Sweet Satisfaction (Purple UGC Winner 2014)

Sweet Satisfaction - Thirty-Eight

Thirty-Eight

21st June 1915 (AN: The format below is a little messed up, sorry. )

Name: John George William Alexander Monne D’Arc Knowlbodye               

            Elsie Isabella Kingston

Age:  21                                                                                                                                 

         17

Condition:  Bachelor                                                                                                              

                  Spinster

Profession: -                                                                                                                                                       -

Address: Knowlbodye Estate                                                                                 

               Kingston Place

Father’s Name: John George William Alexander Knowlbodye                       

                          Albert Kingston

Father’s Profession: Lawyer     

                                 Services to the government

Signed: John G.W.A Monne D’Arc Knowlbodye 

             Elsie Isabella Kingston

Witness: Isabella Elsa Kingston

              Pierre Jean Claude Monne D’Arc

There it was, our wedding certificate. We were officially husband and wife. I was glad it was over but still angry I had let myself go through with it. Was this what I wanted, to be married to a man with a mental condition I had some small, confused feelings about? John seemed relaxed now and was eagerly chatting away to his grandparents, Pierre and Jeanne.

The photographs whirled by; I stood there with a painted smile, listening to my heart drumming. I should’ve been happy; wasn’t it every little girl’s dream to get married?

The cake was now crumbs, the tablecloths were stained and all the guests had gone back to their own houses to play their own happy families and fight over whether they had spent too much on our wedding present. The sun was still burning brightly but I felt like I was deflating.

“Elsie!” I turned around to see Susanna and promptly threw my arms around the girl.

“That’s my dress,” I pointed out, bemused and weary, but she ignored the remark.

“I’ve just found out- one of the ‘surprises’ is your honeymoon- you and John are to spend two days in Cornwall.”

“Great,” I sighed, shoulders slumping. I had been so pre-occupied with the wedding I hadn’t even given one thought to the honeymoon. My eyes widened.

“Oh Susanna- two days just with him! I’ll have to sleep in his bed and… and…”

*****

And two hours later, I was sitting in John’s automobile in an awkward silence. I twisted my wedding ring around my finger in endless silence, remembering the coy, shaky smiles we had given each other as we had slipped the rings on each other's fingers, my diamond glinting in the sunlight. I had a sudden impulse to throw it out the window into a passing lake. I had eaten little; the heat and John’s dodgy driving around bends was making me feel rather faint.

“I can’t believe my wildest dreams have come true.”

“What do you mean?” I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. John gazed at me.

“I’m married to the girl I love.” My eyes bulged behind my goggles as his lips came towards mine. They tasted slimy and wet because I couldn’t get the image of Bobby’s hurt-looking face out of my head. I felt like I was cheating on him.

HONK!

“John!” I screamed, breaking away. His hand reached out for the steering wheel. Too late.

*****

“John?” I whispered hoarsely. My surroundings were black. I could feel glass wedging into my knees, piercing deep. I reached up and felt my forehead. It was sticky. Sticky with blood.

Panic seemed to outnumber me and all I could do was gasp and breathe faster and faster as everything flooded back to me. I remembered the other vehicle smashing into my side of the automobile, the driver crying out. I remembered the sickening crunch as the automobile upturned and I was thrown through the glass and over the bonnet onto the pavement, screaming as my head knocked against the ground. This was all my fault.

I scrabbled on my hands and knees, feeling the shiny metal of the door. Or was it the bonnet? I could hardly see in the blackness. How long had I been unconscious? Where was John and the driver of the other car? Pray, oh please let them be alive! Flashbacks of the piano toppling into me at King’s Lynn filled my eyes. I furiously pushed them away, sobbing, heaving, wrenching my goggles off my face. That’s when I heard him.

“El-ee! El-ee!”

“Oh my goodness, John, John!” I sobbed. He was alive.

“El-ee, ober ‘ere!” I saw his hand waving and stumbled over. He was trapped under the automobile, blood-stained, jaw smashed, shirt ripped open. I knew there was no way I could get him out myself; I felt physically and mentally drained.

“John, John, oh goodness, stay here. Keep calm- promise me you’ll keep calm?” He nodded.

“I’m going to get help, I promise.” The moon suddenly emerged from behind its silver wrapper and I saw the tears streaming down his cheeks on a face so badly broken- slashed all over.

I swallowed and sunk down beside him, pulling his hands into mine.

“I love you John.” My voice broke, face creasing up as I pressed my hand to my mouth. I planted a furious, quick kiss on his lips. This time, it was a real kiss. I didn’t want to leave him but I had to. I checked on the driver of the other vehicle, who was unconscious, before breaking into a run, despite the searing pain that shot up my legs. I had to save my husband.