He looked out the window, having stopped the pretend reading hours ago. He did his best to try to forget today, hoping that long flights and airport bars would help, but none of it did. His mind was preoccupied with one thought today – ‘she’s getting married to him’. He didn’t think he could get out of the country fast enough today. So, he found himself sitting in some random waiting area in Los Angeles, waiting for a flight that couldn’t get here fast enough.
He heard his cell phone chirp from inside his pocket. He didn’t know why he turned it on when he got off the flight from Pittsburgh – habit, he guessed. He was surprised it was ringing – anyone that would be calling him should be at her wedding right now. He sat straight up when he saw it was Ryan’s number.
“Ryan?”
“Oh my God, Jim.”
“Ryan, what are you doing? Shouldn’t you be sitting through mind-numbingly boring vows right about now?”
“Well, we should be, except we’re not.” Ryan looked around as everyone was milling outside the church, unsure of what to do. Michael was trying to talk him into Chili’s but Ryan was doing his best to ignore him. The only thing he knew for sure was that Pam was gone. As Pam ran out, her sister let out a loud whoop and followed her out. Kevin had said he saw Pam piling into her sister’s car and they drove away before Roy even got a chance to follow her.
“What do you mean your not?”
“She ran out.”
“Ran out?”
“Yeah. Look, I delivered your present and she… well, she seemed freaked out by the time I got there, but once she read whatever you wrote to her, she… lost it. She collapsed onto the floor of this bathroom at the church. I tried to talking to her, but she was out of it.”
“Oh my God” Jim said, leaning back against the chair, running his fingers through his hair.
“No kidding. So, the wedding started and she got halfway down the aisle when she stopped and announced to the whole church that she couldn’t do this and ran out. Kevin said he saw her and her sister leaving about 10 minutes ago.”
“She couldn’t do what?”
“Get married, since she ditched her wedding.”
He thought, for a moment, that his heart quit beating. ‘She ditched her wedding. She didn’t get married.’ Those few words replayed on a continuous loop in his mind.
“Jim? Jim, what are you going to do?”
“What? I’m… what are you taking about?”
“I’m asking you what you are going to do!”
“Uh… get on my flight?”
“You can’t be serious. Jesus, Jim, she… SHE DIDN’T GET MARRIED!” Ryan realized he was screaming into his cell phone at this point, but he didn’t care.
“Why does that I mean I have to do something?”
“Are you kidding me?!? She… damn it, Jim! She read your note, then she said she couldn’t get married. Yeah, I think you need to do something!”
“I DID SOMETHING!” It was Jim’s turn to scream. Good thing no one seemed to care. “I told her I loved her. I kissed her. She ran from me. She’s the one who quit talking to me. Why do I have to do anything!?! I think she’s the one who should be calling me, not the other way around.”
“Well, God, Jim, it’s not like she had pockets on her wedding dress for a cell phone!”
“Ryan, look, I appreciate you letting me know and everything, but…”
“Don’t go to Sydney.”
“I’ve already paid for my ticket.”
“Tell them a family emergency came up and you have to come back. Eat the money! Just don’t get on the damn plane! You may feel like you don’t want to do anything now, but that might change tomorrow and by then, you’ll be half a world away. Don’t get on the plane.”
“United flight 1542 Los Angeles to Sydney is now beginning pre-boarding at Gate 45A. Anyone traveling with small children and first class passengers, please…” Jim scrubbed his hand over his eyes as he heard his flight being announced.
“Ryan, that’s my flight. I need to go!”
“Jim, don’t! Think about this.”
“Ryan, I have. She… just because she didn’t get married today doesn’t mean she won’t marry him tomorrow or next week or next month. As far as I can tell, nothing’s changed. Look, I’ve got to go. I’ll… I’ll try calling you once I get past the jet lag and everything.”
Jim snapped his phone shut and let out the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.
“United flight 1542 Los Angeles to Sydney will now be boarding passengers in rows…” Jim stood up and grabbed his carry on bag. He stood next to the line for a moment, staring at the people filing on to the plane.
TBC…
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© 2006-2023 More Than That | Skin created by Kali
© 2006-2023 More Than That | Skin created by Kali