She sees it from the window. It was the same motorcycle as before. The one she'd noticed trailing them as she and her soon-to-be wife finished their final wedding plans the last few weeks. Only this time instead of not so stealthy shadow wasn't tailing them with side streets and 'serendipitous' passes along various roadways. No, this time the rumbling menace was tightly circling the very church her so courted prey was closeted in.
She wasn't stupid. She knew full well just who the helmeted rider was before the biker would speed off before her fiancée could ever hope of noticing her ever-encroaching shadow.
There were still moments, fewer now but still there were moments when her love would be lost in sleep too deeply for conscious dreams yet not so deep for her to be able to enjoy that adorable puppy-like snore she'd come to love since the two had started sharing a bed.
But those moments were always the ones that broke her heart.
It would always be soft. A mumble. A breath. A whisper.
Always the same shy breath. Always the same name. but it was never her name.
No, it couldn't be her name because that breath of a hopeful plea as her fiancée would give that soft sleepy smile as she'd nuzzle against her clung-to pillow was always another name.
Her name. Mostly coupled with those sleepy vows. "love you forever."
A knock on the door startles her from her brooding and on instinct, she closes her eyes but then all she can hear instead of the door's opening is that fading rumble of the motorcycle's engine as it sped away.
"Wow." Her brother greets at the sight of her still standing in the full-bodied mirror as she fussed over the lay of her suit jacket.
Stalling for time.
Not that she thought even for a second that her not-so-distinct rivel would give up in this unspoken feud the two were quietly engaged in. Today of all days.
"She's not going to know what hit her."
She manages a smile at her brother's playful words as he wraps his arms around her for a hug.
"You ready?" he asks when they separate far sooner than she'd like regardless of the fact it was ticking closer to the moment she'd be the first of the days brides to walk down the isle.
"I do." She declares with an easy smile that her soon-to-be wife mirrors with a little less of her light as the minister turns towards her.
"and do you Margaretta Sawyer take this woman to be your wife?"
Before the question could be finished, she notices the hesitancy in the other woman's eyes when they lift to meet her own.
"I-" Maggie starts to answer "I—" she tries again in a flash of what those that don't know her would write off as her bride being overwhelmed by the moment.
Only she knew the truth as she notices the small flicker Maggie's eyes make towards the closed chapel doors.
Problem was they weren't closed at all. They were open.
They were open.
"I guess I've missed the 'speak now' bit huh?" the unwelcomed crasher jokes as she walks up the pathway towards where the two brides stood.
"Alex."
The woman in question only smiled shyly at the whispered breath of her name on Maggie's lips. "You look…." The newcomer starts to say only to leave the complement hanging as her eyes skim once more over Maggie's wedding attire. A surprise considering she'd also assumed Maggie would have opted for a suite yet instead the Latina had gone for a soft creamy white strapless dress.
Maggie for her part only gives a blushing shy smile at the half praise as she nervously brushes a hand thought her hair the closer Alex comes towards the raised steps of the front of the church. Neither of them seeming to notice the not so hushed whispers among the watching wedding guests.
"Just let me say my peace alright." Alex huffed noticing the other bride's visible anger at the stall in the proceedings.
"You've been following us all dammed week, yet you pick now to finally talk to us. To her?"
Alex's jaw ticks in annoyance at the question as her chin dropped in a flash of scolded shame before she looks up her gaze immediately locking on Maggie's own.
"Can we?" she asks her tone an uncharacteristic blend of terrified and hopeful as her eyes hold Maggie's own. "Talk." She adds as if the clarification needed to be said.
Rather than answer with even a scoff Maggie only nodes her agreement gesturing wordlessly towards a side door for a little more privacy.
"Mags." Her should have been wife argues in a growl only to be stopped by a single unwavering look from the one she wished was already her wife.
"Two minutes." Maggie gets out her eyes flickering between the two before she rocked forward to press a not to light kiss against the other woman's cheek then another to her lips. "just two minutes." She promised in a whisper against those warmed lips.
"Two minutes." The other woman echoes in agreement as she nuzzled her forehead to Maggie's own.
Alex who'd seemed to become increasingly interested in her shoes peeks up as Maggie makes the quick dissension from the raised steps at the front of the church.
"Two minutes." She mumbles now far less sure of herself than she had been moments before as she obediently followed her retreating ex that separating length from the altar to the side hallway.