Vows

-3- Bathroom Break

Owen Savas

I can see the doubts and fears trying to overtake Mina but I don't make mention of it as we wait for the saleswoman to ring us up.

Maybe there's apart of me waiting for her to laugh and bail. It wouldn't be the first time.

But just to be safe, I fold my hand around hers, lacing our fingers together. The action makes her turn and flash me a smile. Her smiles come so easily now and a laugh rumbles deep in my chest as the memory of when I first met her pops into my mind.

She was full of walls and barricades and scowls. And I was a bitter asshole, drowning in self pity.

Oh how the tides had changed.

Mina accepts the small bag that holds the two ring boxes and as we turn to leave she looks up at me. I can't help but smirk, something that almost always guarantees me a signature Mina eye roll and the woman doesn't let me down.

I book a Uber and as we stand on the street and wait an idea strikes me. Let's be honest, tonight is a fly by the seat of my pants night. And as much as I don't care about a big wedding and all the stress that accompanies it, I still want our friends and family to be apart of it.

"Hey give me your phone real quick." I tell Mina.

"Why?" She asks but hands it over readily.

Slipping it into my pocket with a sly smile, I say "we're going off grid".

She scoffs at me, green eyes amused. "You're obnoxious."

As the Uber pulls out I let out a laugh, kissing the top of Mina's head because it's the closest part of her to me.  I fold into the backseat after her, falling into small talk with the driver as he navigates the short distance to the courthouse. We touch on everything, the weather, sports, how busy the college side of town is now that all the kids are back from break.

But even though my answers are coming quickly and the smile on my face is easy my thoughts are drifting. Maybe it's just because I'm about to do a supposedly life altering thing here, getting married. But I can't help but cycle back through the memories. Most of them happy. Though my brain, much to my displeasure, likes to throw in a few that aren't. Just to humble me.

We pass by my work, the building boring and uniform with the one beside it but it's fine. It's actually a great place to work, my office on the third floor has a view of the street. When I first got the job I was pumped to get that office but it overlooks Uptown Grill, a place I used to frequent. I haven't managed to get myself in there in years.

I feel Mina's fingers wrap around my arm, my gaze snapping to meet hers.

"You okay?" She asks, so quiet I doubt the driver heard. He's still going on about his buddy who recently started trading on the stock market and how he can't believe he'd throw his money into something so risky.

I shove Uptown Grill and sitting in a booth across from Drew to the back of my mind. "Yeah, I'm great."

And I am. Drew just sneaks up on me. A lot.

Her green eyes linger on me, searching for the things I'm not saying. But if I brought up every time my mind decided to flash me a memory of Drew, I'd never get shit done.

"Alright, here you go." The driver shifts into park along side the curb and the doors clunk as they unlock.

"Thanks man, have a good night." I tell him, pulling myself out of the small car, Mina behind me.

She's quiet, eyebrows drawn together, jaw clenched and I know she's starting to panic about all this. It's just in her nature.

We climb the steps, my gait uneven and slow but Mina always keeps her pace to mine. Something that I've never thanked her but love.