Sneak Peek Saturday...Sunday

So, sneak peek Saturday has rolled into Sunday this time, and let's be honest, it could happen again, but I am still going to see this through! So... here it is, my first unedited can be subject to change sneak peek . #saige

I played the video again.

There it was out in the open, two years later, available for the world to see, a recorded memoir reminding me of my failures. I had been a failure at love, judging a person’s character, and choosing the person to spend the rest of my life with. This video existed because I am a news anchor. I also had a weekly feature where local businesses were highlighted. The job had its perks. I was well known and had an overwhelming social media following. Since my audience was so broad, the studio would utilize my popularity to boost ratings anytime they could. When my producer, Parker, found out I was engaged, he used this to the station’s advantage. Leading up to sweeps week, Parker had the bright idea of having one of those biggest fan contests to let the winning fan live stream my wedding on their social media accounts. I agreed, wanting to share my special day with the world, a big mistake…huge mistake!

There was Larry, the groom to be… my groom to be standing at the altar with beads of sweat pouring down his face. Our family and friends were on their feet, some smiling, some crying as the instrumental song played, and I appeared. I was being escorted down the aisle by my father, who was beaming from ear to ear. We arrived at the steps at the altar, and Larry didn’t walk down to receive me.

Maybe he had forgotten what we rehearsed.

I didn’t question it. I nodded towards the pastor to continue with the next portion of the ceremony. “Who here, gives this woman, Saige Patterson, to be married to this man, Larry Price?” asked Pastor Jacobs.

My mother stood up, and she and my father answered, “We do,” in unison.

My father led me by my hand up the steps towards Larry, and when we arrived at our destination, he placed my hand into Larry’s and retreated to his seat. Pastor Jacobs proceeded on and then boomed, “If there is anyone who has any lawful reason why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace.”

“Ahem,” someone sounded brashly behind me. I whipped around to find out who was playing such a cruel joke , only to find a woman on the groom’s side standing with tears streaming down her face.

“Young lady, what say thee?” asked the pastor.

“They can’t get married,” she answered, raising her voice as she spoke.

“Why, why can’t we get married?” I asked her. I stood there, beginning to tear up.

“Saige,” Larry called, getting my attention.

“What, I’m not being ugly, she’s ruining my day.”

“She’s not ruining your day, I am,” Larry said. “You and I can’t get married because… she’s my wife.”

Everyone in the audience released a loud gasp. My poor grandmother was clutching her pearls and was waving one hand up in the sky as if she was asking the holy spirit to come down and fix it.

“She’s your WHAT?” I hissed.

“Saige, I was… am married to her, to Raven. I had filed for a divorce, but she hasn’t… well, she refuses to sign the papers. So, yeah, I’m legally married.,” he advised.

I sat there gawking at him in disbelief, not knowing what to do at that moment.

“Pastor, what do we do now,” I whispered hoarsely.

“Pastor, this is my responsibility,” Larry stepped up to say. “Saige, my wife showed up and was brave enough to sit at this wedding to watch me exchange vows to another woman.”

“And, are we going to give her a gold star? She wasn’t invited to watch you do anything. The fact that she showed up is actually crazy as hell.”

“Maybe to you, but to me, she is showing me that she still loves me and wants to make amends with me. The truth is, I want to give her another chance. Pastor… I can’t marry Saige because I have a beautiful wife sitting there willing to risk it all and embarrass herself for me.”

“WHAT?” I screamed.

“I can’t do this with you, Saige… I mean now that I think about it, it wouldn’t work with us. The odds are stacked against us.

“I imagine the odds are stacked against us, seeing as though you are still married to someone else.”

“I really do wish you the best with everything, but I’m going back to my wife. I’d feel terrible if I didn’t give us one last try.” Larry advised as he dropped my hand and walked down the aisle. He stopped at the pew his wife was sitting on and took her hand in his and slowly lifted it in the air, then bent down and kissed it as if he was offering her some high honor.

The church was so quiet, the sound of the guests' necks oscillating from me to Larry and from Larry to me was like high hurricane winds pushing over street signs.

I was livid. “What the hell do you mean you are going back to your wife? You think she’s the only embarrassed person that has risked it all for you?”

“I’m sorry, Saige,” he called back to me as they began to walk down the aisle towards the door.