The Romance In Our Rivalry

82 | The Big Day

June 1st, 2022

Aubrey

Nova and I had booked this church place for only an hour because I don't know how long weddings are supposed to be. Anyways, across from the church was a retail store that was allowing me and Nova to use their fitting rooms, which was nice of them.

I had been able to slip out of the store for a moment to get Nova's mom, who was planning on surprising Nova. Once I got her, I had her wait amongst a rack of clothes as I got my dress on, so that Nova wouldn't see her say she came out for a moment.

Nova

"Aubrey?" I asked, as the door of the large changing room slowly crept open and Aubrey's beautiful, flow-like dress began to emerge. "Why are you in my changing room? Wait, are you here for one last quickie as girlfriends?"

Aubrey made a little snorting giggle type of noise, one that she made when she chuckled without processing. She came in the room fully, then closed the door behind her, gently.

"No," she sighed, "But trust me, I wish." I smiled, curious and for once, patient. Aubrey pushed some hair behind her ear and looked around as if she were nervous or something. This can't be the same Aubrey I've known and loved for months now, the dominant, 'freedom of speech' Aubrey. No way.

"Um," Aubrey began, "I'm actually here because I brought you something... and I think you'll like it. Well, maybe not right away, but you'll get used to it. Once you do," she clasped her hands together, "I'm sure you'll love it."

"You got me a silicone dildo?" I wondered aloud, stupidly and just plainly playing games, to which Aubrey seemed to not mind. She shook her head while smiling. "I'm sure I have a few in my room somewhere," she joked, I think, "but no." Without another word being said, the doorknob jiggled a little bit and my mom, dressed in a red sundress, stepped inside the room on cue, as if she and Aubrey rehearsed this. Anger quickly filled me.

"Aubrey," I mumbled as I refused to break eye contact with my sorry excuse of a mother. "Why the hell is she here?" Aubrey stood in my peripheral vision, and I could see her lips fold in and her arms cross one another. She was feeling a way, too. I mean, she couldn't be angry like I, given she brought the bitch here, but she seemed nervous, or anxious, which was nothing typical of her.

Finally, my soon-to-be wife cleared her throat. "Look Nova," she whispered, as I could yet again see her bodily movement from the corner of my eye. She was approaching me. "I thought about everything, from our conversations about how you feel towards your mother, to our post-wedding plans to go have brunch with our families, and I realized that you need your mom, just like she needs you."

I scoffed, "need?" I asked, finally turning to face my fiancée. "What I need is for her to get lost before I go from zero to one hundred real quick and fuck up this dress." Aubrey looked at me with a look I'd never seen before. It was one that I couldn't describe, other than by calling it 'pure distress.'

"Nova, come on" Aubrey begged, "please."

"I should've listened to my Haitian third eye" I murmured, refusing to give in to Aubrey's pleading, "I knew I was gonna run into some bullshit today."

"Nova," Aubrey said in a now cold, serious tone. It was one that I hadn't heard in months, given that she and I stopped genuinely feuding a good while ago.

"You are her only child." Aubrey's voice cracked heavily as she said the "only" bit. I opened my mouth to speak, but Aubrey wasn't having it. She raised an eyebrow and put her right index finger in front of my lips as if she were shushing me.