Another Abigail vignette. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Not mine!

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And if love is really forever

I'm a winner at a losing game

-Rascal Flatts, Winner at a Losing Game

The day she was to be married should have been the greatest day of Abigail's life.

There she was, standing in the dress she had dreamed of while her mother and maid of honor fussed over her hair. Just a few doors away, guests were taking their seats to watch her walk down the aisle of the same church her parents had been married in. She was marrying a good man, the perfect man for her, in the most beautiful way she could imagine.

So why did it feel like she was about to make the worst mistake of her life?

"Mom, I need a minute," she whispered.

"What is it, darling?"

"I just… please?"

Nodding, her mother backed away and ushered everyone out of the room. A few seconds later, Abigail was alone. She stepped off of the stool and walked over to the window. To her surprise, Mary Shannon was on the street, staring at the church longingly.

Abigail held her breath.

Several moments passed, then Mary turned around and walked away from the church. Abigail inhaled sharply and stared down at her engagement ring, then at the dress she wore, which suddenly didn't seem so pristine.

From down the hall, the wedding march began to play, and it sounded like a death sentence. Her eyes went to the door that would lead her to her future, to Marshall.

How could she marry him knowing he loved Mary than he could ever love her?

Absently she twisted her engagement ring.

What was the right thing to do? Leave Marshall and know he would find happiness with Mary, or go to him now and know she could never live up to the woman Mary was? He loved her, she knew, but was that enough?

Could second place ever be enough?

"Abigail, it's time."

A tear went down her cheek.

She couldn't do this.

Yanking off her engagement ring, she left through the backdoor and practically ran down the sidewalk. Marshall would forgive her eventually, but more importantly, he would be happy.

And eventually, so would she.

The End.