till' we meet again, william schofield

twenty-two

twenty-two

DAY OF WEDDING

WILL STOOD in front of a large, full-body mirror. He observed himself. He took in everything from the bags underneath his eyes to the sharp wedding-ready tux he was wearing. Even if he was dressed the part, he still looked like the worst groom in history since it was written on his face that he'd rather be anywheres else but at his own wedding. It didn't help that he drank two glasses of whiskey and was feeling it already.

He was sure he was going to vomit all over Elizabeth's lacey wedding dress at the alter. He opened up the window next to the mirror, needing to feel fresh air on his skin before emptied the contents of his stomach.

The steady beating of the rain calmed him, almost distracting from what he was about to do. He just wanted to get in and out, say a couple of stupid vows, and then hopefully get a liver disease at the bar.

He was fixing his cuffs and trying to smooth out his hair when his best man Jack walked in. Jack held a small pouch containing the rings in his large hands. Jack stretched out his arm, offering the pouch to the groom. But Will made no effort to retrieve them.

Jack sighed, shoving the pouch into his pocket. "Will, you look miserable."

"I am miserable," Will chuckled dryly, as he straightened out his collar. Will went to pour himself another glass, but Jack beat him to it and grabbed the whiskey bottle before Will could.

"It's not too late. We can fucking leave, man. I'll drive the car, you take the booze. Whatever you want to do, but I can tell this wedding isn't it."

Will looked into the mirror a second time. But this time he didn't just see the worst groom in history, he saw a man who looked defeated. And he didn't want to be defeated. No. William Schofield survived the great war and saved 1600 men. He wasn't going to walk down the aisle and exchange meaningless vows. This wasn't how his story was going to end. Thomas Blake must be rolling around in his grave, appalled with how Will was acting.

No. His story ended with him trying to get the woman he loved. He regretted not saying it to her way back when they were in France, and now he realized, a higher being gave him a chance to say it. He'd be damned if he wasted this chance on marrying Elizabeth.

He thought of Rosine— the woman who was his everything. He thought back to her cradling him by the side of the river, patting and stroke his wet hair as he cried. He imagined her light touch against his chest, after they made love for the first time in her little hide out. Her soft hands wrapping bandages around his broken body. Her tender kisses constantly leaving him wanting more. Her laughter as she played with her nephew. He remember the frightened look on her face when he pointed the barrel of his gun to it. His heart ached as he thought of the look on her face the past time he saw her— when he broke her heart.

It was at that moment exactly, as he looked himself in the mirror, that he realized there simply couldn't be another woman. Rosine was made to be his. They didn't meet by chance— it was destined. There was too much history between them to let her walk away.

"Jack, hand me the rings."

Jack pulled the pouch out of his pocket, and thrusted them into Will's hand. Jack watched his friend curiously as Will frantically tried to get them out of the pouch. He only paused when both rings were in his hand. He studied them, thinking of Elizabeth waiting for him downstairs.

  He bounced the rings in his hand before clutching them tightly in his palm. He pulled his arm back, and then released with all his might. Jack watched with an open jaw as the tiny pieces of jewelry flung out of the window and into the world, never to be seen again.

"I didn't pick them out anyways," Will said, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He walked past Jack, heading for the door.

"Yeah, no. I agree. They were pretty ugly," Jack muttered, following his friend with the bottle of whiskey and his keys in his hand.

Jack didn't need to be told what was happening as Will broke into a sprint. The two men ran throughout the church, and into the reception area. They ran past Elizabeth's mother and Will's mother, who both looked surprised to see the two men sprinting away from the alter.

"William! Don't you dare!"

"Will? Come back!"

Will didn't turn around, instead he busted through the church doors and ran down the stairs. Jack followed, but yelled to the women behind him. "Tell that bitch it isn't happening!"

They both hopped into Jack's truck. Jack shoved the key into the ignition and turned it, bringing his truck to life with a powerful roar. Jack took off down the street, as both men laughed hysterically.

"Okay! Okay! But seriously, where am I going? The bar? The next country over?" Jack said, as they both calmed down. Will sank into the cushions, feeling much more aware of his soaking wet suit as he shifted uncomfortably.

"No. The dock. I need to do something."

Jack nodded as he made a sharp turn and took them in the direction of the dock. "Why are we going to the dock?" He asked, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel.

"She's leaving today. I just.. I need to talk to her. She needs to know that she's the one."

"How do you know she's at the dock now?"

Will sighed as they took another turn, leading them down the road that would take them directly to the dock. The city scenery turned into fishing boats and the ocean in the distance.

"I talked to a man.. Allen maybe? He chewed me out, but in the end gave me details on her departure. I owe that old man," Will explained as they pulled up to the dock. Will didn't wait for Jack to put the truck in park. The young man, dressed in his wet wedding tux, jumped out of the truck and took off towards the part of the dock where all the traveling boats were.

"Oi! Don't worry about me! I'll find a parking spot and catch up!" Jack hollered out the window before stepping on the gas and driving away in search of a parking spot.

Will ran desperately towards the dock as the church bells rang in his ears, reminding him of everything he was running away from and everything he was running towards.

Will ran towards the boat he knew went across the Atlantic ocean often. He pumped his legs harder as he itched to see a familiar mop of red hair.

As the rain fell, he searched frantically. His head whipping around in every direction, trying to find Rosine. He gulped, as this situation reminded him of the last time he was searching for Rosine. That time he believed her to be dead.

He refused to let her slip away again.

His body relaxed as his eyes landed on a woman, with fiery red hair, slowly walking towards a ramp leading towards an Atlantic ship with a man, a woman, and a young child waiting there. He let out a strangled laugh that turned into a sob. He ran towards her, pushing away the tears that threatened to fall.

He stopped a couple meters away and found himself speechless since he didn't prepare anything to say or any breathtaking gesture. Instead it was just him, standing there with his heart in his hands, his emotions raw and true. The man offered his hand to Rosine with a small smile.

That same man looked up and caught Will's eye. The man probably thought Will was a freak creepily watching them. The man squinted as he tried to make out if Will was a threat or not.

Rosine turned around, her bright blue eyes clouded with tears and her hair soaked from the rain that continued to fall on them. Her eyes landed on Will. He watched as she froze in place and clenched her jaw.

He swallowed a lump in his throat. "I'm here," he choked out, his voice breaking slightly. And there he was, with his bleeding heart in his hands, praying the woman he needed would hear him out.

not edited. enjoy:)
the next (and final) chapter will be released a little bit later as I'd like to complete the epilogue too and upload them at the same time. I hope you enjoyed Will and Jacks little get away. I adore Jack. Just thought I'd put that out there lol