Intertwined episode 20

🤝INTERTWINED🤝

💑EP TWENTY💑

 

I had my bachelorette party back home. Friends fromcollege and from the dance club and a couple of myrelatives were there. We had it at a little resort. Somebodyactually rented a stripper.

I was extremely embarrassed when the stripper dancedfor me. I was pushing Sarah to take my seat at the center ofthe room.

“Come on, Brianne! You’re not getting any from yourfiancé—why not just have no-strings-attached fun with thatcutie?” Sarah asked.

“Because I don’t want my other cousins to think that I’mnot faithful to Travis!” I argued. But honestly, had I onlyslept with two men in my life. One was my boyfriend of twoyears. And I was marrying the other one in a couple of days.

“For someone who’s not really in a relationsh¡p with yourfiancé, you’re pretty damn loyal!”

“If you do this, I’ll do anything you want!” I begged her.

“Okay, fine! He’s cute anyway,” she said, making herway to the stripper.

We had too much to drink that night. We were laughingand goofing around. I’m pretty sure I passed out.When I woke up, I was in a room that was quieter thanthe one I passed out in. I was lying comfortably in bed.I saw Travis lying on the couch in one corner. He wassound asleep. I don’t know how it happened, but I found itendearing that he found me. The male stripper had beentrying to flirt with me all night, and I had tried all means toget away from him.

“How did you find me?” I asked Travis during breakfastthat morning. He had rented a room for us in the same hotelwhere I had my bachelorette party.

“Don’t you know me well by now?” he asked.

“Travis knows everything!” I teased.

He reached out for my hand. “I was just making surenothing bad would happen to you.”

“With a bunch of silly girls?”

“Well, there was a man, wasn’t there?”

“Yeah. But I’m sure he’s harmless.”

There was a hærd look on Travis’s face. Then he said,

“When I knocked on the room around three in the morning, one of your cousins was appalled to see me. There were…some people having s€× in the bedroom. She thought it wasyou…with the stripper,” Travis said uneasily. “I thought so,too, to be honest.”

I raised a brow. “Why did you think it was me?”

“Because you’re the bride,” he replied. “And easily themost attractive girl in the room. That guy must have beentrying to hit on you all night.”

I giggled. “He was. But I begged Sarah to take myplace.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Really? Did he look like an ogre?”

“Completely the opposite.”

“Then why didn’t you…” He shrugged and chose not tocontinue his sentence.

“Maybe I don’t do that just for the fun of it…or just

because there’s an occasion that calls for it, no matter how once-in-a-lifetime it seems,” I said in an irritated tone.What a weird thing for your fiancé to ask you. Thatactually made me remember that this marriage betweenTravis and me was really just an arrangement…to save mefrom shame. Nothing more.

For months, I was floating on air, finding comfort andhappiness in the change in our relationsh¡p. I thought eventhough he didn’t say it, he somehow felt that we…belonged together. That he was as comfortable as I was with our newsetup…the new course our relationsh¡p was taking.

But I was wrong. No matter how affectionate we hadgotten, it didn’t change the way we really were. He didn’tthink I belonged to him. I should feel the same.I felt a sharp pain in my heart, which made me angrier atmyself. I can’t…won’t…feel this way about Travis. I trusted

him with my life. But I didn’t think I could trust him with myheart. He was saving me until I found the man of mydreams. It would be too much for me to start asking him tobe that man.

I took a sip of my coffee and stood up from the table. “Ibetter take a shower,” I said. “Thanks for breakfast.”

I took my time in,side the bath. I was in the tub, staringat the pristine white tiles in front of me. I couldn’tunderstand why, but I felt really disappointed and…sad.

I didn’t speak much with Travis afterward. He knew he’doffended me. He read me like a book. But he didn’t saysorry, didn’t try to console me. He was looking at mewearily, but he didn’t attempt to apologize. When hedropped me off at the hotel where our wedding was going tobe held, he didn’t even k-ss my cheek or squeeze my hand.

“See you,” I whispered.

He stared at me for a while, and then he nodded andleft.

Now he’s just being weird! It was not fair that he couldread me like a book, but I couldn’t even decipher histhoughts. This mind-reading thing should work both ways!

The next night, it was his turn to have a stag party. Apart of me was worried, but I tried my best to shake off thatfeeling.

Travis had every right to have fun tonight. This night wasno different from any other night. If he was allowed to sleepwith any woman while married to me, he was definitelyallowed to sleep with the stripper at his stag party.

There was a knock at my door. I opened it, and Sarahwalked in. We rented rooms in the hotel. My bridesmaidsand some friends occupied my floor, and all the groomsmenand some of Travis’s acquaintances occupied a wh0le floorin the other wing of the hotel. We decided to arrive threedays before the wedding to ensure that everything wentaccording to plan.

“You busy?” Sarah asked.

“Yes,” I muttered. “I’m actually going to Mars. Myspacesh¡p leaves in ten minutes.”

Sarah raised a brow. “Ha-ha! You’re very funny,” shesaid sarcastically. “Seriously? You have plans?”

“Yeah. I plan to pop a sleeping pill and doze off toNeverland as early as eight.” The minute that was out of mymouth, I realized it wasn’t such a bad idea. I didn’t likefeeling the way I did.

For months, I’d slept in the same room as Travis, and Iwas getting perplexed now that I didn’t even know where hewas.

“You’re agitated!” Sarah said accusingly. “You’re worriedhe’ll sleep with the stripper, aren’t you?”

“Of course not! He can do that if he wants to!”

Sarah laughed. “Wow! The contrast between your wordsand your tone is very convincing!”

From the beginning, Travis had made it clear that he’dbe nothing more than a groom who would meet me at thealtar. Other than that, we were free to see other people. Iwas free to find my Mr. Right, and he was free to sleep withwhomever he wanted.

But I couldn’t seem to shake off that feeling. Yesterday,Travis and I had this silent argument about the stripper atmy bridal shower. He really thought I would sleep with theguy. Well, I was not like him! I didn’t sleep with justanybody!

I shouldn’t feel like this, I thought. I cannot drive myselfcrazy with the thought of him having s€× with another woman. Nothing can happen between us. I gave him fullpermission to have his needs fulfilled elsewhere.

Although, I couldn’t help but wonder why I had hopedthat the changes in our relationsh¡p somehow meantsomething to him. That the new bond we had formed as anengaged couple would matter more to him than a fewseconds of ecstasy with another woman.

“Come on! Get dressed and let’s go down to the bar,”Sarah said. Because I didn’t want to drive myself crazyanymore, I decided having drinks with Sarah was a betteridea.

Three hours later, I couldn’t remember why I wanted todrink myself to oblivion at all. In fact, I think mysubconscious fully took over. I was drinking too muchalcohol and laughing so much with Sarah. I don’t know howlong we stayed at the bar. I remember Sarah flirting with thebartender. I was just laughing my heart out as if everything

around me was a joke.

I must have passed out at one point. I dreamt, I felt. Ilaughed and didn’t care about anything else. Then, I dreamtabout Travis. I remembered his arms around me…touchingme, k-ssing me.

“Travis…” I whispered as I hugged him to me. He didn’tspeak. He kept k-ssing me. I remembered being afraid andexcited at the same time.

“Don’t look…just feel…”

It was fifteen years ago. But I went back to that night…inmy dreams. I exploded in a million different colors and a mixof emotions. I remembered him the way he touched me.How could one touch undo me like that? How could a fewmoments with him make me want to explode? It’d beenyears…but still, nobody had touched me the way Travistouched me that night. Nobody even came close!

“Travis!” I scre-med his name as I reached my peak. Iclung to his body, and he held me against him, catching me.

When it was over, I remembered him walking away,tearing my heart into a million pieces. I needed to be safefrom him, he said. But I could never be safe with anybodyelse…only with him!The door closed behind him and I was left alone in thecold bed, with only the pillows to hug to myself.

Suddenly, I woke up. It was still dark in the room, and Ihad a very bad headache. I was p-nting and my heart waspounding wildly. The memories of my dream came back tome.Travis. I dreamt that he shared the bed with me. Heunnerved me…made me feel every bit wanted, every bitloved…every bit a woman. I turned to the other side of thebed. It was cold and empty.

I’d had the most vivid dream. It was like I could still feelTravis in,side me, even though I knew it had been more thana decade earlier. That dream…was one dream I didn’t wantto wake up from.

How could I remember that night as if it was onlyyesterday?

I was marrying Travis in less than twenty-four hours. Itwas wrong to expect more from him…he’d already given meso much.

I’d had too much to drink. I didn’t even rememberparting with Sarah or going back to my room. I must havestripped all the way from the door to the bed and just dozedoff.

I put on a robe and gathered my clothes from the floor,and then I took a shower. I met Sarah for breakfast. I wasstill a little dizzy.

“What happened last night?” we asked at the sametime.

We laughed. “Wow! I’m never gonna drink that muchagain!” I said.

“Well, you were trying your best not to think aboutTravis’s stag party.”

There was that pinch in my heart again.Where was Travis? Since the day before when hethought I would sleep with the stripper, I hadn’t reallyspoken to him. I’d been mad at him for thinking I would

sleep with just anybody. But I guessed that’s what hewanted to do. So I didn’t have to ask where he was. He wassupposed to have a separate bedroom in the hotel. Iwouldn’t barge in there! I was almost sure he was there withone, maybe even more than one, woman.

Sarah ordered coffee for us.

“How much did we drink last night?” I asked, laughing.

“I’m not sure!” Sarah replied. She squeezed her templeswith her fingers. “But I’m guessing it was a lot! I don’tremember how I got back to my room!”

“Me, neither! I remember laughing a lot, though!”

“I remember flirting with the bartender!”

“Maybe he took you back?” I teased.

“I wouldn’t have minded that!” she laughed.

“Didn’t you…spend my bachelorette night with thestripper? What happened to that?”

She laughed. “Nothing,” she said. “It was one night offun!”

I narrowed my eyes. “It…didn’t mean anything to you?”

She shook her head. “Men can’t be the only oneenjoying these…one-night-stand things!” She stared back atme. “Don’t tell me you haven’t had a one night stand?”

“Well, when I was younger, I did spend the night with afriend. But we both decided it was just…s€×, nothing more,and we won’t do it or speak of it again. Does that count?”

“Yeah, that will do.”

But Sarah didn’t know that that night did meansomething to me. It was the best night of my life. Nothinghad come close. And until I found the guy I would reallyspend the rest of my life with, I doubted another nightwould.

***

The night before my wedding, I had dinner with my familyand friends. Travis wasn’t there. We weren’t allowed to seeeach other twenty-four hours before the wedding. My familywas quite the superstitious type. They still follow this oldtradition.

Well, I’m sure there are plenty of things he can do withhis time! I thought angrily. He was probably still locked up inhis room with that stripper they gave him for his stag party!

I sighed. What is happening to me? How can I startbelieving in this marriage? When did I start thinking thatTravis was really mine?

Travis’s mother came up to me after dinner. She smiledat me and gave me a hug.

“Take care of him,” she whispered to me. “Travis hasalways had a soft s₱0t for you. If there’s anybody who cancontrol him, it’s you.” She had tears in her eyes as shegazed at me. “I hope Travis will be happier with you than heever was with us. I hope that now, he finally finds the familythat he truly belongs to. He’ll be a good husband and agreat father. Thank you for giving him a chance at that life.”

I felt guilty. Nobody, except for Sarah, knew that I wasmarrying Travis because I didn’t have a choice at themoment. Everybody else thought we were really in love.

“Hello, gorgeous,” Eric greeted me from behind.I beamed at him and gave him a hug. “I’m so glad youmade it!”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world!”

“When did you arrive?”

“Last night. In time for Travis’s bachelor’s party,” hereplied.

“You were there?”

“Travis didn’t have many friends,” he laughed. “But itwasn’t much of a party anyway.”

“Why?”

“Well, it was just drinking, playing pool, and then whenthe girls came out, even Travis’s college friends couldn’tpush them to him. He seemed to be in a foul mood andacted as if he couldn’t wait for it to be over. He played pooland told his college buddies to f off whenever they tried tointroduce a girl to him.”

“Wasn’t there a stripper in a cake?”

“Well, there was. But actually, she danced for almost allof us…except for the groom, who gave her a scowl as sheapproached him. Travis can be very scary when he wants to.I thought the poor girl was going to cry.” Eric laughed. “Andhe left earlier than any of us.”

“He left?”

Eric nodded. “Don’t worry. I know he left alone.”

A part of me was glad because all my worries aboutTravis sleeping with the stripper were nothing. Then, a partof me was again bothered because I hadn’t seen him in twodays. Though he wasn’t with the stripper, it could still meanhe was with someone else. Maybe a past fling, a formermistress.But what right did I have to complain, really? It wasn’tright that I’d asked Travis to give me at least two years of

his life and demand that he give up other women.

That night, just before I went to sleep, I heard somebodyknocking on my door.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“It’s me,” Travis said on the other side of the door.

My heart pounded in my ribcage. What could he bedoing here? He was gone for two days, and he appeared justwhen we weren’t allowed to see each other anymore!Did he come to call off the wedding? he refused to marry me now?

My hands were shaking when I opened the door slightly. Istood behind it, refusing to show myself to him.

“You know we’re forbidden to see each other,” I saidnervously.

“I know,” he said. “But I can’t resist.”

“Travis, we both know that’s not true!” I said.

But sometimes, I had this unfamiliar feeling that wishedthat was true…that Travis was a normal groom, excited tosee his bride at the altar…that he felt a tiny inch ofexcitement over this wedding…because sometimes, I did. Ifelt ecstatic about the wedding and nervous that Travisdidn’t feel the same.

And now that Travis was coming to me on the eve of ourwedding, when he wasn’t supposed to, scared me.Oh my God, he’s really going to call it off!

“Travis…what do you want?” I asked.

He heard him sigh. “I need to see you.”

“Why?”

He didn’t reply.

“Travis…we’re not allowed to see each other. Unless…you came here to…call it off?” My voice was weak andweary.

“What?” he asked sharply.

“I…was thinking you wanted to call the wh0le thing offat the last minute. I can’t think of any other reason why youwould want to see me now.”

I heard his sharp intake of breath, and then suddenly I

saw him reach out for the key card ins**ted in the room’smain switch. I had already turned off the lamps inpreparation for sleep but had left the main light on whenTravis knocked on my door. But now Travis had switched offall lights, and suddenly, the room was enveloped indarkness, illuminated only by the moonlight coming fromthe balcony.

I felt a push on the door, and then suddenly, a figurewas standing in front of me. I stared up at his silhouette.Even in the dark, I could make out the contours of Travis’shandsome face. I could tell there was a glitter in his eye ashe stared down at me.

“I didn’t come here to call off the wedding,” he said.

“Didn’t even cross my mind.”

Relief washed over me.

“Then what are you doing here?” I asked.

“I…” He trailed off. Then he took a deep breath. “Iwanted to…make sure you’re prepared for tomorrow’s…k-ss.”

“What?” It was the last thing I expected him to say. Ithink he was lost for words, too. Like he wanted to tell mesomething but had decided not to.

“I will k-ss you…thoroughly, as that is expected of me.After the ceremony and during the reception,” he said. “Idon’t want you to think I’m taking advantage. I just want tomake sure you know.”

I giggled. “I know that. The wedding is real. You didn’thave to ask, Travis.”

He was silent. When I stared up at him, I realized that hewas staring intently at me in the dark. My heart suddenlystopped beating. I felt his breath on my l-ips. Then hewhispered, “Then I’m not going to ask now.” And I felt hisl¡ps on mine.

The k-ss was gentle at first. And then his arms camearound my wa-ist and he k-ssed me…thoroughly,desperately, as if he was trying to tell me something that hecould not put into words. I wound my arms around his neckand k-ssed him back. I savored that moment. It was like inmy dream that night…it felt wonderful…it felt real.

When the k-ss was over, he took a deep breath. “Likethat,” he whispered. “Tomorrow, expect that I’m going tok-ss you exactly like that.”

I giggled nervously. “I won’t be surprised, then.”

He pulled away from me. “Goodnight, Brianne. I can’twait to meet you at the altar tomorrow.”

I wanted to cry when I heard that. Suddenly, I realized Iwanted it to be true!