Dear Mary (Dear John)
a ficlet By medea42
Disclaimer: Characters and show In Plain Sight are property of USA network. This is an imaginative response prompted by the creativity of the fantastic writers, actors and producers on the show and is intended as a tribute to their considerable talents.
This fic is very short and will not be continued. It is the exploration of one possibility that the show writers are unlikely to do.
Mary looked around the Sunday school-cum-dressing room. Her first thought was a city hall wedding, but Rafael insisted – and made himself persuasive in the way he best knew how – that they go with a church. So now she sat at a crayon-marked table with a mirror and a smattering of Brandy's makeup before her, shifting uncomfortably on a metal chair while wearing a tolerable white dress and cursing her shoes.
The Shannons had arrived early so that wedding photography could be done before the ceremony, but Marshall hadn't shown and wasn't answering his calls, so now they were doomed to one of those endless post-wedding photo sessions that would cut into the reception time. Mary used Marshall's absence to get Jinx and Brandy to stop fussing at her – the roots of her hair hurt from the way her mother and sister had been tugging at it for this-or-that obscure hairdo.
Damn it. She was about to get married. Where the hell was Marshall? "It's supposed to be the happiest day of my life," she muttered crankily to the blue Madonna that gave her a steady and sympathetic look.
Before Mary could direct a few choice words at the Mother of God, Jinx appeared envelope in hand. The "concerned mother" face suggested that she did not bear good news.
"Did you find Marshall?" Mary knew what the envelope meant, but she asked anyway. Damn it, she needed him!
Jinx handed her the envelope with a hug. "Marshall stopped by the church, and sends his apologies along with this."
"This better be one hell of a wedding present." Mary ripped open the letter. The spikes and strokes spread across the off-white paper.
Dear Mary,
I'm so sorry to tell you this way, but you know how it can be with our job. After you told me you were engaged and it became evident you were going to go through with it, I applied for a transfer to the Denver office. As luck would have it, my transfer date coincided with your wedding. It's just as well. I know you wanted me to give you away, and you are the one person I could never let go of.
I wish you all the happiness in the world, Mary. And please, actually try to be happy.
All my love,
Marshall
Mary put down the letter on the table and bowed her head in aching silence. She had to go through with this, without him at her side.
END