I never fully recovered from that incident. In the next couple of
days I got an invitation to Craig's wedding. Inside the card was a letter.
He told me that he didn't expect me to come, but he would love ti see me
there. I thought about it for a long time and finally decided to go. Why? I
guess I just wanted to see him one last time.
I packed my bags and flew to New York. Mom came with me. I remember feeling absolutely petrified. What if Renee sees me? What if Craig sees me? Will I wave? Will I smile? Should I wear black? The list of "What if..."s went on and on.
"Jennifer it's time to go." Mom said on Doom Day.
I got up from the hotel bed and we made our way down stairs. When we made it to the church I tried to run away, but Mom held me there. I had told her earlier that I wanted to see him get married, and that no matter what I wanted her to keep me there. We went to a pew in the back and waited. Finally, Craig came out and he looked gorgeous. I saw his eyes scanning the crowd and I knew he was looking for me, and I froze. The "What if..."s started again. What if he finds me? What if he tells me to leave?
Then he saw me, and had a look of surprise. I started to feel uncomfortable as he kept staring. He then motioned for me to meet him, so I did.
"You came!" he said while leaning in to kiss me.
I didn't want to, but I pushed him away.
"What do you want?" I asked holding back tears.
"I just wanted to see you. I miss you so much. Yesterday I put my shoes on the wrong feet on purpose just so I could have something to think about you with. I also wanted to tell you that I still love you. I never wanted to hurt yo0u. I will always love you, you know that right?"
Through my tears I nodded. Tears had come no matter how hard I tried to hold them back.
"I need to go. Mom is waiting for me." I said.
With deep sadness I walked pack to our seat and sat through the whole ceremony. Craig put on a fake smile and pretended to be happy. While Renee looked at him with her evil eyes. She was starting to show her pregnancy now so it was mandatory they had the wedding soon before people asked questions or raised eyebrows.
When the wedding was over, Mom and I went back to the hotel to pack. I tried with all my might not to cry, and I succeeded. I didn't cry until the next week even. It was when ZI had gotten home and was trying to clean my room. I found a book that Craig had let me borrow in my bookshelf and I broke down. Luckily no one herd me and I was able to be alone with myself and my thoughts. I think that night helped me keep sane. There after I never cried about him again.
Ten Years Later:
I now work on a Broadway show called Chicago. Tonight was my opening night. I started to think about Craig earlier today and I had to write down our story. It might not be the happiest of endings, but I learned from it.
Oh, my God! I can't believe what I am looking at right now. I went into my dressing room after the show and found a bouquet of Lilies. I run to them and pick them up to find a card. I found one. It read:
If you still think about me as I think about you, meet me at 9 o'clock
at the bus station. I will wait for you. If you don't come I will
leave you alone. Craig
P.S. You were beautiful in the show tonight.
I look at the card in shock. This is what I've been waiting for, for ten years. I didn't waist time changing. I ran out to the corner and called for a cab. One car actually stopped thinking I was a hooker.
"Screw you, jerk!" I shouted.
Finally I got a cab to stop and it drove me to the bus station. When I got to the station I remembered that I didn't know where to go. I ran inside and looked every where for him.
"Craig!" I yelled. No answer.
Then I saw a bus pull out of the station.
"No! Don't leave!" I ran after the bus. "Please! I'm here!"
I look over st the clock and saw it was 9:15. I missed him. I would never see him again. Then suddenly, "Is this seat taken?"
As I turn around I see Craig. He comes around and gives me big hug. He lifted me in the air and spun me around.
"I missed you so much. I thought you weren't going to come." He smiled and kissed me for the first time in ten years. He had gotten better at it, if that was possible.
"What about Renee and the baby?" I asked.
"Renee and I got divorced last year, it was mutual. We share joint custody of Anna, my daughter and the light of my life." He said.
I hadn't noticed earlier, but he now looked like a father. I don't know how to explain it, you'll just have to trust me on this one. There was something different.
"What have you been doing these past ten years?" he asked.
I would like to tell you my answer, but that's another story, for another time, and another place. Thank you for listening.
***There it was, my final installment. I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as much as I loved writing it.***
I packed my bags and flew to New York. Mom came with me. I remember feeling absolutely petrified. What if Renee sees me? What if Craig sees me? Will I wave? Will I smile? Should I wear black? The list of "What if..."s went on and on.
"Jennifer it's time to go." Mom said on Doom Day.
I got up from the hotel bed and we made our way down stairs. When we made it to the church I tried to run away, but Mom held me there. I had told her earlier that I wanted to see him get married, and that no matter what I wanted her to keep me there. We went to a pew in the back and waited. Finally, Craig came out and he looked gorgeous. I saw his eyes scanning the crowd and I knew he was looking for me, and I froze. The "What if..."s started again. What if he finds me? What if he tells me to leave?
Then he saw me, and had a look of surprise. I started to feel uncomfortable as he kept staring. He then motioned for me to meet him, so I did.
"You came!" he said while leaning in to kiss me.
I didn't want to, but I pushed him away.
"What do you want?" I asked holding back tears.
"I just wanted to see you. I miss you so much. Yesterday I put my shoes on the wrong feet on purpose just so I could have something to think about you with. I also wanted to tell you that I still love you. I never wanted to hurt yo0u. I will always love you, you know that right?"
Through my tears I nodded. Tears had come no matter how hard I tried to hold them back.
"I need to go. Mom is waiting for me." I said.
With deep sadness I walked pack to our seat and sat through the whole ceremony. Craig put on a fake smile and pretended to be happy. While Renee looked at him with her evil eyes. She was starting to show her pregnancy now so it was mandatory they had the wedding soon before people asked questions or raised eyebrows.
When the wedding was over, Mom and I went back to the hotel to pack. I tried with all my might not to cry, and I succeeded. I didn't cry until the next week even. It was when ZI had gotten home and was trying to clean my room. I found a book that Craig had let me borrow in my bookshelf and I broke down. Luckily no one herd me and I was able to be alone with myself and my thoughts. I think that night helped me keep sane. There after I never cried about him again.
Ten Years Later:
I now work on a Broadway show called Chicago. Tonight was my opening night. I started to think about Craig earlier today and I had to write down our story. It might not be the happiest of endings, but I learned from it.
Oh, my God! I can't believe what I am looking at right now. I went into my dressing room after the show and found a bouquet of Lilies. I run to them and pick them up to find a card. I found one. It read:
If you still think about me as I think about you, meet me at 9 o'clock
at the bus station. I will wait for you. If you don't come I will
leave you alone. Craig
P.S. You were beautiful in the show tonight.
I look at the card in shock. This is what I've been waiting for, for ten years. I didn't waist time changing. I ran out to the corner and called for a cab. One car actually stopped thinking I was a hooker.
"Screw you, jerk!" I shouted.
Finally I got a cab to stop and it drove me to the bus station. When I got to the station I remembered that I didn't know where to go. I ran inside and looked every where for him.
"Craig!" I yelled. No answer.
Then I saw a bus pull out of the station.
"No! Don't leave!" I ran after the bus. "Please! I'm here!"
I look over st the clock and saw it was 9:15. I missed him. I would never see him again. Then suddenly, "Is this seat taken?"
As I turn around I see Craig. He comes around and gives me big hug. He lifted me in the air and spun me around.
"I missed you so much. I thought you weren't going to come." He smiled and kissed me for the first time in ten years. He had gotten better at it, if that was possible.
"What about Renee and the baby?" I asked.
"Renee and I got divorced last year, it was mutual. We share joint custody of Anna, my daughter and the light of my life." He said.
I hadn't noticed earlier, but he now looked like a father. I don't know how to explain it, you'll just have to trust me on this one. There was something different.
"What have you been doing these past ten years?" he asked.
I would like to tell you my answer, but that's another story, for another time, and another place. Thank you for listening.
***There it was, my final installment. I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as much as I loved writing it.***