Wildflowers; After the long wait

chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Dawn...Dawn..." Alice whined. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, a drunk Dawn grinned at her with a comically unfazed and helpless gaze that had her wanting to punch him. They were at their favorite bar stop, usually, they had drinks there after work sometimes or on days when either of them was seriously stressed and in need of a good old cry. It was one of the latter days, well maybe all of the above.

"Ohhh, you're no help?" she huffed, releasing him with a little push. She dropped her head on the counter, resting her cheeks on the cold wooden surface, looking up at him helplessly with an expression somewhere between a pout and desperate despair.

"Help meee, the wedding is on Sunday. It's already Friday." she cried, "I don't know what to do, and I don't want to get married." she mumbled in a muffled voice as the cold countertop cooled her very hot cheeks.

"You walked into it with your eyes wide open, I'm sorry, you're on your own. Much as I hate the fact that I can't help you, we're talking about my mother. If we tell her you don't want to have a wedding because you plan on divorcing my brother, she won't take it easy. she's going to want answers and you don't have any as yet, sorry again honey." He patted her on the head like you would a sad little child. She sighed, soundlessly banging her head on the counter, knowing there was nothing Dawn could do this time to save her. She should have just told Marlene the truth, it was too late to go back now.

Alice had to admit the past few days preparing for their wedding had been fun, Marlene took her shopping almost every day, she hadn't taken a day off to just go shopping in years, it felt great plus she got to try on several wedding dresses. She never did get to wear one for her wedding to Dwayne, they'd been so eager.''Young and dumb, more like it.'  

Marlene bought a whole new set of clothes,  purses, and shoes, so many lovely, lovely shoes for her. She enjoyed bonding with her mother-in-law, but the guilt kept her sober. It was nice going shopping and having lunch with her. Alice always wondered what it would be like to have a girls day out with her mother and now she knew. Dwayne was no help; he was just enjoying the ride at her expense.

"I know... I know, I'm screwed." She grabbed another shot of tequila, that the bartender had just place in front of her and she swallowed it down in one gulp.

"You've got to go through with the wedding," he sighed.

"Yes..." she grabbed another shot, before standing up with a little sway in her step. "I think I'm a little drunk Cheshire." Dawn held her by the arm steadying her, she leaned her weight on him.

"That's ok. I know I'm drunk. Wanna call a taxi?"

"Nope," She popped the p on the nope. "Let's drink some more."

"No, honey drinking more won't help and if my mum finds out I had you out at this hour drinking she's going to kill me," he warned her before gently tugging her to the exit.

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Dwayne sat on the balusters that surrounded Alice's porch in the dark, he knew she was stressed and he couldn't help her, at the back of his head he knew the right thing to do was to stop the wedding but he was gaining a second chance with her, that was all he wanted. Even if it was a chance at her own expense. He had sworn to himself, if it all worked out he would make it up to her somehow. He wasn't going to let a day pass him where he didn't cherish her every second and she wasn't going to know it, he had ten years to make-up for.

 A taxi pulled up next to her front gate. He watched as his brother and his wife staggered out of a cab and up to her front door. They didn't notice him sitting in the dark corner and he could feel his anger reach its boiling point. "I'm staying the night! his brother exclaimed and Alice laughed as she was about to open her front door for them to enter.