"I don't care."
"You don't care?!"
"No, I care. Just that..."
"No. No, you don't get to qualify that. You do or you don't!"
It was the fury of her intensity that caught Jacob off gaurd. The way Alice's tone shifts and her brow wrinkles makes him uneasy. Always had... probably always will. No, not probably.
"The Wedding's date has change three times already. I know you want it to be perfect, I do too. But we can't keep pushing it back. He's going to be there or not." As he spoke he feels that familiar turmoil. It's my thing he tells himself. Don't tell Alice she doesn't need to know. She's got a wedding to think of.
"Well he better or I'm never going to speak to him again." He knows it's not true as much as she did. "He says he's got the tux you sent. He needs it sized."
"I got it sized like you asked hun." He had to turn down box seats to do this for Alice, for them. The Lakers were playing the Celtics. The game was won with a buzzer beater by Kobe. 99-100. He missed it.
"He says he's put on some pounds. It's good right? He's always been too scrawny." He wonders if she realizes how her voice picks up when she speaks of him. He realizes how trancending that particular tone is whenever she uses it. It's her Re-living the Past voice and it's her What If voice combined in this controlled present.
"He'll be there. You'll see. I wouldn't want to miss your wedding for the world." He smirks, she catches his meaning, and they have a moment.
"You better not!" she warns.
He refocuses on the road. Thinking.
She looks at him. "What's wrong?" Careful. Open ended questions can be deadly traps.
"It's just... It's undue burden is all. He's got enough sense not to worry you. I mean he's got any sense at all he'd be there. You don't worry about a few pounds and sizing your tux if you're a no show."
Alice let's it go. There's always depths to Jake but he never reveals more than he has to. He's only ever whispered his soul to her and her alone. "Yeah, he'll be there. Or not. It doesn't matter we're still getting married."
"That's what I meant earlier." They kiss.
He makes a note to call Her best friend. Screw getting it sized. Get here for the reception. He, Jacob, will fly a tailor out if needs be. You owe it to me. You owe it to her. He'll come, Jacob thought about sending his brothers for retrieval. Maybe... maybe not.
One thing's for sure. Not probabaly. Not probably at all. He'll always be by her side.
-- Post From My iPhone