"I'll see you throughout the rain, through the heartaches and the pain. It hurts like never before. You're not alone any more." Not Alone Any More, Traveling Wilbury's [George Harrison] -Lizwin-
Not Alone Any More (The Traveling Wilburys [George Harrison]) 3:24
Figures it'd be raining, Edwin thinks to himself. The warm June raindrops soak through his dress shirt.
The sun brushes the tops of the trees to the west as he walks away from Mallory's chosen venue, a castle-like mansion with a rose garden.
Edwin stops, sitting on the cement bench beneath the weeping willow that overlooked a small pond. Mallory hadn't noticed it, but when he had toured the grounds with Lizzie, it was the one thing she'd loved.
His cell phone rings, but he tosses it away.
"That's not going to stop me," Lizzie's voice calls to him.
Edwin groans, and puts his head in his hands. "Liz. Leave me alone."
She pushes aside the long, dangling branches of the willow tree. "No can do. Mallory called me. She said she was worried when you took off after the announcement."
"Where were you?"
"Work. George called me."
"So, you know what happened."
She smiles softly. "Yeah." She sits beside him on the flat bench. Her blonde and purple hair lay in wet strands against her shoulders. It curls against her cheeks, and he's reminded of the way she looked at Felicia's lodge, after a swim and kissing on the beach after nightfall, almost five years ago.
"Edwin?"
"Eh?" he asks, dark eyes looking out over the pond as the rivulets of rain created ripples on the water.
"What happened?"
"We realized it wouldn't work."
"I'm sorry… I was being a brat, especially with the card. I just missed my best friend."
"I missed you too, Liz."
Thunder rolls off to the east.
"Wonderful weather," he comments sarcastically.
"Isn't it?"
Her cheerfulness was grating. "Can't you at least pretend to be sorry that my engagement just ended?"
"I could try. Do you really want me to?"
Edwin groans. "No."
"Exactly." She laughs. "It may be selfish, but I'm not sorry." Lizzie leans her head against his shoulder.
"I know. Me neither," he admits softly.