The white envelope fell from the stack of papers in Randy Orton's hand, as he bent to pick it up. His stormy gray eyes scanned the address and the subject intently.
So Mara was going to do it. She was going to marry the jerk after all. For some reason, this foreboding sense of dread crept into his veins, his heart raced and his throat closed up. He felt almost as desperate as those caged animals at the zoo right now.
But then he thought back to that night a few years ago, when she'd flown to a show in Ontario to see him and bared her entire soul to him. And his response had been to dismiss what she said, her feelings. Now, it looked like he was going to pay the price for it, when all along he loved her.
He loved her so much sometimes it hurt to think that he couldn't even pick up the phone and call her, or reach out, tell her what an ass he'd been. Especially right now.
For reasons unknown to himself, he marked RSVP and slid the envelope back into the mail, putting the flag up on the box. When he'd done it, he smiled just a little and muttered to himself, "I'm coming. I'm going to fix this, Mara."
A few hours later found him getting on a red eye, because the wedding was actually a day or so away. If he got there early, then he had time to think, to stop it from happening.
And he was going to stop it. Bottom line, Randy was leaving with her in his arms, one way or another. Even if he had to remove her from the situation he knew wasn't the one she should be in.
Walking down a sidewalk lined with stores, he happened to see it. The shooting star necklace. A smile filled his face as he went in and bought it. Only Mara would get what it meant, they'd always watched stars together when they were younger.
And they'd seen a shooting star together once.
He had it sent to the address on the envelope, and left no name on the gift card. No, he was going to completely blind side her, when he did what he had in mind to do.
Just as his real feelings for her, after she'd confessed hers for him had blindsided him, made him react the way he didn't want to react.
He booked a hotel room and went in to rest, to think and plan. By the time he went to sleep, he had it all planned out in his mind. It was sappy, cliche, everything that he knew she'd want, being the romantic she was.
The morning of her wedding dawned bright and clear, and Mara sat in front of her vanity doing her hair and makeup. The knock on the door and her sister Mya running in, whispering that Randy had actually shown up, had her nervous as hell.
Then the box appeared. All her cousin would tell her is that a guy gave it to her to give to Mara and then walked off.
She opened the box and smiled to herself as she unclasped it, and let her sister fasten it around her neck.
The wedding march began to play, but then it was cut out by a very loud boombox playing In Your Eyes. Mara laughed a little and looked around, wondering which one of her crazy family members or friends was up to this, but then she saw him as he walked up the aisle, holding the old school boombox on his shoulder, wearing that smirk she was so used to seeing.
"I Object." Randy muttered as he smiled at Mara and then turned to the groom and said calmly, " I'm not going to give her up a second time."
Mara's face flushed and she looked from her potential groom to Randy and then bit her lip. Sure she still loved Randy more than anything..
Randy leaned in, sensing hesitance. "Does HE watch the stars with you? Or make you laugh when you feel like shit?"
Mara looked at him and then said "Randy, don't.."
The groom looked at his hands. Truth be told, he didn't do any of those things, and he didn't really love her the way she deserved to be loved. And the fact that this stranger could come in and spot what was wrong in their relationship sort of put things in perspective for him.
Not only that, but the weeks of guilt he felt over his ongoing affair with a girl from the office were catching up with him and he hated to think that he was marrying Mara simply because they'd dated for over four years and it was logically the next step.
Randy's gaze turned to the man again and he said quietly, " I don't like the jerk. I didn't like him when you told me about him, Mara. I love you and I was an idiot.. At least think about this?"
Mara groaned and then said quietly, " I still love you but.. He asked me to marry him. He loves me.. He wants me.."
The groom couldn't take the lies anymore and he cleared his throat. "Mara, the wedding's off. I think we're rushing into this and I'm not really sure you are the girl I want to marry."
The surprise for Mara came when she didn't feel as crushed as she thought she would. Instead, she felt this strong wave of relief like a ton of weight had just got lifted off her chest and she could breathe again.
She looked at Randy and then leaning in whispered quietly, "You had to use that song, didn't you? You know how I am about those cliche 80's romance movies."
Randy stifled a laugh and pulled her into his arms as he said "Let's get out of here.. I mean unless you want to have a wedding?"
Mara looked at him as he got down on one knee the smirk on his face bright and glowing. He pulled out a black velvet box and then asked her in front of everyone.
"Mara, will you marry me?"
Mara smiled and then looked around at the stunned friends and family, then at Randy, who she noticed now happened to be wearing a tuxedo.
"Yes." she squealed as Randy stood and then he looked at her and asked, "Do you want to wait or do you want to do this now?"
"Now. I waited for this long enough." Mara muttered as Randy directed his gaze to the reverend and said quietly, "Well, apparently the wedding's back on."
After the final I Do's, he carried her back out to the parking lot and helped her into his truck, then got in, smiling.
"Mrs. Orton. God that feels so awesome to say." he muttered as he leaned in and kissed her passionately.
