In the middle of the studio stood the table set for Sunny Kepke’s wedding. No, Lucia Kepke’s wedding. Aaron’s perfect, shining wedding. She saw the writhing back, the single bead of sweat. The white orchids basked in the blinding sun, and all the gold on the table seemed to radiate light. Elly grabbed the consultation form that Sunny had given to Anthony. Name of Bride: Lucia Kepke, it read. Name of Groom: Aaron Schuster.
So it was. She crumpled the paper in her hand and dropped it to the floor. She looked at the table again. A rage churned up inside of her, and with a loud cry, Elly flung the candelabra across the room. She smashed the mirrored gold votives against the wall, followed by gold chargers that clanged loudly. Screaming out loud she ripped the blown garden roses into shreds, followed by the monogrammed orchids. Flower petals flowed over her hair, the floor and the table like snow. Elly clawed at the curly willow, flinging it around her, slashing open her hand in the process. She pulled the beaded linen out from under the remaining plates and vases, which resulted in a satisfying loud crash. She grabbed a wooden chair and hurled it at the design table. Elly let out a painful scream – followed by a curse that would have made her mother blush, and threw the table over. Her beautiful glass table, filled with thank you notes, fell to the ground, the glass cracking and shattering all over the floor. Elly collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily, sobbing loudly and hysterically.
Suddenly the door to the studio burst open. Keith was there, with a bat in his hand, a vein in his forehead throbbing intensely.
“WHO’S THERE?” he screamed. “Come OUT before I come in!”
Elly turned around. Keith’s obvious adrenaline rush turned into confusion.
“Elly?” He dropped the bat and ran toward her. “What happened? Are you hurt? Was someone here?” He put his hands on her shoulders. “Did that hippie upstairs do this to you?”
Elly shook her head. A lie alighted on her tongue, for the purpose of making the situation better, but she found herself too exhausted to even consider it.
“I did this. It was me. All of it. It’s my fault.”
Keith walked her to an overturned chair, righted it and sat her down.
“Sit down. Why would you do this to your beautiful shop?”
“Lucia,” she said.
“Is she your other personality?” Keith asked nervously.
Elly smiled in spite of herself. “No. Lucia, previously unbeknownst to me, is the name of the woman who slept with my husband. Lucia is the name of the woman who stole Aaron from me, the name of the woman who I found straddling my husband in our bed. And Lucia is who all this was for.” She paused to catch her breath. “Somehow, I’ve been hired to do my ex-husband’s wedding.”
Keith sat down beside her and picked up the crumpled consultation form.
“Wow. That’s a lot to process.”
Elly nodded and continued. “I always told myself she was just a fling. Just sex. A young, gorgeous art student who he decided to screw around with, that he stupidly let lust overtake him. I liked to believe that he regretted what he had done. Losing me.”
Keith cautiously put his hand on her back. “I’m sure he did.”
Elly took a deep breath and wiped away a tear. “No, no, I don’t think so. He is marrying her. Making her his wife. Obviously, he loves her and I’ve been deluding myself all this time. I’ve held onto him for so long, and even though I never let myself know it, I’ve been waiting for him, all these years. And now he is here, here in my place.”
She put her hand over her heart.
“I’ve been safe here. This is my world. And now, she is here. And HE is here. In my place.”
Keith picked a piece of glass out of her hair. “Is that why you destroyed it?”
Elly looked around. “Maybe. I’m so angry I can barely breathe.”
Keith looked at the floor. “Just tell me again when you plan to destroy your store, that way I won’t run over thinking you are being robbed.”
Elly leaned against him, tears welling up yet again. He smelled like warm bread.
“It’s nice to know there are people who care. You’re a good friend to me. Besides, it was very heroic.”
“Elly, maybe the timing is wrong….” he started to say, but was interrupted by the door to the studio flinging open.
Kim stood before them, with jeans unzipped and a fisherman’s sweater unbuttoned over a tank top.
“Elly?” she asked. She took in the devastation. She approached carefully and slowly, as though Elly was a wild animal that could attack at any moment. “Sweetie.” She knelt and wrapped her arms around Elly. “I talked to Snarky Teenager on the phone. She told me what happened.”
Elly choked back a sob. What was it about being held that re-released her emotion, full tilt? She was so relieved that Kim was there. She wanted to curl up and die. Keith stood, seeing that he wasn’t needed anymore.
“I think that I’ll take off and let you guys talk. Elly, if you need anything, please come over. I’m just on the other side of this wall.”
Elly reached out her hand past Kim’s shoulder. Keith took it gently in his. “Thank you Keith. One could not ask for a better neighbor.”
Keith looked embarrassed. “Next sandwich is on me.”