(No) Acepto

Chapter 10: Don't regret it

Jackie laughed until she noticed that Mariah was serious; then, her smile faded.

"I'm just saying," Mariah said. "Widows inherit well."

Before Jackie came up with anything to answer, someone knocked on the door, and immediately it was slammed. Tom entered, bowing his head down the small threshold. He was furious; his eyes exhumed fire. Behind him entered the male assistant to the chapel, Rodolfo, an older man with brown hair and white roots.

"What happened now? Is everything ready?" Mariah asked.

"No, the judge is still with the Millers." Rodolfo passed his hands over his face, stretching his tanned skin. It looked like a carrot. "But he insisted on coming to see the bride. I told him it was bad luck, but..."

"Leave me alone with bad luck," Tom replied as he wrestled with his tie. "The only bad thing here is this one. Condemned. Suit..."

He made a sudden movement, and the tie was torn, just as the flames embraced him. I don't even have the memory left. Tom threw a roar and a spit of fire that fell on a nearby fern, hugging it in flames. Rodolfo and Mariah growled but stood still.

"Perfect! It's the third tie. Only the bun remains," Rodolfo said, ignoring the possible fire they had in hand.

Undeterred, Jackie grabbed a vessel with flowers from the table and threw the water into the fern, extinguishing the flames. Then she gave Tom a freezing look that put out the fire in the demon's eyes. With everyone calmer, Jackie extended her hand towards Rudolph.

"The tie, please."

Rodolfo took the tie out of his pocket and gave it to her, then dedicate a mocking look to Tom, and he left the room. Mariah went after him, and when she was next to Jackie, she whispered to her.

"Agree. The desert asks no questions" Gave Tom a wink and a smile and left the room.

The young people were left alone. The charcoal aroma of the dying fern was dissipating. Jackie placed the tie around Tom's neck. It was white and went well with his blue shirt.

"So... The third tie?" Jackie began. A red color dyed Tom's cheeks. "It seems that someone is nervous."

Tom laughed dry.

"Well, o-one only marries once, right?"

The comment was harmless, but it aroused anxiety hidden inside Jackie.

"I guess it's true." Jackie tied the tie firmly. "Ready. How are you?"

Tom glanced in the mirror and hid his face in his hands.

"I look like a clown," he said, infinitely unhappy.

"Nooo," Jackie said, with a broader smile than she would have liked. "You're fine! At least we combine colors."

"Yes, because it was the only shirt they had of my size. This is not my color. I'm summer, and this shirt is winter" Jackie didn't get any of that, but she didn't interrupt. "They didn't even have a sack that would fit me... Just this stupid shirt, and I can't even raise my arms on it."

"Do you say that's bad? Look at this" Jackie pointed to her bust, trapped in the dress that highlighted her prominence. "I can barely breathe. Although I imagine it must look good."

Tom took time to respond, and when he did, it was with a scratchy voice.

"It's... I mean, it's very, uh..." Tom stared anywhere except that neckline. "You look great... do you have a glass of water?"

Tom wanted to swallow, but his throat was sandpaper. The Prince of Darkness, reduced to an uncomfortable teenager. He thanked the Gods that Dave was not there to see him.