by Philip Baxter

Created on: November 15, 2008

Jake stepped out of the crowded dance hall and took a moment to wipe the tiny white wedding cake crumbs off the blue vest of his tuxedo. He took a deep breath of the mild Midwestern air and exhaled a sigh of relief. He had made it through the entire wedding without Kate making a single comment about the status of their relationship. He knew she was jealous; her younger sister, Lilly, was married before her.

Jake loved Kate that much was certain. It was the word, marriage, which he grew to hate. This started when he was six years old and his parents divorced, at first splitting his childhood into halves, then quarters, and eighths, until by the time he was ten he never saw his father again. His mother never complained about his father to him. She just said eventually he would realize what a mistake he had made and come back. Once Jake noticed she was crying while working in her flower garden. He went to her and asked what was wrong. She just stood there, breathing deeply while wiping her eyes, and said, "It's all so beautiful." Her consistent optimism had always puzzled Jake.

He looked out into the moonlit parking lot of the Pla Mor ballroom and saw Kate leaning against a shiny white Ford Mustang, taking a drag from a Marlboro Light. She looked beautiful standing there in her blue bridesmaid dress with her long brown hair dancing in the breeze. As he walked towards her she took a long, healthy pull from a bottle of champagne. She glanced up at him, moving only her eyes, as if she knew he was coming.

"I thought you quit smoking."

She looked down at the cigarette. "What can I say? I'm addicted to tragedy."

He pulled out a cigarette of his own. "I know it's hard, watching your kid sister being married before you." He continued trying to light his cigarette but the lighter only sparked.

She handed him her lighter without a response.

He lit up and took a deep drag. "You know I love you, don't you?"

"You love me, but you won't marry me?"

"There's that word again."

"Yep, there it is."

"Kate!" Lilly yelled from the entrance. "What are you doing?"

"I'm coming. I needed a smoke."

"I thought you quit."

"I did."

Kate flicked her cigarette into the darkness and started walking back inside.

"Kate." Jake held out her lighter. "You forgot this."

She kept walking. "Keep it."

"That went well," he said to himself as he pulled a note out of his pocket from the day they met, which he had come across the week before. He was going to show the note to her thinking they would have a good

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