You Lost Me at Your Wedding

On the morning we were supposed to leave for our elopement trip to the stunning Calistia Mountains, my girlfriend, Jeanie Portman, was nowhere to be found. Worried something had happened to her, I drove to her family's house to look for her, only to find the whole neighborhood strung with wedding banners and streamers. A big outdoor reception was underway, the tables loaded with food. Jeanie stood there in a white gown, leaning into my foster brother's arms as she poured him a toast. Relatives showered the two of them with compliments, calling them a perfect match, while my father sat at the head table, grinning so wide he could barely close his mouth. I nearly lost it and started toward them, but my mother yanked me into a corner before I could get there. "What's gotten into you, making a scene like this? His birth parents died saving your father and me. Handing Jeanie over to him is the least we can do to pay that debt back." My voice shook as I demanded to know why no one had told me sooner. My mother just gave me a flat, dismissive look. "Because you're a teacher, and you've got too sharp a tongue for your own good. If we'd told you ahead of time, you'd have blabbed it to the whole world, and then how were the two of them supposed to have a proper wedding? "That's enough. Don't make a scene. "You've got a stable job. You won't have any trouble finding someone else. Don't ruin our family peace over some woman." I looked past my mother, toward the red carpet where Jeanie and my foster brother stood glowing with happiness, then at the relatives cheering beside them. Something inside me went hollow. Chapter 1 My mother caught me staring and rounded on me immediately, laying into me without warning. "Vince lost both his parents when he was young. Having a real, whole family is the one thing he's always wanted. As his older brother, can't you find that much room in your heart?" she snapped. "Besides, it's not like we're actually letting them register the marriage. It's just for show. Do you really have to ruin everyone's mood on a day like this?" I listened to this absurd reasoning and let out a bitter laugh. "You spent my money to let my brother marry my bride," I said. "And you're calling that 'just for show'?" My mother didn't show a trace of guilt at my accusation. Instead, she turned around and threatened me. "I'm telling you right now, your brother's wedding is going through today, no matter what. If you dare cause trouble, I'll act like I never had you as my son." Our argument quickly drew Jeanie and Vince's attention. The two of them came over, each holding a glass of wine, and Vince slid an arm around Jeanie's waist, looking at me with open provocation. "Hey, Keith. You're here. Why haven't you taken your seat?" he said. "I figured you'd be too busy with school to make it to my wedding." He was wearing the custom-tailored suit that had originally been mine. It hung a little large on him, giving him an almost comical look. Jeanie didn't seem to mind at all. She leaned into him with a bashful little smile, then looked at me with an air of complaint. "He's right, Keith. What are you doing hiding over here?" she said. "This is Vince's big day. Aren't you even going to raise a glass, as his brother?" I stared at this woman who, only the night before, had still been curled up against me. "Jeanie, exactly which role do you think I should be raising this glass as?" I asked. "The ex-boyfriend? Or the biggest fool alive?" Jeanie's brow creased, a flash of displeasure crossing her eyes. "Keith, do you really have to say things so ugly?" she said. "You know exactly what Vince's been through. "He's never felt secure, not since he was a kid. I'm just helping him experience what it feels like to get married, just this once. "You've got a stable job. You're not missing anything in life. Why do you have to be so petty about it with your brother? Can't you just be a little kinder?" Something about the person standing in front of me suddenly felt like a stranger. "You're wearing the wedding dress I bought you, marrying another man," I said. "And you want me to be kind?" Seeing that I was angry, Vince immediately stepped in front of Jeanie to shield her. "Keith, don't take it out on Jeanie," he said. "This is all my fault. I just wanted a family so badly. If it'll make you feel better, I'll get down on my knees and apologize right now." He bent his knee, actually starting to kneel on the ground. My mother was quick to grab him before he could, then rounded on me with a furious glare. "Keith! Are you trying to drive your brother to his death before you're satisfied?" she said. "How did I raise someone as cold and selfish as you?" The relatives standing nearby closed in around us. My aunt jabbed a finger at my nose and launched into a lecture. "Now, Keith, I'm not trying to pick on you, but you're being awfully small about this," she said. "Vince's been through so much. His parents died saving your parents. "What's the harm in giving up one woman? A teacher like you, with your good prospects, you'll find another decent girl in no time." My uncle chimed in right after her. "That's right. A person shouldn't forget to be grateful," he said. "If you won't repay a debt like that, who's going to want anything to do with you? Go on, apologize to Vince already. It's his big day. Don't go bringing bad vibes on it." I looked at this crowd of relatives standing on their moral high ground, pointing fingers at me. Then I looked at Jeanie, hiding behind Vince with a wounded look on her face. Suddenly, none of it seemed worth the energy. I looked at Jeanie and asked, flatly, "Jeanie, is that really what you think too?" Jeanie avoided my eyes and answered with total confidence, as if she had nothing to be ashamed of. "Keith, can we just talk about this later, once we're home?" she said. "Just back off for today. Consider it me begging you." I studied her for a long moment, then nodded. "Fine. I'll back off." With that, I walked out of the neighborhood under the contemptuous stares of my relatives. The noise behind me carried on without pause. I pulled open my car door and threw the route map for our trip to Calistia Mountains into the trash can on the side of the road. Chapter 2 I went back to the apartment Jeanie and I had shared, the one meant to be our marital home. I'd put down the down payment myself, using years of savings. I'd spent the better part of a year renovating it before our wedding, and every single thing inside had been chosen to Jeanie's taste. The moment I walked in, though, I noticed my navy blue slippers were gone. In their place sat a pair with a cartoon print on them, a full size smaller than my feet. I walked into the living room without any expression. On the coffee table sat a matching pair of mugs, one printed with Jeanie's initials, the other with Vince's. Even the wedding portrait on the wall had been swapped out for a photo of the two of them together. I looked at it all coldly and didn't touch a thing. Instead, I quietly started packing my documents and my luggage. At ten that night, Jeanie came home. Vince trailed in behind her, a bag of wedding gifts in his hand. Seeing me sitting in the living room, Jeanie froze for a second, then frowned. "Keith, why haven't you even turned on a light?" She kicked off her shoes as she spoke, ordering me around like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Come unzip me; this dress is strangling me." I stayed on the couch and didn't move. Vince immediately set down what he was holding and hurried over, all eagerness. "I've got it, Jeanie." He pulled down the zipper on her wedding dress with practiced ease, the motion so smooth it looked like he'd done it a hundred times before. Jeanie didn't stop him either. She just turned to look at me. "Just put up with it for tonight," she said. "Vince's had a lot to drink, and it's his wedding night. It'd be too lonely for him to go back to his rented place alone. I'm letting him stay here a few days, share in some of the good luck." She gestured toward the guest room. "You can sleep in there tonight. Vince's picky about beds; he won't sleep well on the guest mattress, so he'll take the master bedroom." I looked at how naturally she said it and almost found it funny. "He's picky about beds, so he gets to sleep in mine?" I asked. Jeanie's face darkened, her voice rising a notch. "Keith, you're doing this again? Didn't I already explain it to you?" she snapped. "It's only for a few days. Do you really have to be this petty about it? You're a grown man. Can't you be a little more generous?" Vince sighed, right on cue. "Never mind, Jeanie," he said. "Keith doesn't want me here. I'll just go." He said and turned to head for the door. "I've been an orphan nobody cared about since I was a kid, anyway. I'm used to it." Jeanie grabbed his arm before he could leave, then rounded on me with a furious look. "Keith, are you done making a scene yet?" she snapped. "Vince's dream just came true today, and you're going to ruin it for him right now? "You put down the down payment on this apartment, sure, but I paid for half the renovations. That means I have a say in who gets to stay here too!" I looked at her angry face and nodded, calm. "Fine. You decide." I walked to the entryway and picked up the suitcase I'd already packed. Jeanie froze, her eyes landing on it. "Where are you going with a suitcase this late at night?" she said. "Keith, don't you dare try to guilt me into backing down like this. I hate it when you play the victim." I put my hand on the doorknob and turned to look at her one last time. "Jeanie," I said. "We're done." She blinked, caught off guard for a second, then laughed coldly. "Keith, don't try to scare me with a breakup," she said. "You're a teacher. Where else are you going to find someone with prospects as good as mine if you leave me? "I'm telling you right now, if you walk out that door today, you can get down on your knees and beg tomorrow and I still won't forgive you." As the door swung shut, I heard Vince's voice from inside. "Don't worry, Jeanie. Keith is just stubborn. He'll come back on his own once he cools off." I gave a faint, humorless smile and dragged my suitcase out into the night. No. I was never coming back. Chapter 3 The next morning, I went to work as usual. I taught high school physics and had a senior class to prepare for the finals. The school had an opening for the Lead Teacher promotion, and I'd spent an entire year preparing for it. I'd revised my model lesson plan more times than I could count, and I met every single hard requirement on the list. I'd barely sat down at my desk when the department head called me over. "Keith, there's something we need to talk about," he said. "The school's decided to give this year's Lead Teacher spot to Vince Daltrey." I froze for a second, sure I'd misheard him. "Sir, he's just a substitute. He doesn't even have a permanent contract. How is he qualified for a Lead Teacher promotion?" The department head cleared his throat and lowered his voice. "Keith, you know Vince's situation is different from most," he said. "The school made a special exception for him. "Besides, you're still young. You'll have plenty of chances down the road. Vince is not like you. Without a permanent contract or a real title behind him, he's going to have a hard time out there." A chill crept up my spine. "Sir, this promotion is supposed to be based on teaching ability and research output," I said. "He can't even write a lesson plan. He just reads off the slides in class. If you hand him this spot, are you being responsible to the students?" The department head's expression darkened, his tone turning sharp. "Keith! Watch your attitude," he said. "This was decided by the school's leadership. I'm not asking for your opinion, I'm informing you. "Your fiancée works in the administration office too, and she already agreed to let Vince have the spot. What exactly are you making a fuss about?" I pulled out my phone, about to call Jeanie, when my mother's call came through first. "Keith, did you make a scene in the department head's office?" she said. "I'm telling you, that promotion belongs to Vince. Don't you dare try to steal it. "You've got a permanent position and a stable paycheck already. What do you need that title for? "Vince's about to get his contract made permanent, and with that title behind him, his path forward gets a whole lot easier. What's wrong with helping out your own brother? "I'm warning you, if you cause trouble at that school and wreck Vince's future, I'll go make a scene in your principal's office." I gripped the phone tighter. "Mom, was I something you two picked up off the street?" There was a beat of silence on the other end, and then she exploded. "Your father and I worked ourselves to the bone putting you through college, and now that you've got some wings, you think you can talk back to me like this? "If it weren't for Vince's parents, your father and I wouldn't even be alive right now, and you wouldn't be standing there with a teaching job at all. We're asking you to give him this spot because you owe him!" I couldn't listen to any more of it. I went and turned in my resignation. If this school ran on whoever made the biggest scene, then I wanted no part of it. On my way out, I ran into Jeanie and Vince at the school gate. Jeanie let go of Vince's hand the moment she saw me and hurried over. "Keith, where did you go last night?" she said. "I texted you but you never answered. When are you going to fix that awful temper of yours?" Then, with total confidence, she went on, "By the way, the department head told you about the promotion, right? Don't get emotional about it. "Vince needs this spot a lot more than you do right now. Once he gets the title and his pay goes up, things will be easier for me too. You're talented enough, you'll definitely make it in next year." I looked at her perfectly done-up face and felt nothing but disgust. "Jeanie, does it make you proud, handing over what I worked for to please another man?" Her expression shifted. "Keith, don't talk like that!" she said. "What do you mean, another man? Vince is your brother! Why do you always have to think the worst of people?" Vince stepped forward right on cue and took her hand. "Never mind, Jeanie. Keith has always misunderstood me," he said. "If he really wants this title so badly, I'll just give it back to him. Worst case, I'll pick up a few extra jobs. I can support myself." Jeanie immediately looked at him with pity. "No! The school gave this to you out of consideration. Why should he get it?" she snapped. "Keith, look at Vince, and then look at yourself. Is jealousy the only thing you're capable of?" I didn't feel like watching them put on their little tragedy any longer. I walked past them and headed straight for the bus stop. Behind me, I heard Jeanie's voice, sharp with frustration. "Keith! If you walk away today, don't bother coming back to register our marriage next month!" I didn't stop walking. I just smiled. Register the marriage? Not in this lifetime. Chapter 4 For the next few days, I stayed at a hotel near the school and worked through the handover process step by step. I didn't contact Jeanie, and I didn't answer any calls from my parents. On the last day of the handover, I went back to what was supposedly our marital home, since I'd left some of my teaching materials behind. Vince saw me come in and stayed slouched against the back of his chair, all casual arrogance. "Well, look who bothered to show up," he said. "I figured you'd sworn off ever coming back." I ignored him and crouched down to search for my materials. Vince got up, walked over to me, and nudged a stack of books on the floor with his foot. "Hey, Keith, these old books of yours are taking up too much space. I had Jeanie get me a computer, and there was nowhere else to put it, so I just stacked them here for now. You don't mind, do you?" I stood up and looked at him coldly. "Where are my materials?" Vince shrugged, all innocence. "What materials? Never seen them," he said. "Jeanie did a big cleanout the other day. They probably got thrown out with the trash." Something in me went cold. I grabbed him by the collar. "I'll ask you one more time. Where are my materials?" Instead of being scared, Vince just smiled wider, more pleased with himself than ever. "Careful, Keith. Don't get physical," he said. "If you hurt me, Jeanie's going to be heartbroken. She's completely wrapped around my finger these days. I ask, she gives, no questions. This apartment, your promotion, and..." He paused deliberately, then leaned in close to my ear and lowered his voice. "Even her." My stomach turned over. I shoved him back, hard. Vince stumbled and fell to the floor, letting out an exaggerated cry of pain. "Ah! Keith, why would you hit me!" Right then, the door swung open and Jeanie walked in carrying groceries. The moment she saw the scene, she dropped the bags and rushed over to help Vince up. "Vince! Are you okay?" She turned and looked at me like I was her worst enemy. "Keith! Have you lost your mind? Why would you push him?!" I didn't even have the energy left to explain myself. "I came back for my materials." Jeanie froze for a second, then yanked a stack of papers out of a drawer and hurled them at me. "Here! Take your worthless papers!" she snapped. "Keith, did you think disappearing on me would scare me? I'm telling you, this cold-shoulder act of yours just makes me sick. Vince is ten times more considerate than you'll ever be!" I picked up my materials off the floor and looked at her coldly. "Jeanie, I put down the down payment on this apartment, and I'm the one paying off the mortgage. I'm putting it on the market next month. I'll pay you back for your half of the renovation costs." Jeanie's eyes went wide, like she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. "Keith, have you completely lost your mind? If you sell the apartment, where are we supposed to live after we get married?" Then she gave a sudden, cold little laugh, her tone softening. "Fine, enough with the tantrum. I know you've been in a bad mood these past few days. "Tell you what, next Monday's a good day. I'll take the day off, and we'll go register the marriage. That should settle things, shouldn't it?" I looked at her and smiled without a word. My smile was pure mockery, but she didn't notice, and mistook it for me giving in. "That's more like it. Go on, get out of here. I'll come find you at your office on the eighth." I walked out the front door with a cold smile on my face, then blocked her number, along with every number belonging to anyone in my family. I turned in my materials at the school, then took the high-speed train back to my hometown. ... A week later, Jeanie showed up at my office just as she'd said she would. But I wasn't there, and my desk had already been cleared out. She frowned and grabbed a teacher standing nearby. "Ms. Richards, where's Keith? Doesn't he have class today?" Melinda Richards made a small, surprised noise. "You don't know?" she said. "He quit last week."