Breaking the News

The candlelight made shadows flicker across the wall, giving the room a warm, cozy feeling. I cuddled myself closer to Nick and smiled up at him. "I don't ever want this to end," I told him sincerely.

He looked nervous as he glanced over at the clock. "We need to talk, Mi."

I sat up and narrowed my eyes at him. "About what, Nicholas?" I asked, most likely sounding like a child.

He scratched the back of his neck and began with, "I think we should," but quickly changed his thought track. "You know I love you right?" he asked me hesitantly.

"I thought I did, but you're scaring me Nick. What's all this about? Is something wrong? Did I-"

He cut off my mindless pondering with, "No, Mi, it's not you..." he said trailing off.

My eyes widened and I stood up, "You are not pulling that 'it's not you, it's me' crap, are you? COME ON, NICK! I DESERVE BETTER THAN THAT!" My voice suddenly lost all of its volume as I added in with a silent whisper, "After all we've been through?"

He looked hurt at my outburst, but when I added in the last part, he looked...shattered. "No, Miley. It really isn't you. Hell, it's not me either. It's my parents, and they're stupid pre-arranged marriages..." he said, trailing off once again at the sudden look of panic on my face.

When he didn't even attempt to comfort me, my voice seemed to find the lost emphasis, "You're ENGAGED? Nicholas Jerry Jonas! HOW COULD YOU? YOU TOLD ME YOU LOVED ME! YOU TOLD ME YOU WANTED TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WITH ME, AND THE WHOLE TIME YOU WERE..engaged?" my voice cracked on the last word. Of course.

He suddenly stood up, putting his hands on my shoulders, starring straight into my eyes, and spoke, "Miley, I never told you a single lie. I do love you. I do want to spend the rest of my life with you. But, I can't."

I shook my head at him. "Bye Nick," I said for what I thought was the last time.

As I was heading for the door, I tried not to cry, but with one last glance at the unopened bottle of wine, the tears began to flow freely.

The Wedding

I stared out my wind and continued nawing on my lip. So, today was the day. The big day. The day I'd been dreading for exactly a year.

The day Nick got married.

Of course I wasn't invited. I mean, why would I be? Just because I had been Nick's bestfriend for his whole entire life before we started dating? Just because I was always there for him? Just because I still had that stupid heart-shaped ballon that he gave me on Valentine's Day in third grade?

Of course I wasn't invited.

But, I knew that wasn't Nick's idea, he'd invite me.

It was his lovely wife-to-be's idea. Tanya.

Well, just because I wasn't invited, does not under any circumstances mean I couldn't go to the church. So, that was exactly where I was headed in my short blue dress.

So, I opened my front door and ran outside to my red Convertible. I slid over my door, not bothering to open it, and put my key in the ignition and turned.

Nothing.

I turned the key again and got the same results.

This is not happening, I thought to myself just as I heard a beep from behind me.

I turned around saw my best friend/Nick's brother, Joe, sitting in his Jeep, seemingly expecting me to ride with him.

I grinned and hopped out of my car, jogging over to his.

He smiled at me as I got in and said, "So, Milerz, where to?"

I narrowed my eyes playfully and shouted, "THE CHURCH!"

He jumped. "Yeesh, Mi, chiiiiill," he said as he began speeding off to my desired destination.

When we got there, he stopped in front of the entrance and demanded me, in a girly voice, to go get my man. So, I barged through the doors just as the priest said, "If anyone has any objections, please speak now or forever hold your peace."

I stood there breathless as everyone turned to stare at the person that dare disrupt Tanya Gonzalla's wedding. "I object!" I tryed to shout.

"I figured," said the priest just as Nick semi-whispered, "Miley?"

I half smiled at him, and began what I came here to stay, "So, uh..I don't usually do these type of things, but you aren't the type of guy who should be marrying the wrong girl. She doesn't love you like I do. She doesn't know you like I do. Nick, don't say yes, run away now. I'll meet you in the aisle of the church by the back door, which, actually is right where I'm standing." I concluded with a half-smile.

Tanya was just starting to say, "Well, that was a very pretty speech," but Nick was already striding down to meet me.

Once he reached me, he put his hands on my shoulders, just like he did the last time I saw him, and kissed me.

I don't think there was one person who didn't gasp.

The Present

"...and that's the story of how I got your father back, Anjalee." I told my beautiful five-year-old daughter.

She smiled up at me, but shook her head, "I dont think so Mommy, that sounds like a fairy-tale to me."

I smiled down at her and kissed her head, "That's because it's my fairy-tale, love bug."

Later that night, when Nick and I took a walk down by the beach while our son, Joe Jr., watched Anjalee, we sat and put our feet in the water, resting my head on his shoulder I felt utterly at peace and the sound of the ocean played over and over in my mind until nothing felt real anymore.