The Invite

The Invite

As she arrived home from work, just as she opened the door, she saw a bouquet of gorgeous peonies laying on the mahogany dinner table. Puzzled and equally intrigued, she quickly took off her shoes, put the grocery bags on the floor and approached the table. Recently, she has been feeling demotivated, her work was a compilation of exhaustive projects and constant demands. Rather than lemons, it seemed like her life had offered her a banana peel on which she slipped; now, she's laying on the ground, not getting up.. Looking at the bouquet she notices a note, engraved with her initials. As she opened the small envelope, she could feel the thickness and glossiness of the paper. It is a paper that was spared no materials and no effort in its production. She read the two beautifully written cursive names next to a date and location of the wedding venue hall. She has been expecting this moment. It felt like only recently she had packed her bags from that apartment. Not wanting to spend a minute longer in a place which was once the source of comfort and warmth and now only painful memories turn to the surface. The person she used to find the closest has now moved on swiftly and oh so happily that he felt the need to flaunt his happiness in her face. She put the envelope down on the table and unwrapped the peonies out of the glossy paper. At the sink she grabbed the biggest cup she had, turned on the tap and let the cold water fill up the vessel. After placing the cluster of flowers in the glass, she placed it next to the envelope. A wave of emotions ran through her. Frustrated at herself for not seeing the obvious signs, angry at him for not respecting what they had, their relationship and spiteful towards her sister for hurting her in the deepest way. Now she gets an invitation to their shotgun wedding where she will have to try on bridesmaid dresses, give her opinion on cake flavors and listen to joyful wishes for their bright future. A future that was once promised to her. But she will be okay. She will water her newly bought plants, she will pick up the dry cleaning and go to work every morning. And only at that moment of realization, she felt quite liberated. Because now she doesn't have to see him get hurt when she tells him she is actually gay.