The Convict

Wedding Day

Harboring a killer makes someone paranoid. I knew the police weren't going to let it go and I knew eventually the people around me would start to suspect again and maybe even try to trick me again. What's that saying? Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice...

No way was I going to fall for another taped confession bit. Still, every little thing had me paranoid. Were the police tailing me to my therapy appointments? Were they looking into my house when I was gone? Were my parents wearing a wiretap? The whole thing had my anxiety going into overdrive.

I admit, I was a hot mess. One minute I was pretending everything was fine and normal, the next I was having panic attacks and speeding down roads because I was sure I was being followed.

But just like when I was kidnapped, Dakota did everything she could to make me comfortable, and lighten my spirits, and she got pretty creative.

Wedding Day

I sigh as I lock the door and make sure all the blinds are shut. Once I'm sure the coast is clear I call,

"I'm home! Ugh, I hate therapy," I whine.

Cali runs up to me and begs for food.

"Hey girl," I smile and pet her before going to feed her.

"Dakota!?" I call.

No answer.

Hmm.

Maybe she's taking a nap.

I pull out Cali's dry food and pour some into her bowl before turning my attention to Dakota. Where could she be? I notice the dining room light on.

"Dakota, please tell me you made something to eat I'm starving," I make my way to the dining room.

When I walk inside I gasp. The whole room has been done up to look romantic.

Dakota pours me a glass of wine.

"Dakota, what is all this?" my eyes sparkle just like the twinkling lights hanging from the ceiling.

"Well, since the two of us can't have a proper wedding I thought I'd take us through the motions. Each room in the house has a different event for us to play out. Welcome to your rehearsal dinner Melony," She smiles proudly.

"Dakota..." I feel my eyes water.

It's perfect. On the table is a steak dinner and cake and wine. The table itself has an off-white Tablecloth on it with grapes and candles to make it look fancy. Dakota is dressed very nicely with slacks on and a dress shirt.

"It was hard using whatever I could find, but it's a good thing your grandma was a hoarder. Lots of the boxes in the attic came in handy."

"I feel underdressed," I laugh and go to sit down.

"Good thing it's just the rehearsal." Dakota pulls my chair out for me.

"This has got to be the cutest thing anyone has ever done for me. Oh my gosh, I love it," I say teary-eyed.

"Save the tears for the wedding," she giggles.

"What other wedding events do we have planned?" I giggle as I cut my steak.

"Well in the master bedroom, you will find the wedding ceremony, with a wedding dress waiting for you. In the garage is the after-party where we will have our first dance as a married couple. Lastly, the guest room is where we will spend our first night alone as a married couple." She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

"Oh my god, you thought of everything," I laugh.

"I did, I've been secretly planning this for a few days. Trying to get everything prepped and ready in the few hours you are gone is actually very hard," She admits.