Language of Love

Nostalgiae

We decide to get married in December, during winter break. I'm ecstatic. I enlist the help of Courtney, who has apparently been planning her wedding on Pinterest since high school. After she finished hers she created four more boards... for fun.

"I don't care," I say, referring to the font on invitations.
"You've said you don't care 8 times today, do you even care to get married?" She says, frustrated.
"I want to get married but honestly, I don't think that the bouquets or the table cloths or the font on my invitations will make a difference. I care about 4 things: the guests, the dress, the groom, and the food. Otherwise, it doesn't matter." I say. She sighs in exasperation.
"We will just take everything from board two and make it your wedding. It's indoors, it's easy and it requires the least amount of choices." She says.

We book everything before it's July. School had been out for a while and I was not looking forward to the rest of the summer. I had nothing to do. Fitz and I decide to plan a trip to my hometown.

We go Saturday. It's in Maryland, not at all far from DC. It's 20 minutes outside of the limits.

"We are here," I say. Fitz looks around.
"Where's the rest of it?" Fitz questions.
"This is it." I say. I can't help but laugh at his very real reaction.
"Oh, Sorry." He apologizes.
"I told you it was a shithole." I say.
"You were not exaggerating." He adds.

"Let's get lunch, at the only diner in town." I say. He gives me a funny look as we pull into the parking lot.
"Is it safe to go in there?" He asks.
"Probably not, but we're going to starve otherwise." I answer. We walk in the door of the run down diner, Russel's. The old 60s style seats are beaten up. They have been there since the 60s.

We stand at the front of the diner. I look around. Everyone good got out of the this town when they could, years ago. All that was left was the crappy people who will never leave.

"Gray Thorne?" Asks an older man, who face I recognize, despite the new wrinkles and white beard. Russel, owner of Russel's Diner.
"Hey!" I say.
"What bring you to town?" He asks.
"I'm just showing my fiancé where I grew up," I say. He walks out from the bar. His wife, Mary, follows.
"Fiancé?" Mary says. I hold up my hand. She admires the ring.
"That thing probably costed more than this diner." Russel remarks.
"This is Fitzgerald," I say. Fitz smiles. Mary walks up to him and pulls him into a sudden hug. He seems surprised but hugs her back.
"These are the people who basically raised me. They fed me more than my mother did and they taught me more than she did," I say. Mary smiles.

"C'mon in and sit down," She says.

We sit at the counter on the bar stools. She hands us menus. Fitz looks at it.

"I'll take a Reuben." I say. Fitz clearly hadn't decided on anything.
"I guess I'll have a burger," He says.

I look to my right and see a man. He's much older than the time I saw him last, but still youthful and attractive. He spots me and smirks.

"Gray!" He says. I feel my smile fall.
"Who's that," Fitz asks.
     "Ace, the man who got me pregnant," I whisper. Ace comes closer to us.

    Ace reaches for me face but I swat his hand away. I see Fitz brace himself out of the corner of my eye.
      "Why so unfriendly, Gray?" He asks.
      "What do you think?" I ask. He rolls his eyes and plops down on the bench.
      "You know, I miss you," He says, leaning against the counter.
      "I'm sure. I see you still hang around here. What are you looking for? A new freshman to screw?" I ask.
       "I've already got one. Your sister, actually. She's much better than you ever were." He says.
       "My sister?" I say.

      "She's meeting me here in 15 minutes," Ace says.
      "You stay away from her," I bark.
      "Always so feisty," He recalls. Ace looks to behind me. "Ah, you must be the new guy she's screwing. I can tell because you look like you're ready to punch me." He says to Fitz.
      "He's my fiancé, actually." I add.
      "Of course, How could I ignore the diamond on your finger?" He asks and reaches for my hand. I move it.
      "Don't touch her," Fitz growls.
      "Overprotective much? What are you going to do anyway, Cupcake?" Ace insults. Fitz rises from his seat. He towers over Ace.
      "Who's cupcake, now?" Fitz asks. I try not laugh. But then, I see the aggression and I watch them with fear.

      I see Ace go back to punch Fitz. His fist flies through the air. Fitz's hand catches the fist. He twists Ace's arm until Ace jumps back.

     "What the hell man? How'd you learn how to do that?" Ace asks.
     "The Navy." Fitz remark, with a smirk.
     "Shit." He says and walks out the door. Fitz sits back in his seat.
     "You didn't have to do that," I say.
     "I've been wanting to punch him since I knew he existed." Fitz says.

     The door's bell rings when a girl walks in. She wears fishnets under a black skirt. I look over to Fitz who must see it. My sister. I stand up.

     She looks around, looking for Ace. She sees me and then look away. She looks back. The confusion on her face is strong. I grin. I run towards the door and she shakes her head. She practically tackles me with the power of her hug. She's still a bit shorter than me, but she's grown, a lot. I feel her stomach against mine. She isn't starving. They feed her. She's not fat, but she's far from the level of skinny I was in high school.

     "Hi!" Anna exclaims.
"Hey." I say.
"What...why are you here?" She asks.
     "I was just showing my fiancé where I grew up," I explain.
     "Oh. Wait...Fiancé?" She gasps.
     "Yeah. How are you?" I ask.
     "Good. Still stuck in this shithole, but good. Where do you live now, what's going on?" She asks.
     "Come sit at a booth, let's chat." I say.

     We sit at a booth, not the bar where Fitz and I had previous sat. Fitz walks over carrying my bag.
     "You left this." He says and hands it to me.
     "Thanks," I say and put it next to me.

     He sits down next to me and puts him arm above my shoulders. I'm startled by the affection, because Fitz is horrible at romance. I give him a weird look.

     "She's engaged, sir." Anna comments.
"I'm aware. I remember proposing," Fitz jokes.
"Oh! Sorry, I thought..." She starts.
"It's okay. Anna, this is Fitzgerald, my fiancé. Fitz, this is Anna, my sister." I introduce. She smiles.
"He's hot," She says.
"I know, right?"
"I'm right here!" Fitz mumbles.
"We know." Anna and I say in sync. He smiles.

Mary walks up to our table with two baskets. Our food. She sees Annabelle and smiles.

"I see you've found Annabelle. Honey, what can I get you?" Mary asks.
"Nothing. I didn't bring any money." She says.
"Order something." Fitz says. "I've got it." Annabelle looks at me. I nod. She orders a sandwich.
"I was supposed to meet Ace here, but he seems to have ditched." She says looking around.
"He was here. He kinda punched Fitz in the face." I say. Her eyes go wide.
"Kinda?" She questions.
"He caught his hand and twisted it backwards until he fled from the diner like a baby." I recall.
"Oh..."
     "He's an ass," I say and take a sip of my soda.

     "I'm going to marry him," Anna blurts. I choke on my Pepsi.