Mitchell's Power Play

Tropical Wedding Bells

MITCHELL

So there I was, alone at the wedding. It didn't matter that it was at a beautiful tropical location with views of the ocean, and swaying palm trees, or that the breeze was warm with scents of fresh flowers. I was still alone, sitting by myself at the bar watching all the guests - all the couples to be specific - as they swayed together on the dance floor, or stood hand in hand as they spoke to other happy looking couples.

It wasn't that I was lonely because I didn't know anyone. My friends were around, including my best friend Nash, his fiancé Kennedy, her brother Jackson and my plus one for the weekend - my friend and teammate - Bryce. It was that I felt alone despite all that, like on the inside. It was as if I was missing a special part of me, that closeness and bond thing soulmates share.

I'm not even sure why I'd be missing it because it wasn't like I had ever really experienced it, to begin with. Not the way Ken and Nash did. Anyone could tell by the way they smiled at each other that they were in love and felt complete together. I didn't have that and I assumed that there were many others that didn't either, but that didn't stop me from wanting it. Wanting something more than playing hockey, friendship, and an occasional romp in the hay. Not having what Nash and Kennedy, or Isaac and Melinda had never bothered me before, but as I sat there with a slight buzz, nursing a beer I realized that now it did.

Bryce was my so-called "date" for the wedding. I had no romantic interest in him, or any guy for that matter. That wasn't why he was my plus one for the wedding. I'd been invited to Nash's brother Isaac's wedding, but I had no special girl to bring along, so he came as a stand-in date, as a friend.

I could've gone alone since I know Nash's family better than I know my own, but it made me feel a bit like a loser. It was a destination wedding which also complicated things. It wasn't like I was going to bring just any girl to a tropical paradise for a long weekend. If it had been just a regular wedding back in New York it wouldn't have been as big of a deal. I could've shown up with a girl, had some fun at the wedding, and gone our separate ways afterward if we didn't hit it off.

Anyway, that wasn't the case, and it was how Bryce ended up coming with me. So far we'd had a blast; explored the island, played golf, hung at the beach and pool, and celebrated Isaac's last night as a free man. But, all of that had been done as a group of friends. There had been no love or romance involved. Maybe it was just something about weddings... It made me feel down and even lonelier than normal.

I looked around the covered outdoor patio where the celebration was held. The sun had already set but torches covered the edge of the patio that overlooked the ocean and lanterns hung down from the light-washed wooden ceiling which created a soft glow and romantic shadows. The glass doors to the dining hall where the wedding dinner had taken place were wide open and light from the crystal chandeliers spilled out onto the patio, and the cream-colored curtains swayed softly in the breeze, further contributing to the romantic feel.

Several couples danced slowly to live music played by an Island band on a small stage at the back of the patio. The sound was authentic to the Caribbean, heavy with percussion instruments and the occasional maracas.

I was at the bar with a side view of the stage and my back to the dance floor. My side of the bar was relatively empty as most people were either dancing or hanging by the couches near the wroth iron fence that overlooked the ocean, but there was a group of older men at the other end of the bar counter. They seemed involved in some kind of legal discussion which didn't interest me in the least.

A young couple was standing a few seats away from me, waiting for a drink order. Nash and Kennedy were dancing. I could hear her soft laughter somewhere behind me despite the music that was playing all around us. Her laugh was familiar and comforting. It let me know I had close friends here among all the strangers, and it helped... to a point.