BEAUTIFULLY UNFINISHED novel Chapter 57

FIFTY-SIX

M I R A N D A

"Dear friends and family, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Audrey and Harry in marriage. In the years they have been together, their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife." The priest begins to say.

Husband and wife.

Those three simple words that came out from the priest' mouth were like huge and massive slingshots that hit me pretty damn hard straight to the face.

I was just quiet the entire time the mass was going on but I wasn't listening to the priest. I was just quiet because I don't want to be here. I don't wanna attend this wedding. I don't wanna see Harry getting married to this woman who I loathe to death.

God! I don't understand what I feel right now. I think that I'm being too selfish cos I want Harry to be mine. I want Harry to stop this wedding but I'm stuck in a relationship with Louis. I feel bad that I'm saying I'm stuck with Louis, as if I don't have any choice.

I kept my eyes glued on Harry as he sits there awkwardly right next to Audrey. She looks so excited and so happy but Harry looked remorseful.

"Anyone against this wedding, speak now or forever hold your peace." The priest says out loud.

My breathing stopped.

Me. My heart is screaming.

I wanna stop this marriage. I wanna stand and stop it but I can't.

I see Harry gazing at me over his shoulder.

Does he want me to stop it?

I quickly bent my head down when I saw Louis glaring at me, even though my heart is screaming loud that I want to stop it, I can't do anything about it.

"Do you Maria Audriana Chamberlain take Harold Edward Styles to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?" The priest asked the question I hate hearing.

I could see Audrey's smile stretches widely across her face. She looks so sure of her answer and I hate it.

I totally hate her.

"Yes Father. I do." She says.

I sigh heavily but my eyes were glued to Harry. I wanna focus my attention on him. I wanna look at him when he says his I do. Even though I can only see the right side of his face, I can feel it that he doesn't want this. I know he doesn't want this. I know he doesn't want to be here. I know he doesn't wanna get married yet.

He takes a deep breath in and exhales heavily.

"Do you Harold Edward Styles take Maria Audriana Chamberlain to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?" The priest asked Harry.

He didn't answer right away unlike Audrey. There was complete silence inside the entire church and my heart is beating ridiculously fast because Harry isn't even talking yet. He's just staring at his fingers that were on his lap then pulled his head up to the priest.

My eyes travelled to Audrey and she looked at Harry like she's about to kill him. She doesn't like this but my heart a pounding hard because of it.

"I repeat." The priest says firm.

Murmurs are everywhere.

He glances at Harry. "Do you Harold Edward Styles take Maria Audriana Chamberlain to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"

My eyes travelled to Louis and he was clenching his jaws hard. I could tell that he's nervous as well. Liam, Niall and Zayn were busy looking at each other and they looked puzzled too. The entire church started buzzing and little murmurs were beginning to be heard but I was still quiet. I glanced at Audrey and she began to worry because Harry's just quiet and the people inside the church started talking. I'm beginning to feel tensed.

What if he won't say his I Do? What if he will not marry Audrey?

"M-m-mom...." Ben calls out.

I moved my head to Ben and he looks bothered too even though he doesn't know what was going on.

"Yes sweetie?" I answered him.

"W-what's g-going on?" He asked.

"W-why isn't daddy Ha-Harry answering the p-priest?" He added.

I cupped his cheeks. "I don't know as well sweetheart."

Louis moved his head to me then travelled his eyes to Ben. "He'll answer the priest Ben." Louis says so surely.

Ben and I synchronized in moving our heads to Louis. But the way Louis looks makes me feel uneasy, he looks nervous too just like I am but his voice sounds so sure that Harry will answer the priest. He's so determined that Harry will say his I Do.

But will Harry do it?

"Harry will answer him." He says again.

I'm sorry Louis but I hope Harry won't marry Audrey. I hope he won't say his I Do. I hope he will ditch her. I hope he will humiliate her in front of everyone.

I'm so sorry Louis.

I gulped. Damn Harry's silence is making me nervous. I thought.

"I'm so sure he will. He better answer him." He continues but looked very troubled.

"Mr. Styles." The priest calls out.

Harry gazes at the priest then bends his head down low again without looking at Audrey. He pushes the escaping tendrils of his hair off his face but still kept his head bent down low.

"Harry what's going on?" I hear Audrey calling Harry's attention.

Harry sighs and shakes his head.

"Harry. What the hell is going on with you?" Audrey spits but he ignores her.

He's still not answering. He's just sitting there quietly. He's making me and everyone else even more eager what his answer is gonna be and it's driving me totally insane.

"I repeat once more." The priest says again.

I think I'm going to have chest pain! The thrill is killing me already.

"Do you Harold Edward Styles take Maria Audriana Chamberlain to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?" The priest asked for the third time.

"What the f Harry." Audrey spits.

I bite my lower lip hard and got even more nervous every second.

Come on Harry! Speak up! I thought to myself as I continue on biting my lip.

God damn it Harry! Just say it. Say what you wanna say. You're already making me hope you won't say your I Do. You're making me totally anxious right now. I cursed mentally.

•••••

H A R R Y

I want Rose to stop this wedding but I know she won't do it.

"Do you Harold Edward Styles take Maria Audriana Chamberlain to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?" The priest asked for the third time.

I exhale heavily.

What's wrong with you, Styles? I scolded myself.

I've practiced this. I've thought about this thoroughly these past few days. I've decided on my answer and I was so sure about it. I'm so sure of my I Do. I know I was going to say it today. I even practiced saying it in front of the mirror every night or when I'm at the office. I was so sure about this last night. I was so sure that I was going to say it for my upcoming baby with Audrey but why do I feel like backing-out right now?

It's just two words. Now say it. I scolded myself.

I hear Audrey calling out for my attention. I hear the people inside the church already murmuring and it was growing louder but I'm still gathering my thoughts. I take a deep breath in and gazed at my side. I see Rose over my shoulder and she was looking at me too.

I need to do this. I know I need to. I've promised Louis that Im going to do this. I gave my word to Louis and we've talked about it man to man.

But I honestly don't want to say my I Do because I don't wanna be with Audrey. I've realIzed that I don't wanna spend my lifetime with her but it's all too late now. It's too late. I can't back out. I wanna be with Rose so bad but I know I need to do this for my second child and for Audrey too.

But what about Rose? What about Ben? What about this love that I feel for Rose? What about my happiness?

"Mr. Styles we terribly need you to answer." The priest speaks again.

I stared at the priest and he was fixing his glasses while flying his eyes on me.