AN: Hi. It's short. Sorry.
With tears streaming down her reddened cheeks, her voice carrying across the apartment, she sent objects flying.
"Fuck you," she cried.
The heartbroken women barely missed the adulterer as she came to her aid.
"Don't touch me," she screamed. "Don't you dare fucking touch me."
"Nova, please."
Nova fell into her fiancee's arms, weeping until she finally found her words.
"How could you, J?"
It was the fourth occurrence since they'd fallen asleep. The same situation, playing out slightly different than the last. The guilt of what she had done, already eating away at her.
She'd made a promise once. She promised not to step out again. Not to leave her in the dark if she felt the need to. And yet it happened. For the first time in over a year and the guilt was far worse than ever before.
Jamie sat up on the side of the bed, staring out the window. The world was still covered in darkness, but she knew the sun would be making its arrival soon. She needed to make her exit.
Jamie traveled through the house, following the trail of clothing to the den. There she put on the fabrics.
Sliding the jogging pants over her legs she felt the weight of her cell phone in her pocket. She gave it a quick scan. No texts. No missed calls. The relief that washed over her was one she didn't realize she needed.
Snatching up her keys and the remaining mini bottle of wine she made her way for the door.
"Leaving already?" Jamie turned in the direction of his voice and there he was slowly strolling down the hall. Pants hanging low on his hips. "What's the rush?"
"I need to get back. You should too. We don't need anyone asking questions right now."
"Well..." He'd moved beyond the shadows, revealing the engagement ring locked between his fingertips. "You're gonna need this."
"Shit." Jamie hastily snatched the ring from his grasp. She couldn't believe she almost managed to depart without it. "Thank you," she sighed, slipping the jewelry on her finger. She wasted no time returning to the door.
"I want to see you soon."
"That can't happen, Prince. You and I both know that."
"That's only so because you're saying it. Yet here we are. We've already done it."
Jamie pulled open the door. She had nothing left to say. Nothing to counter his remark. He was right. Here they were and this was where it must end.
"I'll turn her loose."
"We're getting married in the Spring."
Unexpected their simultaneous statements may have been, but Jamie went on.
"Down at the courthouse. Simple, you know. Her idea. Not mine." If it were up to Jamie she would've at least had a "proper" ceremony. Something for all those she loved to partake in.
"What happened to a beach wedding? The sunsetting? The braided bun? The white dress? Toes in the sand?"
She'd forgotten that night. The night of pillow talk. When she allowed her curiosity and naïvety shine bright without shame.
"And marriage, would you travel down that path again?"
His shrug was light. It was something he hadn't quite thought about after Manuela. Two failed marriages had already taken its toll. To have a third would be insane unless he knew for certain that no matter the obstacle, they'd overcome it. Together. To know that would be impossible.
"It depends."
"Depends on what?"
"A lot of things. You want to get married or something?"
His flip of the question made her redden.
"One day," she muttered. "On the beach."
"The beach," he chuckled. "You're one of those, huh? A beach wedding," he playfully scoffed.
"Oh, shut up!" She slapped her hand across his chest.
"I'm kidding," he chimed. He planted a kiss on the backside of her hand. "A beach wedding. What else?"
"Umm, something small, but big at the same time. If that makes sense." Seeing his nodded she kept going. "Maybe we'd wear white or something. White and gold. I want those tiki things at the end of the aisle. I want to jump the broom as the sun sets. Have like twenty people there. Those that matter. No wedding party. Not a big one at least. Just my maid—well, man of honor and maybe Devin, if he's old enough."
"What about the flower girl and ring barrier?"
"Don't need em," she chuckled. "He can have my ring in his pocket and I'll have his in my titties."
The laugh that expelled from his body was one that ignited her own bundled of giggles.
"What? I'm being real."
"I know," he howled. "Putting titty sweat all over his hand."
"Yup! Titty sweat til death do us part."
The brief recollection maybe her tear up. She did want that long ago. For a moment in her youth she thought it'd come into fruition.
With the winter breeze slapping her in the face, Jamie shut the door. She leaned against the wall, keeping her distance as the following words left her.
"You know, when I told you that all I could visualize was us. You standing in front of me. Us taking that leap together. I wanted you for a long time. I saw you for what seemed like ages." He studied her as she seemed to be staring beyond him. She was getting lost in her thoughts. Then her eyes connected to his own. "Maybe I was just being young and naive." The corner of her mouth rose, pulling her lips into a somber smirk. "Don't you think?"
"Young? Yes. But never naive."
He needed her to know that. What her heart once longed for was never something to be a comparison to naivety. "Who is it that you see now, Jamie?"
Jamie kept her gazed locked to the floor.
"Honestly, I'm tired of explaining things to you. Answering all your questions. I need to get back home."
Prince stormed her way, "Then why come here. Why come here Jamie? Why do this?"
Jamie rolled her eyes in his direction. "There you go, again, still asking questions with an answer that I don't have. I really have to go now."
Jamie rocked on her heels, struggling to find the right words. Yet they never came, so she did the only thing she could, she opened the door and bid him farewell. "Goodbye, Prince."
