Jena frowned, but said gently, "Look, I don't know what's happened..."
"Isaac ..." Sophie started to tear up again, dashed at the tears that escaped the confines of her lashes and restarted her conversation, "Isaac and I had an argument."
"What about?" Jena asked automatically then held up her hand, "Sorry, I'm being personal. My offer of tea did not come with strings. Ignore my question."
Sophie shrugged then blurted out, as if she really couldn't control herself. "It was stupid. I got carried away."
"Carried away?" Jena poured her tea. Again, another bridezilla event, she wondered.
"He said something," Sophie sniffed, "that basically suggested that I was more interested in the wedding preparations." Sophie said quietly. Her lower lip wobbled as she reviewed her conversation with Isaac.
"Ok. Well, I guess most brides would be interesting in their wedding's arrangements." Jena handed over a mug.
"Yes, but he meant more than that." Sophie just stared at her mug. Jena lifted her cup and saucer and moved toward the other stool. Sophie reviewed her conversation with Isaac. "I wanted something spectacular, well, actually, an extravaganza for the reception. I wanted people to remember it." Sophie bit her lips and said, "You know, an elaborate, sumptuous, and spectacular production!" Sophie reached for her mug, "Something so ostentatious. And people would remember our wedding!" Sophie sniffed, her eyes welled up with tears. "Isaac asked if it really mattered. He said" She sniffed, "our wedding should be about us, not an extravaganza, or the amazing cake, or the fabulous food, or the decor or how many people were invited!"
"Well, that is important." Jena said softly, "But he is right. It is about you both." Jena smiled gently, " But it is also about how you both want to celebrate that love with others."
"Exactly." Sophie nodded. "But then he asked if we have a small wedding, would I still want to marry him? No bells and whistles, just me and him, and two witness and at a register office!"
Oh dear, thought Jena as warning bells went off in her head.
"I said if he doesn't share my view for the wedding, and if he thought that a register office marriage, without our family and friends and no real reception, then I didn't want him!" Tears trickled down her cheeks. "And Isaac retorted, fine!"
Jena sighed. "You implied that the wedding was more important than him?" Jena rubbed her forehead. "Sophie, that is not true. Albeit, I met you and Isaac for a handful meetings, but I know you love him. I am sure that Isaac knows that."
Jena scrunched up her face as she listened to Sophie's last statement. Guess the groom also had a groomzilla episode.
Sophie used her palms to dash away her tears, "We just stood and glared. Then I told him he did not understand me. I'm so stupid. I took off my ring and put in on the desk." It had been a spur of the moment action, one she regretted instantly. It was foolish. Sophie hung her head, "He said I was a spoilt brat and I need to grow up before I get married! Isaac left the ring on the desk and he walked off toward our front door." Sophie reported, as if she was simply replaying the scene in her mind.
Jena winced.
"Everything went pear-shape! She blew out a breath. "He said that I had to decide if the wedding was more important than our marriage, that I want to marry him not for the event! That I want him. That I want to be his wife, not just to have a fabulous party!" She sniffed. "I followed him yelled at him that he wasn't good enough for me!" Sophie cringed. Now that she had started talking she just couldn't seem to stop. "He said I didn't love him, but that I thought he could pick up where the family left off, and continue to spoil me while I contribute nothing! He said I needed to grow up, stand on my own two feet, work for a living. Not to change the source of a handout! And he said that is what I was trying to do!"
"Oh dear." Jena breathed out softly.
Sophie closed her eyes, "He kept going on. That if I wanted something I should at least work for it, instead of expecting other people to fetch and carry for me, and do my bidding." She sniffed. "He said that he didn't want to marry a woman who didn't understand the meaning of partnership. That getting married is not just about having a mass party, or showing off because you can afford it. That love is the glue, but partnership is the backbone of a good relationship."
"Well, a marriage is about partnership. And compromise when needed. Love, empathy, kindness, responsibility, commitment, accountability, devotion, hope and dreams in equal measures." Jena said as if she knew what it meant. But in heart, she knew that.
Sophie continued. "He said I was mistaken if I thought he was simply going to do whatever I wanted whenever I ordered just because he loved me. Because from his standpoint, he said my plans, my wedding plans, was to suit my friends' views and expectations. That I want to impress them. Who I married was not important! That I just wanted to impress our wedding guests, by drawing attention to our wealth. That I was trying to outshine everyones' weddings! Then he slammed the door on his way out."
"Oh. That sounds a bit harsh." But Jena thought a wedding was a lifetime milestone. Everyone deserves a beautiful wedding but it shouldn't be about just advertising a production, a wedding, gives their family and friends a chance to relish, appreciate and enjoy the couple's love.
"But true." Sophie looked over at Jena. "Isaac was right. I've never worked. Ever!" She ran her finger round the rim of her mug. "I love him. I love Isaac. I really love him." Obviously Sophie wasn't mistaking love for infatuation. "And he was right. I was just trying to impress my friends."
"Arranging a wedding is hard, always involves stress! You were just stressed. Weddings take a lot of time, and heaps of energy." Jena lifted her teacup, "How long have you known Isaac?" Jena was sure that Isaac knew Sophie. He handled the situation when she had that tantrum about who makes their cake.
"Years. His family are friends with my family. He's four years younger than Caleb and six years older than me, so he was kind of out of my set for a few years, you know, when I was eleven he was seventeen. We met at many social functions. And a couple of months back we got talking when he was with Caleb at a party. It was as if I could tell Isaac anything. We spent the whole evening just talking. The two of us." Jena watched the emotion in Sophie's eyes and could see Sophie was in love with Isaac. Sophie looked at Jena, "He asked me out. Everything in the world had a rosy haze! I was so happy. We went out practically every night after that party. Things got serious quickly."
Jena smiled. "It was a whirlwind romance."
"Well, for people looking from the outside, but for me, I'd been waiting for him for years. I'd always secretly hoped he'd ask me out, and always secretly knew I had feelings for him." She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "But he'd never approached me until this year."
"I see."
"He proposed on my twenty first birthday." Sophie smiled. " Of course I said yes." Sophie lowered her gaze and stared at her coffee. Her shoulders slumped. Her smile was gone.
Jena gave Sophie's hand a small squeeze. "Maybe he just needs a bit of time to cool off, then you could talk..."
Sophie shook her head. "I know Isaac. He meant what he said. He told me to stand on my own two feet before leaning on my next meal ticket!"