Never a Bride: A Short Story Read Free Page B

world to an object in her plans. Something to be moved around.
    He hadn’t made it easy, he knew it. Accepted his part in it.
    His dad waved him over and Jared left Sheena’s stratosphere to take his assigned seat between his father and Mike.
    “How’s it going?” His dad jerked his chin toward Sheena. “Lisa’s mom said she interrupted you two talking in the kitchen. An improvement over the deep freeze she’s been giving you the last few days. Brrr . Like to get frostbite myself.” He gave an exaggerated shiver.
    “Stay out of it, Dad.” Jared shook his head, pissed at himself all over again.
    “No promises. Pass me the water, would you?”
    Jared lifted the metallic pitcher beaded with droplets of condensation, then filled his dad’s glass. Rather than argue, he decided to play nice. He owed it to his family to get along. “This is a great set up. Did you see the pictures of Mike in tights?”
    His dad looked toward the beer fountain and laughed. “Yeah. Boy’s got good legs. Comes from all those years playing soccer.”
    “Think so?” Jared’s tight knit family had tromped to each of the brother’s games, no matter what they played. Everybody supported the other. His mom and dad had a great relationship. They were a team. A beacon of companionship in a divorce-riddled world.
    Being back in Seattle made him realize what he’d left Sheena to handle on her own. He’d watched the awkwardness between his parents and her. They’d embraced her like a daughter and then he’d left her at the altar.
    No matter how he tried to justify it, the action was unjustifiable.
    “You hanging in there, son?” His dad lowered his voice. “This has got to be difficult for you.”
    “How can you be understanding, Dad? Your oldest son acted like a jack ass.”
    “I’m sure you had your reasons.”
    “They were shitty.”
    “Figured as much.” His dad nodded and took a drink of his water.
    Jared closed his eyes and chuckled. “Now what?”
    “You love her.” It was a flat-out statement, no question necessary.
    Still, Jared’s answer was immediate. “Never stopped.”
    “Tell her.”
    “I did.” Jared slowly, carefully, opened his eyes again. “She says she’s over me.”
    “You broke her heart.” His dad wasn’t judging, just pointing out the facts as he saw them. Which happened to be the truth.
    “She turned into a stranger, Dad, putting that wedding together like a drill sergeant. She spent five thousand dollars on a wedding dress.”
    His dad laughed. “That’s what women do. Sheena seems the type that would be in it forever. Is there something wrong with making the day special?”
    “I wanted it small.” He spun his glass around, leaving water marks on the napkin.
    “Did you tell her?”
    “I tried.”
    Wiping the drops from the side of his glass, his dad hummed in commiseration. “Not quite the same thing.”
    “No.” Jared silently acknowledged that point before explaining, “And when we were finally alone all she wanted to talk about was seating charts and the dinner menu.”
    “Jared.” His dad smacked his hand against the table like a black jack dealer. “You know why a man gets married?”
    “I have no damn clue. There’s no reason for it. Especially in this century. Women make their own money, buy their own stuff. Honestly, Sheena spent her own money on that dress. But it made me so mad. I mean, five grand!”
    “Getting married isn’t about you , son. It is about the woman that you are marrying. Your best friend. Your soul mate. The mother of your future children, if you choose to have any. Just saying? I’d make a damn fine grandpa.”
    It was true. He’d be getting that grandchild from Mike and Lisa, not Jared and Sheena. Jared took a big drink of water, but it didn’t ease the ache in his throat. “I know I was being selfish. What if that means I wasn’t ready to be married?”
    “Jared, I can’t claim to understand why you let self doubt get the best of you.