BROKEN HEARTS

“I can’t believe you are doing this.”

A firm hand on his shoulder made Drew turn around. He was still lost in a permutation of emotions, one of the profound ones being pure ecstasy they other utter disbelief. Around him gathered a group of men he had called brothers since college, and closest to him was a man he had known since birth. They practically shared a crib, Drew and Simon. Now he was his best man and there was no other man he would have had next to him when he took vows that would complete him as a man, which would make him responsible for not only his life but the life of his wife and those of the children that would soon follow. In a few moments he would marry the woman that completed his existence, the love he had cultivated and nurtured since he was in preschool.

“Are you even listening to me or are still daydreaming,” Simon said.

Drew turned to his friend with a smile, “Dude I am getting married today and you are going to walk me down that aisle even if you are kicking and screaming.”

“I’m just saying,” Simon shrugged a cheeky smile tucked behind his ears. “We all saw what happened to Leo over here. He got married, had a baby and retired his man card.”

“Ha! Ha!” Leo faked a bellow. “Don’t listen to this idiot.”

Drew looked at his best friend one after the other. Side by side you could see the eternal differences between the two. Leo Ramsey was a homebody, a man who was more of an anchor, Atlas, than he was a person. As for Simon, he chased fun whenever he could find it, or he created it. He was the centre of attention the source of all trouble. Drew knew that there was a rivalry between the tow. Not that they were fighting over him, but they had different ideals of what life was. Leo saw fulfillment and passion whereas Simon only saw passion. They were like the devil and angel on his shoulders. Drew always felt that Simon resented Leo in a way. Leo was a self-made billionaire. At twenty six he was managing multi-million dollar accounts in Chicago while he managed eight companies in eight different states. While Simon had been educated by Drew’s father ever since his mother worked for them, and when his mother died his father took him under his wing. Simon had come up with one business venture after the other none of them succeeding. He just didn’t seem to have the talent that Drew and Leo had.

“Today is a great day, Simon.” And Drew believed that. It had taken him one afternoon with Leo’s new family to know he desired one of his own and he wanted it with Lindsey. “Today I get married, tomorrow I buy a house and the day after that I start my family.”

“Boring!” Simon bellowed. “What you should be thinking is where your bachelor’s pad is going to be, somewhere very far away from your house. The last thing you want is for your wife and your mistress to run into each other at Wal-Mart and exchange pumpkin pie recopies.”

“Drew isn’t a player. He loves Lindsey and he would never betray her. When he puts on that wedding ring today it will be for life,” Leo put in.

“Yawn, let’s not listen to Mr. Mum. All he does is work and go home. Marriage is the place where fun goes to die. After the engagement ring, wedding ring comes the suffering, the crying, the trusting and you know what else, the bore-ring.”

“Well, we can’t all have your exciting life can we, Simon.” A cynical smile and Leo went on, “Directing our attentions where they are not wanted.”

Drew caught the look his two best friends exchanged. On any other day he would try to decipher it and defuse the situation. But today was his wedding day and it was going to be all about him. “Time out girls. I will have peace today.”

The door to one of the chapel’s private rooms opened and in walked Drew ailing but determined father. “Are we ready?”

“We are still trying to change his mind, Christopher,” There was a note of seriousness in Simon’s tone of voice that told Drew that they were past the joking stage. However, he was going to ignore it.

“I’m ready dad.”

“Good thing we didn’t have to twist your arm with this marriage business. You know that as soon as I bite the dust you only had one month to get married,” Christopher said.

“It’s a stupid and unnecessary rule, dad.”

“Your grandfather meant it for me. I was a bit of a wild thing in the past.”

“Don’t remind me,” Drew groaned. He was the evidence of his father’s wild days and those moments were accompanied by pictures and videos. It scarred him for life seeing his father take belly shots from his mother. He shook off the disturbing memory and stepped by his father’s side. “Besides, you know that you are going to outlive us all.”

“I don’t need to. The only thing I want is to see my grandchild before I leave this world.”

“Soon, father.”

“That’s blackmail,” Simon piped in.

“Shut up you idiot,” Leo silenced him.

“Let’s get this show on the road.”

***

Drew made his way up to the honeymoon suite of the Hilton Hotel. Excited couldn’t describe the army of butterflies causing chaos in his belly. He took off his jacket and slung it over his shoulder. With his free hand he pulled the bowtie loose and unbuttoned the two first buttons of his tuxedo shirt. Lindsey had looked beautiful that morning, her blonde hair tied at the back of her head, making her striking face the centre of exhibit. She was stunning; he couldn’t remember what she was wearing because all he saw were her brilliant blue eyes and the gentle smile on her lips. Drew took out the keycard from his pocket and opened the door.

Music that was what he expected to hear. Lindsey in her wedding night lingerie was what he expected to see. But that wasn’t what was before him. He heard the heaving of breaths, the moaning and cursing of passionate lovers, a scream that announced a woman’s climax and a grunt that showed a man’s pride and contentment. He saw the rise and fall of Lindsey’s full round bottom and knees that weren’t his own. But just then, the curtain that Lindsey’s hair had formed hiding the man’s face was pulled back. Drew came face to face with the man that robbed him of his special night. He stared into Simon’s pleased face with looks that mirrored that of a proverbial cat caught with cream, a smug, satisfied, knowing smile playing across his lips.

Drew retreated out of the room silently and took his phone out of his pocket. “Leo, get me an annulment. Now!”

Drew went back in the room and found Lindsey hurriedly gathering her robe and trying to tie it to hide her naked body. It was clear that she had finally sensed his presence. But he wasn’t sure if she had heard what he had said.

“Listen,” she started then faltered. “You guys share everything.”

Drew nodded. He dropped his jacket into a seat next to him. “Simon, I was wondering where you went. Do you want a drink?”

Simon remained silent. Drew went to the bar and poured them each a glass of whiskey on ice. “What about you wife, white wine or would you like something more substantial?”

“I just thought-,” Apparently Lindsey didn’t know what she thought. She remained silent and with a trembling hand accepted the glass of white wine Drew offered. “Pass this on to your lover will you.”

“I don’t want anything.” Now dressed in just his slacks, Simon sat back in an armchair his knee crossed over the other. He had an aura of self-imposed importance.

“What? You can fuck my woman but not drink my whiskey.” Drew sat back in his own chair. “I don’t know what offends me more, that you consummated this marriage for me or that you are insulting my hospitality. You have taken so many liberties already, Simon, what’s one more.”

Drew’s fingers dug into the soft cushion of his armchair. He saw red, the blood boiling on the surface of his skin. He wanted to kill the both of them but he wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of seeing him crumble.

“I think it would be best if Simon left and we talked,” Lindsey said the fear obvious in her eyes.

“We have nothing to talk about, honey.” He forced a sweet tone from his lips. “I think you already know where we go from here. We are just waiting for-,” Just then there was a knock on the door. “-here they are.”

Leo and his father Judge Ramsey walked into the room. They froze at the sight of the room. Lindsey and Simon’s destructive passion left little to the imagination.

“I assume-,” Leo begun.

“Yes-,” Drew said.

“And you want-,”

“Exactly-,”

“Father-,”

“It’s done. I’ll call the clerk back he can give you the honors Drew,” the judge said.

“He doesn’t need to bring back the marriage certificate. He can set it on fire wherever he is.” Drew stood and picked up his jacket.

“You can’t just cancel our marriage.” Lindsey shrieked.

“The certificate wasn’t filed. If he burns it up its like we never signed it, and I’m sure Judge Ramsey and my lawyer Leo will take care of any problems that will arise,” Drew said in the calmest tone he could master.

“You can count on us, Drew. In fact-,” Leo marched to where Simon was and drew back his arm. He punched Simon with such force it sent him and the chair toppling. “Drew might be too good to give you the beating you deserve but as his best friend it was my duty to see that you get what’s owed to you. Oh, and by the way, you are fired.”

“You can’t do that!” Simon jumped to his feet yelling. “I don’t work for you.”

“Well, let’s call it one of my best friend duties. And Lindsey, by the time Drew gets back to the apartment your shit better be out of there.” Leo walked past her to stand by Drew’s side.

Drew looked at his friend and words failed him. What was he supposed to say, I’m grateful you could do what I can’t because I am a spineless idiot. So instead he said, “Where exactly am I going.”

“On your honeymoon, I think it’s only fair that you reconnect with your inner self.” Leo ushered Drew out of the room.

It was when they got to the elevator did Drew discover that Leo had been holding him up the whole time. Leo put him in a corner and Drew crumbled to the ground. Sobs racked his body as tears blinded him. Leo crouched beside him a sympathetic smile on his face.

“What do you need?”

“Your Ferrari. I need a drive.” Drew slowly sobered up.

“If you are going to crush it, make sure you are not inside it.”

Drew felt Leo press him car keys into his palm. “Thanks friend.”

Drew got in his feet when the bell rand and walked into his father’s arms. Christopher’s face was contorted in anger, but there was sadness in his eyes. “Are we going for a drive?”

“Most definitely.”

***

Piper sat on the window seat eating the vanilla flavored ice cream she got from the hospital cafeteria. She stared at the unconscious man on the bed. She watched as his chest rose and fell with every breath he took. She was a night nurse and had started sitting in Mr. Wyatt’s room ever since he had the accident. He had kept on crashing and she wanted to be ready when next his monitor beeped red. At times she would come during the day and sit with his mother Maya as she read to him. Sometimes she would take a turn reading to him. He had been here just two weeks, brought in after his Ferrari wrapped itself around a pole leaving his father dead and him in a coma. Usually Piper distanced herself from patients and their families but it was hard to ignore the pain in Maya’s eyes. She could still remember the woman’s wails when she found out her husband had died. Piper had wrapped her arms around her trembling body trying to pull her out of the trauma room and had ended up comforting the woman the whole night.

Drew that was her son’s name, he had just gotten married. But Piper had not seen his wife until the second day. She had come in with one of Drew’s friends, Simon. But after a fight with Leo, they had been thrown out. Piper had stood at a close distance watching as the drama unraveled before her. She had come to know Leo and his wife Amanda well, and from the pain in Leo’s eyes it was easy to tell that he loved his best friend. Piper never asked for details and they never offered.

Piper got off the window seat to peek her head out of the hospital room. It was silent, almost like a graveyard. This wing of the hospital usually was at this time of night. The coma wing wasn’t her usual duty, she was a trauma nurse. But she had promised Leo and Maya that she would look after Drew. A promise she should not have made in the first place. Piper went back to the bed and looked over Drew. He was so still, except for the rise and fall of his chest he looked dead. His skin was pale a huge contrast to his jet black hair. Every inch of his flesh was solid muscle. His jaw pronounced, the skin at the corner of his lips and eyes crinkled, telling her that he liked to smile and laugh. His lips were full, and even though there was a tube in his mouth it didn’t take away from his facial beauty. Not even the bandages on his chest, his broken arm or leg could mar his physical perfection.

“You are kind of beautiful, who am I kidding. You are the man of my dreams.” Piper stroked back his hair, fighting the sensation that the silky tresses made between her fingers and in her chest. “Piper Summers, only you would fall in love with a man in a coma.” Her finger traced his jaw line and his full lips, “I want to know what makes you smile and laugh so much. You must have so much joy in your life. So silent, alright I’ll go first, I laugh because there is so much pain in this world that I grab the first opportunity to celebrate the joy. I smile because with so much despair, there is still beauty in this world. I smile because, my heart won’t let me rest, and my mind fantasizes about the two of us.” A hot tear rolled down Piper’s cheek, “I can’t explain what you do to me. You make me want to laugh and cry at the same time. I can’t breathe when I’m close to you, and I can’t bare it when I’m away from you. You are driving me crazy and I don’t even know the color of your eyes… or… or how your lips feel against mine.”

Piper caressed his cheek and leaned in. Her eyes closed when their faces came close to touching. And when she kissed him, she felt life breathed into her. How she lived before this moment, she didn’t know.

***

I take you Lindsey Miller to be my wife, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, in richness and in poor till death do us part.

Death, that was what chased after him that night.

“Slow down son,” his father’s voice echoed in his head.

Drew pushed the pedal to the metal and nothing happened. Fear gripped his heart as furiously kicked the brake pedal. “Dad, it’s not working.”

“Son, I love you.”

The sound of metal crumpling, the smell of burning gasoline assaulted his senses. Then, the pain crippled him.

“Shhh! You’re okay. I’m here with you.” The melodic voice consumed him. He felt pressure on his lips then it disappeared. “You’re okay.” The voice said again. Was it an angel? I’m I dead? “Open your eyes. Don’t be afraid. I’m here with you. You’re okay, open your eyes.”

Drew did as he was told. As much as his whole body hurt, he forced himself to obey her command. At first, the bright light burned his eyes and he wanted to close them. But his desire to see his angel was much greater.

“There you go… blue,” she said.

Now he was confused. Drew tried to talk but he couldn’t. His throat was raw and there was something sticking out at the corner of his mouth. He tried to reach for it but his hand wouldn’t move.

“Don’t panic, you’re okay. I’m here with you.”

How could he panic with her sweet calming voice reassuring him? He looked at her and studied the dark planes of her face, honey brown eyes smiling at him. He breathed her in and her flowery scent masked the sterile smell in the air and the memory of burning rubber.  Chocolate, he wanted to say, she reminded him of chocolate in summer.  A strange comparison, but that was what he felt.

“Drew, I’m Piper. I’m your nurse. We can’t take the tube out just yet. I know it’s a bother but bare with it for a little while.” When she moved away from the bed he used his other hand to grab her hand. His fingers tightened around her wrist with a strength he didn’t think he possessed anymore. He was scared and he didn’t want her to leave him. He obviously wouldn’t admit to it, but that was how he felt. And as if she could read his mind, she said, “Don’t be scared. I’m just going to get a doctor.”

Drew felt her delicate fingers try to pry him open, but he wasn’t letting go. She chuckled then conceded defeat.

“Alright then, I’ll just use the bell. I won’t leave you.”

Drew wanted to shout no, he didn’t want anyone else in the room with them. He focused his gaze on her eyes. They held such beauty and comfort, almost healing and all he wanted was to get lost in them. However, he was soon robbed of his moment as a team of doctors and nurses rushed to the room. All ordered to give him the best of care by Leo, or his mother and father. Dad.

He tightened his grip around her wrist bring her attention back to him once more and stopping her from explaining his condition to the doctors. He couldn’t talk but he needed for her to understand him. Piper stroked his cheek and a gentle smile played on her lips. She didn’t understand.

“He’s getting agitated,” Drew heard a man say.

“You don’t have to sedate him, doctor. He doesn’t want to go back to sleep,” Piper championed him.

“That’s not your decision,” the doctor said.

“Shhh! Just rest.”

Drew wasn’t sure if it was Piper stroking his hair that finally lulled him to sleep or if it was the drugs they gave him. But he fell asleep, with the sound of Piper’s voice echoing in his ears.

When Drew woke up it was morning. His surroundings seemed to have changed. He chewed on his mouth and realized the tube was out. He remembered everything that happened that night, the accident and the sound of his angel’s voice, “Piper.”

“Son!”

It wasn’t Piper’s soothing tone that called out to him; he wasn’t staring at the last embers of sunset that were her brown eyes. Instead he was looking into a blue ocean filled with worry, fear and relief, the eyes of his mother. It was the relief that told him what he wanted to know, and the fact that his father wasn’t hovering over him, his forehead full of frown lines as he fretted over his only child and son. The place where his father was supposed to be was empty and it wasn’t because Christopher chose to not be at Drew’s side. It was because he couldn’t. Only death could separate Christopher from his wife and son.

“It’s going to be okay,” Drew winced at how raw his throat felt.  He smacked his lips trying to rid his tongue of the coppery hue of blood that settled there.

Maya laid her head on his bandaged chest and cried. Drew held his own tears at bay as he combed his fingers through her curly tresses.  He didn’t know what to do, so he copied Piper’s words, “It’s okay. I’m here with you.” His right hand was the one in use, so he rubbed his mother’s back, stroked her cheek and patted her arm. It was the only thing he could do. Never in his life had he felt so impotent, so useless, and so guilty. He had stolen his father from his mother, the worst crime any son could commit against his mother. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

The conviction behind her statement startled him. “I was driving, I had been drinking, and I was so distraught. It was my fault mommy,” Drew cried.

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