SPARKS 31

We’re standing inside the little church; the flower decoration will be perfect, “I am so proud of myself! This is some awesome flower display. I rule!”
Julie is going up and down the aisle.
“Bea, I cannot believe I am getting married”
I look at her “you will be happy for the two of us”
“Listen to me, everything will be alright”
“Sure. Considering I was sold off to the cat killer my life can only improve. Maybe I will be run over by a truck carrying pigs. I feel like a damn piece of meat, or a used car, you name it”
She hugs me “no one sold you off, you know your uncle would like you to settle down but I don’t think he actually sent Albert here to conquer you”
I look at her “Albert showing up here among the closest friends? When was the last time we saw him? Graduation? Too much of a coincidence my dear. I can be messed up and so unlucky with men I am giving the word spinster a new meaning but I know when people try to screw me, literally and metaphorically. It also means they are really worried about what I might do. If they are ready to see me together with him it means they are desperate”
She laughs “I’m glad you don’t like him”
“I don’t, but it’s nice to have someone being so caring, not having to fight for attention… it’s a new feeling… like when you are a kid and get to see the world from the backseat letting the adults do the driving. It’s the same comforting sensation”
“Don’t give up to the dark side of the force. Your war is almost over. A couple of days”
“What are you talking about?”
“Caro had a feeling”
I pull my arms in the air “Enough! I mean it! He’s out of my life and I should just accept the parvenu prince is the best will ever happen to me. He’s going to be my date tomorrow. And if we are lucky his mother will know about it and have a stroke. Some good can come out of it!”
“But Howard…”
I point my index finger at her “Do not say is name ever again! It’s hard enough as it is… please. I am going to rip my heart off if it doesn’t stop hurting so much. Please. Truce”
“Truce. Walk me down the aisle, let’s try it one more time, I don’t wanna make mistakes”
I put my hands on my hips “it’s a straight walk, there will be people on both sides smiling at you and pointing you toward the altar. If you get lost you don’t deserve to get married”
“Spinster”
Tricia runs inside and locks the door behind her “they won’t find me in here! The twins are with their father, I need to breathe, what are you doing?”
“Finding a cure for stupid questions, it’s not working though”
She sticks her tongue out
“It’s good we’re getting older and wiser. I need to check on the band and the list of songs they will be playing. Tricia can you show the bride how to get from here to the altar?”
And I leave the church.
Tricia gets close to Julie “so what was the happy dance about before? With the twins around I did not have to time to ask”
“Well” and she places her lips near her ear “to make a long story short Howard is going to pick her up tomorrow” and smiles
“But what …”
“He has been sending me texts almost every hour since yesterday. Asking me about her. So sweet. They’ll talk things through and live happily ever after”
“You need to tell her”
“No I don’t. He said it’s better not”
“And since when you listen to what a man is telling you to?”
She thinks about it “maybe we could do it together”

I’m sitting on the porch, scratching out something from the piece of paper in front of me. Julie, Caro and Tricia sit by me, the biggest smile on their faces, “what are you doing?”
“Shush. There you go!” and I show them the missing line on the list of songs the band will play at the reception
“What did you do?”
“I erased a song from the list. I promised you I won’t kill myself until after the wedding, so, I’m complying with your request”
“Let me see” she takes the page and reads it “I want it back. I love it”
“I don’t care”
“What are you talking about?”
“The way you look tonight, it’s a weddingy song, I want it back”
“weddingy is not a word and it’s our song, I confiscated it”
“Your song? Yours and …”
“Yes, he sang it to me the night we kissed for the first time” and I fight the tears “ohhhh this is so bad…” and I rest my forehead on the table
“He sang her a song…”
“This is so pathetic it’s not even funny. Tell her!” Caro says
“Tell me what?”
Julie takes my hand “I run into Howard yesterday and let’s say we cleared things out. He can’t wait to see you tomorrow, he wanted to come here but Gracie is with him”
“You are kidding me right?” I take my hand back and I look at them like they’ve just stabbed me
“No, it’s going to be alright”
I stand up “no it’s not. You don’t understand. Do you think it was easy for me to give him up? I saw the hatred in his eyes but I did what I had to do. And now you’re telling me you talked to him and everything is fine. Isn’t she pregnant anymore? I don’t think so, so everything is not going to be alright. Damn it. Why don’t you understand?”
“You need to calm down”
“No, you need to stay out of this. You need to call him, NOW and tell him not to come, not to talk to me, not to look for me. You made this mess and you are going to fix it” and I run back inside
“What the heck just happened here?” Caro asks
“Let’s find out”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea” Julie says
“Let’s vote” Caro look at them and add “2 to 1, I win. Let’s go”
They knock on my door and Albert opens it “What can I do for you ladies?”
“What are you doing in her room?” Caro asks him
“None of your business, she doesn’t want to talk to you”
“Yeah right, out of my way”
He moves in front of her “no”
“Don’t make me hurt you”
“I am scared” he mocks her
Julie stands few feet away and takes her mobile off her pocket “Albert, behave and say goodbye.” She looks at him smirking “when the going get tough the tough get going” and dials Howard number.
“Howard, it’s Julie”
“What happened? How’s Bea?”
“We’re experiencing a little crisis here. Could you talk to her?”
“Put her on the phone”
She walks to my door, Albert is not moving so she stares at him while yelling “I have Howard on the phone, what do you want me to do?”
I feel like I am into a trance. The only word I picked up is ‘Howard’. I wipe the tears from my face and get up from the bed. I rub my forehead and start walking to the door. I push Albert on the side and take the phone from Julie’s hand. I stare at it for a second and I slam the door behind me.
Julie looks at him “in case you haven’t noticed, it was your wake up call. Welcome to reality. See? She had to choose between you, here in flesh and blood, and him, on the phone.” She places her index finger on her chin pretending to thinking “and you’re out here, door closed, her inside talking to him…should I pack your stuff?”
Albert stares back at her, smiling, not moving “we’ll see”.

I walk back to the bed and curl up. I stare at the mobile *I just need to hear his voice one more time* I feel an ache in my chest I can hardly breathe.
“Hey” I whisper
“Baby what’s wrong?”
I start sobbing
“Don’t you cry, please. I’m so sorry. I would jump on the first plane if I could, please don’t cry”
I blow my nose “sorry, that was gross”
He laughs “no, it was not. Listen to me, we can work it out, you and me. I’ll be at the airport tomorrow. I’ll cook you dinner and we will talk. Is there anything in particular you would like?”
“You” still whispering, my body aches, I want him so bad
“That’s my girl. I cannot believe the things I told you. You must think I’m an idiot”
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know what to do. I slapped you. Oh God, don’t hate me” my voice is shaking
“Calm down, I don’t hate you. I don’t. But don’t you dare doing something like that ever again..”
“I’m sorry, I won’t, the other night…”
“I am not talking about the other night, I don’t care about it, I’m talking about the bloody English Patient. Don’t you dare dismiss me with a note ever again!”
I sigh “I miss you so much. Standing there and watching you walk away from me was the hardest thing I have ever done”
“And the most stupid. I won’t let you give up on me one more time. Do you understand?”
“Yes”“So what happened? Why were you crying?”
“It’s no longer important”
“I want you to take care of yourself. Do you hear me?”
“Yes daddy”
“No teasing lady. Lady, I cannot believe it” and he laughs “I tried to google you”
“Really?
“Yes, but there’s nothing about you, tons of stuff on your uncle though. Should I be scared?”
“A little”
“But I know you’re fluent in Spanish and French too. You cannot pack light, you’re afraid of spiders and enclosed spaces. I heard the Mesa Verde story. You hate pink and yogurt. You have a degree in art history and you wrote your PhD thesis on Caravaggio’s Pauperism. Still don’t have a clue what it is though”
“It’s very interesting, do you want me to explain it to you?”
“No, I trust your judgment”
We laugh. *small talk, we’re doing small talk, small talk is a blessing*
“I cannot believe I offered you money. I feel so ridiculously stupid”
“It was the sweetest thing someone has ever done for me”
“Does it mean if the tour does not go as planned you can support me?”
“Sure, but doesn’t it bother you the fact I so filthy rich? Way richer than you’ll ever be” I tease him
“I’ve been thinking about it, and the whole idea of men being the breadwinner has never fully convinced me. I think it’s crap. I would be happy to let you pay the bills”
“Who gave you all these information?”
“Try a wild guess”
“You told her we are not selling the Picasso right?”
“We have a Picasso?”
“No, I have it, you my friend, has killer smile but no paintings I’m afraid”
“You’re already treating me like a kept man…I was dreaming of a life made of house music and room service but from your tone I better add some DJ gigs soon”
“I guess … considering what they pay you right now, you need to add like a thousand” and I laugh and I roll on my back, staring at the ceiling “But I have a family from hell. They will never accept you”
“How can I put it into words? ..... I don’t give a shit about what they think and my family is large enough for the both of us”
“Do you think we can really be happy?”
“I’m sure”
*I have to ask, I cannot ignore it any longer* “Have you talked to her?”
“Let’s talk about it when you come back here”
“Right”
“Miss you love”
“Miss you too” and I hang up placing the mobile on my belly *so you haven’t told her yet* and I sigh.

There’s a soft knock on my door “Sorry hun, I need my mobile. It seems like my cousin got lost on her way here”
She walks to the bed and I hand it too her.
“So?” she asks
“Not talking about it. It’s mine and mine alone”
She looks at me puzzled “I’m here if you need me”
“I learned it the hard way” and I am still staring at the ceiling
“Bea please I don’t want to fight, not the night before my wedding”
“So it makes the two of us” I check my watch “It’s almost dinner time I better get ready. Close the door when you leave”

During dinner I’m sitting between Caro and Felix and my mobile keeps beeping. Howard knows that I know and he’s in a roll. I’m receiving text after text.
After the tenth ‘beep’ Caro asks “what’s going on?”
I show her my mobile and she giggles. “Stop it” I whisper, “he has just started writing the lyrics of our song. It should keep him busy for a good half an hour. Should I put on silent?”
She squeezes my hand “isn’t that great that two ladies at this table are going to shag a Take That member in the next 48 hours?”
“Two?”
She does her happy dance “Julie is going on her honeymoon and I so wan the bet! There’s no stopping me!”
“What about…” and move my head pointing at her husband
She gets closer to me “He does not need to know. He has his stupid boats, I have Mark Owen. Seems like a fair trade to me”
“You’re kidding right?”
“I don’t know” and we burst into laughter
“What are you ladies laughing about?” Albert has just walked around the table and his standing behind us
Caro scoops a little in her chair “Come sit with us, Bea here has a very determined suitor”
My mobile beeps again and he says with a smirk “Mr. Orange I presume”
“It’s not J…”
I kick her leg under the table “he means the telephone company you lunatic”
“Ahhhhhhh…” and she giggles.