Chapter 5: Love Will Be The Death Of Me

Months have now past. The school year has come to an end and you and I have now graduated. Thank the demons below that I no longer have to go to that horrid place everyday. Things between you, Gomez, and I evened out for a few months and things seemed to go back to normal for a bit, but that didn't last. After my confession my feelings only grew. I didn't mean for them to, but telling you about them was like popping a cork off of a bottle of wine. After our little period of peace, the shit hit the fan. Gomez and I are at each other's throats, quite literally, we've tried to kill each other on a daily basis. The three of us are now what you would call a love triangle, and things are only going downhill. Things really spiral out of control when your mother makes an outrageous announcement at our graduation party.

"Everyone! I would like to announce something." She wails clinking a knife to her wine glass. "I have made the decision to arrange a marriage. A marriage that will bring these two families together." She begins. Oh boy, here we go, you and Gomez will live happily ever after and I'll die alone. "I have arranged for Gomez Addams to wed my lovely daughter ..." She posses. "Ophelia."

I choke on my bit owl spleen casserole! I was not expecting that, and it seems that I'm not the only one. Mama looks confused, poor Gomez looks as though his eyes are going to pop out of his head. And you Tish, you look like you're about to cry. It breaks my heart. Oh no, please don't be sad! I honestly can not believe this! What are we to do now? You and Gomez are both going to be miserable for the rest of your life.

Then again, this does mean that Gomez is out of my way now. Maybe, just maybe, with him off the market you'll give me a chance and fall for me in the process. And being married to Ophelia can't be that bad? Can it? But no! I can't be happy about this when you are so clearly not. I may want to be with you, but above all else i want you to be happy. That is first priority, always. I have to find a way to fix this somehow ... Your mother needs a good talking to. Maybe I can catch her alone after the party.

But before I can put any of those thoughts into actions, my mother speaks up first. "Frumpy there must be some mistake! I don't think-"

"What are you going on about Eudora? I thought we discussed this. We agreed your son would marry my daughter." Your mother interrupts mien.

"Well yes, but I didn't know that you were referring to Ophelia!" My mother chimes in.

"Who else would I be referring to? Morticia? She's too young to marry! " Your mother rebuttals.

"But her and Gomez are the same age." My mother points out. At this point everyone at the party is confused and looks back and forth from one matriarch the other.

"Not only that, Mama, but i thought this hole 'arranged marriage' thing was long dead!" Gomez finally decides to speak up. I feel as though Ophelia and I should be able to choose who we marry." He points out, his distaste for the current situation evident on his face.

"Oh don't you worry about me gomez, this is what I want." Ophelia's sickeningly chipper voice pipes in.

"Well, you're a very lovely girl Ophelia, but i have to confess this isn't what i want." Gomez stats.

"But-" Ophelia looks as though she is crushed. "Why not?

"You are wonderful dear Ophelia, but I just do not love you, I can not marry you. I'm sorry" With that gomez excuses himself from the party and runs off leaving everyone is a daze.

I lean over to Mama and whisper "I'll go talk to Gomez and try to calm him, you talk some sense into Mrs. Frump". To which Mama agress. I slip out after my brother unknotest by everyone, who are still trying to make sense of what just happened, and find him sulking in the cemetery. "You don't have to marry anyone that you don't want to you know." I tell him as i sit next to him on the stone bench that he is seated at. "Mama won't stand for it." I ashour him. "You can still have your horribly ever after with Tish." I sigh.

"What your not going to fight me over her anymore?" he asks sarcastically, obviously still shaken up from what went on inside.

"Oh, no. I'm still gonna fight you. No way I'm letting you off the hook so easily." I retort. "There is no doubt in my mind that she will pick you in the end, but when she does it will be because you bested me, fair and square. Not because I gave up."

You smile at that and put your hand on my shoulder. "Thanks Gene." He sais. We both go quiet for a few seconds before Gomez pulls out his pocket knife and playfully throws it at my foot. I shuffle my foot to the side and avoid it easily before pulling it out of the ground and holding it against his neck. We both laugh and I put the knife back in your hand to put away before we both make our way back to the party.

Back inside all hell had broken loose! Everyone was yelling and fighting, the loudest family members booming over everyone else, some of the more anxious members cowered in the corners of the room in huddles, and you are nowhere to be found. I yell to Gomez over the noise, "Go find Tish, I'll see if I can get to the bottom of this mess!" and just like that he is off.

I shove my way through the fight to the center of it all where both our mothers are yelling at each other's faces. "Mama! What's going on?! I thought you were gonna handle this!" I shout. Nether of them can hear me over the other. "MAMA!" I try again with no luck. I need something louder. I run over to my secret stash of toys behind the living room bookshelf and pull out my favorite flog. I take it to the fireplace where Fester keeps his gong that he plays and take a powerful swing at the instrument.

The combination of the swift crack of the wip and the deep hardy ring of the gong sends a strang, deep thwack sound reverberating through the entire house. Many family members cover their ears in pain, and everyone looks to me.

I stand there looking ashamed at all of them, and shake my head and tsk. "You all should be ashamed of yourselfs!" I shout. "The Addams and Frump families have been thick as thieves for generations! And hear you all are squabbling like century old enemies, over what? A misunderstanding?" I question. "Mrs. Frump, I mean no disrespect but you must be blind not to see how much Morticia loves Gomez and how much he loves her. To push a marriage between him and Ophelia is disrespectful and cruel to all three of them!" Mama Frump looks shocked, but then castes her eyes to the floor when she knows I'm right. "Ophelia," I turn to her. "I hate to be so blunt, but you're just not Gomez's type, there is no hope for you to be with him." She shuffles her feet and pauts. "And Mama, I would have expected you to have a better handle on this conversation. It's not like you to let things get so out of hand." Mama looks ashamed in herself.

"Gene is right" Fester speaks up. "This whole fight is stupid. I mean what are we doing?" Everyone mumbles in agreement. That is when you and Gomez enter the room hand in hand smiling and laughing. I try not to look to deflated by it as Mama Frump approaches the two of you and gives you her blessing. You both smile big and wide before cousin Itt gets the party band to strike up and our families start dancing.

To my suprise you approach me and ask to dance. "You want to dance with me?" I ask dumbfounded.

"That is what I asked for isn't it?" You quip.

I smile and take your hand in mine, placing my other hand on your hip. We begin a sortove odd waltz across the floor before you speak. "Gomez told me what you said to him earlier." you begin. "I wanted to thank you. It was sweet of you to look out for him and what you said finally gave him the courage to tell me how he feels." I spin you under my arm until your back is pushed up to my front. I smell that bonfire smell of your hair mixed with the sickeningly sweet smell of roses you seem to naturally emit and try not to let it distract me from what you are saying. "In an odd way you brought us together Gene, and for that I thank you so much." you spin back around to face me and give me a soft but longer than usual kiss on the check. I take a sharp intake of breath as you invade all of my six senses, and hold that breath until you move away.

"You're the best friend i could have ever wished for. I wouldn't trade you for anything." you promise. "I'm going to go dance with Gomez now but stay close, I'll wanna dance with you again soon." you say and gracefully swoop away.

I'm left completely speechless. On one hand, I don't think I've ever seen you so happy and that makes me happy. But on the other hand, just that simple friendly kiss on the cheek has shaken my whole world, and I don't know how i'm ever going to live without your lips ever again. Realization dawns on me that I don't think I can just get over you and go back to being your friend like before. Not now, not after getting the smallest taste of what it might be like to be the object of your affections. Now I know, that if i stay in your life but not in your heart I'm going to die. You are going to kill me, and I am going to enjoy every second of it.