Belongs to him

15 | Power cut

Alina Windsor

"And he said it... just like that? He wants you to find and build your dream apartment," Molly speaks in disbelief, "I-"

"Have never been more jealous in my life," Vivian cuts in mouth agape. "The sex must've been really good," She chides.

"Yeah all up in your Vir-gina," Molly giggles with her words but then Townes slaps her shoulder. "Ouch!" She whinges.

"I am not sorry, never say that again" Townes look over at me, "but did you have sex?" She knew I'd tell her first if anything ever happened.

"No we haven't, he's just been showing up... quite literally everywhere. I mean he could be in the restaurant as we speak," my eyes scan around the joint and land back on Viv's Mimosa.

"What else did he say. I mean no annulment he really is all in with you?" Townes asks as her eyes trail to my ring. It sounded insane and she was the one to let me know but I could tell she was biting her tongue.

"He chose me. He said he saw me and chose me as his wife. He can't remarry ever again apparently. So he knew I was the one when I met him in Italy..." I wait for the slander from the three of them. But instead it's just silence.

"Hey as Lana Del Rey says: when you know, you know?" Viv raises her glass and tilts it back.

"At least he's a romantic... it's non traditional but I think it's really something," Molly gave me a reassuring smile and when I looked to Townes she just stared forward.

"Townes..." there was no thumbs up or congratulations, just concern.

"So you're married... he's a stranger? What if he harms you and you just can't leave him? It sounds more like a trap than a marriage Lina, and I'm saying this as your best friend. Not as someone who is trying to go against you or hurt you, only because I care," there she was, the friend I knew. The one who would tell me the reality when I wouldn't think of it.

"I care," Molly mumbles.

That's how I knew Townes my best mate. Because she'd always tell me the truth, even if it hurt and it was always non-intentionally just in protection. But also because she knows I'd do the same for her.

Even with my rejection to Aiden's proposal she knew. She experienced first hand with me and him, I also knew she didn't like him. I know she's hurt that I married without her there, without anyone there.

"I know," the whisper leaves my mouth, "but I'm not an idiot, my Mimi always told me to follow my gut and I feel it." I paused looking right at her.

"I'd rather be with him now. I mean maybe one day it might all fall a part, but I'd rather not spend my time regretting it and walking away. Thinking about what if? Praying I run into him in some shop years to come where our lives are different because I couldn't get the timing right," I think about it and for some reason it makes my stomach grow more sour.

"If I stumbled into him years later, with a new wife and he's in the hardware store getting nails and I notice a new ring on his finger where his for me used to be. And when he shows me the nails I learn it's to help build a crib? I don't want that future. So even if it falls a part, I'll at least know what loving him feels like," they look at me speechless as I felt a pressure in my chest.