My entry:
Waiting
She was late. Again.
Nolan glanced at his watch, wondering why he ever waited for Gwen. She was invariably late. She'd be late to her own funeral one of these days. Of course, today was no day to be thinking about funerals, except he rather thought there was going to be one in a couple of hours, and if Gwen didn't hurry...
He paced. He was uncomfortable enough, anyway. It was a hot day. Why had he ever agreed to this date?
"Relax, Nolan. She'll be here."
Nolan glanced at his brother Roy. "Are you sure?"
Roy grinned. "I'm sure. Just about as sure as I've ever been about anything. Gwen is not going to let you down."
"I hope not. It would ruin everything."
All the preparation, all the planning...if she didn't get here soon, they could kiss it all goodbye.
Orlando would be furious.
"Try not to look like you're headed to your execution, will you?" Roy nudged Nolan, trying to make him smile.
"Yeah, I guess things are bad enough already." Nolan pasted a fake grin on his face, one that would have done justice to a clown, without the makeup. "How's this?"
"Fine, if you're trying out for the circus."
Great. He must really have gotten that clown smile down pat. Now if only he could get over the sinking feeling that Gwen really wasn't going to show up...
Gwen looked at her watch. Twenty till. She still had plenty of time. Fighting down the gnawing pain in her stomach, she swallowed yet another antacid, washing it down with cold water. There was no reason to be so nervous. It wasn't like she was opening in Vegas, or headlining in Nashville. She could do this.
She looked fine.
She looked terrible.
Was that a zit?
No.
Yes.
No. Just a piece of makeup that had ended up blobbing. Easily removed. Whew.
Gwen wadded up the tissue and checked herself out from the ground up one more time.
She didn't look bad.
Besides, it wasn't about how she looked. (Well, not entirely.) (Well, only a little.)
Could she take another antacid without totally destroying her digestive system?
She reached for the bottle.
She'd had enough.
She glanced at her watch again.
Twenty till.
Still?
It hadn't moved. That meant---
Oh no!
Gwen rushed down the corridor, her face ablaze, her hair coming down. It wasn't supposed to be
like this!
Where---
Jennifer thrust flowers into her hand as the doors opened.
Music.
She was on!
Nolan looked up.
There she was. Maybe this was going to happen after all. She was here.
Looking like she'd been in a strong wind, but still---
He gave her an encouraging smile, and her face lit up.
A few moments later, she stood by his side.
"It was worth the wait."
Nolan's whispered words reached Gwen's ears just as the
minister said:
"Dearly beloved..."
