Last Chance
1/1
“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked for the millionth time.
With a stifled sigh, Melanie nodded. “This is my last chance. I have to take it.”
Her older sister pulled her into a hug. “Whatever happens, I’m here for you. Okay, Mel?”
“I know. But can you let go? You’re wrinkling my dress, Zoe,” Mel muttered into her shoulder.
She held her sister at arm’s length. “Right. Let’s go.”
*****
“I’ll keep the getaway car running,” Zoe said to Mel.
“Just don’t go anywhere,” she warned. “The minute I’m out of that building, I want out of here.”
“Aye, aye, Cap’n Melanie,” Zoe fake saluted.
Rolling her eyes, Melanie faced the church. This was it. This was her last, and final, chance to get it right.
*****
Pausing her hand on the knob of the door that Melanie knew Zach was behind, she heard voices. Darting out of the way, a slew of males piled out of the room.
Sighing with relief that she had stayed hidden, Melanie peered around the corner. Zach stood in the room looking out the window. It was now or never.
“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked quietly.
He turned suddenly and his eyes went wide.
“What are you…? Mel. What are you doing here?”
Entering and closing the door, Mel leaned against it.
“I came to see you. And to figure some things out,” she sighed.
“Mel, you realize I’m getting married today, right?” he asked her.
She nodded. “Yeah. I know. But I think I deserve my answers.”
Contemplating whether he should make a run for it, Zach stood with his arms crossed.
Taking his silence as an answer, Mel began talking.
“You left. You left without explaining yourself. I had to find out that there was someone else through my sister. Was I not worth hearing it from you? Was I not good enough for you, Zach?”
“Of course you were,” he said putting his hands on her shoulders. “We just weren’t going anywhere.”
“Maybe not to you,” Mel sniffled. “But I thought we were.”
“I’m sorry,” Zach apologized. “I thought I was reading your body language and what was left unsaid.”
“I wish we could do it all over again,” she sighed.
“I don’t,” Zach said quietly.
“What?”
“Look at you,” he said. “You’re successful and I’m getting married. We’re doing okay.”
Melanie shrugged.
“Listen, I’ve got to go. You’re welcome to stay here until the wedding’s over,” he opened the door.
Walking into the hall, he turned. “I’m really glad you crashed my wedding. We both needed this.”
Nodding slowly, “I guess. Good luck, Zach.”
He smiled before walking away. He walked away for the last time.
*****
Leaning against the hood of the car, Melanie watched the wedding party exit the church. Zach was married now.
Seeing their limo drive off, Mel smiled sadly. Taking out a lighter and an old letter, she burned her past down to the last ember. She and Zach were no more.
With a stifled sigh, Melanie nodded. “This is my last chance. I have to take it.”
Her older sister pulled her into a hug. “Whatever happens, I’m here for you. Okay, Mel?”
“I know. But can you let go? You’re wrinkling my dress, Zoe,” Mel muttered into her shoulder.
She held her sister at arm’s length. “Right. Let’s go.”
*****
“I’ll keep the getaway car running,” Zoe said to Mel.
“Just don’t go anywhere,” she warned. “The minute I’m out of that building, I want out of here.”
“Aye, aye, Cap’n Melanie,” Zoe fake saluted.
Rolling her eyes, Melanie faced the church. This was it. This was her last, and final, chance to get it right.
*****
Pausing her hand on the knob of the door that Melanie knew Zach was behind, she heard voices. Darting out of the way, a slew of males piled out of the room.
Sighing with relief that she had stayed hidden, Melanie peered around the corner. Zach stood in the room looking out the window. It was now or never.
“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked quietly.
He turned suddenly and his eyes went wide.
“What are you…? Mel. What are you doing here?”
Entering and closing the door, Mel leaned against it.
“I came to see you. And to figure some things out,” she sighed.
“Mel, you realize I’m getting married today, right?” he asked her.
She nodded. “Yeah. I know. But I think I deserve my answers.”
Contemplating whether he should make a run for it, Zach stood with his arms crossed.
Taking his silence as an answer, Mel began talking.
“You left. You left without explaining yourself. I had to find out that there was someone else through my sister. Was I not worth hearing it from you? Was I not good enough for you, Zach?”
“Of course you were,” he said putting his hands on her shoulders. “We just weren’t going anywhere.”
“Maybe not to you,” Mel sniffled. “But I thought we were.”
“I’m sorry,” Zach apologized. “I thought I was reading your body language and what was left unsaid.”
“I wish we could do it all over again,” she sighed.
“I don’t,” Zach said quietly.
“What?”
“Look at you,” he said. “You’re successful and I’m getting married. We’re doing okay.”
Melanie shrugged.
“Listen, I’ve got to go. You’re welcome to stay here until the wedding’s over,” he opened the door.
Walking into the hall, he turned. “I’m really glad you crashed my wedding. We both needed this.”
Nodding slowly, “I guess. Good luck, Zach.”
He smiled before walking away. He walked away for the last time.
*****
Leaning against the hood of the car, Melanie watched the wedding party exit the church. Zach was married now.
Seeing their limo drive off, Mel smiled sadly. Taking out a lighter and an old letter, she burned her past down to the last ember. She and Zach were no more.
♠ ♠ ♠
Fin.