Played like a Guitar - Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Just as I reached the dance hall with the confidence of a lion, some of my all-time favorite songs started playing, as if I requested them myself. After returning a sly nod to Benjamin, I joined the two lovebirds, finally enjoying the celebration like it was my own. Leo's shirt was drenched in sweat, but he kept moving with an energetic Elektra swaying her hips next to him. I closed my eyes and started dancing spontaneously to the pop melodies, allowing the tune to fully synchronize with my body. Valentina's impressive flamenco skills easily outmatched mine, but it didn't matter. Mine were victorious. She smiled back at me, interpreting my smile as a "damn you're good at this" smile, rather than a "I rightfully stole your fucking spouse from you, bitch" smile.
Alas, Jamie's ridiculously awkward dance moves won the evening ultimately, inspiring guffaws and roars among guests. His occasional side glances were signs of reassurance for the decision I made, whose consequences I was done worrying about. All I wanted was to tackle him on the floor, rip his gorgeous eyeballs out, keep them in my pocket, bite off his lips, hug him so tight I until his ribs crush, but there was no reason to rush anything. Happily ever after is waiting for us just around the corner, after all. Elektreo observed me with both confusion and unsettledness, but they seemed to prefer it over me bawling my eyes out so they kept quiet. "I fucking adore you." – I told him telepathically. His infatuated gaze screamed "I want you" back, and we both grinned.
His father approached him and Valentina, focusing their attention elsewhere. Across the venue, where the soon-to-be-divorced couple's table was placed, stood a woman in a grey pant suit, carefully arranging a stack of papers on it. She explained to them what I assume were details surrounding their marriage certificate, and they listened attentively. They thanked her for the information and soon after the music stopped abruptly, resulting in playful protests from the guests who seemed to be enjoying their time. Benjamin helped Malory get on stage where the Midnight Blues performed earlier, with the venue staff members arranging a projector and computer in the background. The crowd gathered in front of her, patiently waiting for the surprise she set up for her brother, who seemed equally confound.
She spoke into the microphone, but there appeared to be sound issues. "Fuck, does this thing even work?" – she uttered while clicking all its buttons, and her words could now be heard loud and clear from all four corners of the venue. The guests laughed at her poor choice of words. "Oops, I guess it does. Sorry mom." – she laughed nervously, her cheeks turning red instantly. Her mother shook her head in disbelief humorously, whereas Jamie held his hand against his mouth, trying to contain himself. "That's one way to start a speech. Congrats Mal." – she spoke to herself, while unfolding a piece of paper. She scanned the writing quickly to refresh her memory, only to shred it to bits seconds later.
"I'm not really good at these things, so I guess I'm just going to wing it." – she paused for a second and inhaled deeply. "Jamie, I know that you and I had a bit of a rough start this morning, so consider this as a way of me making it up to you, okay?" He nodded apprehensively, having already forgotten the incident. Valentina did not seem convinced, however.
"You're the most talented, sweet and generous person I know. Growing up together, I always secretly looked up to you even though my pride wouldn't let me. It also might have to do with the fact that you wanted to throw me in a dumpster soon after I was born." The audience roared, including me who understood the reference, and Jamie turned red with embarrassment.
"You accomplished so many things at my age, and I wanted to share how proud I am to be your sister, cuz I know I have troubles showing it sometimes." – she confessed. "Even though you're really annoying, and also intrusive, overprotective, immature..." – she laughed. "Still, you were the best brother I could've asked for. I know that I can be a real pain in the buttocks sometimes and a spoiled brat, but also impulsive, indecisive, cold..." – she laughed with tears in her eyes this time. "So thank you for tolerating my teenage drama and taking care of me all these years. I made this video for you yesterday with mum. I'm thankful to have you in my life. I love you." – she cracked a teary smile, and the audience applauded her for the kind words.
Her speech moved Ms. O'Dea deeply, held closely by her equally proud husband. Hell, even Benjamin couldn't control his emotions, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief. "I also wanted to say that..." – she paused, inhaling again, but her voice cracked halfway through. The guests awed, and Jamie instantly hopped on stage to pick her up, embracing her in a warm and loving hug. They stayed like that for a while. He whispered something in her ear, cheering her up instantly and turning the sobs into a sour laugh. He brought her down and placed her gently on a chair before the lights turned off and a video started playing on the projector.
It began with a lullaby-like melody playing in the background, with pictures of a rather ugly baby wrapped in a light blue blanket laying peacefully in a comfy crib. I smiled from ear to ear, realizing it was a newborn Jamie who just happened to arrive into our mysterious world, destined to bring light and joy to all those lucky enough to cross his path. The slide of photos continued, each taken years apart: a four or five-year-old Jamie holding a Labrador puppy in what appeared to be their grandparent's farmhouse, then the same picture taken a year later in which the dog grew three times its size, surpassing him in the meantime. I'd never seen a child with heterochromia before, and those eyes certainly stuck out like a sore thumb.
Next, a cute photo of the freckled boy hugging his pregnant mother's belly emerged. Eventually, the good boy (the dog) stopped growing, but the new member of the family joined the picture, pretty even as a baby. Mr. O'Dea forced little Jamie to smile while carrying Malory in his arms. The VHS footage gave me such nostalgic feelings, from the vintage camera quality to the date displayed on the bottom right corner, and the raw spontaneity behind it. Truly memorable moments captured in time, revisited more than a decade later. Then came yearbook and vacation photos, followed by a video of a teenage Jamie singing and playing his guitar at a local school talent show with the same focused gaze in his eyes whenever he'd perform, showing a clear passion for music from his humble beginnings. Malory shook her head when a recording of Jamie shoving her head inside her birthday cake started playing, after which she chased him around the room with a handful of cream. Everyone found it amusing, but her smile was rather bittersweet, much like mine.
Watching these family recollections ignited several feelings at once. Firstly, it made me realize how shitty my family history was in contrast, as my parents barely took any photos of me when I was young, and after they split up there weren't as many memorable events worth capturing. Secondly, how the fuck am I supposed to alter this already unfortunate family's destiny? I barely even know them! Hell, their parents haven't even talked to me once! It feels wrong in so many ways, like I got this superpower to control people mind's all of a sudden, and they're just going to accept me in their family like they've known me all their lives.
I wish things were different. I wish I had time to savor our relationship, take things slow, go on dates, get to know each other properly, build it steadily. Instead, we had to rush the entire process in less than a week of total time spent together in the spam of three years, because God decided to play with our emotions and make things difficult for us. Maybe if he didn't get wasted in that stupid party, none of this would've happened! We would've just met eventually in Rome, and there wouldn't be any secrets and restrictions, no Valentina to block our path. Nothing to hold us back.
It's selfish of me to be mad, I know, but it's how I feel now while looking at this beautiful little girl in a yellow summer dress, riding her pony on the farmhouse. Now she's stuck to a wheelchair, can't live without proper medical equipment and feels like a total burden all the time. I wish I got to know her too, spend quality time together with both of them, and slowly make myself a part of their family like every normal partner would. But no, life just couldn't be simple for me, for us. I can't imagine how Jamie felt after the accident. How he still feels anytime he looks at her. She doesn't hold the slightest grudge against him, however. Almost like she accepted her faith. This is all so fucked up.
"Hey kid, what did you tell me yesterday when I taught you how to play the guitar?" – an old man with a friendly smile, who I assumed was grandpa Sullivan, asked a preteen Jamie sitting comfortably on his lap.
"I wanna become a superstar!" – the ambitious boy shouted, making his parents smile. "I want to play instruments just like you, and then teach Malory how to play when she grows up!" – he said while approaching her crib. Jamie shed a few tears before the video ended, and the guests remained silent. She comforted him by remaining optimistic and cheerful. "Then, I want to have my own tour so the whole world can hear me sing!" – he jumped with determination, stealing everyone's hearts. He stole mine a long time ago.
Next, a vertical video taken on what appeared to be Malory's phone popped up. She put one finger over her lips to show she was up to no good with a devilish smile on her face, before putting on a killer clown mask on her head. She switched to the main camera, and sneaked into Jamie's room, slowly turning the doorknob so as not to be heard. His singing voice could be discerned in the background, playing his ukulele next to the window in his late teens. His beard didn't start growing back then, but he still had that cute short curly hair of his. Mal creeped up behind him and blew an air horn in his right ear, making him scream with a high-pitched voice crack, causing him to jump and trip over his chair, landing face down on the floor. He turned around and kept screaming upon seeing Mal with a fake knife approaching him, and the guests roared of laughter once again. The video ended with Malory running down the stairs while laughing and screaming simultaneously, with a furious Jamie chasing after her.
Finally, a recording taken from a drone showed the Midnight Blues playing in an open arena, with hundreds of people in the audience singing their songs out loud, to the point where the band got overwhelmed with emotions and looked at each other with pride and euphoria. A perfect way to end this emotional and thoughtful video. The end. You made it, Jamie. You made your grandpa proud.
A round of applause echoed throughout the room, and this time I was next on the long lists of criers to have been moved on a spiritual level by this beautiful collage of videos and photos. A recollection of key life events and milestones, in which I did not deserve to belong. Jamie hugged Malory once again, thanking her for the effort she put into creating it. Then one by one, his family and close friends congratulated him both on their marriage and his success. I wanted to hug him myself, extremely proud of his achievements and fond of his existence in my life, even if only temporary, but I decided to keep my distance. His eyes were swollen and cheeks red of joy, sadness, and all other parts of the emotional spectrum. It was a very overwhelming day, more than us poor humans could handle. I bet he'd gladly accept me into his arms like a hand would slip into a glove, but it simply didn't feel right. Back in Rome, I used to believe I played an important role in his life, but now that I'm seeing all these people, it felt like I was nothing but a side role. A much-needed reality check. I can't do this. I simply cannot. It's wrong, and most importantly, it's not my decision to make. "You signed the Devil's contract already. It's too late for second thoughts." – the voice kindly reminded.
What if it's not too late, though? I can still take back the letter from Valentina's dressing room, burn it, act like nothing happened, leave this place pronto first thing in the morning, sob for a month at mom's place, move on, find a job, find someone new and start a new life. Sounds easy enough. Taking advantage of the ruckus surrounding Jamie at the moment, I slipped away from the crowd and tiptoed towards the bathroom hallway again. I failed to go unnoticed, however, attracting Benjamin's attention. Judging by his deadly glance, he knew I was up to something, but abstained from intervening nonetheless. I ignored the old lunatic and power walked to her dressing room, only to hear faint whimpers echoing from within. Oh no. She's already found it. Shit. What now? I circled around in place, biting my nails, pulling my head, trying to rip it off my skull and smash it against the wall. I didn't even make it to step 1.
"Valentina?" – I knocked on the door impulsively, unsure of my next move. No answer, but the sobs went extinct. "Can I come in?"
"No!" – she cried despite trying to keep her voice steady and neutral. I went in anyways. The room was in an even bigger mess than before, with the pile of clothes now completely dispersed all over the place, the lipstick heart smudged vigorously into an undefined shape, and the makeup kits thrown violently against the floor. "I SAID NO!" – she screamed with mascara dripping from her eyes. She turned around and saw me, the last person on her mind, and wiped off the tears, straightened her back and hid something behind it. The letter. "What is it?" – she asked with a bit of an attitude, acting as if I did not just witness the tantrum scene taking place in front of my own eyes.
"Um, the video Malory made for Jamie just ended." – I informed her, but she appeared confused as to how this piece of information was related to her. Guess I didn't plan this through. "They are waiting for you to sign the papers now. Together." – I half-lied out of nervousness. She didn't respond again, trying hard not to show her emotions in front of another human being, although labeling her as one felt wrong. Eventually, though, she dived her face into her hands and started bawling her eyes out with a rather irritating cry, the exact kind you'd think she'd have. Alas, even the toughest rock cracks when the pressure gets too high, and this includes her. I don't know what was in that cursed letter, but it got under her skin all right. I've never seen her this vulnerable.
"I don't think I can sign them." – she cried through her fingers, so I kneeled next to her.
"Hey, hey, look at me." – I poked her arm, suppressing my own emotions for both our sake. She removed her gorgeous wavy hair from her teary eyes, revealing an ugly crying face that was still somehow beautiful, and I absolutely despised her for it. "I know that this is a very stressful situation for you, but there is nothing to worry about! You're both so lucky to have each other, it's like a match made in heaven!" – I lied with all my remaining power, trying to correct my mistake and alter the future. "You're a beautiful girl, ambitious, hardworking..." – I tried coming up with more adjectives, but none seem to come to mind. "You two share this crazy passion within your fields, no wonder they keep calling you a couple goal." – I faked a laugh, but it didn't seem to work. In fact, it made her even more upset.
"I guess they don't know us that well then." – she looked away at the mirror with a cold, fuming expression. I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes for a second to regain control over myself.
"Look, Jamie is a really good friend of mine, and this is something he's been looking forward to for a very long time. Yes, you're still young, and this was a rather sudden decision, I realize that, but there's no reason for you to be freaking out over it when it hasn't even begun!" – I tried reassuring her, and she appeared more attentive now. Never in my right mind did I think I'd be persuading Valentina fucking Delgado to marry that bastard on their goddamn wedding day in Ireland.
"There's no future for us, Nova. We are complete opposites!" – she complained, and I ignored her incapability of remembering a simple four-letter name. "Sometimes I feel like we barely know each other, and now I'm supposed to marry el tipo?" – she lashed out her frustration, and her words hit me like a monster truck. "Guess you two aren't so different after all." – the voice observed just as the realization kicked in.
"Well it's a bit too late for that, sweetheart, isn't it?" – I snapped, scratching her chair's legs instead of scraping her face off with my claws. "Maybe you should've thought about that earlier, instead of bitching about it after exchanging vows with your bloody spouse!" – I stood up, infuriated by this lunacy, and I saw fear and shock in her eyes. Good. "Maybe, you should've asked him about his life goals, his dreams, his hobbies, his fears, his intimate thoughts...his favorite fucking color, I don't know! Maybe then you would know the person you're supposed to spend the rest of your worthless life with!" – I derided her disgusting ignorance. "MAYBE, just maybe, YOU SHOULD'VE SAID NO WHEN HE PROPOSED TO YOU IN YOUR FUCKING SUMMER HOUSE IN IBIZA!" – I yelled while facing the ceiling. All the exasperation, anger and overwhelming nature of this damned O'Dea roller coaster led to this moment, driving me past the breaking point, and into pure madness. Her jaw remained open, hanging loosely in the air, unable to utter a single word.
"What! Why are you looking at me like that?!" – I shouted. "Your fucking husband is waiting for you outside this door, so you better get your shit together now, I don't care how, and sign those fucking papers. Do you understand me?" – I looked her straight in the eyes without blinking, the same gaze Benjamin threatened me with earlier.
"Stop yelling at me!" – she cried. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because Jamie doesn't deserve for someone to debate over him, especially when he's ready to dedicate his whole life to that someone." – I said more calmly now. "Be grateful for him." – I added sternly, the same way Malory would have, had she been enclosed in a space alone with Valentina. She flinched when I walked towards her, but the only thing I did was pick up the makeup from the floor and threw an expensive aquamarine pantsuit on the table that was hanging from her special outfit rack next to her previous dresses, which I assumed was bought solely for the stupid paperwork. "You better be there in five minutes." – I warned her, but she kept staring at me bewildered, so I said: "Also, cut the diva bullshit already, it doesn't look cute on you.", before slamming the door shut.
I returned to the main area where the guests seemed to have resumed their previous positions, either fine dining and swilling at the tables, or energetically busting moves on the floor. I felt some of the anger lifted off my shoulders, and the corner of my mouth twisting into a devilish smile. It was about time someone put her in her place. I slipped a glass of an unknown colorless liquor from a passing waiter's tray and downed it like it was holy water, to cleanse my sins away. The unfamiliar taste burned my throat just the right way. I left the single shooters glass on a random table, only to realize it was reserved for the O'Dea family. Establishing an unsettling eye contact with the groom's parents for the first time, Mrs. O'Dea looked rather worried about my well-being, whereas her husband had the same drink next to him, but he was savoring it slowly instead of gulping it like an alcoholic that I had become after meeting their son. Having a nudge for saving me from awkward situations, Jamie saw the three of us and assessed the situation quickly.
"Ah, I see you guys have finally met. Mom, dad, I'd like to introduce you to my dear friend Noah." – he acquainted us nervously, placing a hand on my shoulders, and I smiled shyly, observing the similarities in facial features that ran in their family.
"Please do." – the father said, clearly intrigued.
"Pleasure meeting you both." – I said with a genuine smile, pretending like he was introducing me as more than just a friend. It didn't matter to me that I made a complete fool of myself and a rather unfavorable first impression. I met his parents, at last.
"I see you're quite fond of the Poitín." – Mr. O'Dea nodded towards the empty glass. "A fine drink indeed, although I haven't savored it that way in a long, long time. Care for another one?" – he gestured to the empty seat on the opposite side of the round table. Although sharing drinks and stories with his parents was, much like the rest of today's events, something I had not anticipated, it was a pleasant surprise for sure.
"Um, Valentina should be done any minute now. There's no time for drinks now." – Jamie pointed out the irrelevant. I made myself comfortable anyways, and he looked at me with his characteristic what-are-you-trying-to-do face.
"And we will be waiting for her patiently." – I gave a quirky remark, just as the waiter brought us two more glasses. "To prosperity, good health, and fortune." – I made a toast with Mr. O'Dea, delighted to see him chugging it down the good ol' fashioned Noah way. His wife observed him in shock, only to crack into a cute laugh when he started coughing like a heavy smoker. Bless Elektra for feeding me properly, otherwise I'd be making invisible snow angels on the floor. Speak of the blonde devil, where the hell is she? Eh, let them do whatever they want. They did pay a lot of money for the tickets after all, so might as well take advantage of their time here. This was an issue I had to deal with myself, but having them around meant the world to me.
"Now you know why your son hasn't introduced me to you sooner." – I said while staring at him, and we all laughed. Jamie eventually gave in, realizing that Valentina wouldn't show up anytime soon (despite my threats), so he sat next to me. His father started discussing the backstory behind the drink, which in turn led to the numerous alcohol-filled endeavors during his early adulthood, and we all seemed captivated by his story-telling expertise which he transferred to his son. Mrs. O'Dea knew all of them by heart obviously, but she had that particular gaze that married couples have, where they seem content listening to the same stories repeatedly since they chose to spend their lives together. Faithful and committed. I was mostly just reacting and nodding, too busy enjoying the actual moment, imaging us dining with them in their family house where they would share Jamie's embarrassing stories with me, and I'd laugh like I didn't already know he was a complete idiot. The fact that this conversation wouldn't last long, that Valentina would come out of that room and sign the papers that would put an end to our relationship, that Jamie's thighs were secretly stretched out so our knees could touch, none of it mattered. I was in the present moment.
Eventually, Malory graced us with her presence, sitting next to her mother with whom she appeared to have reconciled after the ceremony. Mothers don't hold grudges for long, I suppose. Throughout the discussions, I'd feel their gaze focused on me - especially Jamie's, and whenever I'd be the one talking (usually about how we met), I'd notice Malory and Mrs. O'Dea switching glances between him and I indiscreetly. Almost like they were conversing between themselves through telepathy. Mrs. O'Dea seemed to be analyzing me with a peculiar interest, whereas Mal knew the truth about us already so she was merely admiring us in silence, with that bittersweet expression of hers. Pretending to be unaware of their fixation, I kept my cool and played it cute. Although I've barely seen them interact with Valentina today, I bet we had more chemistry than they ever did, or will for that matter.
Just as I was getting slightly skeptical over her more-than-five-minute absence, the indecisive brat emerged out of the hallway for the billionth time today, wearing the exotic formal suit and a pair of pearl white heels. What differed from her other grand entrances, however, was the unresponsiveness to the applause and cheers, and the lack of energy and confidence that usually encompass her catwalk. Her makeup was reset in a hurry, but all eyes were stuck to the high-fashion boss lady statement piece, so no one actually noticed the difference. She passed by our table, sending Jamie and his parents a faint smile. "Ready when you are." – she said with her attractive Spanish accent before heading towards the legal officiant, but I could hear the insecure little girl inside her screaming for help. Jamie exhaled loudly, finished his drink, buttoned what was left of his white shirt, looked at me in a heart wrenching way, the farewell kind, as if he were apologizing for failing to make us a reality.
The playlist was replaced by faint background music as soon as the couple united in front of the officiant. Based on my general (lack of) knowledge, body language and mouth interpretation, she presented them with the relevant documentation, individual rights, and other boring legal stuff. I couldn't tell which one of the three looked less interested. Ever since I first clashed swords with her in Rome and found out about their marriage, I prayed for her misfortune and misery, but now that I see her in this depressive state, now that the tables have turned in ways I couldn't imagine, it made me want to carve an everlasting Joker-like smile on her pretty face. Jamie did most of the conversing, with her staring blankly at the papers by his side, occasionally nodding and smiling whenever she was being addressed, only to return to her initial expression the second the attention was redirected elsewhere. Straight-up psycho, that one. I guess she's another victim of Jamie's, another soon-to-be asylum seeker. It starts off innocently with a damn smile, then a mild interest thanks to his artsy and humorous nature, then skyrockets into an obsession when he lets you believe you have a chance. But there's no going back from there, not without losing your sanity, pride and interest in anything else.
Much like the vows, Jamie signed the stack of papers without hesitation, and somehow I felt both relieved yet devastated. In the meantime, some guests were observing the process curiously, whereas others helped themselves with some mouth-watering desserts (my two dear friends). Although the tiny pop cakes, fruit tarts, and Baileys cheesecakes did make my stomach grumble, I refused to take a bite until I could see Valentina signing her part with my own eyes. I noticed her hand getting shaky with each page, and Jamie did too apparently. At the very last page, however, she remained frozen.
"Is everything okay, Ms. Delgado?" – the officiant asked in confusion.
"Yeah, you look pale." – Jamie added, placing the back of his hand on her forehead. She remained silent. Her father stood up from his table to assess the situation immediately. He spoke to her in Spanish, so I couldn't utter what he was saying, but based on my interpretative skills and questionable high school Spanish lessons, it went something like this:
"What is it, my daughter?" – he asked, holding her hand. I heard the word mija.
"I don't think I can do this, father." – she finally spoke up, shaking her head slowly. Oh no. Drama queen strikes again. I was about to intervene when someone's hand grabbed me by the arm firmly. It was Benjamin, with Malory by his side.
"Don't." – was all he uttered, dead serious. I obeyed.
"We don't have to do this right now, you know. Maybe you should sit down, have some water first." – Jamie reassured her, but got rudely ignored as her father started arguing with her, using a vocabulary that was beyond my pitiful comprehension level. What was clear as day though, was the anger and disappointment in his tone. With each sentence, he raised his voice and brought unwanted attention. Valentina kept shaking her head in quick succession like a little kid, but her father's words struck hard as a hammer. Startled by the sudden ruckus, the O'Dea's joined the father-daughter war taking place at the bridal party table, marking the beginning of the most chaotic scene I'd ever witnessed. Conflict between both families erupted, lost in translation, where the infuriated O'Dea's kept asking Mr. Delgado questions, whereas he was busy yelling at his daughter, who kept whining in place, while Jamie was trying to restore peace in vain.
"STOP!" – Valentina screamed and threw away the pen across the room, re-establishing silence throughout the venue. "I'm sorry, Jamie. I can't do this." – she apologized to him, leaving the diamond ring on the table. She couldn't even make eye contact with him, that's how ashamed she was. Can't imagine what's going on through his poor mind right now. An hour ago, she was drooling over him and now she's denouncing their marriage last-minute. "The wedding is cancelled." – she announced on her own, disobeying her father's will, and everyone stood still in utter disbelief and shock.
The three of us, however, observed her unlike anyone else in the room. Malory raised her eyebrow with a resting bitch face, as if she'd been expecting this moment all along. Benjamin looked rather unimpressed by her entire existence, and I could relate to it on a spiritual level. I for one, looked at her with pity and disgust (more than usual, at least), since a fruitful life was offered to her on a shiny silver plate, and she chose to smash it against the floor. Yes, I am unaware of the contents of that letter, but she either did something terribly wrong in the past, or she found out something she wasn't aware of before. Something that changes everything. Still, I thought she had it in her to suck it up and move onward, like Jamie did for his family's sake. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" – she shouted psychotically, startling a nearby waiter who dropped all the empty glasses on the floor. Whispers and gasps surrounded the room once she left through the emergency exit behind the table with an animal-like grunt, followed by some of the bridesmaids.
Mrs. O'Dea came to her son's aid, but he stood motionlessly, trying desperately to understand why the sudden change of heart took place, and what it would mean for the future of his family. Mr. O'Dea, however, locked horns with Mr. Delgado – his boss, and was trying his best to stay calm and respectful, but the severe indignation in his voice was hard not to discern. Jamie told his father something, most likely to give them some privacy, since Mr. O'Dea left vexed. He confronted him eye-to-eye about something certainly related with the contract, judging by his pale and worried expression. Mr. Delgado kept shrugging and shaking his head to all of his questions and remarks. I could see the veins popping on his forehead all the way from here, and his fingers slowly clenching into firm fists. Thankfully, before they could righteously connect with Mr. Delgado's sharp jawline, his bodyguard stepped between them, having sensed the burning rage igniting within the groom. Benjamin was quick to react and pulled Jamie away from making a very bad decision.
"Jesus, what was all that about?" – Leo asked, as they both approached me.
"No idea." – I lied, keeping my gaze on Jamie.
"Well, either way, I say it's about time we leave. I think we overstayed our welcome." – El added, placing a hand on my back. "Let's go." I looked at Malory, and she nodded with that blank phantom-like expression of hers. And leave, we did, without saying goodbye to anyone.
I was bombarded with questions on our way back in the cab, but I kindly asked for some much-needed space. There were too many voices and thoughts buzzing through my head, and the last thing I needed was two more. From their perspective, we should be celebrating their failed marriage and the possibility of Jamie and I rekindling our romance, and to a certain extent that was true, but something just didn't feel right. This bad gut feeling inside, this dark premonition, the one of an uncertain future resembling the iridescent mist we disappeared into. The first in the series of disappearances, as I was about to find out.