"Annie...you look stunning. Almost as stunning
as me."
Annie looked at Jessie.
"Thanks, girl..."
Jessie raised an eyebrow.
"Something wrong?"
Annie shook her head.
"No, no. Nothing's wrong."
"Good. This is your day! Smile!"
Annie managed a weak slight smile. Jessie smacked her shoulder softly.
"Come on! What is that!?"
Annie chuckled softly and smiled bigger.
"Better...but let me a REAL smile!"
Annie grinned.
"THAT'S more like it!"
There was a knock on the door.
"Jessie!? You're needed in the sanctuary!"
Jessie nodded.
"Okay! Thanks Mondo!"
She turned to Annie.
"Keep that smile on! It's your wedding day!"
She rubbed her shoulder with her knuckles.
"See you out there."
Jessie turned and went out the room, closing the door behind her. Annie
let her grin fade. She sighed and sat down on the couch. She traced the
lace on her gown silently.
Oakley adjusted his tie, smiling. James and
Meowth stood on either side of him. James grinned.
"Nervous?"
Oakley shook his head.
"Nope!"
James smirked.
"Excited?"
Oakley nodded.
"You know it!"
Meowth smiled.
"Course ya are! Dis is da big day. Time for
ya ta tie da noose!"
James smiled.
"You mean the knot, Meowth."
Meowth shook his head.
"Nah! I mean da knoose!"
Oakley chuckled.
There was a knock at the door.
"James! Meowth! Get your butts out here! You're
needed in the sanctuary!"
"Yes, Jessie!"
James and Meowth patted him on his shoulders.
"See you out there, buddy."
"Practice your vows."
Oakley nodded and gave them a thumbs up. They saluted and left the
room. Oakley closed the door behind the door and sighed. He ran a hand
through his hair.
Truth was, he was nervous. Very nervous. He was starting to get cold
feet.
Oakley lay down on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. He knew
Annie was the one...he loved her...but he didn't love the thought of commitment.
He had never liked committing to things. And this was a BIG commitment!
He had a habit of always backing out of things he said he'd do, he broke
promises. But this was different. Marriage was a sacred thing, to him and
Annie. He just didn't thing he could settle down like that...and he didn't
want to risk ruining something so important.
Annie forced herself not to cry, or else her mascara would run. She exhaled a shaky breath. This was a big step for her to take...and for Oakley to take. She wondered if he could handle it. How many girlfriends had he been through in the past year? Four, five? He had started going out with Domino, then Annie. Then, he went with Ivy for a few weeks. Then, Annie again, and Misty. Then, he went with Summer. He had been pretty serious about her. He almost proposed to her...but he didn't. He proposed to Annie...and she had accepted. Whether that was right or not, she didn't know.
Oakley closed his eyes. He thought back to when he first got the idea of proposing to Annie. He thought it would be fun. A big wedding, big party. The wedding night, the honeymoon. That's as far as his mind went. He never even thought about the care and compassion it took in a loving relationship. He never thought about having children or raising a family. He never thought about the money it took to raise a family. But he was thinking about it now. All these thoughts swarmed in his head and he realized this wasn't just some fun game. Marriage is a tangled, complicated web. And he just got himself stuck in it.
Oakley was a wild boy. Annie knew this. He wasn't one for settling down with one girl and raising a home. He would much rather party all night with a whole bunch of girls at some club or bar. He wasn't the marrying type. So why did she say yes to him? Was she not thinking straight, blinded by the thrill of him proposing to her? Did she think she could change him? Annie wasn't quite sure why she accepted his proposal. She loved him, of course. She knew that. But even her love wasn't going to tie him down. Not Oakley. You'd have to kill him to get rid of that wild animal spirit.
Oakley looked over at the clock. It was almost
time. He should be getting into place right about now. He sighed and sat
up. What was he going to do?
Annie stood and looked at herself in the mirror.
She should be out there, ready to walk down the aisle. But did she want
to?
Oakley started for the door and stopped. Was this the right thing to do? Was he really ready to settle?
Annie's hand touched the doorknob and she froze. Did she really want this? Did Oakley?
What to do?
End of Tale Three