Cherry

As Told By Ramon

Ramon

"Here. Have a glass. It might help," James states as he hands me half a glass of White Zinfandel.
"Thanks, although, it won't do shit for me," I mutter as I lift the glass to my lips.
          James only chuckles and pats my back before he goes to fix his tie.
"God, I can only hope that I'm this fucked up in love."
"You'll get there. Eventually. She's right there and all you have to do is reach for her." I say, giving him a smile at his reflection in the mirror.
          He rolls his eyes but grins as he knows who I meant in this situation.
"You know it won't be that easy, we've known each other too long. I doubt she sees me as anything more than a brother or something."
"We both know that's not true and you're simply telling yourself that."
"Yeah, yeah, don't you have to get yourself in your tux? You seem to forget that you're the one getting married today."
"Oh, I didn't forget, as you can see I can barely keep still."
"Well, the sooner you get your suit on and get to that altar, the sooner you get to see your bride."
"Alright, alright, I'm getting up now," I state. I place my empty glass down and start to button up the dress shirt before I grab my navy blue suit to put on top. I check the time on my watch again and let out a shaky breath. About thirty minutes more. When I look up, Ethan is in front of me and is handing me my burgundy tie while Luke has settled himself in the seat across from me. I put on my tie as slowly as possible, messing around with it, hoping that time would magically go by faster. No luck. I put on my socks and shoes, mess with my hair a few times in the mirror and then sit back in the chair I was in before.

          There was a knock at the door and my heart skips a beat. No, I needed to calm down. It couldn't be her. Her friends wouldn't let her see me until she walked down the aisle.
"I'll get it," says James as he walks to answer the door.
"Hi, I just wanted to get shots of the groom? Is he ready?"
"You ready Ramon? He's ready," he replies without waiting for my answer. He moves aside for the photographer to enter and the man walks up to me. He introduces himself and then asks to take a few pictures of me in the chair and a few with the others.

"I'd like to take some of you outside on the balcony and in the garden. Is that okay?"
"Yes, that's fine," I reply and hook my finger on the suit I had taken off for a few pictures. The photographer and I both walk out of the room and I feel a few snaps from the camera as I walk down the stairs of the mansion.
"Wait right there, let me take some here first."
          I pause where I am and he rushes ahead of me to take more pictures. After those, we continue to walk until we make it to the balcony in the front. He tells me to stay up there while he goes outside to take a few pictures from below. He tells me how to position myself after every few clicks and then finally tells me to meet him in the garden. He finishes taking the rest of the pictures and I thank him as he leaves. I decide to stay out here for some air and I place my suit down on the bench near a rose bush before I remove my cufflinks, place them in my pocket and roll up my sleeves. I look out into the large and open lake and stare at the beautiful white swans with their cygnets.

"They're beautiful aren't they?"
           I know that voice anywhere.
"I want to know who the fuck let you in and what the hell are you doing here Finn."
"Woah, don't get your panties in a twist now, can't I just come by to say congratulations?"
"You've just said it. Now leave before I take you out myself." I say through gritted teeth.
"Tsk. Still the harsh Ramon I know."

          Something snapped inside of me and I pull him off the ground by his collar and I look at him dead in the eye.
"Listen and listen very closely. You might have been a really dear friend of mine but I never forget things. So I never forgot what you did to my wife. You're a fucked up man Finn. I do not have time to deal with a son of a bitch like you. You're just as bad as Mike and the rest of the shitty men in this world. Now, my patience is running really thin with you right now, and I know you have no fucking reason to be here other than to ruin a perfectly good day. So I'm going to need you to leave and I want you far away from this entire property. Test me and I will have your ass in jail faster than you can say your own name. Got it?"
"You can't do shit Ray," he grins.
"You think I'm bluffing?"
"I know you are."
"You motherfuc-" I say getting ready to swing at him.
"Ramon! What the fuck man- Woah what's this dickhead doing here?" James grimaces.
"Why don't you ask him, James? Before I beat the shit out of him."
"Put him down Ramon, he's not worth it. Don't let him ruin your day."
          I forcefully drop him down and he stumbles a little before he stands upright.
"Thank you for sparing me, friend. James is it?"
"First of all who asked you to speak? Second, I'm not your friend. Not even an acquaintance. And third, I didn't spare you. I might not let Ramon fuck you up because he has somewhere else to be, but I'm not someone to fuck around with either. This is your last warning to leave before you get hurt."
"I get it." he starts to laugh. "Ramon doesn't want anything messing up his clean record so he has you to deal with his mess. Pretty nice duo if I say so myself. What are you his bodyg-"
         James takes a full swing at Finn's face which causes him to land on the floor.
"You Bitch!" Finn yells out, holding his hands up to his now bloody and broken nose.
"I warned you. You didn't leave," he replies curtly as he pulls out a napkin and wipes his knuckles on it. He also pulls out his phone and calls someone.
          Within a minute, the security from inside rush over.
"Get him out of here," I tell them. They nod and both of them grab Finn from the floor and pull him up, dragging him away.

"Thanks, you didn't need to do that."
"It was nothing. And I did. He hurt one of my best friends. I couldn't let him get away like that. Plus if I left you beat the shit out of him you'd come back all bloody and he'd probably end up with more than just a broken nose." James chuckles.
"Ha,"

__________

          I take a deep breath once more before the double doors open.
"This is it," I whisper to myself as I watch her begin to walk down the aisle to the song.
          I only saw Celestia at the end. She, in her gorgeous jaw-dropping dress she hid from me for weeks. As she stares at me like no one else was in the room as she gets closer. As she smiles at me and a few tears spill from my eyes in her sight. And as she looks like a goddess to me as she finally stands across from me.

          Finally, she was here. I was here.

          I know that for better or for worse. Through thick and thin. This woman right in front of me. Celestia Hadleigh Crowe, and what we have, is forever.