The Love Assignment

Epilogue

Vallerie's POV

"Yes, I will be there in another thirty minutes" I replied to my mom. It was her Wedding day and I had promised to meet her. Having lost my dad at a very young age had made my mom strong women. And she was never a mourner instead, she spent this day celebrating life, his presence with her. Every year on this day, mom would get crazy drunk and talk about what an amazing person my dad had been, things they had done, how my father treated people, how they fell in love. And even though most of these stories repeated every year I loved listening to every bit of it. It had been only mom and me every year but this time mom had invited the whole gang, Daniel, Stacey and Alex. Stacey and Alex had already reached the restaurant while I was still driving. Warm August air rushed past me, giving me a heady feeling where I simply wanted to let go of the steering wheel and raise over the roof of the car and let my hair down. I could have done this if only Daniel was with me and was driving the car but apparently the case of lost Art was more important than his girlfriend. I rolled my eyes at the thought of Daniel cussing at the fact that he would join late to the party.

Speak of the devil and the devil calls,

"Hey"

"Hi", I replied making my tone sound as angry as possible.

"Still angry", Daniel asks through the phone.

"You think", I say and honk at the person who cut into my lane.

"Well, about that. I will be there. Just will not be sooner than you want me to. Sorry babes" he replies.

"You have lot of making up to do and I am almost there. Try to come sooner", I say taking a smooth turn where I could either take a right and reach the restaurant in twenty minutes or take the left and reach the restaurant in ten minutes. Taking a left since I was already late I moved towards the restaurant. Since mom had closed the restaurant today, the parking space was easily available. Smiling at the empty sight of the space, I parked my car parallel to the pavement but my legs didn't seem to move.

All the empty space in front of me made my mind to simply wander around. Few months back I was a run away bride. The Angels had to do a lot of work in order to make people understand the circumstances that forced led me to run away. Initially it was planned that I would simply tell them the truth but that would have been a huge blow and risk to the company. So we altered the story. I remember the exact words I wrote that was published after the incident, "Sometimes life throws us into uncertainties , it challenges us to question our decisions and really ponder on what we want in the end. Walking down the aisle on that day made me question if this was what I really wanted, every step I took I was simply pulled back by some hidden power. I believe in love, I truly do. But when you start questioning your love at that pinnacle moment of your life then you haven't truly loved that person and you want more. What I have with Alex is an emotional connect where we both bond on a higher level, we were unknown strangers, and then colleagues, and then friends. But did we love each other, yes, absolutely we did. We loved each other more as friends than as soul mates. Alex will always be that three AM friend whom I'll go to and he has this very special place in my heart. But when even one of us face uncertain questions then it's never fair for us to continue this quest. I wanted more. I needed more. I couldn't give anything more to Alex. However the only regret I have is that I didn't realise it sooner. I wish all the Happiness and love for my dear friend Alex. I love him but not enough to join him on his adventurous journey of life."

After this article was published, I shunned myself completely from media glare. Everyday millions of  messages poured in, people wanted us to get back together, some cursed me for what I had done where as some thanked me for letting go of Alex so they could have their chance. But then there were the rest who understood what I had written and wished us good luck. Some claimed that it was all lies even from the beginning, all this for magazine's publicity they said. Alex on the other had become 'Most popular person searched on net', 'Top 20 most eligible bachelor's', 'Hot and Sexy,' where as I on the other hand was the 'Most hated person'. But that title soon washed away, after a week or so, women started sympathising me. They wrote me these beautiful inspiring messages about being strong. All through this Daniel stood by me.