The rain hammered the skylight, each drop a tiny, sharp strike against the glass, a rhythmic, maddening drum.
"It rained that night too," Gwen whispered, her voice rough, strained from a grief that had never silenced. She lifted her wine glass as it caught the faint reflecting lights. She held it steady for a moment, staring at the wine she had been drinking. She swirled her wine glass and sighed. "The night you left this world,...it wept too,"
A sharp clap of thunder rattled the windows, dragging a panicked gasp from her throat.
"The rainy season," she muttered, her eyes tracing the dim edges of the room, every shadow, every corner, a place Arthur used to occupy. "All it does is bring gloom." A low, dangerous hum built in her throat. "Why can't the rain disappear too?"
With a sudden, violent motion, she hurled the wine glass against the wall. The crash exploded through the living room, shards scattering across the floor like tiny, glittering knives.
She collasped onto the sofa, the mantle above her, was a protrait of her and her late fiancé, Arthur, smiling down with eternal warmth, the protrait a cruel remind of what was lost.
"I'm trying to be fine, but each time it rains, your memory comes back like a flood. The night you died, it rained too." Her voice broke. "You can't hear me now, but God, Arthur...I really miss you."
She covered her face with trembling hands, the scent of expensive wine clinging to the air, as she lay there, spoke into the silence, and remembered that night like it was yesterday.
That morning, a bright sun had promised an easy day. Gwen, all excited, was out with her best friend Luna. The mission for the day; wedding dress hunting.
"I hope this is the last shop," Luna groaned, dragging her feet dramatically. "I'm exhausted," Gwen laughed, tugging her toward the boutique door.
"You're such a dramatic woman. Are you seriously out of breath from shopping?"
"Shopping is a sport," Luna argued. "You just happen to be good at it. I'm a click and deliver type of girl."
"But online orders sometimes mess up the sizes," Gwen countered. "I prefer to know exactly what I'm getting." Gwen said as she pushed open the heavy glass door. The scent of linelace and delicate perfume instantly welcomed them.
"Yeah, yeah," Luna conceded with a theatrical roll of her eyes.
"Hello, Welcome to The Happy Bride's Shop." the attendant greeted warmly. "If I may ask, who might be the lucky bride?"
"I am. My name is Gwenevere Johnson," Gwen beamed, pulling her shoulders back.
"It's lovely to meet you, and congratulations, Miss Johnson. Do you have a preference in mind?"
"Thank you so much, and a Ballgown dress is what I want," Gwen replied, eyes sparkling.
"I want a dress that sucks the oxygen out of the room. It should draw everyone's attention, all eyes on me. And when my fiancé sees it, he should want to rip it off me." she said with a wide smile.
"Alright, bridezilla!" Luna chimed in.
They all giggled together, the sound light and optimistic echoing across the boutique.
"Alright ladies, this way." The attendant directed them. "I'm going to show you some favourites. You can pick some, and try them on."
"Perfect. Let's get started."
One hour later, a triumphant, joyous shriek pierced the boutique.
"This is my dress!"
Gwen's voice tore through the boutique, ringing with the certainty of absolute joy. The attendant rushed over, a wide, relieved smile on her face, but it was Luna's reaction that truly mattered. Luna stood stock still, hands clasped over her mouth, her eyes welling up with happy tears.
Gwen stood on the pedestal, glowing. The dress was tagged, 'The Starlight Ballgown', it looked like it had been made for her. Its ivory satin shimmered softly, the fitted bodice hugging her waist before flowing into a full, dramatic skirt. A layer of tulle gave it a gentle glow, and tiny crystals along the hem caught the light with every turn.
"It's breathtaking, Gwen," Luna whispered, dabbing at her eyes. "Arthur is going to literally drool. You look gorgeous."
Gwen didn't need the confirmation. She could already picture Arthur's reaction, the stunned warmth in his gaze.
She reached for her phone to tell him, she found her dress, but before she could call him, her phone rang, his contact picture flashing on the screen.
"Hello, baby," she breathed, still watching her reflection. "I found the perfect dress. You have to see it."
Arthur's warm laugh crackled through the phone, "Isn't it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?"
"Please," she scoffed. "No one believes that. Just come see it."
"Alright, my baby," he chuckled. "I'm already heading into town. Thought we could grab brunch. Where are you two hiding?"
"Brunch sounds amazing," Gwen said, rubbing her stomach. "We haven't eaten, and Luna's obviously starving."
"Absolutely starving!" Luna shouted from the velvet sofa.
"We're at the Happy Bride's Shop," Gwen said, stepping off the pedestal. "Let me send you my location,"
"Perfect, I'll be there soon."
Thirty minutes later, Arthur arrived, and the moment he stepped into the boutique, the whole shop dimmed from his handsomeness. But his gaze immediately fell on Gwen, and he froze, utterly captivated.
"Gwenevere," he whispered, the sound reverent. "It's perfect. You're perfect. You are truly beautiful. You look absolutely beautiful in white."
She got into his space, overwhelmed by the sheer power of his love. She said, "I know, right? I am gorgeous! Also, thank you, Arthur Scott." Gwen said affectionately. 💗
He kissed her deeply, pulling her closer and closer with every second of the kiss, until Luna cleared her throat loudly.
"Ahem! Can we please go eat now? This is my lunch hour." stepping between them dramatically.
Arthur laughed. "Alright, Luna, moment ruined. I already made reservations at our favourite spot."
"Thank God," Luna sighed. "Your woman has dragged me everywhere. Food is my reward."
"And thank you for helping your best friend pick the perfect dress." Arthur said sarcastically as he held Gwen in his arms.
"You're welcome."
"Miss Johnson, everything has been finalized. You can now make the payment and get the dress." the attendant said as she worked into the room.
"Alright, thank you," Gwen responded as she enjoyed the warmth of her fiancé's hug.
After all payments were made, they all headed straight to the restaurant. Gwen rode with Arthur as Luna drove Gwen's car. As they drew closer to the restaurant, Arthur kept glancing at Gwen in the mirror, happy that the woman next to him would be his wife. As they arrived in the parking lot of the restaurant, Arthur handed her a gift box wrapped in a silver ribbon.
"A gift?" she asked
"It's an 'I found the dress gift," he replied.
"But don't open it now. Open it when you get home. It's also a promise gift,"
"A promise." she asked with surprise.
"Yes, a promise of forever." His voice dropping to a low rumble that always made her knees weak. "A promise that, no matter what happens, you are always the best thing in my life."
Gwen was happy by his words, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and responded with a, "Thank you." But before she could say or do anything further, Luna interrupted.
"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww, you guys are adorable. can we go eat now? I am starving. Save the romance for later." Luna signed loudly from the outside as she heard and saw everything. They laughed about Luna's comment and finally went into the restaurant where they all enjoyed their lunch and time together.
An hour later, Arthur headed back to work, leaving the two ladies to return to the apartment. As they drove, the sky darkened, foreshadowing the coming rain. By the time they arrived, the first drops of rain had started to fall. Inside the apartment, they showered, freshened up, and collapsed onto the sofa. Luna fell asleep almost instantly while Gwen rested against the cushions. the apartment was quiet and smelt of fresh linen as she played with her phone. Gwen had dozed off for a bit when her phone rang and woke her up. It wasn't Arthur. She answered with a tired, confused "Hello?"
It was Fay, Arthur's twin sister, her voice shaky and strained.
"Gwen...hi? There was an accident. His car - the police called." Fay's breath hitched. " A van being chased by the police...hit his car. He was coming back from work."
The room faded around Gwen, her emotions surging all at once. As she tried to make sense of everything Fay was telling her, panic crept in as she spoke into the phone, awakening Luna at the sound of her strained voice.
"Which hospital?" Gwen asked, confused and panicking
The call ended quickly. Gwen set the phone down, staring at the gift box on the table.
"Luna," she whispered, already standing. "We have to go, It's Arthur."
Luna's eyes were instantly filled with alarm. She immediately jumped up to get the car keys. They got dressed quickly and rushed out into the pouring rain. The drive there was tense and quiet. The only sound was the steady pounding of the storm. Gwen kept her eyes on the road, holding onto the hope that getting there fast enough would make a difference.
They finally arrived at the hospital, not minding getting an umbrella.' Gwen and Luna quickly rushed to the emergency room. The emergency room was a jarring shift from the outside world. The atmosphere there already felt like despair.
They found Fay, her younger sister Elaine, and their parents huddled near a reception desk. Arthur's mother, usually a pillar of gentle strength, was trembling, held tightly by her husband. Fay ran towards Gwen, but before she could speak, the words got caught in her throat. The group's collective silence was already a premonition of what's come.
Gwen, still dripping rainwater onto the polished floor, moved past Fay and her family, her gaze fixed on the doors to the trauma unit.
Just then, the trauma unit door opened, and a doctor approached the assembled group. He looked troubled and evasive, his green scrubs streaked with something dark. He didn't waste time with formalities. He knew what he had to deliver.
"Are you the family of Arthur Scott?" he asked, his voice low and sincere.
Arthur's father nodded, unable to speak.
The doctor's expression softened into one of deep pity. "I am so sorry. We did everything we could, but the impact was too severe. His injuries were catastrophic. Arthur Scott was pronounced dead at 20:47pm."
The hospital noise, the rolling gurneys, the alarms, and the distant shouts all faded away.
CRACK!
At that precise moment, a violent clap of thunder ripped through the sky directly overhead. It was a shattering, aggressive sound, instantly followed by the rain outside intensifying into a savage, pounding rhythm against the glass.
The sound and the finality of the doctor's words were too much. The walls of reality Gwen and Arthur built crumbled. She looked at the doctor, then at Arthur's parents, and finally, at the frantic, crying face of Luna.
The memory of Arthur, his promise of forever, and the untouched gift box combined to create a weight she could no longer bear. Her knees gave out. Without a sound, Gwen collapsed onto the cold, hard floor of the hospital. The only sound was the furious, weeping rain of the heavens.