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melissabik

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Picture this: you pull up to a beautiful little church that has vines that have been growing around it since the day it was built.  Someone has kept up a beautiful little garden out front, full of red roses, pink posies, and wild daffodils.  When you enter the church, and head into the sanctuary, it is all just stained-glass windows of beautiful scenes in nature.  There is a skylight where the sun shoots through, and it makes the sanctuary emit a holy glow.  It really is breathtaking.  I remember the first time I saw it; I was driving to Nate’s burial plot, when I got lost.  I could barely see because of the tears that had filled my eyes.  Suddenly, I ended up at this little church.  I walked inside and met the nicest pastor.  He was kind and offered me some advice.  As I looked around the church, I knew that I had fallen in love with it.  I had hoped that Sarah would feel the same way.  “Wow, Sarah…  This place is nice,” Dylan stated as he gazed at the stained-glass windows.  Sarah shrugged her shoulders.  “I guess it is pretty…  It isn’t St. Augustine’s Cathedral, but I think we can make it work,” she replied.  Not exactly the answer I was hoping for, but it would have to do.

“Look at the skylight, babe.  You will glow under this light in your wedding dress,” Dylan remarked as he put his arm around Sarah.  Sarah began to giggle.  “That’s so true.”  She turned to me and smiled.  “Thank you for showing us this place, Anne.  We love it,” she stated as they went to meet with the preacher.  I stared at the pulpit and let out a sigh.  Aiden came and stood next to me.  “How did you find this place?” he asked with curiosity.  I shrugged my shoulders and turned to him.  “I got lost on the way to Nate’s burial plot…  As soon as I saw this church, I knew it was the place I wanted to get married.  I figured Sarah might love it just as much as I do,” I replied.  Aiden nodded.  “You didn’t quite get the reaction you’d hoped?” he asked, seeing the disappointment on my face.  I nodded, trying to paste a smile on my face so I didn’t seem as hurt as I felt.  Aiden smiled.  He paused for a second when he had a thought.  “Oh, Anne, it’s just fabulous!  I love it!  How thoughtful of you to find such a beautiful place!  I want to get married here right now,” Aiden stated dramatically in a falsetto girl’s voice, trying to copy Sarah.  I began to laugh hysterically as Aiden put his hands up in a womanly manner and pursed his lips.  “Is that kind of the reaction you were hoping for?” he asked as he switched modes and went back to his normal self.

I smiled at him.  He was really a wonderful guy.  Why Maria would ever hurt him like that, I don’t know.  “Thanks,” I replied through my laughter.  “I think you make a better Sarah,” I added.  Aiden smiled as he sat down in a pew.  He looked up at the skylight and I could tell he was thinking of something.  “What?” I asked as I sat down in the pew in front of him.  I turned to face him as he shrugged his shoulders.  “Thoughts pop into my head every now and then,” he replied vaguely.  I rolled my eyes.  “Any thoughts you want to share?” I asked, feeling more curious than ever.  Aiden smiled and stared into my eyes.  I felt like he was staring down into my soul.  (A line used a thousand times, I know, but that’s exactly how it felt.)  I wanted to kiss him right there; kiss him for being the wonderful man that he was…  But I forced myself to break his gaze and stare down at his Rolex watch.  “I was just thinking about when I was married,” he exclaimed.  I wanted to roll my eyes at the image of Maria and Aiden getting married.  I pictured Maria to be this ugly, hairy woman with a wart on her lip…  Okay, so I knew she didn’t look like that.  She was probably a blonde with long legs and skinny as a stick.  And she was probably really smart too…  So I just rolled my eyes inwardly to myself…

“We were young…  We didn’t have money, so we didn’t even get married in a church.  I wanted to marry her in a church, but she refused.  We were married by the justice of the peace in a court room.  It isn’t very romantic, if you ask me…  I was just thinking how much I wanted to marry the woman I love in a church…  Maria wasn’t right for me at all.  I told myself I would marry a wonderful girl in a beautiful church, just like this one, and we would live happily…  I didn’t even do that.  It must have been a sign; a sign I tried to ignore until it was too late…” After explaining all of that, Aiden was silent.  I was surprised he had divulged so much of his personal life to me.  Then again, it was so easy to talk to Aiden; I know I did the same thing.  We just seemed to click.  So why was I trying to ignore all of this?  Because it might not work out?  I was just terrified of failure…  Or maybe I was terrified to love again.  I knew I had to say something to break the silence.  “Maria was an idiot to leave you, Aiden.  You are a wonderful man, and what she did to you, no one should have to go through.  You shouldn’t beat yourself up about something that isn’t your fault,” I remarked as Sarah and Dylan emerged from the back office.  This time, Sarah was smiling, and so was Dylan.  That meant that everything had gone well; that meant we were back on track.

After settling the matter of the church, Aiden and I showed the lovely couple a few of our samples for the decorations.  “I was thinking we could go with the theme of outside; the flower pattern is beautiful, so maybe we could decorate the pulpit and the aisle with those flowers,” I suggested.  Sarah smiled at my suggestion.  “That’s brilliant; you are brilliant, Anne.  I guess all that money we’re paying won’t go to waste,” she replied.  I pasted my fake smile as we continued on.  After hours of searching for the perfect candles, Sarah was fed up with planning.  “Okay, I think that’s enough for today.  I am feeling tired, and I’m getting a headache,” she stated.  Dylan searched through his pockets for his “babe.”  “You want me to find you an aspirin, babe?” he asked, knowing that if he didn’t find her one soon, she was going to be as bitchy as ever.  “We’re not finished quite yet, Sarah,” Aiden reminded her.  Sarah rolled her eyes.  “Don’t you think I know this?  We’ll continue tomorrow.  Come over to the country club; we’ll make a day of it.  We can play some indoor tennis, and afterwards, we’ll finish the planning,” she stated.  I turned to Aiden for an answer.  He just shrugged his shoulders and looked back at me.  I turned to Sarah and grinned.  “I guess that sounds like a plan,” I replied. 

When Aiden opened the door to his penthouse apartment, I was speechless.  It looked like the typical bachelor pads of our time; it was definitely a man’s apartment.  But I didn’t know Aiden had so much money to spend.  I heard he was a good wedding planner in England, but I didn’t think he was THAT good…  “How much money did you make in England exactly?” I asked as he took my coat and scarf, after stoking the fire, of course.  Aiden smiled as I sat down on his black leather couch next to the fireplace.  “I was the most successful wedding planner in England,” he replied when he returned from the hall closet.  “And no one thought you were gay?” I mused as he sat down next to me.  At that comment, he gave me the look, and rolled his eyes.  “Do you think I’m gay?” he asked as he sat his feet up on the coffee table in front of him.  I shrugged my shoulders.  “I don’t have ‘gaydar,’” I exclaimed.  Aiden laughed at my answer.  “I thought you might be… because you plan weddings.  Guys don’t generally like to plan weddings,” I added.  Aiden shook his head.  He obviously thought I was wrong about that one.  “I love planning weddings…  Well, not the fancy details part of the job, but the managing and planning takes a lot of work,” he explained.  I nodded as a shiver went down my spine.  I guess I was still cold, even though I was sitting right next to the roaring fireplace.

I pinched myself to stop fawning over him and turned on the TV.  The very first thing that popped up was the movie Sleeping Beauty.  I LOVED that movie when I was little.  Now, it was my secret pleasure.  I bought it on DVD years ago, and I never looked back.  It was just such a beautiful love story.  (Yes, I do realize it’s a cartoon.)  I dreamed of the day Prince Philip and I would get married.  Of course, when I was eight, I didn’t realize he was just a cartoon and that could never happen.  We were from two different worlds…  But I truly loved the movie.  I loved the songs that they sang; I knew them all.  And as I sat on the couch reminiscing of my childhood, I caught myself singing with Aurora.  “…I know you; I walked with you once upon a dream.  I know you; the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam.  And I know it’s true that visions are seldom what they seem.  But if I know you, I know what you’ll do.  You’ll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream…”  I was in a daze when I noticed Aiden standing next to the television and staring at me.  I could feel myself turn all shades of red.  “That’s my niece’s favorite movie; she was over here a few days ago, so I rented it.  I guess it’s still in the DVD player,” Aiden replied as he pointed at the TV.  I nodded; I was too mortified to say a word.  But Aiden seemed amused at my singing.  From what I could remember, Aiden said I couldn’t carry a tune.  I must have sounded awful.  “Sorry,” I managed to reply quietly.  Aiden smiled and shrugged his shoulders.  “No; don’t be sorry.  I thoroughly enjoyed that display,” he stated as he struggled to stifle a laugh.

I rolled my eyes.  “Sleeping Beauty is a classic,” I stated, defending myself from his scrutiny.  Aiden put up his hands to show he meant no harm.  “It is; I’m not arguing with you.  It is a beautiful love story.  A girl falls in love with a prince only to touch a spindle to put her in a deep sleep.  The only way to wake up is by true love’s first kiss,” he replied.  I was surprised to find that he even knew the story line.  Aiden didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would ever watch that.  “What?” he asked, wondering why I was staring at him in that way.  From the corner of my eye, I could see some smoke billowing from the kitchen.  “I think your food is burning,” I replied.  Aiden turned to the kitchen and darted in that direction.  “The pasta!” he yelled as he ran to the stove.  I tried not to laugh; instead, I went inside to help him.  That’s when the smoke alarm went off.  Aiden was struggling to turn off the stove while this loud beeping noise was giving a headache.  “Turn it off, Anne!  I can’t do two things at once,” he yelled as he fanned the pasta.  I nodded, searching for the smoke alarm.  It was above my head, but I wasn’t tall enough to reach it.  I had to get on a chair and reach up to turn it off before the fire department was on its way.

I arrived at the Country Club early and changed in one of the locker rooms.  I wasn’t very good at tennis, but if this was going to help get our job done, I was up for anything.  As I exited the locker room and went for the tennis courts, Aiden appeared from the men’s locker room.  “Anne,” he called as he sped up to catch up with my pace.  I smiled awkwardly at him, remembering our night together.  I was going to call it the “Pasta Fiasco”: the day I realized we could never be.  “Are you ready for some tennis?” he asked as we neared Sarah and Dylan.  I shrugged my shoulders, holding my racket uncomfortably.  “I’m really not good at tennis.  But that’s a secret,” I whispered as we neared the couple.  Sarah was wearing a pink tennis outfit that looked very professional.  She looked like she was ready to have a match against Venus or Serena Williams.  Dylan matched her perfectly.  He looked like Andy Roddick; he was ready for anything.  I heard that they both were very competitive in tennis.  “Anne, Aiden…  We’re so glad you made it.  Let’s go play a little tennis!” Sarah greeted enthusiastically.  I was dreading it all; the balls go way too fast in that game.  I can watch it, but play it is different.  We entered the glass room and picked sides.  “How about girls against boys?” Sarah suggested.

I turned to her in fear.  She was going to bite my head off if I didn’t play well.  “Sarah, I just have to warn you, I’ve never played,” I stated in hushed tones.  Sarah shook her head.  “You’ll be fine,” she replied, throwing up the ball in the air.  “SERVICE!” she yelled as the ball went sailing to the other side.  Dylan returned the ball immediately as it went sailing towards me.  Instead of hitting it, I jumped out of the way.  Aiden was laughing hysterically at me as Sarah shook her head.  “Next time, hit it,” she muttered as Dylan served the ball.  After a few more misses and tries, Sarah was fed up.  “I want to switch sides,” she remarked in a whiny voice.  We were still playing, but I had forgotten.  I felt horrible; I was such a terrible player…  But Sarah was making me feel worse.  “I’m sorry that I’m not perfect, okay?  But I can’t help it.  I told you I’m not…”  Before I could finish the sentence, I was knocked out.  I awoke on the floor of the tennis court in confusion.  “Wha… what’s going on?” I asked.  Aiden, who was hovering over me, put his hands to my forehead.  This was the second time I was on the floor unconscious and Aiden was there, inches from my face.  Did I faint again? I thought as I suddenly felt a sharp pain on my forehead.  “What happened?” I asked.  I could see Dylan in the corner of my eye; he looked guilty of something.  “Dylan served the ball to you, but you weren’t looking, so it hit you in the head,” Sarah explained as Aiden checked my head.

“Are you all right?” Aiden asked worriedly.  I nodded.  “I think I’ll be okay…” I replied slowly.  I had such a splitting headache.  I struggled to get up, while Aiden ran to find me an icepack.  “I am so sorry, Anne.  I thought you were looking,” Dylan apologized.  I sat down on the bench nearby, leaned my head against the wall, and closed my eyes.  “It’s okay, Dylan.  You didn’t do it on purpose,” I replied, still feeling the pain.  Aiden returned with in icepack and plastered it onto my head.  “That should help with the swelling,” he stated, still acting like my nurse.  “Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked again.  Okay, he was getting REALLY annoying now…  I turned to him with one eye open.  “I’m FINE, Nate,” I replied.  That’s when I caught myself.  Do you realize what you just said?  I couldn’t believe what I heard myself say.  Aiden looked at me in shock as Sarah and Dylan stood there in confusion.  “Who’s Nate?” Sarah whispered to Dylan.  Dylan shrugged his shoulders while I struggled to take back what I just said.  “Aiden…  Sorry, I meant to say Aiden…  I…” I didn’t know what to say.  Aiden didn’t know how to handle the situation either, so he just said, “I think I’m going to go get something to drink.”  I stood up and dropped the icepack to run after him.

I caught up to him by the vending machines.  “Aiden…” I called.  He didn’t turn to me.  “Why did you call me that?” he asked, facing the vending machine.  I shrugged my shoulders.  “I don’t know…  I don’t know why I said that.  I don’t know what’s wrong with me.  I’m just so screwed up; I don’t know why you were ever interested in a girl like me,” I replied, feeling so lost.  What WAS wrong with me?  “I am interested in you, Anne…” Aiden stated quietly.  I froze in place at his words.  No, no, no… This can’t happen…  I was silent.  “I think the reason you called me Nate was because you’re still in love with him.  You can’t move on, Anne…  That’s why you’re fighting us,” he said.  I shook my head.  He’s wrong; I got over Nate long ago…  “It’s true…  I want to be with you; I care about you deeply, Anne, but until you realize that you care about me too, I don’t know how we can work together.  I’m going to tell Kip that I’m taking some time off,” he added simply.  “What?” I asked in shock.  He was leaving me?  “You’re just going to leave me with Sarah and Dylan to plan the wedding by myself?” I asked.  Aiden finally turned to look at me.  “You used to do it all the time, Anne.  Have you all ready forgotten?” he replied, walking towards the men’s locker room.  “Where are you going?” I asked, following after him.  “Home; you can deal with Sarah and Dylan,” he replied.

No; he couldn’t do this to me.  I didn’t want to do this without him.  I enjoyed my job so much more now that I had Aiden.  I didn’t want him to leave.  “Aiden, wait…  Don’t leave,” I begged, still running after him.  He stopped and turned to me for a brief second, and then he turned away.  “Aiden!” I yelled, grabbing his arm.  I felt like I was losing him forever.  My heart began to beat faster and faster.  Aiden looked down at me and smiled slightly.  “I’m not going away; just for a break, Anne.  You need to learn what it is you want with me,” he replied, peeling my hand off of his arm.  I watched him enter the men’s locker room and stood there for a few minutes.  I just felt so confused.  WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME?  Aiden was the most wonderful man I had ever met since Nate died, and I was pushing him away.  Why was I making things so complicated?  Maybe I still hadn’t let go of Nate…  “What’s going on?” I heard Sarah ask as she and Dylan turned the corner and found me.  I took a few deep breaths and turned to face my clients.  I pasted my fake smile on and replied, “It looks like I’ll be planning the rest of the wedding on my own.  Aiden is…  He won’t be joining us.”

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