The strawberry colored satin sheets flowed gently off the bed like a stream of water finding it's way to the waterfall, at the end of a long journey, reaching it's final destination on the carpet below the bed. Candles of blues, reds, oranges and yellows, burned silently, as their soft glow created silhouettes against the wall. Their bodies entwined so close, not even air could penetrate their bond. Lovers for the last two years, Angelica and Eric decided to finalize their love for one another.

******************************

"I love you Angelica, and I can't wait until tomorrow when you become Mrs. Eric Benedict", he said gently rubbing the tip of her nose while admiring her beauty. His index finger began slowly tracing it's way down her face, around her ears, finally resting within the warm confines of her mouth. He pulled it out and inserted it into his own mouth, tasting the flavor of her sweet juices.

"I love you too, Eric, and I can't wait to be Mrs. Benedict either", she said kissing him softly on his lips. She continued. "I've waited so long for this day to come, and now that it's finally here, it just seems so…so unreal!"

"It's real sweetheart, you'd better believe that!" he said as he pulled her into his arms and began to caress her in places that made her body shudder with anticipation. The scent of their sex was a subtle aphrodisiac, awakening their most intimate desires. As the tantalizingly delicious scent drifted throughout the room, their bodies connected even more. Three orgasms and a Diet Coke later (Angelica had stopped smoking two years earlier), their lovemaking session was over. With their bodies drenched in sweat, they held each other close while enjoying their final act of sin, before becoming husband and wife. After regaining his strength, Eric showered and headed back to his apartment to get ready for their big day on tomorrow.

*******************

Her wedding day had finally arrived. After months of planning, she'd made it. In less than two hours, she and Eric would be standing before God and all of His witnesses, exchanging their vows to one another. Angelica sat anxiously at the mirrored desk as the makeup artist skillfully applied her makeup, and the hairdresser added his final touch on her magnificent, upswept hairdo.

"Terri, I am soooo nervous! I feel like my insides are about to fall out!"

"You'll be fine Angelica! You're just having wedding day jitters, so its only natural that you'd feel that way. This is a big step, but, before you know it, it will all be over, and you'll be on your honeymoon, getting busy!

"Terri said as she held Angelica's hand firmly, gently stroking it as she reassured her.

The two of them had been friends since grade school, and Angelica really valued her opinion. That was the reason she'd asked Terri to be her Maid of Honor.

"Now if you don't stop all of that crying, Betty is never going to get finished with your makeup, and you'll really be in trouble then!" she said laughing and nudging Angelica in the side.

"You're right, girl, I guess I do need to relax. I have nothing to worry about, right?"

"Right! When you walk out there, Eric is going to be standing there, just as nervous as you are, waiting for you to join him", she said as she kissed Angelica on the cheek. "Now, let me go and get dressed because I have a bouquet to catch! Us "SINGLE" women need men in our lives too!" Terri said, putting emphasis on the word "single". Just as she reached the door, Angelica spoke.

"Terri!" Angelica shouted.

"Yes, Jelli?" Terri said turning to face her.

"Thanks."

"No problem kiddo, now go out there a get your man."

Angelica closed her eyes and began to say a little prayer. This was how she dealt with adversities in her life. After a long pause, she opened her eyes slowly and said "Amen." As she stood looking at herself in the marbled mirror, there was a knock at the door. Before she had time to answer, Terri had already stuck her head into the room.

"I just saw Eric downstairs and he handed me this note to give to you," she said as she passed the piece of alabaster colored parchment paper to Angelica. A closer observation revealed that it was one of their wedding programs. "He wanted to come and talk to you in person, but I told him that it was bad luck for him to see you before the wedding. He asked me to give you this," she said as Angelica anxiously took the note from her hand.

"He's so sweet, huh? I guess that's why I'm marrying him. I never know what to expect from him. He's so spontaneous!"

"Well, enough talking, open it and see what was so important that it couldn't wait until after the ceremony!" Terri said reaching towards the folded piece of paper as if she were going to open it herself.

Angelica had a big smile plastered on her face from the anticipation. She was used to Eric pulling stunts like that, so she wasn't phased by it. As she read the note, her facial expressions changed drastically.

"Oh my God!" she screamed dropping the piece of paper to the floor.

"What's wrong?" Terri said as she kneeled down to retrieve the note. She blinked her eyes and looked at the paper again, as if she were seeing things.

ANGELICA,

I AM SORRY, BUT I JUST CAN'T GO THROUGH WITH THIS WEDDING. I'M JUST NOT READY FOR THAT TYPE OF COMMITMENT. I TRULY LOVE YOU, BUT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT I NEED TO WORK OUT ON MY OWN. I HOPE THAT, ONE DAY, YOU CAN FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO FORGIVE ME.

LOVE ALWAYS, ERIC.

"That Bastard! I don't believe this. How could he do this?" she said forgetting that Angelica was still standing next to her. "I'm so sorry Jelli, I didn't mean to say those terrible things…I should've been more considerate of your feelings," she said frowning as the taste of salt filled her mouth from the streams of tears that had began to flow uncontrollably.

Angelica, by this time, was hysterical. She bent over and held her stomach, gasping for air. Terri reached out and pulled her near, comforting her, trying to ease her pain. After a few moments, Angelica regained her breath, but the pain was still there. She reached for Terri and held her as the tears flooded her eyes, but she never said a word. The pain in her eyes spoke every word that her mouth couldn't.

"I know that it may not seem like it now, but things are going to be okay. You have to believe that," Terri said as though she was trying to convince herself as well.

"How could he just walk out on me like that? He said he loved me!" Angelica placed her hands over her heart as though the pain that she was experiencing was actual physical pain.

"Please tell me this isn't true Terri. Please tell me that, will you?"

Knowing that words couldn't ease her pain, Terri simply wrapped her arms around her and held her close, gently stroking her auburn hair.

"This can't be happening! Please tell me that this is some kind of nightmare, and that I'm going to wake up at any moment," Angelica said sobbing uncontrollably.

"Everything's going to be okay. Just you wait and see. It's going to be alright. He never deserved you anyway! You're too good for him," she said getting a half smile from Angelica.

After sitting quietly for nearly an hour, Angelica finally spoke. "I guess I'd better go out there and tell everyone that there isn't going to be a wedding." Just as she started to move, Terri stopped her.

"No, you stay here and rest. I'll go and let everyone know what's going on."

Angelica didn't argue with her. She didn't have the strength, or the courage, to go out there and face all of her family and friends. After Terri delivered the bad news to everyone, she came back to join Angelica once again.

"If you don't mind Terri, I'd like to be alone right now."

"Sure. I understand, but, if you need me just holler. I'll be in the courtyard, okay?" she said, not leaving until she'd gotten a favorable response.

"Okay," Angelica said. Her voice was almost gone from all of the crying that she'd done.

Hours after the tears had begun to fall and curious guests had poked their noses through the door of the dressing room to offer their condolences, Angelica walked out into the empty sanctuary. As she walked slowly down the aisle, she could hear the soft music playing in her mind. Luther Vandross was belting out his soulful rendition of "Here and Now." It was the song that she and Eric chose to have playing as she made her way down the isle.

She carefully paced her steps, keeping in rhythm with the song's melody that she heard so vividly. The closer she got to the altar, the more her heart raced. The more pain she felt. She stopped abruptly about five paces short of the altar. She reached down onto the pew and grabbed one of the bridesmaid's bouquets and with her hands placed together in front of her, she extended her arms slightly. She stood in a trance, staring straight ahead.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may salute your bride."

"Salute your bride."

"Salute your bride." Those words echoed as sirens ringing in Angelica's ears. She felt daggers being poked into her heart as she stood beneath the white arch that was standing in the center of the altar.

"Salute your fucking bride, Eric!" she shouted as she threw her bouquet against the candelabra that housed the unity candle that they were to light during their wedding ceremony; a candle that represented their coming together as one.

As the tears mixed with the black eyeliner, they formed tiny streams that gently flowed down her face, tracing each crevice they found. The silky curls that she'd adorned only hours ago were now tear-soaked and trundling down the brow of her forehead, annoyingly sticking to her face. Tiny specks of the almond colored foundation that once made her face look so flawless were now entwined with the tiny pearls that had been delicately hand stitched onto her custom made wedding gown.

She sat down, sobbing uncontrollably beneath the flower-decorated arch at the end of the aisle.

"Why Eric? Why did you do this to me? Why did you do this to us?" she shouted as if he were standing there before her.

"Oh God! How could this happen? How could you let Eric walk out on me like that?" she said as she stood up and began knocking over the arch and candelabra. She clutched her fist tightly and swung with all of her might.

"I hate you Eric! You selfish bastard! I hate you!" she shouted as she continued to destroy the rest of the decorations. She ripped the bows that hung delicately on the edge of the wooden pews. Finally, after all of her energy was gone, she fell helplessly to the floor. There were no more tears to be shed. Her well had run dry. All she felt now was the spear piercing her heart that much deeper. Her soul had been viciously ripped from within.

At that moment, she felt as though there was nothing more to live for. Her soul mate for life, or so she thought, had walked out on her on their wedding day of all days.

************

Although five months had passed, Angelica still felt the pain and emptiness that Eric had caused. He'd single-handedly ruined her life. For what purpose, it wasn't clear. Throughout the whole ordeal, Angelica had two people that she could really count on. Terri and Michael. Whenever she needed a male's perspective on something or simply for companionship's sake, she would call on him. Their "relationship" had been put on hold due to Eric's jealousy, but now, since he was no longer in the picture, their friendship resumed. Michael and Angelica spent many nights together watching movies, going out to dinner, and making out. Although they'd grown close to one another once again, their relationship was never consummated. That would involve too many emotions and Angelica wasn't ready for that just yet.

They'd gone out to dinner and since it was getting late, they decided to call it a night. Michael kissed her on the cheek and went on his way. Angelica walked into her apartment, flipped the light switch on and immediately began to undress as she made her way to her bedroom. As she walked towards her bathroom she glanced over at the nightstand and noticed that the red light on the answering machine was blinking. She pressed the play button and listened as she searched the drawer for her underwear.

"Beeeeeep!"

"Angelica, its me, Eric. I hope that you can, someday find it in your heart to forgive me. I know I hurt you, and I'm sorry. That was never my intention. I was just scared. Marriage is a big step, and I wasn't sure that I was ready to make it. I realize that I should have said something sooner, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I realized that I made a mistake and I want to try and make it right with you."

"Beeeeep!"

"Hi Angelica, it's Michael. I really enjoyed having dinner with you tonight. I hope that we can get together again real soon. Give me a call when you get a chance."

That must have been the call he made when he went to the restroom during dinner. How romantic!

"Beeeeep!"

"Jellie, its Eric again. I need to talk with you. Please give me a call. We really need to get this stuff out into the open. Give me a call, okay?"

"Beeeeeep!"

"Angelica, please, I'm begging you. Just give me ten minutes of your time. I want...no I need to tell you how I feel. I need to get something off of my chest. I love you Angelica. It took me a long time to finally realize that I do want to marry you. I have been miserable without you. Please call me so we can talk. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less."

Angelica finally called him.

"I'll meet you, Eric, on one condition."

"I don't care, you just name it!" he said.

"We meet at Shiloah."

"The church we were supposed to get...get married at?"

"Yeah, that's the place. You still remember where it is right?"

"Yeah, I remember, but don't you think that's a little strange?"

"What's strange, Eric?"

"For us to be meeting there, of all places!"

"Look, if you want to talk, then meet me there at four-thirty. Make sure that you are there on time because if you aren't, I'm going to leave and I WON'T meet you again!" she said and hung up the phone before he had a chance to answer.

Eric arrived at the church on time. As he walked into the dimly lit sanctuary, he saw Angelica sitting in the front on the first pew. With each step that he made, his heart pounded like a drum major at his best. Tiny beads of sweat formed on his brow almost instantly. When he finally reached the front pew, he was speechless.

As their eyes met, Eric could see the pain in Angelica's eyes. Pain that he'd caused. There were so many words he'd memorized, but none of them came to his remembrance at the time of need. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He kneeled down before her grabbing her hand gently as he finally gathered up enough courage to speak. A tear rolled slowly down his cheek.

"I'm so sorry for the pain that I have caused you. I know my words may not count for much right now, but I really am sorry for what I did."

"How could you do that to me? To us? I thought that you really cared for me!"

"I did care for you! I still care for you! I just made a terrible mistake, that's all. I don't know why I did what I did, but I hope that, someday, you will find it in your heart to forgive me"

"We made love the night before for God's sake, and you didn't show any sign that you were having second thoughts. How could you change like day and night just like that!" she said snapping her fingers.

"I can't explain what I was feeling. When I left my apartment heading for the church, I was fine, but when I walked out into the sanctuary and saw all of those people there, I panicked. I couldn't breathe! I felt like the walls were coming down around me. I wanted to talk to you so I came around to your dressing room. That's when I saw Terri. She wouldn't let me in to see you. She said that it was bad luck, so I gave her the note and asked her to give it to you. That was the hardest thing that I've ever done."

"Why couldn't you have just told me how you were feeling. Don't you think I would have taken it from you a lot easier that way, rather than you just walking out on me, leaving me without a clue? Didn't I atleast deserve that much?"

"I know that now. God don't I know that! I have realized a lot since you've been gone. There isn't a day that has gone by that I haven't thought about you or the mess that I've made out of things."

"You're right about that. You definitely made a mess of things!"

"I deserved that," he said holding his hands up in the "surrender" position. "I definitely deserved that!"

"I want to hate you Eric, believe me I've tried, but I can't find it in my heart to do so."

"I still love you, Angelica, that has never changed."

"I love you too Eric, but there is so much that has happened, I'm just not sure about anything."

"We can make it work, I know we can."

"I don't know. There is just too much pain still there."

"We can get through this. We have to. Just give me one more chance and I promise to make things right," he said still kneeling before her.

"We can try, but that's all I can promise you at this point," she said allowing him to hug her.

***********

Angelica planned an intimate dinner celebration for Eric's twenty-fifth birthday. She'd made reservations at The Blues Café and invited all of his closest friends. Michael came as well. Eric looked at him with bullets in his eyes aiming them right his way. Michael smiled and looked away. That pissed Eric off even more, but they were celebrating his birthday and he didn't want to cause a scene. He held his peace.

They all sat around the table and talked as they ate their dinners. Finally, after everyone finished their desert, Angelica stood up to make a toast.

"Cling, Cling, Cling" the glass rang out as she hit it with her fork.

"May I have your attention please! I'd like to make a toast to the birthday boy. Stand up Eric," she said grabbing him by the arm and pulling on it to help him up.

"I just like to say that this is a very special day for many reasons. For one, you have finally made it to the big two-five. That's an accomplishment in it self." Everyone laughed because they knew how much of a daredevil Eric was. He'd had many close calls but somehow managed to come out of them without so much as a scratch. Angelica continued as Eric stood up with a smile that went from one side of his face to the other.

"Two, this is a very special day for me as well," she said still standing next to Eric. Just as she said that, Michael stood up.

"You see, today, Michael and I got married!" she said showing off her huge diamond ring. While everyone congratulated them, Eric fell to his seat in disbelief. His lips stood open and his hand rested just above his heart. Angelica leaned over and whispered into his ear.

"That was my special birthday gift to you, surprise!"