YOU WERE THE ONE FOR ME

They're Married Now

Henry did not attend the wedding. He thought it was a cruel joke played on him by Tim or his partner or maybe just God not wanting Henry to have it all. And he immediately regretting those things. He still loved Tim and a part of him believed that Tim loved him back even if they couldn't be together.

Henry sent a wedding gift from the registry, the most expensive one of course. He never let go of an opportunity to pamper his people and this was a man he imagined spending the rest of his life with. It felt right to send the new and happy couple what they wanted.

By the time the gift arrived, the newlyweds were back from their short honeymoon. They were both busy with their jobs and could not manage any more time off from work. Or at least that's what they said when anyone asked them why they were back so soon.

The truth was Gretchen did not realize what Henry told her about himself was not going to change just because they had a beautiful wedding. He still refused to sleep with her and treated her more like a best friend than a wife. Tim was kind and affectionate but Gretchen really hoped they would do more than just kiss for the rest of their lives together.

Things did not work smoothly for long. They would fight everyday over the simplest of things. He would be back home late every night and she would pour herself into the wifey-fication of her personality. She would hand out with the neighborhood wives and make up stories about passionate nights that never happened. Girls tend to over share and it was only logical that everyone wanted some hot gos. Half their marriages were loveless and they wanted to live vicariously through the young bride. Was it creepy, yes! Did it help Gretchen vent, absolutely.

Tim was struggling too and no one would empathize since no one really knew his truth either. He was in a loveless marriage that looked picture perfect. They fought everyday and every night. She said she would understand him but she doesn't. Tim got more and more frustrated because he missed the way things were with Henry. And he couldn't call him even if he wanted to. Henry had blocked him out of his life.

Tim spent his nights crying into his pillow. His need to fit in had reduced him to a stereotype. A successful man with a beautiful wife and a promising future, but only as long as he could keep up the act. He put on a brave face on everyday to be who he didn't even like to be anymore. And just as expected, he slowly forgets parts of his true self one thing at a time.

His delicate touch was angrier now. His soft stares had turned sharp. The lines that divided his personal and professional personalities were slowly fading and turning him into someone he couldn't love anymore.

Henry was right to leave when he did. Even Tim couldn't love the person he was becoming. If only he could apologize and have his love back, have his life back. He would do anything to make things work with Henry but he knew it was not fair for anyone.

Tim was one heartache away from a full blown and ugly mental breakdown that was just around the corner. He just did not expect it to be so sudden. That day, he came back home late as usual and sat down for dinner. Gretchen promised she would make his favorite dish, a dish that Henry often made for him. It was one of the last good feelings he could experience. But the store had run out of chicken and Gretchen made fish from dinner.

No one expected to hear the noises coming from the young couple's abode. Plates hitting the walls, blood curdling screams with incomprehensible words. They were in deep distress but no one cared enough to help. What could anyone do? No one talked about it the next day and everyone pretended it did not happen when they watched them drive off to work at early hours as usual.

There were a few chatty men and women trying to make a joke of the whole situation but that was their usual behavior. They masked their own pain by relishing in other's misery. That's the way this town worked. No one was truly happy yet everyone seemed to have it all.

Somewhere far away from all this mayhem, Henry was taking off his long luscious coat and throwing it onto a hotel bed. He tipped the concierge generously for helping him with his luggage and opened the window to enjoy the view. It was peaceful for once, after a long time of internal struggle he was finally letting go of his own fears.

He walked over to a Cafe nearby and took a seat outside, somewhere he could watch the sun draping itself onto the old metal of the beautiful tower that attracted millions to witness it's glory. He watched couples walking around, kissing, cuddling into each other's embrace. It felt good to not feel resentful anymore. He was finally letting go of his past and welcoming his future.

The waiter brought him his coffee and politely requested for an autograph which he happily gave him. His second movie was quite popular in Europe.