Physical Therapy

“Keep your eyes CLOSED.” The makeup artist was clearly getting annoyed with me. I kept sneaking peaks at AJ’s look, she was really a stunning bride.

“Sorry, sorry!” I giggled and took another sip of champagne. We were getting ready for the wedding, in Phil’s living room. It had been turned into bridal central, which worked out perfectly as they were just getting married at Salvage One, which was in the same neighborhood.

We had spent the earlier part of the morning all getting matching manicures and pedicures. The “theme,” well more like style of the wedding was dark romance. All of the bridesmaids had deep burgundy dresses, all of the groomsmen in all black suits. Since I was standing up on Phil’s side, I had the same dress as the other girls in black.

I sat next to AJ while we both got our hair done. I caught her eye in the mirror, and flashed her a smile.

“April?” I had rarely called her by her first name, like most I called her AJ, but April was what Phil used when he talked about her when he was telling amazing stories about her, when you could really see that he was in love.

“Hmm?” She closed her eyes and took another sip of her mimosa.

“Promise me you will take care of him? He needs it.” She smiled back at me.

“I promise, and I promise that we will always take care of you.”

“Oh?” I laughed a little, she was always a riot.

“Always, you’re stuck with me, babe.”

Even if I never found another person, I was at comfort knowing that I had these two in my life.

----------------

I stood in the groom’s suite at Salvage One, waiting for Phil and the gang to arrive from their pre-wedding picture session.

I stared at my phone, I still hadn’t heard anything from Jon and with every passing day I was sure that he had forgotten about me, maybe he moved on, or maybe he just didn’t care. I would have bet money that I would have heard from him right now, but I guess there is a reason I never won while gambling. I opened my iPhoto app, and scrolled through the pictures, I smiled when I saw them.

The picture of us at the Cincinnati Zoo when we were in town for SmackDown.

The picture of us eating a rib like Lady and the Tramp.

Our monkey faces.

I missed him. I still loved him. I was still incredibly angry with him. And this was never getting easier, at least not right now.

“Hey now, why are you looking so sad, Maybe?” I heard Phil’s voice next to me and looked up, he looked so handsome in his vintage styled suit, I slipped my phone back into my clutch.

“Not sad, I promise.” I straightened his bowtie and smoothed his hair back in place. “You’re such a big boy, Phyllis.” I squeezed his cheeks and gave one a kiss.

“I am! I’m a big boy now!” He said in his Pinocchio imitation voice.

“Pinocchio was a REAL boy, not a big boy.” Rolling my eyes at him, “But you really look great, you clean up well.”

“So do you.” I looked down at my ensemble and I really did feel completely beautiful.

“Oh this old thing? I have had this forever.” And we cracked up laughing.

I walked Phil up to the altar, taking my place next to the best man, Suds. The music queued up and the processional began.

-------------

I stood at the back of the ceremony space, I didn’t want to draw attention from the wedding or distract her at all. I didn’t know how she would react to seeing me, it hadn’t been long but the last time I saw her, I was a complete coward.

Seeing her standing at the top of the altar, I couldn’t believe how beautiful she looked, elegant in the long black dress, the cutouts being sexy without being trashy. Her long blonde hair falling down her back, I had to resist every urge to run up and run my hand through it.

The ceremony was moving, it was refreshing to see two people getting married who clearly were so in love, but my mind kept going back to Maeve. So did my eyes.

I saw her cry throughout the wedding, but I knew they were tears of love and joy. I wanted to bring her those, and I found myself wishing for the first time ever in my existence, for a wedding for her. Even if it wasn’t with me, I wanted to be selfless and that meant her being happy, at whatever cost.

But don’t get me wrong, I really wanted it to be with me. The ceremony ended, everyone cheered and clapped, and Phil’s ring music started playing as he and AJ ran down the aisle. As they ran past me, Phil caught my eye and sent me a wink.

At least I knew I had his blessing. And then the wedding part began their walk down the aisle, back to wherever they take pictures while the guests do whatever in the meantime. I guess I hadn’t thought what I would do, I didn’t think she would see me, and then we made eye contact, just as she passed me, on her way into the building.

So much for a smooth introduction, Good. Fuck.

----------------

What was he doing here?

As soon as we got to the part of Salvage One where we would take wedding pictures, I felt my chest tensing up and had to lean against the building to catch my breath.

I cannot fucking do this to Phil, not today. Get your shit together, Maeve.

I was closing my eyes and counting, when I felt hands grasp my cheeks. I took a deep breath and was hoping to smell Jon, to open my eyes and see him, but it was just the groom.

“Hey, hey there, what’s going on?” His eyes searched mine, I can’t believe I did this on his wedding day.

“I’m sorry, I am so sorry. Jon is here, and it freaked me out. I’m sorry, I got this. I’m sorry.” I was rambling, I was beyond confused and my anxiety was through the roof.

“I know, I’m sorry. I told him to come, well I didn’t tell him but I did.” He ran his hand through his hair, looking away from me.

“Why?” I was breathless, controlling my breathing, trying to prevent my makeup from running and ruining their pictures.

“Because Maeve, you love him. You can figure this out, you love him like I love AJ, and people we love do stupid shit that can hurt us, but we have to decide as those people who have been hurt, can we forgive them? Is it worth it? And as someone who has been there, with the very girl who just took my last name, I can promise you, it is worth it.” He was right, when he and AJ had that rough patch, he was a mess, and I was his cheerleader, pushing him right back to her, and he was just returning the favor.

I nodded, he was right. I did love him.

“You don’t have to start over right now, but you can talk to him. Dance with him, laugh with him. You miss him, and maybe spending some time with him, without discussing all that shit, will make it easier when you actually get down to the discussion, okay?”

“Okay.” He was right, maybe that was a good idea.

“I love you, let’s go take some pictures. And then go dance our asses off.”

-------------------

The pictures were quick and before I knew it we were sitting down for dinner. I search the dining room for Jon, the wedding was about 200 people so it was no easy to feat to find him, but I spotted him off to the side, at the same table with Colt.

I stared at him, willing him silently to look at me, to make eye contact with me.
Come on, Jon. Come on, bubs. Look at me. LOOK AT ME.

And he did, he held the eye contact for a few minutes before he mouthed something at me.

“You look beautiful.”

I blushed from across the room and smiled big, I mouthed back a thank you.

Everyone finished dinner and I went off to look for him after I finished some other wedding party duties.

It took about five minutes, but I found him in a corner, with Colt, discussing the progression of the storyline of the Dean Ambrose character. I was able to stand behind him silently for a few minutes, I loved hearing about his passion, about how much he loved wrestling, the entire performance about it all. It was one of the things I found most attractive of him.

As I stood behind him, Colt caught my eye.

“Hey! There you are.”

I went to grab Jon’s shoulder, to say hello, when his elbow flew back as he turned as I leaned into him, and knocked me square in the nose.

I must have been unconscious, because the bright lights I was now staring at, were definitely not the ones on the dance floor.