The Rings

A 500 word piece based on a writing prompt.

Grace Sullivan stood staring blankly down the flowered lined aisle and took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Dozens of people stood as the familiar notes began to fly through the air. If she were lucky the ground would open up and swallow her right at that moment. Shifting slightly she glanced at the floor and sighed with disappointment when it didn’t open up as she hoped.

          Everything had gone perfectly as had been planned. The town’s old first church had been booked for the day, the florist had been free to arrange the perfect combination of red and white roses, the three tier chocolate cake was centered perfectly in the reception room, the contemporary wedding dress fell in perfect folds down her body and the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle all but sparkled. Nothing had gone wrong and it would be a perfect wedding followed by and equally perfect celebration.

            Grace wanted to scream, but instead she took a few hesitant steps down the aisle. None of it was what she had wanted. If she had a choice she would cheerfully hand the day over to another woman, one who could appreciate all of it. Instead her feet continued to make their way down the aisle. “He promised…he promised…he promised.”

            Even though she whispered the words under her breath they echoed in her ears and she felt as if everyone around her had heard them. She couldn’t betray herself now. Grace had to trust that Adam would follow through with his promise to get her away from this mockery her parents had arranged. She stopped walking right in front of an old wooden alter, afraid to look anywhere else she stared down at the floor.

            “…we are gathered here today…” She tuned out the priest’s words and tried not to flinch when Roger took her hand in his. The deceptively pale and delicate hand clasped hers and gave it a hard squeeze. A reminder? Out of the corner of her eye she saw him standing just on the other side of Roger. Adam. He was her lifelong friend and all too often lately her hero.

            “Do you have the rings?” the priest asked solemnly. Roger turned to Adam with a hand held out.  Adam patted the pockets of his jacket and pants as if searching for something then finely shrugged when he came up empty.

            “Nope apparently I don’t have them. Now what did I do with them? Oh yeah I pawned them!” He said with a grin before holding up two airline tickets. “Had to pay for these somehow…Ireland, Gracie…I’m taking you to Ireland to see all those castles you love so much.”

            “You son of a …” Before he could finish his sentence Adam’s fist connected with Roger’s jaw. Roger stumbled back grabbing his jaw staring at Adam in shock.

            “That’s for putting your hands on Gracie. You don’t deserve her. Come on, Gracie, let’s go to Ireland.”

Reviews

[Marie]

Very good. Very clever little piece. I love flash fiction.