Winter Kiss

The beginnings and ends of all human undertakings are untidy.
~John Galsworthy~

It all started on a strangely humid autumn day. I remember this because the day was supposed to be my wedding day. October 2nd to be exact. I say ‘supposed to be’, meaning the fucking groom decided not to show up. Yes, I was left at the altar by none other than the infamous, playboy billionaire, Bruce Wayne. I was completely humiliated, yet I hadn’t shed a single tear. I was infuriated more than anything.

Bruce Wayne was the kind of person who’d show up tardy for every event – still looking smug and unapologetic – but had the excellent charisma and cunning wit to be able to get away with it. Or get away with anything for that matter.

The people sat in the pews of the church had been bickering nervously, verbally giving their condolences aimed at me, but spoken to other people. I didn’t need their sympathy. Why would I? I knew hardly anyone in the building at all. Many of them were Bruce’s friends or relatives. One person, however, I recognised and was now approaching closer to the altar at which I was standing at. This was my mother, Eve Howard, formerly Eve Rivera before she re-married. I kept my original surname, however, seeing as I saw no reason for me to change it as well.

Noticing her arrival, I pulled the veil over my head to reveal my rosy red cheeks from embarrassment. So much for the blushing bride. I was thankful that someone had decided to approach me after almost two hours of waiting for Bruce. Even the vicar was long gone in his own little world. Didn’t he have other events to attend to?

“Delilah sweetie,” my mother started, “I don’t think he’s going to show.” She tried her best to keep the sympathising smile on her face, but I knew exactly what she was going to do next. “But don’t be too hard on him. You know how busy he can get. There must have been something extremely important happening in the Wayne towers or...something. Please, don’t let this ruin your engagement and relationship.” Exactly. She would say something like that. Ever since my father died I noticed how desperate and eager she had become to keep her lavish lifestyle so that she could continue indulging in plush luxuries that had just been hand given to her all her life. But once father died, all of the luxuries that came easily soon stopped. Now that I was marrying a billionaire, she was positively over the moon. What more can a mother want? She’d stop at nothing to make this wedding happen.

She couldn’t see, however, that I wasn’t marrying him just for the money. Bruce was so much more than that. People just failed to see it. His true side was completely cover coated by his smug, playboy attitude.

Clearly, judging by what my mother had just said, I wasn’t as important to Bruce as some work at Wayne Enterprises. “Please, don’t be upset.”

“I’m not upset, mother. I’m just...angry. Where could he be?” I asked, the anger now turning to concern and worry. “The wedding’s going to have to be rescheduled to a later date.”

As if on cue, the old, vicar appeared between mine and my mother’s conversation. “I’m sorry to intrude, but I have to inform you that it is getting pretty late. Even if the groom does show up now, it’ll be too late to hold the ceremony.”

I nodded, “I understand.” I was about to speak out to all of the guests, but apparently I couldn’t speak for myself. My mother could do all that for me.

“I’m sorry to announce that the wedding will have to be postponed to a later date. I’m also sorry for having to waste everyone’s time, but I do appreciate everyone for sticking with us. You will all be informed on the new date sooner rather than later. I’m sorry for the abrupt notification.” I heard a few sighs as my mother explained the predicament, but it was clear they all understood well enough. As the guests were leaving, my mother turned back around to face me with that sympathetic smile still plastering her lips. “Do you want a lift home? You can stay and mine and your dad’s if you don’t feel like talking to Bruce for tonight,” she suggested attempting to be helpful.

“He’s not my dad and he’s only my stepdad in name. And thanks for the offer but I’d rather go back to Bruce’s penthouse. We need to talk. The lift there would be great though.” Eve rolled her eyes at me before gripping gently at my manicured hand and leading me out of the church.

A few people still stood outside of the church waiting for cabs or another form of transport home and sent me their silent condolences with their eyes as I walked past them. My shoes crunched in the dying, orange leaves on the ground as I made my way over to Geoff – my stepdad – who was waiting beside his car. There was nothing wrong with Geoff. He was a friendly and loving man, who’d willingly oblige to take the role as my father any day. But that wasn’t what I wanted. I felt sorry for him more than anything. He was slightly blinded at the fact that my mother may only have married him for his money.

Geoff wasn’t much of a talker, so instead of saying anything to me, he opened the car door for me to enter in the back. Struggling slightly, I stumbled into the car with my long dress. This dress I had been yearning to wear ever since I bought it, especially for the wedding. My desire had completely been shattered by Bruce’s selfish act and now I desired nothing more than to take it off.

The car ride to Bruce’s apartment was silent. An awkward silence. The kind of silence where you’re afraid to gulp in fear of it being too loud. Every noise made seemed to sound ten times louder than it normally would and managed to attract more attention than needed. I was thankful when Geoff finally pulled up to the curb beside my apartment blocks and I – a little too eagerly – left the car.

“Wait, wait, wait! Do you want me to keep you company for a while? I’ll stay in the apartment with you, if you want,” my mother hollered out of the passenger window.

“No...I just want to be alone for now. I’ll call you later,” I said glumly before continuing towards the building. I heard a quiet ‘okay’ before the tyres of the car began scraping along the road again.

When I entered the building the receptionist’s eyes immediately glued onto me. She looked confused, but still held that fake smile she was forced to wear, like a Barbie doll. “Did you enjoy your wedding?” She asked, staring at my appearance up and down. I didn’t reply. I just glared at her furiously. For what reason, I was unaware. It wasn’t her fault Bruce didn’t show.

“You wouldn’t happen to know if Bruce was here recently, would you?” I asked from afar, not wanting to approach the reception desk.

“No, miss, I wouldn’t.” She looked even more confused, but I still didn’t bother to explain. It wasn’t her business. I nodded before walking over to the elevator.

When the elevator doors finally opened, I was met with complete darkness. There was no-one else home. Not even Alfred the butler. Where they were was beyond me and now I was beginning to panic. What if he had done a runner? Fled from his troubles to another country. What if he was dead?! Abruptly after the horrific thought, I rushed over to the house phone and dialled Bruce’s mobile number. Many rings later and there was no answer. I tried Wayne Enterprises and they said he wasn’t in the building. Therefore, I began repetitively dialling Bruce’s cell over and over, but each time I was irritatingly answered with answer phone.

I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep without knowing where Bruce was so I had no other option but to sit in the armchair and wait eagerly for his presence.

At least four hours passed before I heard the elevator doors opening. Instantaneously after, I shot up from the chair and hurried towards the elevator doors. “Where the hell have you been?!” I shrieked at a tired looking Bruce.

“Look, babe, I’m sorry. I -”

“Don’t give me that crap! I don’t want to hear it! Where have you been?! I can’t believe you’d do this to me! No notice, no phone call, no signs! What’s wrong with you!? Do you have any idea how upset I am right now?! Stop touching me!” I screamed as I shoved his hands away from my arms. He was relentless, however, and wouldn’t stop trying to calm me down. “I was completely humiliated today, in front of everyone. I couldn’t believe it. I mustn’t be as important to you as I thought I was,” I stated, now crying. The tears had finally broken through and Bruce had managed to engulf me in an embrace.

“Shh, shh, I’m sorry. Calm down. I am really sorry about everything. I still want this wedding to happen. It was just that Wayne Enterprises is really hectic at the moment and I had to be called in. I had an accident in work and I ended up having to be taken to the hospital -”

“What?! Why didn’t you tell me any of this?!” I screamed.

“I was busy. It’s nothing major, just a few...cuts and bruises,” he explained briefly.

“Well, I’m glad you’re okay. But I’m still a little mad at you for not calling.”

“I’m sorry. I really am. But right now, all I want to do is go to bed. And you look beautiful in your dress by the way. You don’t know how sorry I am. If there’s anything I can do to make it up to you, just tell me. We can reschedule our wedding tomorrow morning.”

“I’m hope you know how much stress this is going to put me under. I can’t believe you. You will be sorry when y-” My sentence was cut short when Bruce’s lips collided with mine.

“Let’s go to bed,” Bruce suggested as he clasped my hand gently. And just like that, I forgave him. Call me weak, but I couldn’t resist with his tired eyes and his pleading yet smug grin.