Driving in the Dark

I have no idea what's going on here.  Inspired by watching The Matrix and then driving my dad to the train station on a foggy night.

--------

Happily Ever After

Happily Ever After  

Lou dragged James out to the courtyard to shake some sense into him.  He trailed along behind like a puppet on broken strings, stumbling almost drunkenly to keep up with her and seemingly unaware of the damage he’d done.  Once in the shadows of her favorite poplar trees, far from the prying eyes of the other party guests, Lou paused to take hold of James’ shoulders and literally shook him.

“Are you insane?” she demanded to know, though she obviously had her own ideas on the subject.  “You’re throwing your life away!”

“So getting married ruins your life?” James shot back.  He shrugged her off.  “Then why the hell are you doing it?”

“Your brother and I – ”

“You and my brother are bloody idiots, same as everyone else here.”

Lou reached out to him again, only to be rebuked, none too gently.  “You don’t mean that.  You’re not thinking clearly, Jamsey.”

“Don’t call me that!” he barked, shoving her so roughly she stumbled in her fancy ball gown.  He felt sorry the minute he did it – God, she looked beautiful – but there was no turning back after this night.  He fought to reach some semblance of calm, then exhaled slowly.  “Adi’s good enough for me.  We work well enough.  Why shouldn’t she be my wife?”

“I…I just…”  Lou pursed her lips, willing him to look at her.  He wouldn’t.  There was a laundry list of reasons, the same reasons his father would be throwing at him soon enough.  Adrienne was tawdry.  Adrienne was loose.  Adrienne was a bad influence.  But Lou could almost overlook all that, if she thought James actually loved her enough to make that kind of commitment.  She sat heavily on a nearby stone bench, the cold seeping through the taffeta princess gown, and decided upon, “Adi was just never the kind of girl I pictured you marrying.”

“Oh, yeah?  Me neither,” he replied, snide.  “I always thought – always hoped – I’d find someone…”  He shook his head and turned back towards the party lights, letting the meaning linger between them.  He’d made it clear enough over the last few years, after he’d broken free of his awkward teen years, after he’d come to realize what a jerk his brother had been and how wonderful Louisa always was and certainly always would be.

“James,” she sighed, and she could say no more.  They both shivered at the sound of his name on her lips.