“Come on, w-wife. Let’s sh-share the good news w-with our kids.” I park the car, step out, and grab Vienna’s small bag, which holds some of her makeup, from the back seat.
But when I reach her, my pulse skyrockets. She’s clutching the door handle, eyes squeezed tight, leaning against the car frame. “Vienna. Wh-what happened?”
“Zane.” Her voice trembles as she calls my name a few more times.
“I’m r-right here.”
She frantically searches for me in the air before grabbing the sleeves of my suit jacket. Her entire frame shivers and her face pales, shaming her wedding gown. “I—I can’t see.”
Her pained words rip my heart. The bag slips from my shoulder, and I pull her closer to me. “Calm d-down.”
“Why can’t I see?” Her trembling voice skates my skin.
“It’s jus-st temporary. Take deep br-reaths, it’ll be okay.”
Her grip on my arm tightens as she waits. But instead of doing as I asked, she holds her breath, waiting for the darkness to pass. A few seconds go by until I feel her eyelids fluttering against my neck.
“I’m scared, Zane.” I know her vision is back, but it gave her a panic attack in its wake.
“I’m here. W-we’ll find a way.” Vienna trembles as I lead her toward the loft. Just before taking the steps to the porch, she loses her balance. I hold her close, my own heart rate escalating.
“Zane.”
“It’s-s okay. I know you’re t-tired.” She’s still in my arms when I open the door and march inside, finally placing her on the guest bedroom bed.
“We crossed the threshold together.” There’s a painful smile on her face, which gives me a bittersweet feeling. “Ours would have been the only fake wedding where all customs were followed to the letter.”
I don’t reply to her joke, because the word fake causes a sour taste in my mouth. Nothing feels false in my heart. When I look at her, I see my beautiful bride still in her wedding gown sprawled on the bed.
“Are you sleepy?” she asks, and I shake my head. “Can we talk for a while?”
I nod because suddenly forming words seems to be harder than usual. Her tight lips slowly curl up, possibly to eradicate the twisted look from my face. “Then you’ll have to help me get up. As pretty as this dress looks, it’s shit heavy. There are several pounds pulling me down.”
I offer her my hand and soon realize she wasn’t wrong about her dress’ weight. With one knee on the edge of her bed, I lean forward, helping to pull her up better.
But fuck, I lose balance and instead topple over her. At the very last second, I manage to put my weight on my elbows before I crush her under me.
“S-sorry.”
But she giggles, peals of laughter escaping from her pink heart-shaped lips. Her carefree smile makes me forget everything else. I can’t believe she’s someone who just had episodic blindness.
And this is just the start. With every passing day, we’ll uncover more symptoms. There are more struggles waiting for Vienna.
My chest clenches at the thought when her nimble fingers glide across my creased forehead and further down to my cheeks, until they graze over my lips. My eyes fall closed.
I try to hold back the jolt of shivers her unfamiliar touch sends my way.
“During the dance, you said this was real. Then let’s make it real for as long as it lasts.”
Her lips are a whisper away from me, but I’ve gone rock solid remembering the reality of our marriage.
“I’m not thinking about a divorce,” she whispers, gripping the lapels of my jacket. “I’m just thinking of the day when…I’m not here.”
Pain shoots through me as I comprehend the meaning behind her words. Before I can tell her that day is very far in the future, definitely several decades away, she whispers, “What if this is the only wedding I ever have? Would it be so bad?”
When I don’t reply immediately, her grip on me loosens. But I immediately grab her retreating hands. I glance at her and hope she can read the conflicting thoughts on my face. Vienna staying married to me forever would be the best fucking thing. But not because she doesn’t have a chance to know and love any other man, but because that would mean she doesn’t want anyone else.
You think you’re that great love of her life? Are you really that stupid, Zane?