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278 Jilted

(Jayden)

I stand at the altar, my hands clenched into tight fists, trying to keep my cool as time ticks by. She's late. But Lisa said that Winona sald she needed some time alone. No big deal.

I shift on my feet, adjusting my tie for the hundredth time as I glance at the door and back at Lisa.

It's been almost thirty minutes.

Still no sign of her.

I force myself to breathe slowly. She'll be here. We've been through hell and back to get to this day, and I know Winona. She loves me. There's no doubt in my mind about that.

So, I wait, forcing the nervous energy coursing through my veins to settle down.

But as each second passes, the tension in the room thickens. People are whispering now, shifting in their seats. Anne gives me a reassuring smile from the other side, and I nod, trying to stay calm. But where the hell is she?

"Bro...this isn't looking good," Lance whispers.

"Shut up. She'll be here. Unless you know something I don't?"

He holds up his hands in protest and steps back. "No, I don't know anything."

"I'm going up there. See if she's okay." Lisa says as she hands her bouquet to Anne.

Sarah and Abby have taken to playing behind the wedding celebrant and Bobby is looking bored behind

Lance.

Whatever happens here today, I need to think of the kids.

It feels like forever but then Lisa is back, heading up the aisle towards me, her head down.

"Jayden," she says, her voice barely above a whisper when she gets to me, "We need to talk. Now."

I follow her out into the back room without hesitation, the buzzing panic I've been holding off crashing over me like a wave. We step into the room, and Lisa closes the door behind us.

"What is it?" I ask, my voice sharper than I intend. "Where's Winona?"

Lisa hesitates, biting her lip. She's pale. Whatever it is, I can tell it's bad.

She talks slowly, her voice trembling. "She's not there."

I freeze. Not there? My brain struggles to process what she's

saying.Têxt belongs to .

"What do you mean, not there?" My voice rises with every word. "Where the hell is she?"

Lisa continues talking, "her dress, veil, everything... it's still on the bed. She's gone, Jayden. She left."

"If you know anything and you aren't telling me, I swear."

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278 Jited

"I promise, I'm as clueless as you."

My fist slams into the wall. Left! Why? How?

My anger is taking me over. We made love the other night. Things were awesome. I need to calm down, I can't do this in front of the kids.

Winona wouldn't just leave. Not with Henry sick. Not today.

Denial flares in my chest, hot and vicious. "She wouldn't just leave! This doesn't make any sense. She wouldn't run out on our wedding. Someone knows something, and I'm going to find out who." I glare at Lisa.

Lisa raises her hands, trying to calm me down. "Jayden, I'm just telling you what I found. She's not there. And the dress, everything... It's laying on the bed."

I pace back and forth, my hands shaking. Winona isn't the type to panic. She wouldn't just bolt like this. Not without a damn good reason. My head is spinning my thoughts a jumble of anger, fear, and confusion This has to have something to do with Cass. She couldn't contact her. Maybe she went there to find her. But why not just wait until after the wedding. Why not tell me?

"How long has she been gone?" I demand, my heart pounding so loud I can barely hear myself think

"I don't know." Lisa looks at me, her eyes wide with worry. "She was ready with us, but then she said she wanted some time alone. So at least thirty minutes. I thought... I thought maybe it was nerves, but now..." "Maybe what was nerves?" I ask

"She was acting differently. She got a call and took it in the bathroom. After that, she sent us down here and said she'd be down soon."

"Do you know who called?

"No. Maybe she really wasn't ready. Maybe it was someone from this past week..."

"She wouldn't do this to me," I state. "Not after everything we've been through. Not with Henry in the hospital."

The image of Henry hooked up to all those machines flashes through my mind. He's still in isolation, still fragile. Winona wouldn't leave him, not when he needs us.

Hell, she's been more worried about him than anything. This can't be right.

"Lisa, she wouldn't just leave." My voice is calmer now, but the anger still simmers beneath the surface, threatening to boil over.

"I know you want to believe that," Lisa says softly, her hand on my arm. "But she's gone, Jayden. We have to figure out what to do. All the guests. The reception."

pull away from her, running a hand through my hair, trying to make sense of this. Winona's not the type to get cold feet. She's been rock solid through all of our ups and downs.

But... What if the hall pass week has changed something? Did Phillip call her?

278 Jilted

No, that's stupid. She'd never consider a relationship with him after what he did to her.

But I don't know what else went on this past week either. There might be someone I don't know about Maybe it's no one in particular but just the fact that she wants more of what she's missed out on. What if, after everything, she realized she wants more?