The Runaway Groom - Chapter 5

In the vestry, Jack stood in front of Allie, knowing that if he didn’t say something soon, he was going to chicken out yet again. Taking a deep breath, he spoke.

“Allie, I’m so sorry.”

He saw the confused look on her face as she sat down in front of him, he followed suit.

“Sorry for what Jack?”
“Sorry for causing you to fall in love with me when I don’t deserve it. Sorry for allowing everything to get out of control. Sorry for bringing you here today. Allie I don’t know where to begin.”

He paused again and just looked at her. She’d placed her bouquet on a nearby table and was watching him intently. He could see tears pooling in her eyes and he knew that deep down, she knew what he was trying to tell her.

“Allie, you know that I love you. We’ve been so close for so many years. Part of me can’t imagine my life without you in it and that’s where the problems start. I want you in my life Allie, but I think we will be making a mistake if we go through with this wedding.”
“What do you mean Jack?” Allie asked, her voice clearly shaky.
“I can’t do this. I can’t marry you Allie. I know this is the worst time that I could have chosen to tell you this, but I couldn’t let you walk in that church knowing that this isn’t right.”

Jack watched as she sat upright in her chair, her initial upset had been replaced with anger and he saw the expression on her face change.

“So, let me get this right, you propose to me, spend three months planning a wedding, you let me bring all of my family over from New York and Wisconsin and you don’t want to go through with it?”

Jack knew she had valid points in what she said, but his mind had focussed on one thing that she’d said. He hated to mention it, as he knew how she would react, but he needed to make his feelings clear.

“I didn’t propose Allie. I didn’t ask you to marry me. I asked you what you thought about marriage and you jumped to the wrong conclusion. Before I had chance to correct you, you’d called your parents, my parents and who knows who else. Everything just snowballed and I just figured it would be easier to let it go rather than try and stop it. I realised now how wrong I was to do that. You’ll never know how sorry I am for doing this to you, but I need to follow my heart.”
“And you heart doesn’t lie with me?” Allie asked as Jack shook his head. “Do you mind if I ask who it does lie with, because I don’t for one second believe that you have just decided that you don’t want to marry me. I know you Jack, better than most, if not everyone. You have morals and ethics and, even though I really want to hate you right now, I can’t. So, who is it?”

He knew he had to tell her. Part of him was surprised that she was being so calm about everything. He wasn’t sure how he was going to tell her, but knew that he’d been honest with her so far today, and that would be the way it could continue.

He watched her as the question hung in the air. He wasn’t sure how she would react when he told her he loved Sue. Since the wedding announcement, Sue, Lucy and Tara had all helped Allie out with the planning when her family was unavailable. They’d all become friends.

“I’m sorry Allie, I never planned for any of this. I didn’t mean for it to happen but over the years I just fell in love with her.”
“You don’t have to say it Jack. I know.”

Unable to hide the surprised look on his face, Jack opened his mouth but nothing came out. He kept his eyes on hers as she stood and picked up here bouquet.

“I guess we should tell everyone.”

Jack stood so that he faced her and shook his head.

“No, I should be the one to do it. It’s because of me that the wedding isn’t going ahead.”
“You bet it is, but we should do this one last thing together.”

All Jack could do was look at her. He hadn’t expected a reaction like this. He’d expected her to be angry, upset. He’d expected tears and lots of shouting but there had been none of that. She’d been unusually calm about the whole thing, which unnerved him a little. His eyes followed her as she walked towards the door that would lead them into the main church.

“You coming?”

Broken from his trance, Jack approached her as she opened the door. They both took a step out before someone approached them.

“There you two are. We need to get started, I have another service in thirty minutes.”
“I’m sorry father,” Jack said the man who was meant to marry them, “we won’t be getting married today.”

Without explaining further Jack and Allie walked past the father and towards the main congregation. They both heard the silence fall over the crowd as people saw them one by one. Jack saw Bobby walk up to them.

“Where’ve you been mate? We’ve all be waiting.”
“Sorry Crash, give us a minute okay?”

Jack looked at Bobby and saw his expression change, knowing that his best friend knew what was going on. Standing at the front of the church, Allie was the first to speak.

“Jack and I would like to thank you all for coming but we regret that there won’t be a wedding today. The reception will go ahead as normal so please feel free to enjoy the hospitality. Thank you.”

Stepping forward, Allie took one last look at Jack before hurrying away. She paused when she came to the second pew that housed Sue, Lucy and Tara. She bent slightly so Sue could read her.

“You’re a lucky woman. Remember that.”

With that, Allie hurried off down the aisle, leaving a shocked Sue watching her, before turning her head to see Jack turn and go back to the vestry.