I Do

Part II: Tristan Sentir, Sorrowful Regret

When he heard that Elle was diagnosed with the heart condition, Tristan Sentir stayed up all night trying to figure out ways to make things easier for her. What would brighten her spirits? Their two families had been very close friends for many years, so Tristan knew Elle really well. As he knew how sentimental Elle was, he hand made her a scrapbook of highlights from their lives. Parties, concerts, the time they went to the park and Tristan broke his arm falling off the swing set. Tristan smiled as he glued the photo of the two seven-year-olds smiling in the hospital, one wearing a bright blue cast. He wrote little notes throughout the book and finally finished after two days of vigorous work.

Tristan had driven to the hospital to deliver the gift and he found himself beaming, seeing that she was okay. They looked through the book together, laughing and reminiscing. They took a picture together, that he hoped wouldn't be used to help one of them suffering another major illness in the future. Tristan stuck around for a while, sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, chatting away to his best friend. He had been there for about an hour and a half when someone walked through the doors with a huge, beautiful bouquet of flowers. Matthew Tanner.

"Matthew!" Elle gasped, "I thought you couldn't get home until tomorrow?" She was beaming, there was no mistaking the love in her eyes. Tristan could do nothing to stop the grin, that had been growing on his face since he had arrived, from fading away. He moved off the bed and leaned against the wall while Matthew leaned down and kissed her. Tristan quickly told Elle that he had to go, doing his best to feign a smile.

Tristan had gone and visited every so often, Elle had introduced him to her new friend Joan Andata and he had been there to see Joan fading. He liked Joan and when he found out that she planned on donating her healthy heart to Elle, Tristan let himself cry, tears of joy or sadness - as it was certain that Joan would die soon - he could not tell.

It was the day of the big transplant, Elle and the family were mourning their new friend's sad passing. Tristen was there, to support Elle's mother and Matthew was talking urgently to Elle. There were less than ten minutes until she had to be wheeled off into the O.R when Matthew pulled out the ring. As Tristan watched the beautiful proposal, he felt his heart shatter with the sound of the love of his life's joyful 'yes!'

***

Tristan was going over in his head why he had agreed to play the piano at the woman he love's wedding. She's still your best friend. Elle would be crushed if you had said no, he said to himself.

"Tristan! You're on," Elle's aunt, Kristen informed him. He nodded, following her out the door. Tristan slipped past the seated guests and began playing. He kept his head down, ignoring the entrance of the families, bridesmaids, and groomsmen.

"All rise for the bride,"

Tristan transitioned into the song Elle had selected for walking down the aisle. It was impossible for him to stop himself from looking up as he hit the chord that signaled her to start walking. Elle was breathtakingly beautiful. Tristan had to remind himself to keep playing.

No words can describe her, how perfectly stunning she is, Tristan thought. Words swirled through his head, elegant, gorgeous, dazzling, glamorous, angelic.

Yes, he thought, she looked like a real life angel that had descended from heaven. Tristan searched Matthew's face. Did he understand how perfect this girl was? Did he realize how immensely lucky he was? Elle glanced over at Tristan, meeting his eyes. She gave him a huge smile, her eyes sparkling even more than they usually did. For that brief second everything was right in the world. Then Elle's eyes rested back on her fiance, the love in her eyes unmistakable. Tristan stared back down at his hands trying to cover up the sorrow and regret written all over his face. The song ended and Tristan took his seat in the front row.