Lethal Lust

32 | cry for help

Elijah spent the rest of the day mulling over Valerie's words. He thought of nothing but for the rest of Monday, Tuesday and even on Wednesday. And before he knew it, it was finally Thursday. The day before their wedding and he'd still not found the balls to speak to Jess.

He felt the warmth of a pair of arms wrap around his torso, "It's so crazy to think that this is the last time I'm actually going to see you before we're married." Jess whispered, her breath hitting the nape of his neck, sending small shivers down his spine.

"Yeah I know what you mean, are you all ready to go over to Pattie's?" He asked, turning his body around to face her, his arms setting down on her hips.

"Yeah, I guess. I've packed a few things to take for the night." Jess sighed, appearing slightly at unease.

"What's wrong?" Elijah asked. After being with Jess for what would be eight years in a few short weeks, he could tell when she was feeling down. It was that same way her shoulders would appear hunched over, the very way she'd appear slightly more wide-eyed or the way her freckles would writhe around her face when she spoke.

"Mum's just told me that daddy's not coming back for the wedding. My own dad is going to miss my big day. He's been away for so long and he hasn't even been here for the preparations, but I really thought he'd at least show up for his own daughter's wedding day. He didn't even bother to call to explain or even apologise, he just...doesn't care enough to even bother showing up." Jess scowled in annoyance.

Her father hadn't always been so dismissive of his children and his wife. She reminisced a time when she'd been a child and they'd been the epitome of a perfect family, spending nearly every waking moment together. But somewhere in her late teens, her father had stealthily been absent, away on long business trips that seemed never-ending. She'd never questioned him, how could she when he'd given her a life of riches?

"I'm sorry Jess. I know how much tradition means to you and I know you were banking on him to be the one to give you away. But I guess you could always ask Cody?" He suggested.

"Yeah, my stupid little brother who couldn't care less about my wedding either." She sighed in exasperation before she allowed her lips to curve back into her toothy grin, "actually, you know what? fuck them. It really doesn't matter. Nothing is going to ruin tomorrow for me. Absolutely nothing. We've had so many ups and downs and at times I thought we wouldn't get this far but we've made it. We made it through everything, Elijah!" She squealed, excitedly.

Elijah returned the grin but there was clear hesitancy in the expression. He felt Valerie's words wash over him.

"Do you even love Jess? Tell me, do you actually love her? I never had the chance to ask my husband before he left me after cheating on me for months, so I'll ask you. Does a cheater ever love the one he's actually with or is everything always a sham?"

He shook his head gently, in an attempt to remove the memory from his mind.

"Listen, Jess, how about you stay home today, we can talk and...spend the night together before the wedding? Forget the stag and hen do, let's just spend this night together, please?" Elijah almost pleaded.

He'd tell her tonight if he had the chance. Valerie was right, no one cheats if they're truly happy in their current relationship. He'd be trapping himself in a life that wouldn't only include Jess but would also include Pattie. And he knew that he'd never truly find solace in life if that old hag was always in the picture.

"No, Elijah! It's traditional for me to not be with you on the last night before our wedding. I want to stick to traditions, even if daddy isn't going to be the one to walk me down the aisle. Plus...we'll have plenty of time to spend night's together anyway." Jess winked, her scarlet coloured hair falling in front of her eyes.