Peter thought he must have been the worst participant in a bachelor party ever. Course even referring to what the guys threw for him a bachelor party would be a stretch. All they did was go to a few movies and went to Meagans old Medieval restaurant for an evening buffet. Peter had half expected a stag party but Mike told him later on that all their girlfriends had put them on notice; if they got caught at anything resembling an actual bachelor party and it was over. Even that was an understatement, Davy had met a new girl at his rehearsal dinner the other day, and that may be heading somewhere.
"Two girls at the same time again!" Mike grumbled. "I can't even juggle two balls at the same time."
"Tis easy Mike." Micky said grabbing a couple of rolls from their buffet dinner. He skillfully tossed them up and down in the air till a pretty girl went by and he dropped them both flat on the ground. Unlike Davy however, he didnt pursue her.
Peter was sitting in his groom suite at the church they were holding the wedding. The brown manilla envelope the guys had given him was staring him in the face from where it lay on a coffee table. He had looked at it once, he felt no need to ever look ever again. But he knew once the wedding went into full swing he would once again have to open it. Its one of the few envelopes he ever hated opening. That and anyhing he got from the IRS.
Mike came in with his tuxedo on. Peter looked up at him and smiled weakly. He could see Davy and Micky hanging out in the hallway having what seemed to Peter a stupid conversation aboutwhat color their coursages where.
"Its purple!" Davy whined. "It goes horrible with me eyes." Micky stared at him. "Not like I know. One of me girls was into color coordination. I havent been the same since. Everything has to match..." Mike closed the door on his friends strange complaining.
"Hows its going shotgun? Are you ready to meet the ball and chain?" He asked.
"Funny how you say it that way." Peter said sadly.
"Whats wrong?" Mike said. He then saw the envelope on the table. "You looked."
"Yes." Peter said simply. He got up and put his tuxedo jacket on. Mike came over and helped him with a flower pin on his jacket.
"And you are going through with it? No second thoughts?"
"I kinda have to." Peter said. "I made a decision and I'm gonna stick with it."
"You never asked me about it." Mike said. "What you saw."
"I know." Peter said.
"You sure?" Mike asked.
Peter paused a long moment before he answered Mike. "I am sure. There is something I have to do."
Mike nodded and left the room to join his friends in the hall.
Peter moved out to the main chapel and stood in his spot next to the preacher and his three friends. He had something tucked into his pocket, but the others couldnt make out what it was. Mike was about to ask his friend what it was when the organist started to play the wedding march. He eased back into his spot and watched the main doors in the back of the chapel open.
The church was decorated in light blues and whites. Ribbons strewn through the air and on the ground next to the aisles where many many people sat. From first look you could tell a lot of money was spent on this wedding. You would almost think it was a celebrity wedding worthy of Richard Burton and Liz Taylor instead of it being for a unknown musician and his bride. Peter looked around as the matron of honor, Sofies sister Andrea, and bridesmaids maid it down the aisle. They stood at the opposite side of the men. The doors closed again as they awaited the arrival of Sofie and her father. In the meantime the music came to a stop. The wedding march was followed by a lighter tune.
Peters palms started to sweat heavily. He was extremely nervous. He could feel his hands sliding together. Mike noticed his friends precarious position and handed him a handkerchief from his pocket. Peter accepted it and used to wipe off his moist hands.
As he did this, Peter noticed something in the back of the room getting his attention. In the back of the room, five people dressed in white tuxedos were standing near the door. One of the was arguing with a man in a black tuxedo. It took a couple of seconds to see who it was but when he did, it was shocking.
It was Meagan.
At his wedding.
Peter decided that this must have been the "troublemaker" that didnt show up to work the rehersal dinner. Peter could see why she wouldnt, after all in a letter she had confessed to having feelings for him. Then she vanished. She was almost completely out his mind before he spotted her at the back of the room. Part of him wanted to go talk to her. Hang out or somehthing but the he rememebered why he was here. He had something important to do.
The wedding march started again as the doors in the back of the chapel opened. Sofie and her father emerged slowly. Sofie had a big smile on her face as she moved down the aisle. She was wearing a white frilly number with a plunging neckline. Peter took notice of this.
"Are you sure shes marrying me?" He asked the guys in a quite aside. "Looks like shes made up for someone else."
"Shes yours all right." Davy said. "If not, there are plenty who would take your place!" He enthused.
"Thanks thats encouraging." Peter said as Sofie and her father arrived at the altar.
"Who gives this woman away?" The preacher asked.
"I do." Sofies father said. He kissed his daughter on the cheek and stepped aside.
"I am aware that the couple planned their own vows." the preacher said. "Who wants to go first?"
Peter looked at the preacher. He seemed strangely uninterested in the wedding, but recalled that he was chugging cough medicine mere moments before coming out to the main chapel. He sniffled a little bit before grabbing a kleenex off the altar and loudly blowing his nose. Sofie continued to smile, though it almost looked like she was grating her teeth. She turned to the crowd and spoke.
"I never knew love until I met Peter Tork." She said to the church. She turned back to him. "I am hoping to make a lifetime of love and lovely memories." The preacher sneezed loudly after this. "And children, we'll have them too. They seem like a good idea." She smiled. "I want to be with you, forever." She said slowly. Peter raised his eyebrow at this. "Sincerely."
"And now the groom." The preacher said as searched for more cough medicine under the altar.
"I don't have vows, but I do have a story." Peter said. "A story of me finding the love of my life and how we ended up here." He said taking a folded object from the back pocket of his tuxedo. "But for our sake I can skip that." He said. "I feel I could have loved you for a long time. But something changed that." He looked at Mike. "Mike went out one afternoon to shoot pictures of sea gulls. He took it up as a hobby. He came back and said he was gonna enter them in a contest. But then he gave them to me." He unfolded the object. "A lot of them were good. A lot of sea gulls. But there was this picture that stood out from the rest of the pack." He held it up to her. Sofie gasped. "Obviously not a sea gull."
The photo that Peter now held aloft showed Sofie and who Peter assumed was Justin Weyman in a compromising position.
"Can you explain this? Is this a phantom kiss as well?" Peter asked.
"I can explain. We were wrestling." Sofie said her face turning completely white.
"Thats no wrestling I ever saw." Mike observed.
"You shut up." Sofie snapped at Mike.
"No you shut up." Peter said. "I gave you my love and you were with this Justin guy, probably from day one." He said discarding the photo like a hot potato. "I am not marrying you."
Sofie looked at the photo. She picked it up and tore it to pieces. "Lets consider this a one time mistake and move on."
"One time?" The others chorused.
"Fine two times." Sofie said.
"That we know of." Peter said. "This wedding is over."
"No its not." Sofie said slowly as a cruel smile crossed her lips. "If you ever want a record in this country, you will marry me. I will completely ruin you if you back out now." She laughed. "You have no choice." She turned to her father. "Daddy! Tell him he can't back out on me." She said as an angry glare took over her once pretty features. "Tell him!" She demanded in a shrill voice.
"You tell him." Sofies dad said. "I don't know you at all." He got up with Sofies mother and left. Her sister followed close behind.
"Daddy?" Sofie said as she watched them leave. "Where are you going?"
"Probably far away." Peter said. "Which is what I'm gonna do right now." He looked toward the back of the church where he had seen the catering crew for the wedding reception. There seemed to be one missing. Peter tried to make his way past Sofie but she grabbed his arm.
"Let go." Peter said.
"You can't leave me here." Sofie said gripping his arm. It felt like iron.
"Watch me." He said shaking off his ex-future wife. He almost knocked her down in the effort. He walked past the others and down the aisle only stopping where he had seen Meagan.
"Meagan? Where is she?" He asked who he assumed was Meagans boss.
"She took off before the bride went down the aisle." He shrugged. "I fired her too."
"Wow, thats quite a twofer." Peter grumbled. "Obviously there isnt going to be a reception now." Peter said. He walked out the door to the steps. He slowly walked down them as he looked up and down the street. If she had only left a few minutes ago, she oughta still be there, he thought. But it wasnt so. Meagan, once again, was gone.
