Sully rolled over in his bed and stared, unseeing, at the ceiling. His mind was miles away, busily engaged in the upcoming activities associated with a wedding. It wasn't just any wedding, though. It was the wedding of his best friend, Henry Dunn, to the wealthy Trish Wellington. And Sully wasn't just any guest; he was the best man! Already a myriad of fun activities occupied his waking thoughts as he gave serious consideration to how he could make Henry's last days as a bachelor the best days of his life.
A quiet moan issued from his side and his eyes left their place on the ceiling and drifted over to his sleeping companion. He felt a moment's panic when he could not remember the brunette's name and he vaguely wondered how much he had drunk the night before. He was quite relieved when her name, Heather, finally came to his mind just before she opened her eyes and smiled up at him. Her smile quickly faded when she noticed the lack of interest in his own eyes. With a huff, she wrapped the sheets around her body and escaped to the bathroom, picking up her clothing strewn all over the floor and ending with a slammed door. He jumped at the slam, but quickly settled back onto the bed. It's not that he didn't like her; she just wasn't his type. While alcohol had consumed his faculties the night before, he was pretty certain that he hadn't promised anything more than one night.
The bathroom door opened and Heather came out, took one more look at him, and then fled his small apartment. He felt a small bit of remorse at the way he had handled the situation, or lack thereof, but it was quickly pushed aside. He had other things to think about. He closed his eyes to the bright sunlight as thoughts of another brunette filled his mind's eye.
Her green eyes sparkled like emerald jewels and her ruby-red lips curved upward in a joyful smile, before parting in laughter at his humorous story. He had his arms around her, providing her with a safe haven for the time being, a position that he had craved too often before and a position that he seemed to take comfort in at that moment. How did this amazingly stunning woman come to be enveloped in his arms? He remembered that day as if it had just happened yesterday, and not years ago.
Sully had gone over to Trish's apartment to hang out with Trish and Henry. As he had been heading up the steps to the apartment, Henry had come flying down the stairs with such a murderous look on his face, that Sully had felt genuinely terrified of his best friend. Henry had not spared a glance towards Sully as he jumped in his car and sped off into the night. Sully had looked from the departing car below to Trish's apartment above him. Worried about her, he had taken the steps two (and sometimes three) at a time as he raced upwards. Slipping quietly into her apartment, he was dismayed to see her sitting on the floor, with her head buried on her folded arms on her couch. She hadn't even noticed his arrival, so she jumped quite high when he had put a hand on her shaking shoulder. Finally, her wet, mascara-streaked eyes focused on Sully's face and she practically fell into his open arms as she cried even more.
It had taken some time, but he finally got the story out of her. She and Henry had had another fight, but Trish had admitted that she had never seen Henry so angry before. She had only been looking out for his well-being, what with several unsolved murders having taken place near the Seattle docks in recent weeks. He had an office near the docks and since the murders started, Trish had constantly pleaded with him to move locations, to somewhere safer. He finally snapped that evening, after she started up again with the revelation of another murder, and when the harshly flung words had ceased, he had left her alone, while she begged him not to go.
Sully's blood had started to boil when he heard her account of things, until he realized who they were talking about. Henry was one of the most mild-mannered, fun-loving people he knew, but he also knew that, as a human being, he was subject to explosions of temper like anyone else. Sully had been on the wrong end of that temper once before and it wasn't an experience he was in a hurry to duplicate, but he also knew from experience that Henry didn't lose his temper very often. Sully had a feeling that something else was going on with Henry and his argument with Trish had just been the icing on top.
Not too much more time went by before he had distracted Trish with comical stories of the frat house that he and Henry had lived in during their last two years of college with some of their buddies while they shared a couple of beers. The last story had her laughing so hard that she collapsed backwards against the couch. Then Sully did one of the stupidest things he'd ever done. He leaned over to kiss Trish, but she was not diverted enough to allow it, as she pushed him away. When he looked in her face again, he was surprised to see an expression that caused his stomach to tighten in...fear? She was smiling and her eyes were glistening, but something was off about the details of her expression. There was almost a malicious look about her face. He was about ready to ask her what it was, when a sharp pain exploded across his back. He heard a sinister laugh behind him and when he looked in the mirror hanging on the wall behind Trish's couch, he was dismayed to see Henry standing behind him, a slight spatter of blood across his face. Sully's mouth formed an "O," of astonishment as Henry smiled in a morbid fashion.
"Trying to screw Trish behind my back, you back-stabbing so-called friend of mine. Well, two can play at that..." Henry made to twist the handle of the blade that was buried in Sully's back. Right then, Sully sat bolt upright in bed. Whipping his eyes around the room, his rapidly beating heart quickly settled within his chest as he saw that he was alone and in his own apartment. He heaved a sigh of relief as he collapsed back on his pillow, his chest still rising and falling in quick succession, a cold sweat pouring down his face. He had no idea what had caused his sweet dream to go so awry, but he had a feeling that his many passes at Trish over the years wouldn't pass undetected by Henry. He should probably come clean to him before the wedding and say it was just his crazy nature cultivated during his frat days. They had been friends since high school. What was the worst that Henry could possibly do to him?