The Green Labyrinth

Say Yes to the Dress

Theo:

"Theodora Larson." I say. The woman hands me a clipboard.

"Sign here. Place this visitor pass on your shirt. Leave all items in a locker. You cannot bring any items back except the key for the locker." I nod placing my things in the locker and closing it. 

The gates ring as they open, I'm lead down a long hall, dark and dreary. The paint chipping from the walls, the iron gates rusted. Guards stand at each end of the hall. 

"Stop here." The man says, the gates open in front of us. He points to a chair facing glass. I sit. 

I watch as she steps in, dark gray jumpsuit, hair straight at her shoulders. I pick the phone up, she does the same. 

"Theo, my dear." She says, smiling. 

"Loretta..." 

"To what do I owe the honor of this meeting?" She asks, the sarcasm in her voice is deafening. 

"I wanted to tell you that I've set a date. That I'm getting married. And I can't wait until that day. Knowing you're sitting in here, rotting away for the crimes you have done." I grin, it's an angry smile.

"Well, whoopty doo for you." She crosses her legs behind the glass. 

"He won't stay. Everyone leaves you. You are no one special my dear. Don't think that you are." She spits.

"Actually, I am someone. I am strong, I am courageous. I am better because of you. Not because of your parenting, but your lack there of. You are a disgrace, what kind of mother tries to get their child killed? Blames them for a horrible accident? Abandons them? You are horrid. You are sick. I don't feel sorry for you, but I feel sorry that you chose this life for yourself. Without thinking of the consequences." I say. I hold up a picture, the moment Collin proposed. 

"This man, he loves me. He almost died and still chose me. Out of everyone in the world, every person he has met in many different cities, and he chose me. He brings me beautiful places, he writes me beautiful songs. His eyes glisten when he looks at me, a twinkle in his green eyes. He chose me. And I choose to be a better wife and better mother than you ever were. I promise to show my kids unconditional love, to support them in any and every thing that they do. I promise not to leave them behind but to push them forward. And if something terrible happens along the way, I will stick to them like glue, not abandon them. I promise to be everything you never were. I am better than you. I always will be. You are nothing, no one to me. Have a nice life in prison Loretta. You are a sick son of a bitch." I hang up the phone, sliding my chair out I walk away, without looking back. 

I walk out the doors of the prison, breathing in the warm air. Letting each and every terrible thing leave my body, and soul. 

Bzzzzz..

"Hey you!" I say, getting into the car. 

"Hey! When will you be home? We have an appointment at 2:15!" Shea says.

"An appointment? Where? With who?" I ask.

"YOU'LL SEE!! Get your ass back here pronto!" She hangs up. I turn on some music for the 45 minute ride home. 

"Let's start it here

Back in nineteen-seventy-sumthin'
I can't pin down the year
When the romance wasn't dead
And love still stood for something
There was a girl who had lost her way
She blushed red when he came over
And they danced the night away
And he sung as he drove her home and
It was there that she would say
If I could than I would save you
And he smiled and turned away
In six weeks they're saying "I do"
Oh, love just don't go that way no more..." I sing along to the words.