~*~ Chapter 38 ~*~
NEW
YORK CITY, NY – GLAMOUR – JAN. 15TH, 2001
Kirstin stood on that box while the 4 people working around
her made the necessary arrangements for the dress to look perfect on her.
Ashley, who sat on the couch, didn’t see the need to do that. She was
already perfect on his eyes. He wouldn’t change a thing. Looking at
her image standing there in that box with that dress, all he could do was
smile and think ‘Wow. I’m marrying the most gorgeous woman
in this world.’ Then the smile faded, giving way to a frown . He
looked down and almost cried ‘I’m not the one she’s
marrying. She’s dressed just like in my dreams, but only she’s
not marrying me.’ His thoughts were washed away when he felt a
hand on his shoulder.
“Ash, baby?” he heard Kirstin’s voice call out his name but didn’t look up right away. He had to fight the tears on his eyes first, so she wouldn’t see it.
“Yes…” he raised his head when he felt he was ready to do so.
“Are you alright? You look… I don’t know… upset.”
“No, I’m fine.” he forced a smile “I’m just thinking I’m leaving Friday and…” he looked away. He couldn’t lie to Kirstin.
“I know that’s not it. And I also know you don’t wanna talk about it.” Kirstin smiled sweetly “So, I’m just gonna give you a moment. I’m gonna take this dress off and then we can go, alright?”
“Ok. Is it over already?” Ashley asked.
“Yes, it’s over. Finally! It took like… 45 minutes!”
“45 minutes? No way!” Ashley couldn’t believe time has passed so fast.
“Yeah.” Kirstin smiled and continued “Well, I’m gonna take this off and we are ready to go.” Kirstin got up.
“Ok.” Ashley said getting up and watching Kirstin leave to the dressing room. He paced around the store for a while and then Kirstin and he walked out of the store.
Ashley and Kirstin decided to have something to eat because they were both starving. So they headed to a Subway across the street from the wedding dress store.
Kirstin went straight to the bathroom and Ashley went to make their orders.
When Kirstin got out of the bathroom, Ashley was already sitting at a table, with their food.
“A Steak and Cheese for the lady and Meatball for me.” Ashley said smiling at Kirstin the minute she sat down.
“How did you know I…” Kirstin started to ask but then stopped. Ashley knew too much about her. Tom didn’t know her that much, so she wasn’t use to that “Forget it.” she smiled, taking a bite off her sandwich.
They ate and talked nothing. Ashley still had Kirstin’s vision wearing the dress in his mind. And Kirstin was worried about Ashley. She wanted to talk about what was bothering him that time at the wedding dress store, but she was afraid she already knew the answer and didn’t want to hear him say it. They soon finished their lunches.
“So, you want me to take you back to the hotel or do you have a car?” Kirstin asked as they walked out of Subway.
“I can take a taxi, no problem.” Ashley said.
“No, of course not! I’ll take you. Let’s go.” And they headed to Kirstin’s car.
After 3 blocks of nothing to talk about, they got into Kirstin’s Rav-4.
They also drove in silence, until Kirstin pulled over in front of the hotel.
“Ok, now I really have to ask you.” Kirstin started before Ashley got out of the car.
“What?” Ashley frowned.
“That time, before I took my dress off, you were all serious and kind of sad. What happened?”
“Oh, that.” Ashley looked out the window. Kirstin, with her right hand, reached for Ashley's face, turning his head towards her. Before Kirstin could say anything else, Ashley looked into Kirstin's eyes. Kirstin could see some tears forming on Ashley’s eyes. She didn’t want to force him to say anything, so she sat there and let Ashley talk when he felt ready “It’s just… I don’t know, Kirstin. Seeing you in a wedding dress knowing who you’re marrying… it wasn’t the funnest thing to do today.”
“I know, Ash. And I’m sorry. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. It wasn’t easy watching you looking at me. I’m sorry. I should have never asked you to go with me.” Kirstin looked down. Ashley felt bad.
“No, you needed a friend there with you. So you asked. You did nothing wrong. I’m glad I could be there with you.”
“You’re always there with me, Ash.” Kirstin was still looking down.
“And I always will be. I just felt sad because…” Ashley stopped. He couldn’t say that to her.
“What?” Kirstin looked up to see Ashley’s teary eyes.
“It’s just that…” Ashley tried to speak up, but couldn’t once again “I can’t say that to you. Not now.”
“Ash, it’s me. You can say anything to me.” Kirstin tried to encourage him, but she herself was almost crying.
“It’s just that…” Ashley thought he would stop there again, but he, somehow, managed to continue “It’s just that, I always thought that when you bought a wedding gown, it would be for our wedding.” the minute Ashley completed that sentence, tears felt from both his eyes. Ashley didn’t have anything else to say and seeing Kirstin speechless, he opened the door and got out of the car. He headed inside the hotel and Kirstin just watched, crying and numb. She couldn’t do anything. She wanted to run to him and feel his lips on hers. She wanted to forget everything and everyone and just be with Ashley. But she couldn’t. She had a fiancée that loved her. And she loved him too. Didn’t she?
She then started her car and drove to her loft, tears still falling from her eyes.
NEW YORK CITY, NY – KIRSTIN AND TOM’S LOFT –
JAN. 15TH, 2001
Kirstin took her keys out of her purse and unlocked the door. She was still crying. Why was she crying so much? She tried to control herself, but she couldn’t. She had lost control of that.
She opened the door and placed her purse on the kitchen counter. She didn’t even bother to switch on the lights. She heard the shower and some music coming from the bathroom. Tom was home.
“Great!” she thought. She decided to sit on her couch, get her emotions on track again before Tom got out of his bath and found her crying like an idiot. So many things were going through her mind at that second. So many feelings she felt the need to figure out. She didn’t know what to do. She loved Tom too much to hurt him right before the wedding. Jesus, she had just tried on her wedding dress! She could do that to Tom. But Ashley… Ashley has always been someone too special in her life. He had always been there. Ok, so he wasn’t really there when they started dating because of his work, but the times he’d spend beside her would compensate the time lost. He was just perfect to her. She felt so good near him. But… which one to choose? “I can’t choose!” Kirstin said before the shower and the music coming from the bathroom stopped.
She quickly washed the tears away from her face, as she made
her way to the stairs. When she was almost at the bedroom, the bathroom’s
door that was right in front of the stairs opened up and Kirstin’s jaw
just dropped. Tom was grabbing this blond girl from behind, licking her neck.
* Thanx Taryn and Stacie for reviewing and correcting the grammar errors *
~*~ Chapter 37 ~*~
~*~ Chapter 39 ~*~
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