.

Frank first called me to find out what had happened. He'd just returned to the country to find news that we were married and then possibly a rumoured split. I agreed to meet him for brunch at his place and soon enough I told him everything.

"You know," Frank says beside me drawing me out of my thoughts. "All the bad that had to happen in your life has happened. You should just go back to Rocky because you love him."

I sigh. "We don't know that. The whole time I was with him, every time something bad happened I told myself it was the last time, but it never was. I can't put him or his family through that. They've seen enough thanks to me."

"Yes maybe, but it's truly over. What bad has happened since you came here?"

"Nothing," I pronounce. "But that's cause I'm here...away from him."

Frank shakes his head. "It's all done. Go back to him, Sky."

"I can't now," I whisper almost to myself. "If I go now, it'll look like I'm doing it because I'm broke."

Frank grimaces. "So that's why you're doing all of this. For self respect. Sky, he doesn't even think that way. He's madly in love and that's all he cares about."

Shaking my head, I straighten my wedding dress in the mirror. "Can we just do this."

Frank nods. "You won't lose self respect going back to him. You'll only find love and happiness."

—————————

"Take a deep breath, Sky," I tell myself.

I know how stupid this is but it is the only way to get Rocky off my back. He needs to move on, and if he does, perhaps it'll help me move on.

I rub my sweaty palms on my wedding dress and then straighten the skirt as I look at the crowd of thirty or forty people. All fake.

My eyes try to avoid scanning the crowd behind the glass panel. If Rocky isn't here then everything I planned has gone to waste, but if he is here then I don't want him noticing me keeping an eye out for him.

My phone buzzes. He's here.

I sigh in relief. Rocky's here. This won't be for waste.

I watch Frank walk down the aisle. We're almost here.

Turning around to face the mirror, I straighten my skirt one more time. The nerves are kicking in.

"You look beautiful," a voice says behind me.

I don't have to turn around to realise it's Rocky.

I take a peak in the mirror and see the corner of his face. This time pretending to straighten my skirt, I turn to face him almost busying myself with my skirt a little too much.

"Hi Rocky," I say trying to control every urge I have to run up to him and apologise.

His eyes scan up and down my dress. "Pity we never had a wedding," he says walking closer to me. "I never got to see you in a wedding dress."

"Pity we never had a marriage," I reply trying to sound bitter.

"Pity," he says shoving his hand into his coat and pulling out an envelope. "Since you love envelopes so much," he says holding it out for me.

"What is it?" I ask.

He smirks. "No need to get worried. It's your wedding gift," he says handing it over to me. "Just don't open it until your married."

My throat tightens. Part of me hurts that he's giving up on us so quickly but part of me is glad. Isn't that what I wanted to begin with — for him to leave me and start his own life, so why does it hurt so much seeing him call it quits.

Fisting my skirt into my hand, I use my other hand to place the card on the table with all the other gifts.

"I hope you like your gift," Rocky says. "It didn't take long to find what was perfect for you."

His head turns past the glass panel and he notices the back of Frank with the crowd. "Is that the groom?" He asks.

I nod not knowing how he will react once he notices it's Frank.

"You should take your seat," I tell him. "The wedding starts soon."

As he turns to leave, a question pops into my mind. "Is your family attending?"

Rocky stops mid track to face me. "They don't know we've spilt. Only Daniella knows," and with that he leaves to take a seat.

My heart twists. I've hurt his family too. They have no idea we've spilt, of course they wouldn't. As far as they were concerned, we were a real married couple. They'll be devastated.

The music plays and that's my queue. Wiping the tear I hadn't realised escaped, I walk over to the wooden door that leads me down to the aisle.

Opening the door, I walk past. My eyes immediately go to Frank. He has his back to me and the fake attendants. Rocky still hasn't seen him.

There are red rose petals down the aisle. To my left and right beside the attendees are large antique style silver and bronze vases about a metre in length filled with grand silver painted flowers. Silver vines are wrapped and twisted around the arch where Frank is standing.

As I walk down the aisle, Frank turns to face me and from the corner of my eye, I see the shock and disappointment register in Rocky's face.

Frank grabs my hand and helps me up one set of steps to stand under the arch. Leaning in he whispers, "Rocky looks more hurt than surprised."

I try not to let my emotions get in the way. "Let's just get this over with."

Standing under the arch, Frank and I both face the Marriage Officiant. I hear them speak but I cannot comprehend what is happening. My hands begin to shiver and Frank gives me a squeeze for reassurance. He's probably more terrified than I am, Rocky after all was his dear friend.

I hear Frank utter some words which draws me out of my thoughts. Vows. He's making fake promises, just as I am to do in a few moments.

From the corner of my eye, I notice Rocky stand up and leave. I freeze but Frank continues even though he is just as aware of the fact that Rocky has just left.

When we're both sure that Rocky has left, Frank stops his fake vows. "I didn't think he'd last."

I wipe at a loose tear. "I would have thought he was stubborn enough to stick around."