DO I?
By Tiffanie Monroe
I love New York’s skyline. When I have a really difficult decision to make, I can sit on my balcony and watch the sun melt away behind a wall of steel and glass, and it makes everything else seem small somehow. Not tonight.
Marriage. Married. To the same person. Forever. Holy crap.
Am I making the right choice? Am I really in love? How do I know?
I was momentarily distracted as my phone started playing “Loveshack”. A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. Of course my best friend would know exactly when to call me.
“How ya doin’?” Sadie had come to the City from her hometown of Lubbock, TX when she was dating a bull rider named T-Roy. Life with Sadie was rarely dull.
“I’m hanging in there. A little scared.” I left the balcony and headed for the kitchen.
“You’ve got cold feet don’tcha?”
Cold, no. Damn near frost bitten.
Her sassy drawl made me smile though, as always, and I shook off a little of the chill. “I’m okay.”
“Want me to come keep you company?”
“No. You’ve had your hands full the last few months and you need your sleep. Tomorrow is a big day.”
I made a sandwich while she talked of one of the bridesmaids getting caught in a coat closet with a groomsman.
“The worst part is that her husband is the one who caught them! See what happens when you leave your own rehearsal dinner? You miss all the good stuff.”
We talked for a couple of hours. It felt more like minutes. I hated to let her go and face what was sure to be the longest night of my life so far.
“Goodnight. Try to get some sleep.” Sadie said.
“Night.”
You should definitely get some sleep on the night before your wedding. I gave up and decided to make myself breakfast. Well, this should be the last time I have to eat alone, anyway.
I got dressed, said a quick prayer that my feet would warm up, and headed to the church. As I was getting ready, my mom came in, tears in her eyes, wishing me good luck and telling me how much she loved me. Dad just gruffly patted me on my shoulder and said, “I’ll meet you by the door.”
I straightened my tie, thought one more time of bolting, and went to stand by the preacher. When the wedding march started, I turned, and there she was: my Sadie, all in white, her green eyes sparkling. My eyes met hers and all my fears melted away. Oh yeah, I am the luckiest guy in the world.
Sadie’s dad put her hand in mine, and she looked up at me, serious.
“How’re those feet, Mr. Grayson?”
“Toasty, Ms. Raines.”
She winked at me and whispered, “Thank God for suicidal squirrels and the love shack, right?”
I grinned, “I do.”
Tiffanie: I'm a stay at home mom who enjoys writing. I have taken a two writers workshops in the past year. Contact Tiffanie.
