Their Freefall At Last by Julie Olivia

55

Ruby

I blink at Bennett’s dark brown eyes, now rimmed in red, at the way his bottom lip wobbles as he stares with cinched-in eyebrows and a clenched jaw.

“I can’t do this.”

“Bennett …”

I watch as he draws in a long inhale before slowly letting it release, his chest deflating with the movement. And like a light switch, his face settles. He clears his throat and then nods.

“I need to find Jolene,” he says matter-of-factly.

My head is shaking back and forth, my heart now racing, trying to keep up.

“It’s basically two minutes before,” is all I can find to reply, but he tongues his cheek. “Bennett … you want to get married. It’s … what you want. Jolene is … she’s your dream woman. She’s wonderful.”

But Bennett’s head slowly shakes from side to side.

“I can’t,” he repeats.

“Why?”

He sighs, licking his lips and straightening his posture.

“You just have to trust me on this one, Rubes.”

I look at the floor, the ceiling, the spray bottles, and mop bucket. I don’t feel here, not really. I’m in some wayward, upside-down dream. An alternate reality. Any second, Brittney will wake me up for Bennett’s wedding day, and I’ll watch him walk down the aisle.

But I am here. Dream Bennett is never quite as gorgeous as real Bennett. Especially when he looks serious, like he does right now.

Why is this happening? Why now?

Is it because of me?

Does it matter?

He tilts his head to the side. I wonder if he can tell what’s going through my head.

“Ruby, I can’t do it,” he repeats.

I swallow. “But there are … roses and people and—”

“I’ll handle them.”

My shoulders drop. “Bennett …”

He doesn’t budge.

I don’t know what caused him to change his mind. But the more he looks at me and the more his eyebrows tilt in, I do know one thing: I need to be strong in this moment. For Bennett. Because this is his wedding-day decision, not mine.

I’m not his fiancée. I’m not his future bride.

I’m his best friend.

It doesn’t matter why he’s doing this. Only that he is. He’s made a life-changing decision, and I need to be his rock, just as he’s been mine for so very long.

“You’re sure?” I whisper.

“Yes.”

I run the back of my hand over my nose.

“Okay,” I say with a nod. “Okay then. First step: find Jolene.”

Bennett lets out a low, shaky exhale. “Thank you.”

And I do my best-friend duty and smile. “Of course.”

* * *

My heels echo in the church’s entry. His oxfords snap on tiles.

A low hum of conversation bleeds in from the chapel, but it’s distant, practically nothing compared to our heavy breaths as we rush to the other side of the building. With every step, my heart beats faster, but Bennett’s steps only get louder, more assured.

“Down this hall,” he says.

I don’t answer; I simply follow.

We turn the corner toward the bride’s room, but pacing at the end of the hall is Bennett’s mom. Brittney’s eyes dart up, and her head tilts to the side.

“Oh, Bennett …”

Bennett keeps walking forward. A man on a mission.

“Is she in there?”

“I’ve been looking for you,” she starts, but then pauses.

Brittney curls her lips in, inhales, and then smacks them back open.

“I have to see her,” Bennett insists.

His mom’s dark brown eyes swivel to mine. I can’t decipher what they mean. They don’t weave stories in my mind, like Bennett’s. But they look troubled. No, they look scared.

“She’s …” Brittney clears her throat, clasps her hands in front of her, and says, “Oh, Jolene’s not here, kiddo.”

My stomach drops. My legs almost want to give out, but I don’t let them. Instead, I do my job now. I cut my eyes to Bennett and reach out for his arm, keep him standing upright. But he hasn’t flinched.

“What?” he breathes.

“She’s not here,” Brittney repeats. She looks at him with her head tilted to the side. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

I’ve never heard her call Bennett that. I wonder if it’s saved for moments like this, the ones behind closed doors that I’m not supposed to see. The ones that hurt the most.

“She’s …” Bennett shakes his head. “She left?”

Bennett just stares at her. I can see his jaw ticcing for a few seconds. Maybe he’s considering what to say; maybe he’s just letting the whole situation process in his mind. And for a single second, for the tiniest of moments, I wonder if he’s questioning himself. If knowing she left makes him reconsider whether he should have.

If he’s realizing how much he truly loves her.

But then he glances at me, and there’s something more behind those eyes.

Brittney slowly nods. “Sort of. She’s … well, she’s out back.”

Then, she steps to the side and opens the emergency exit door.

On the other side is a woman in a beautiful white dress. Her hair is the color of fire—just like the shade of anger on her face.