Jilted
He knew he'd come. He knew he'd find him. So, he didn't bother to turn around as he heard the car approach or as he heard the footsteps on the gravelled path. He knew who it was. Closer and closer he came.
"Elvis." The voice said with half anger, half concern. "What the fuck?"
Elvis still didn't turn. He sat on the garden wall, and continued looking out on the view. A view he had grown up with. A garden he had played in many times as a kid. He loved this place and that was why he came here.
It was almost six hours after he should have married her.
Almost six hours since he'd jilted her at the alter and had left Charlie to break the bad news.
It seemed like a lifetime ago. Someone else's life. He still couldn't believe he had done that to her. To him. To them. But he had and now he had to face the music.
"You found me then?" Was all he could say.
"Of course." Charles answered back with a hint of a smile, and a touch more compassion than he had expected. "Where else would you be! Take it you broke into my parent's garden the usual way?"
"There's no other way Charlie boy." Elvis played along but the sadness that was in his voice showed him just how hard this all was for him.
"You ok?" Was Charles' next line. He didn't sit. He stood behind him unsure what to do. Unsure if he should touch him, show him he was there for him. It felt awkward as he rocked backwards on the soles of his feet.
Suddenly there was a sarcastic laugh behind him and Elvis nodded. He'd known as soon as Charles had turned up that he'd also bring her along with him as they searched him out. That he wouldn't have left her behind after he'd told her the news. That he wouldn't, not once, have considered abandoning her.
He felt her presence. Still he didn't turn around to look at either of them, but gratefully accepted the cold beer that was passed over his shoulder to him. He shifted slightly to allow her to sit next to him on the wall. She sat close but not too close. Nothing was said for a while Now they both sat there silent. Waiting.
She took a drink from the glass of something cold and bubbly she held in her hand. Considered it, then tuned her head upwards to Charles who still stood awkwardly behind them.
"Give us a minute?" She asked. Offering a sad smile as she did.
Assessing the situation he smiled softly and nodded his head, then turned and left. She saw the relief flood out from him. He was still half dressed in his smart military uniform and the day was hot. He escaped to change. To let them talk. For her to do a better job with Elvis than he ever could.
"So, you found me?" Elvis laughed trying to break the awkward silence now they were really alone. He moved his head to look at her. She sat there in all her wedding finery. Made up perfectly. It hurt just to look at her.
"Yeah. Wasn't too hard really." She picked a piece of fluff off his ceremonial trouser leg. An act of automatic concern. Always looking out for him no matter what. "Where else were you gonna go?"
He nodded at that.
"For someone who's Special Forces mate you haven't exactly picked the best place to hide." She moved her head catching the sun on her face as she did so. "Everyone knows you and Charles loved playing in his parent's garden when you're were kids. It's your thinking place. Isn't it?"
"Yeah!" He nodded. Nothing surprised him often anymore, but that fact did. The way she knew him so well. "Look I'm sorry." He started. He owed her an apology.
She held up a hand. Her perfectly styled hair floated on the sunshine, her dress tussled in the slight breeze. "I guess you are." She said quietly. "But you know that's not enough."
Elvis looked at her and nodded. "I never meant to do it..."
It was the question on everyone's lips and she couldn't hold it in no longer. She had promised herself she would be more patient with him, but now she was here, now she was with him, she couldn't hold back.
"Why Elvis? Why? Everyone was there! Waiting. The guests, the bride. Everyone...except you!" Her voice was louder than she wanted, but there was no hope to lower it. She was too upset.
"I had my reasons" He said sulkily, annoyed at her tone.
"Your reasons?" She mocked. "Your bleeding reasons? You jilted her at the alter mate. Broke her heart so they better be bloody good reasons." She was mad.
"Shit Molly I know." He shouted out at her and stood with the shaking anger and shame he felt.
He regretted it instantly as he saw her flinch and shift in her seat. This wasn't the man he was. He didn't shout at women. Especially not this one. Not Molly. She was most definitely nine months pregnant with her and Charles' first baby and the last thing she needed was to be shouted at.
He placed a hand on her shoulder by way of apology. She smiled at him in acceptance.
"I'm a Dad." Was all he offered as he tried to move in haste.
"What do you mean?" She stood too. Not so quickly, not so fast. Her body and her mind were slowed by his statement. "A Dad?"
"Debbie. The bit I was seeing before Georgie. She had my kid."
"What?" Molly shouted a bit too loudly herself now. "And you knew?" He shook his head and she continued. "What you never knew?"
"Nah. Never. Laura." He smiled at the mention of her name. "That's the kids name, Laura, she's nearly two now."
"How?" Molly stood dumb founded. "I mean I know how." She stroked her belly. "I mean how did you find out? I mean I know how you…never mind. How?" Finally Molly was struck silent she waited. Waited for the explanation. Waited for her mind to catch up with her emotions.
"Went to pick my kit up from camp last night. Popped into a pub on the way back with some mates, and there she was. In the play garden. I knew straight away." He kicked the perfectly manicured grass with his polished shoe as he spoke. No eye contact was made.
"What? That she was yours?" Molly asked. "How?" She was feeling a bit stupid that all she could ask this amazing man, whose life had just turn to shit, the same short dumb questions. "That you knew she was yours?"
"I did. Yeah." He nodded sadly. "Bloody spit of me you see. Like looking in a mirror. So I asked outright and Debbie told me. Never wanted me to know but..." He finished off the beer in his hand before he continued. She saw his pain. "Shit…so….well there I was the night before my wedding and I find out I have a kid."
"Shit" Was all Molly could say back. "I'm sorry mate."
"Me too, but kind of not. Does that make sense?" He asked her.
"Yes. No." She smiled. "But then not much does at the moment." She admitted.
He sat down in a garden chair and drank the rest of the beer. Then without thought threw in on the ground. He smirked his apology to her as she tutted at his action.
"I couldn't marry her you see. Not like that. Not without her knowing." He held his head in his hands. "Could I?"
"I don't know. Maybe. But you could have talked to her." Molly reasoned. "Anything was better than what you did mate. That was savage."
His head shot up he'd hoped for full sympathy from Molly, not harsh words.
"How the fuck could I tell her that?" He asked. "That I was a Dad and never knew."
"She loves you?" Moly asked. She watched him nod without hesitation. "Then she would have understood."
He shook his head. "Nah. She ain't like that. She wanted to be my first at everything. The first Mrs Harte. The first true love. The first to have my kid. She would have hated me. I broke her dreams."
"Look Elvis." She sat close by and rubbed her hand over her belly as the baby kicked. She smiled at the feeling and looked towards the house in an attempt to find Charles. These moments were special and she hated it when he missed them. "I admit the timing was shit, but you could have worked it out. You could've talked. She would have given you a chance. I know she would have." Even as Molly said the words she herself wasn't even convinced. Knowing that there was always something potentially selfish about Georgie t times.
"No." He shook his head. "Look Mols I know what I've been over the years. I ain't exactly been chaste now have I? She hated that abut me."
Molly sniggered and nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. Elvis' lothario reputation had met her ears long before she had met Charles. In fact, once she did find out that they were best mates she struggled to imagine him and faithful sensible Charles together. Yet they were, and their bond was stronger than any others. And so because of that, because of her love for her husband, she had grown to love Elvis too.
Elvis continued. "Thing is Mols when I heard. When I saw her all I wanted was to get to know her. Laura that is." He clarified. "She immediately consumed me. My heart and thoughts."
"Guess that natural." Molly said. "Georgie would have understood that eventually."
"Yeah? Maybe she would!" He nodded. "But I didn't want that. Not now. Start a new life off with her while all I wanted was to know about the daughter I never knew I had. See what I mean?"
She nodded. "But you could've told her before she got to the alter mate. You could have been kinder to Georgie." Molly told him.
"Was she upset?" He asked.
"Elvis." She snapped. "Your best mate. My husband; had to stand in front of her, and her parents, moments before she was about to walk up the aisle, to tell her you weren't coming. What did you bloody think?" She asked savagely. "Course she was upset! She was destroyed."
All Elvis could do to this was moan and stood and left. He needed time.
She felt him before she saw him. That content comforting happy feeling she always had around him.
Slowly he moved up towards her and rested his hand either side of her neck as he gently massaged it. She tipped her head back slowly and looked up into his brown loving eyes.
"You heard any of that?" She asked as she squinted through the bright sunlight to look at him.
"Yeah just about." He sighed and moved to sit down next to her. Instantly she lifted her legs up and he slipped off her modest heels and massage her ankles.
"Bloody hell wasn't expecting that! He has a daughter! He's a bloody Dad!" Charles eventually let burst out, once he calculated Elvis was out of ear shot.
"Yeah." She rolled her head back and closed her eyes. Enjoying him rubbing her feet. "Who'd have thought? Elvis a Dad!"
"Indeed." Charles nodded. "Poor guy! I mean talk about rubbish timing."
She nodded and then turned. "Are you ok? Bit shit all this for you too." She knew that the day had taken its toll on Charles.
A morning frantically looking for a groom that had gone AWOL, and then a mad dash across Manchester City Town Centre in an attempt to stop Georgie before she arrived at the Town Hall. But despite all his intents and purpose he had failed. She had arrived early and he stopped her just as she was ready to walk up the aisle. Breaking that kind of bad news to anyone was going to affect you. Especially her sensitive loving Charles.
"Mmmm. I guess." He replied taking her hands in his, "Had better days, I don't ever want to do that again. Ever."
She nodded and thought that as his day had started he'd never have expected to tell a jilted bride she was just that... jilted.
"Thank you." He said as he sat back.
"What for?" She swung her legs off and leaned into him. His arms wrapped around her and he made sure one hand was resting on her belly.
"For turning up." He looked down at her and placed a kiss on her head. "On our wedding day. Not doing that to me."
She twisted around slightly to look at him. "What? Course I was gonna turn up. I loved you. Love you." She saw an emotion of something roll across his face. "Did you ever think that I wouldn't turn up?" She asked.
"No not really." He smiled. "But I was so fucking please when those church doors opened and you were there."
"You did? You doubted?" She asked him again. "Why? You know how much I love you."
"I know." He nodded. "Just sometimes I can't believe how lucky I got. Finding you. Having you in my life."
"Daft bugger." She squeezed his arm and settled back into his chest. "You know if anyone was punching mate it was me."
"Never. Molly. Never. You're brilliant and I'm lucky to have you." And then as if prompted their child kicked and moved his hand as he held hers. "See even this one in here knows you're the best." He whispered to her ear.
She smiled. It was an argument that neither of them ever won. She always saw herself as the lucky one to have Charles in her life. He always said it was him to have her.
They stayed like that for a while. Content in each other arms.
"I knew he was smitten the first day he brought her to ours." Molly said and she nodded her head toward Elvis who still was pacing at the end of Charles' parents large garden. His relapse into smoking understandable as he pulled hard on his numerous cigarette of the day.
"Yeah? Me to. That was an odd day through wasn't it?" He confessed.
Molly giggled remembering one of the oddest days she had ever spent with Elvis.
He'd invited himself and Georgie to Molly and Charles' new house. They of course welcomed him and Georgie, and tried to get to know something about Elvis' new love. But it was hard work.
Elvis was on his absolute, never seen before, best behaviour. The perfect guest, boyfriend and font of all knowledge. Every time Molly or Charles told a story of their past friendship Elvis finished it and played it down. Every plate that was emptied was taken by him and carried to the sink. Every glass that was refilled was done by him.
He was almost manic in his behaviour. He had been everywhere and made everyone nervous. It was false, definitely not him, and anything but relaxing. Both Molly and Charles had physically sighed when at last Elvis and Georgie had finally left.
But they both knew well behaved, 'good first impressions Elvis' was in love and wanted to do his best to win the fair maiden's heart for his own. And so, over the years they had slowly gotten to know this girl called Georgie. She made up the foursome of friends quite nicely, and they had fun, but ultimately she was Elvis' girl and that was as deep as their relationship went with her.
"So, what do we do now?" Molly asked. "With him?" She waved her hand in Elvis' direction. Noticing ironically how her engagement and wedding rings sparkled in the sun.
Charles shook his head. "Suppose we just have to be there for him." He sighed. "Guess that's all we can do."
"And Georgie?" She asked. "What about her? I mean we ain't that close but she was a friend after all. Kind of."
"Do we have to do anything?" He asked. Of course, destroying her dream today was hard Charles felt that, but his loyalties lay with Elvis. Always would. "Is it up to us to sort her out too?"
"No not really." Molly agreed as they both started to walk back to the house.
The sun was starting to sink behind the trees now. "But she's bound to come knocking on our door looking for him ain't she?"
"Shit. Never thought of that." He admitted. "You're right though."
"So?" She tipped her head up to look at him.
"So, I guess we do what we can do." He leaned and kissed her head. "But Elvis is our priority. Don't you reckon?"
"Yeah I do." She agreed as they entered the kitchen and she flicked on Charles' parent's kettle. "Besides I guess I'll be pretty busy with this one." She lovingly rubbed her hand over her stomach. "Too busy to patch up a jilted bride."
He moved behind her as she stood and daydreamed. "No regrets?" He softly asked.
"Never." She sighed as she rested her head back against his chest.
Happy to be here with him. Happy to have future tied to him. Her Army career on hold for now, but what lay ahead was far more exciting and challenging.
"It's going to be perfect." He mumbled as his chin rested on top of her head. She turned herself back around and smiled.
After all the shit he'd faced that day. After all they both had been through, she finally got for the first time that day a sense of hope and happiness on his face; and that was all because of her. Because of them. Because of their future.
She loved that. Loved the fact to each other they meant the world.
"Yeah. It is." She grinned back at him. Finally accepting that she did perfect.
They did perfect. Molly and Charles were perfect, even when the world around them wasn't.