Captivation

45: Wed

Wed (verb): give or join in marriage

***Three months later***

"Are you nervous?" Kitty asks me as she helps me button up the back of my dress. Henry found her, he found everyone that I made friends with along the way. Genevieve and her husband are out there, along with Mary and Jane. Many other people I don't know as well are out waiting for me to walk down the aisle.

"Not really." I say as she buttons up the last button.

"That's good." She says looking at me and smiling.

"Is Henry's grandfather out there?" I ask, curious to see if the old man would miss Henry's wedding. Wondering if his words were serious or empty threats.

"Yes. I heard he was forced to come." Kitty says smiling.

"And my family?" I ask, almost not wanting to know.

"They're here." She says, fluffing my hair.

Now I'm nervous.

"Tell me something," I say, "Is there still time to elope?"

Kitty laughs at me and then pats my back as she helps me up out of my chair. "Oh Madelyn, I would love to tell you that you could run far away with Henry and everyone else would disappear, but unfortunately, the rest of your life isn't going to work like that. So you might as well get ready to walk down the aisle."

"I didn't ask for your moral guidance." I grumble as she leads me to the doorway. I know that when I get the courage to open up the door I will see all sorts of people looking at me. Many of them I won't know, and it's those that I do know that scare me the most.

"Madelyn I didn't ask for you to save me either." Kitty says and I look at her to see what emotion her face gives way. She has on a small smile and the look in her eyes is one that conveys gratitude. "So maybe you need to learn that you need most what you think you didn't need at all."

I give her a look and then sigh. "When did you become an oracle?" I ask.

Kitty smiles. "The moment I stopped being a prostitute." She fixes a piece of my hair. "Now go."

Kitty walks away and leaves me alone. I stare at the closed door, and I know I'm being waited on. I push open the door before I can change my mind.

The sun is bright and hot. It's almost autumn, but not yet. I feel myself begin to panic when I accidentally look out into the rows of people on either side of the aisle. My first instinct is to run, and then I hear a voice.

"Madelyn," Henry's voice is soft, and it's just loud enough to get my attention. I look at him and he smiles reassuringly at me.

I regain my composure and walk down the aisle, which feels impossibly long. I look at no one but Henry the entire walk down. I take my place next to him and we turn to face the minister.

I have a hard time breathing with all these people watching me, much less listening to the preacher talking about how we're a good match even though he really knows nothing about either of us. So I interrupt.

"I'm sorry, please stop talking." I say abruptly.

Henry looks over at me, with an eyebrow raised. "He hasn't called for any objections yet," Henry chastises playfully.

"Don't tell me you don't think that everything he's saying is about as meaningful as a potato." I say.

"Why do you dislike potatoes so?" Henry asks just to egg me on.