A Bride Rewritten

We finally made it to the County Clerk's Office with only fifteen minutes to spare before they stopped processing marriage licenses. Our friends were already gathered at the bottom of the steps, urging us to go inside. "Come on, get in there! After everything you two have been through, you finally made it in time for the eighth try!" My best friend, Ryan Chapman, had red-rimmed eyes as he reached over and straightened my tie for me. I was just about to walk inside when Chester Snyder, Melissa's childhood friend, suddenly spoke from the back seat. "Wait. My lucky bracelet broke. I need to fix it first." I stopped. Melissa stopped, too. "Okay. No rush." Chester lowered his head and began adjusting the bracelet, then looked up at me with a smile. "Don't worry, Zane. I will have it fixed in a minute. "I made these lucky bracelets especially for the two of you. They are supposed to bring good luck and help keep your marriage smooth." When he finished, he casually handed his phone to Melissa. "Can you hold this for me?" Melissa took it without a word. The chatter around us suddenly died. The friends who had been cheering us on moments ago exchanged uneasy looks. I looked at Melissa. "Melissa, the County Clerk's Office stops processing marriage licenses at five. "If we go in now, we will make it just in time." Melissa frowned and glanced at the time. "I'm already here. A few more minutes won't make a difference." I watched her stand beside the car, patiently waiting while Chester fixed his bracelet. Then, suddenly, I smiled. I lowered my head, took out my phone, and sent a message to a number I knew by heart. [You said that if the eighth attempt failed, you'd consider giving me a chance.] [Get to the County Clerk's Office before five.] Chapter 1 The moment I sent the message, my phone buzzed. There was only one reply: [Okay.] I stared at that single word for two seconds before locking my phone. The electronic clock outside the County Clerk's Office had just changed to 4:46 pm. Fourteen minutes until closing. My best friend, Ryan Chapman, was practically beside himself. "Zane, we really cannot put this off again. "Did you forget what happened last time? You waited out in the cold all day and we missed the deadline by five minutes. The office closed, and you didn't get your marriage license. "Getting a marriage license isn't as simple as signing your name. We have to fill out the forms, verify the documents, take pictures and sign everything. Every step takes time. "If we don't go in now, we are going to waste another whole day." Our friends joined in, trying to convince her. "Melissa, just go inside first. You can fix the bracelet anytime. Nothing is more important than getting your marriage license." Even the security guard standing by the door gave us a friendly warning. "If you are here to get your marriage license, you’d better hurry." "The windows close at five sharp. Once the system shuts down, there is nothing anyone can do." After he said that, the area around us fell even quieter. Everyone was looking at Melissa Jones. However, she was still standing beside the car, holding Chester Snyder's phone for him. Chester had his head down as he carefully rearranged the lucky bracelet in his hands. "Melissa, is this right? Take a look for me." Melissa nodded. "Yeah." I actually laughed from sheer frustration. "Melissa, do you even know what day it is today?" A flicker of guilt flashed across her face. "Zane, relax. I know what I'm doing. I won't let us miss it." Not let us miss it? Today was already the eighth time she and I had agreed to get our marriage license. The first time, I had booked a photographer three days in advance. I had put on my suit and waited for her. Then, Chester suddenly got a stomachache. Melissa never showed up. She said she had to take Chester to the hospital. The second time, I had prepared all the paperwork for the marriage license and brought my identification documents. We had even scheduled an appointment. Then, Chester said a light bulb in his house had burned out and he was afraid of the dark. Melissa told me we could do it another day. ... The seventh time, I had every document ready. The only thing left was for her to arrive so we could get the license. Then, Chester's cat went missing. Chapter 2 She spent the entire afternoon helping him look for it. Every time Melissa and I were supposed to get our marriage license, Chester somehow had another emergency. Every single time, Melissa pushed our wedding plans back for him. The electronic clock outside the County Clerk's Office changed again. 4:48 pm. Ryan grabbed my wrist. "Zane, we have twelve minutes left. We really cannot wait anymore." I nodded. Then, I looked at Melissa. "Melissa, come inside with me. We are getting our marriage license now. "Right now." Melissa finally looked up. However, there was a trace of impatience in her eyes. "Zane, can you stop rushing me? "I already told you we aren't going to miss it. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of these few minutes? "Chester is fixing the lucky bracelet again so our marriage will go smoothly. "Can you try to be reasonable?" Chester immediately chimed in. "Yeah, Zane. Melissa and I went to a lot of trouble to prepare this bracelet. It is supposed to bring good luck and make sure your marriage goes smoothly. "It broke all of a sudden today. If I don't fix it properly, what if something goes wrong with your marriage later? "I'm only doing this for your sake." He said it so calmly, as if he truly believed he was helping me. Melissa sighed and looked at me with an exasperated expression. "Zane, stop making a fuss." Making a fuss? I couldn't help but laugh when I heard that. So, from her perspective, Chester making everyone wait while he fussed over his lucky bracelet was not making a fuss. I was the one making a fuss because I wanted to get our marriage license on time. The electronic clock in the County Clerk's Office changed again. 4:49 pm. Inside the lobby, the staff had already started organizing their paperwork and getting ready to leave. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then, I looked at Melissa and spoke slowly, making sure she heard every word. "Melissa, I have to have that license in my hands before five." Melissa frowned, looking increasingly annoyed. Then, Chester suddenly let out a little gasp. The very next second, the lucky bracelet in his hands snapped again. Several tiny charms scattered across the floor with a series of soft metallic clinks. Chester's eyes instantly filled with tears. He dropped to his knees and frantically started gathering them. "How did this happen...? "I was almost finished fixing it. "Melissa, help me look. We cannot lose even one." Melissa was just about to bend down when Ryan finally lost his patience. "Chester, are you ever going to stop? "Today is Zane and Melissa's wedding day, not the day for you to sit here playing with a lucky bracelet!" Chester's hand froze. He looked up, his eyes glistening with tears. "Playing? "Ryan, how can you say that about me? "This is a lucky bracelet. I spent so much time preparing it specially so their marriage would go smoothly." He bit his lip and looked at me, his voice trembling with hurt. "Zane, I really am doing this for your sake. "Is it really wrong for me to want your marriage to be happy and successful?" Even our friends could not stand it anymore. Someone tried to reason with him. "Chester, why don't you stop looking for it for now? "You can find it after they get the license. We really don't have enough time." Chester immediately shook his head. "How is that the same? "You are supposed to wear the lucky bracelet when you get the marriage license. "That is how it brings good luck and makes sure the marriage goes smoothly. "If you don't wear it, what if something goes wrong with their marriage later?" As he spoke, tears slid down his cheeks. "I just want everything to go smoothly today. "Why does everyone think I'm causing trouble?" The moment he said that, Melissa's expression darkened. She stepped in front of Chester and faced everyone. "That’s enough. "Chester was only trying to help." Chapter 3 "Can you all stop being so pushy?" Then she turned to me. "Zane, just wait two more minutes. "As soon as Chester fixes the lucky bracelet, we will go inside and get our marriage license." Wait? I couldn't help laughing when I heard that. "Melissa, do you remember the last time?" She froze for a second. I continued. "On our fifth anniversary. "We agreed we'd go get our marriage license. However, you said Chester had low blood sugar and asked me to wait for you in the lobby for ten minutes. I ended up waiting until the County Clerk's Office closed. "Then you finally texted me and said he wasn't doing well, so you had to take him home first. You said we could get the license another time." Melissa's expression changed. "That was a special situation. He really was feeling awful." I nodded. "What about my birthday? "He sprained his ankle, and you took him to the hospital while I waited for you at the County Clerk's Office. "And on Valentine's Day, his ex showed up and caused a scene. You told me he was scared and asked me to wait two more days before we got our marriage license." With everything I brought up, Melissa's expression grew darker. Chester, however, started crying. "Zane, are you blaming me for all those things? "They were all accidents. I couldn't help it." I looked at him and shook my head. "I'm not blaming you." Then I glanced down at my phone. It was 4:51 pm, which meant I had only nine minutes left before the County Clerk's Office closed. Slowly, I put the documents back into my bag. When I spoke, my voice was calm. "Go ahead. Fix it. "I won't rush you anymore. "However, today, I'm getting that marriage license." ... At 4:53 pm, my parents called. My mom sounded excited. "Zane, did you get the license? "Your dad and I have all the food ready. "Your uncle and everyone else will be here soon. We are all waiting for you two to come home and celebrate." The moment I heard that, it felt like something had lodged itself in my throat. I could not say a word. Ryan could not hold back anymore. His eyes were red as he spoke. "Mrs. Stewart, they still haven't gotten it. "Melissa's childhood friend broke his lucky bracelet. Melissa wants to wait until he fixes it before they get their marriage license." Silence filled the other end of the phone. After a full two seconds, my dad finally spoke, his voice tight with anger. "Is Melissa there?" Melissa frowned, but she answered anyway. "Mr. Stewart, I'm here." My dad's voice was low and heavy. "Melissa, you and Zane have been together for seven years. "He has spent the best years of his life waiting to marry you, only to be humiliated again and again. "You two keep saying you are going to get married, but every single time something involving someone else gets in the way. "Does that make any sense to you?" My mom tried to reason with her too. "Melissa, do you know Zane got up at five this morning to get ready for today? "He had his suit pressed three times and changed his tie twice. "We already decorated the house for the wedding. "The food is all set out on the table. All our relatives and friends know you two are getting your marriage license today..." By the end, my mom's voice was trembling. "And this is already the eighth time!" "Can you not get the license with Zane first? "Can Chester's bracelet not be fixed after you get it?" Melissa was speechless. Chester, however, spoke through his tears. "Mrs. Stewart, you cannot say that. "This lucky bracelet is supposed to bring good luck and make their marriage go smoothly. If it breaks, that means something unlucky could happen." "I'm already trying to fix it. I will have it repaired soon. It won't delay their marriage license. "I'm sorry." Chapter 4 "I just wanted to give them my blessing. I never expected something like this to happen..." His voice was soft and hurt, as if everyone had ganged up on him. Melissa immediately frowned. "Chester, don't say that." Then, she looked at the phone, her voice turning colder. "Mr. Stewart, Mrs. Stewart, I know you are worried. "However, Chester is only trying to help. "He went out of his way to get that lucky bracelet for us. "Now that it has fallen apart, I cannot just leave him to deal with it by himself." My dad was so angry that his voice changed. "What about Zane? "Is he supposed to keep waiting for you?" Melissa was silent for a moment before making a promise. "I will take Zane to get the marriage license. If we don't make it this time, we will do it next time. "Don't worry. I will definitely marry him." Next time. After seven years, I had lost count of how many times I had heard those words. I took a deep breath and reached for the phone. "Mom, Dad, don't worry. "I'm getting my marriage license today." Then, I hung up. Melissa stared at me, her eyebrows knit tightly together. "Zane, do you really have to pressure me like this?" I looked up at her, a terrifying calm settling over me. So she knew. She knew that if we kept wasting time, we would not get the marriage license today. She knew my parents were waiting, our friends were waiting, and she knew exactly how humiliating it was for me to be left behind again and again. Despite this, even knowing all that, she still chose to make me wait. I looked at her. "Pressure you? "You think getting a marriage license with me is pressuring you?" Melissa's expression darkened. "Zane, stop making a fuss!" I did not answer. I lowered my eyes to my phone. Another message had appeared in the chat with that number. [Almost there.] At 4:56 pm, the security guard poked his head out from the doorway again. "Are you two getting this done or not? "You have four minutes left. "If you don't come inside now, you really won't be able to do it today." Ryan was so anxious that tears had started filling his eyes. "Melissa, did you hear him? We only have four minutes!" Our friends started speaking up too. "Melissa, just go inside. "Don't let Zane wait all this time only to be left hanging again." Melissa looked at Chester. He clutched the lucky bracelet in his hands, his eyes red from crying. "Melissa, why don’t you go inside with him? "I will be fine. "I'm just an outsider anyway. "My blessing isn't that important." After saying that, he lowered his head and started searching for the tiny charms again. His shoulders trembled slightly. Melissa's expression changed. She hurried over to comfort him. "Don't say that. "You aren't an outsider." The moment those words left her mouth, the entire area fell silent. Everyone looked at me with sympathy. However, I felt completely calm. I calmly took my identification documents out of my bag, then turned and walked toward the entrance of the County Clerk's Office. Behind me, Melissa suddenly stood up. "Zane, what are you doing?" I looked at the clock above the County Clerk's Office entrance. "I told you. "I'm getting my marriage license this time. "So, I'm going inside to submit the paperwork." Melissa's face instantly hardened. She hurried after me and grabbed my wrist. "Zane, stop making a fuss. "If I don't go inside with you, who are you going to marry?" I glanced down at her hand. Then, I slowly pulled my wrist free. "Then I won't marry you." The moment I said those words, the steps fell frighteningly silent. Our friends looked at one another. Someone whispered, "Zane must be really angry. "He is probably just trying to force Melissa to go inside. "You can’t blame him, either." Chapter 5 "It is already the eighth time they have tried to get their marriage license. Who could put up with that?" "If it were me, I'd have gone crazy by now." Their words reached my ears, but I barely reacted. They thought I was throwing a tantrum. They thought I was trying to force Melissa into marrying me. Only I knew the truth. I did not want to wait for her anymore. Just then, Chester stood up, still clutching the broken piece of the lucky bracelet. His eyes were red as he looked at me. "Zane, don't do this. "Getting married is a decision for two people. How can you use something like this to pressure Melissa? "She already came all the way to the County Clerk's Office. She just wants to finish giving you her blessing. "If you pressure her like this, you are only going to hurt her." It was as if Melissa had finally snapped out of it. She looked at me with obvious disappointment. "Zane, when did you become like this? "You used to be so understanding." I stared at her and suddenly found it almost funny. "Understanding? "You mean getting left at the County Clerk's Office seven times and still smiling while saying it is fine?" Melissa swallowed. I continued. "Do you mean watching my parents prepare meal after meal to celebrate with us, only to be disappointed every single time? "Or do you mean standing here while the office closes at five? "Waiting for you to finish helping your childhood friend fix his bracelet?" Her face slowly stiffened. My voice was quiet, but every word was clear. "Melissa, I'm not being unreasonable. I have been understanding for too long. So long that you forgot I can hurt, too." 4:58 pm. A staff member's voice rang through the lobby of the County Clerk's Office. "Last call for anyone getting their paperwork processed. Bring your documents up now. The system is about to shut down." I did not look at Melissa again. I turned and walked into the lobby. Ryan immediately followed, his voice trembling. "Zane..." He wanted to comfort me, but I shook my head. Then, I handed my documents to the clerk. She looked up at me. "Marriage license?" I nodded. "Yes." She glanced behind me. "Where is the bride?" Before I could answer, I heard footsteps behind me. Our friends were practically pushing Melissa into the lobby. "Melissa, stop being stubborn! "You are already here. Just get the license first. "If you keep delaying, Zane really is going to leave you." Melissa looked miserable. She stood behind me, still holding Chester's phone. At that moment, the whole thing struck me as painfully ironic. Even after making it all the way to the County Clerk's Office window, she was still holding something that belonged to another man. I turned to look at her. "Melissa, it is 4:58 pm. The County Clerk's Office is about to close. "I'm asking you one last time. Are you coming in with me?" Everyone in the lobby was watching her. Even the clerk stopped what she was doing. Melissa tightened her grip on the phone, and a flash of panic crossed her eyes. However, it quickly vanished beneath her growing impatience. "Zane, it is already too late. "Let’s do it next time. Once Chester fixes the bracelet, we can bring it with us and get the license. "That way, it will represent good luck." I suddenly laughed. "So it really is the same." Melissa frowned. "What is?" I did not answer. There was no point anymore. 4:59 pm. Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded from the entrance. Everyone instinctively turned to look. A woman in a white wedding dress rushed into the lobby. She walked straight up to me and held out her hand. "Zane, come on. "Let’s get married."