back from London just for this occasion.
At the back of the church, the bridesmaids were milling about preparing to begin the ceremony. Ashley said “Where the heck is she? I am going to go over to the room to get her if she doesn’t come in here soon.” Outside on the street, Michael was taking a breather before the service. He was surprised that Fiore’s henchmen weren’t stationed at the door to keep him out. He had already selected a seat near the exit. He wanted to be far enough away so he could not see Kristen or Anthony’s faces.
Through the open window, he could hear the organ start playing. The wedding was starting early! Michael had second thoughts and decided that he was not going to go inside. He could not bear losing her and he began to walk away.
Then he thought again that someone had to save her. He would have to put his own feelings aside. She was his childhood friend and he owed it to her. She had no one else.
Michael opened the church door and held it with one hand as he looked at his watch.
It was six minutes before the hour…
He straightened his shoulders and confidently said to himself as he entered the church,
“I am the one.”
The door swung closed with a loud thud behind him and he quickly hurried down the aisle towards the altar…
As he looked ahead he noticed Anthony and Marco waiting with their backs to him. There was no Kristen in sight! People in the middle pews turned their heads around and watched him curiously. Michael turned on his heels and retreated back out the door. Figuring that Kristen was still in the church somewhere, he made his way over to the side of the building to look for another way to get inside. He found an open door leading to a back area.
As he stepped in, he heard someone sobbing at the end of the hallway. He rushed down it and saw Kristen in her room slumped over the dressing table. Michael quietly stood behind her and patted her shoulder.
Kristen looked up. She couldn’t believe he was there. He lifted her from the chair and held her as she cried, “Oh, Michael. I don’t know what I am going to do? I can’t marry Anthony. He's like a stranger now!” She began to tell him all about Anthony, and then went on to relay her tale about the dark and even more perplexing relationship that she had with Karl.
It was hard to take it all in, but Michael listened patiently. As she finished, he looked doubtful, but sweetly smiled. “Wow! Both of them seem pretty evil. I am sorry to hear you have had it so rough lately. It’s alright Kristen. Just come with me. I’ll get you out of here.” She looked sadly down at her wedding bouquet and picked it up. Michael put his arm around her shoulders and led her back outside. She felt safe with him.
They started walking and realized neither had a car there. All that was available was the Cinderella carriage. As they approached the Coachman, Michael said “Let’s go!” The man looked confused that the wedding was finished so early. He had been waiting for the newly married Fiores and had no idea that Michael was not the groom.
Kristen began to climb into the small seat, but then changed her mind and stepped back down. She said “Michael, I should probably go back in there and explain things.” He looked nervously towards the church and replied, “I don’t think that would be a good idea for you to do that. You really need to get out of here!” Kristen said “Anthony deserves the chance to tell me his side of the story.” He won’t do anything to me.” Michael softly answered “You can’t be sure of that.”
He knew that Kristen had a lot going on in her life and that he had not been around for most of it. Being with her now, it was even more painfully obvious that he was not quite in the picture yet. Michael sadly shrugged. “I might not be the one you want Kristen. But I am going to make damn sure that Fiore isn’t either. We need to leave now!”
Kristen then had a strange feeling, like some powerful force was pulling her towards the church. She broke away from Michael and held her hand up. With a glazed look in her eyes she said “No, I can’t go with you. I have made up my mind. I know Anthony loves me and I am not willing to lose him. I am so sorry.” Kristen slowly went up the church steps. As she opened the door she glanced back at Michael and smiled. “Really Mikey, I will be alright.” Defeated, Michael looked at the ground and said quietly “I’ll be around. You’ll need me.” He watched her disappear and knew he should follow, but the heavy weight in his heart held him down.
Kristen slowly looked in and noticed that the church had now become strangely dark, illuminated in the back only by a row of six black floor candles. A sole white candle burned in the middle of the altar, enveloping it in a shadow that reached to the ceiling. Kristen wrapped her hands tightly around her bouquet and stepped back to the side foyer. Her bridesmaids were overjoyed to see her and surrounded her as they finally prepared to get in line for the processional.
The organ struck a low chord and Kristen appeared in the doorway. Anthony turned around, mesmerized by her presence. Her Godfather came up to take her arm as she drew in a deep breath and began her long walk towards Anthony and her destiny.
As his bride slowly approached him, Anthony looked nervously at Karl who was now seated in the front with his arms folded across his chest. Karl slowly nodded his head and Anthony reached back into his pocket and pulled out the black veil. Kristen’s eyes filled with horror! Panic seized her body and she froze in place.
Anthony menacingly began to walk down the altar steps holding the veil out before him. As he came closer to Kristen, The Black Veil members stood up in their pews. As if she was in a centrifuge, their faces began to whirl about as their expressions grew darker. They leaned towards her as her mind clouded over and her legs began to lose strength as she felt herself being lifted from the floor.
A massive wind blew the church door open and light filled the chapel as Michael appeared. Without a word, he raced to Kristen and joyfully lifted her up into his arms. As he carried her back outside, Kristen squinted as the bright sun now danced into her eyes. “Michael, I am so glad you are here! I can’t believe that Anthony was one of them. I was so scared.”
Michael swiftly took her to a safe distance down the block and placed her firmly back onto the ground. As they both looked back toward the church, they saw that the Cinderella carriage was now gone. Michael nervously laughed. “Looks like I am going to have to carry you all the way off this island.” Kristen whispered and softly held his hand. “Please don’t leave me Michael. Please don’t let me go.”
Michael began to kiss her as he pulled her back into his arms. “Don’t worry Kristen, I love you. I have always loved you. I will never let go of you again!”
THE END
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