"It's tomorrow?" "Fraid so buddy." Ned Bigby and his best friend of over a decade Nelson Cook were sitting at the Tiger's Eye café having black coffee to celebrate the last of their midterms in their college years. Cookie took a long draught of his, savoring it. "What are you going to do?" Ned's lips formed a solid line, "I have no idea." "You know she's only doing it because of Loomer." "Yeah I do. Moze should've tried harder to knock some sense into him." At the mention of her name Jennifer Mozely approached the table. Her glossy brown her tied into a messy bun, she still had the same warm eyes, but now a pregnant stomach protruded underneath her turtleneck sweater.
"Knock sense into who?" she asked in a rough tone. "Your husband. You're just going to let Samantha marry Buzz?" "It's her life Ned, I don't really have the authority to stop her." "I'm the one that loves her, Buzz is only marrying her because Loomer doesn't trust anyone else." Moze shrugged. "Why don't you just tell Sam how you feel?" Cookie suggested. Ned stared into space trying to grasp the obvious. "You know that just might be crazy enough to work." He threw some money on the counter, and stalked off to his car.
He exceeded the speed limit to get to Sam's apartment. He banged on it hard, hyped by what he was about to do. The door was thrown open, and a young woman with light brown hair, and green eyes with a slight annoyance in them stood before him. "Ned? What the hell?" Ned felt his sudden hype diminish. "I just wanted to come and you know see you."
Watch my life pass me by in the rearview mirror, pictures frozen in time are becoming clearer. I don't wanna waste another day, stuck in the shadows of my mistakes.
"You didn't have to bang on the door like that, damn I thought you were the police." Ned stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking at the floor. "Yeah, sorry about that. You too busy to spend some time with me?" "No, I just have to pick up the dresses, call the caterers, the band, family, friends to make sure they're ready and coming." "Shouldn't someone be helping you with that?"
"Possibly, but I want it to be perfect. Someone else might screw it up. It's better this way for me. Did you know in the beginning Billy suggested for us to elope? Can you imagine?" Ned could feel Samantha's nervousness and somehow melancholy. "Do you love him?" "Billy? I have to he's my brother." "No, Buzz." "Love in that way is dead. All you can hope for in a marriage is a mutual understanding." "I know damn well that's not what you believe."
"It's all I have now." "What happened to the Samantha Loomer I met at Lakeshore? The one who went through life with me? The vibrant girl whose smile could warm a room? The woman who believed love could keep you going no matter what?" "I think she moved to Holland." "Not funny, none of this is what you want you're only doing it to make your brother happy."
I've been dying inside little by little. No where to go, but going out of my mind. In endless circles running from myself until you gave me a reason for standing still.
"So what? I like Buzz in a friendly way, and I know he'll take care of me." Ned was about of the door, then turned back to her. "I thought I knew you, but I guess I was wrong." The door slammed, shattering Samantha's heart. Everything Ned had said was true. She didn't love Buzz, and no amount of time could ever change that. He was the complete opposite in what she wanted in a husband.
He was broodish, lazy, a slacker, boring, selfish, and downright idiotic. She just wanted everyone to be happy. Even if that meant sacrificing her own happiness. What happened to her? She couldn't do this she wouldn't. But found herself bound to her choice nonetheless.
2:40 P.M., the wedding started in twenty minutes. Ned was going to try and crash it. He was so close yesterday, he saw that light flickering in her eyes. If he would've just controlled his temper, and not have ran off maybe they could've been planning their wedding at that very moment. He dressed in his tux, and parked a few blocks away from the church. He was nervous, and fumbling not sure exactly of how he was going to go about doing this. He was hoping it'd be like those scenes in the old movies, but was afraid that Samantha's reaction would be a lot different from those women.
He sat on the back pew, twisting his shirt tails into knots. "If anyone objects to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace."
Falling faster, barely breathing. Give me something to believe in. Tell me it's not all in my head. Take what's left of this man, make me whole once again.
Ned was about to stay silent, but feebly stood up, and yelled, "I object." All eyes were now on him, and all the blood from his brain seemed to have sunk to his gut. He walked to the front of the altar. "Sam you can't marry him." Samantha looked appalled. "Oh, but I am." "You don't love him, and he doesn't love you. Why be miserable forever?" She looked around, thinking the answer was plainly written on the walls.
Billy stood up, "Bigby you need to leave before I make you." Ned could tell he was quite serious, but kept a firm ground. Moze grabbed Billy by the arm stopping him from going any further. "Let them work it out for themselves," she whispered to him tenderly. He sat back down without another word of objection. Ned took Sam by the shoulders, "I love you Samantha, I always have. I don't know why it's taken me this long to say it, but I had to let you know it before you went through with this. Tell me now, and I'll leave you alone forever, is this really what you want for the rest of your life?"
She shook her head, tears flaring about. Then her eyes locked with Billy's. "I'm so sorry. But I can't do this. It might be selfish, but I can't." She cried then turned to Buzz. "I'm sorry, but I can't be with you. I don't think either of us have anything we really like about each other." The crowd seemed to be in a frenzy, not really knowing what was going on.
Cause I want you, and I feel you, crawling underneath my skin. Like a hunger, like a burning to find a place I've never been. Now I'm broken, and I'm fading. I'm half the man I used to be. But you can have what's left of me.
Ned on the other hand was ecstatic, clearly with the mile wide grin plastered on his face. He took Samantha's hand into his. "Come with me, let's be together." She smiled back at him, through tear filled eyes. And they left the building, hand in hand, without another word to anyone. They were happy, what did they need to explain to anybody?