Love, Lust, & Loss.

 

Prologue:

Mark, Emily, and Edgar all come from families that have high financial statuses. They all went to a private high school together in New York city where they all shared similar friend groups and knew very well of each other.

 

Mark and Emily had an on and off romantic relationship through- out their time in high school. Their families often went on trips and did business together; because of that, they were both very aware of each-others social status.

They all went on their separate paths for college and seldom kept in-touch. Mark went to college in Florida; whereas Edgar and Emily stayed in New York. They sparked up a romantic relationship which lead to an engagement.

 

Mark found out about the engagement and was livid to find out that his best friend was betrothed to, who he presumed was, the love of his life, and the solution to his current life dilemma. Marks parents had recently separated and his father left the family with little to no money. Due to this situation Mark was unable to fully pay for his final year of college. Knowing very well of Emily’s financial status; he headed out to Hawaii, where the wedding would take place, to try to stop the ceremony and persuade Emily to marry him. Thus, keeping the love of his life with him, and having financial stability to fall back on.  

 

Emily is alone in her dressing room doing final touches before the ceremony begins.

 

Emily to herself: this is it, this is the day. It’s all or nothing, right? I can’t help but to feel guilty though. Why do I feel so anxious? I know damn well these aren’t butterflies. What I feel is more like … dying moths. This isn’t a happy feeling. Edgar is so kind, and good to me. He’s done nothing but love me and care for me. Why am I not more excited about this? Is it because Mark never replied to the invitation? How childish of him. I mean, for the love of God, we dated in high school. Edgar is his best friend, he should be here! Yet, why am I more upset about his silence than Edgar is? Do I still have some sort of feelings for him? No! absolutely not. That can’t be. I just want my future husbands best friend to be here on his special day. It’s what he deserves. All he does is care about everybody. Yet, I can’t seem to share his excitement. It’s almost as if I’m dreading it, like I don’t want to –

 

Mark barges into the dressing room desperate to speak to Emily.

 

Mark: Emily wait!

 

Emily: Mark? I didn’t think you’d come, Edgar is going to be so happy that you’re here!

 

Mark: No. I’m here for you.

 

Emily: chuckles nervously I don’t understand. What do you mean for me?

 

Mark: Emily, I love you. You can’t marry him.

 

Emily: can you hear yourself speak right now? Are you aware of what you just said?

 

Mark: yes. I am fully aware that what I’m saying sounds ridiculous, but it’s the truth. I love you. I never stopped loving you. I’ll never stop loving you.

 

Emily: Mark, stop. We were kids, it’s been years. I’m with Edgar. Your best friend! You can’t do that to him.

 

Mark: Oh, just how he dated and got engaged to the only girl I ever loved? Yeah, best friend award goes to him, right?

 

Emily: that’s a whole different thing. I’m happy with him. You need to deal with that and let us be.

 

Mark: so that’s why you’re still wearing the necklace I gave you on your wedding day?

             

Emily hesitates and places her hand over the white gold pendant that lays over her chest and stares at Mark. She wonders if she should go through with the wedding. Does she want to get married to Edgar? Is Mark the person she’s supposed to be with?

 

Emily to herself: I never did stop wondering what he was doing with his life. But then again, we’ve known each-other forever, its normal to be curious about the people that have been in my life forever…right? Anyways, it’s been 4 years. I don’t love him. Missing him and loving him are two different things, and I don’t love him.

 

Mark: I still have the couch where we made love for the first time.

 

Emily: Mark! That’s so inappropriate. It is my wedding day, what’s wrong with you!?

 

Mark: I love you. That’s what’s wrong with me. What part of that don’t you understand? I love you Emily. It has been a long 4 years without you. I can’t stop thinking about you. Every day, it’s you I think about. You cannot stand there and tell me that all the time we spent together was in vain. I won’t believe it. When I finally decided to let you go I couldn’t listen to jokes or even hear cheesy pop songs because you were there. It’s always been you Emily. Girls have come and gone and it’s still you. It will always be you. I’m not leaving without you. I did it once and I’ll be damned if I do it again. Listen, Edgar is a good guy. He’ll understand, leave him a note and let’s go. We can leave through the back where nobody can see us. We can head to Interlaken, I know that’s your favorite place. You even have a cabin there. We can stay there until we figure everything out and the situation calms down. You have a trust fund so we can lean on that for the time being and –

 

Emily: wait. why would we lean on MY trust fund? Why would we stay in MY family cabin?

Mark, what’s the real reason you came?

 

Mark: * grins * so you are considering it, see, I knew you still loved me.

 

Mark gently places his hand on the small of Emily’s back and pulls her to him. He stares into her emerald green eyes and kisses her gently.

 

Emily to herself: his eyes are so black. I forgot how intense they were… wait what is he doing? He’s leaning in for a kiss. Why aren’t I stopping him? I shouldn’t allow this… oh poor Edgar –

 

Emily feels Marks gentle kiss on her lips and she feels herself melt in his arms. Should she kiss him back? Should she be with him and not Edgar? No. The spark isn’t there anymore. This kiss is different. It doesn’t light that intensity in her the way it used to. She doesn’t love him. but she can’t stop thinking about what he said. Why HER trust fund? Why stay in HER family cabin? Where the rumors true? She had to ask him. She pulls away and stares at his burning black eyes before confronting him.

 

Emily: I need you to be honest with me. Are the rumors true?

 

Mark: …. I don’t know what you’re talking about….

 

Mark to himself: Oh shit. She knows, she’s onto me. Oh God I’m really going to lose her for good this time. Okay wait, relax, calm down. You can talk yourself out of this. You’re a charming guy, you can do this. She’ll believe you. She always does.

 

 

Emily: you know what I’m talking about. People have been talking Mark. I know what’s been going on.

 

Mark: enlighten me then. Because I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about.

 

Emily: Your father left with his mistress and you and your mother have no money left. She’s been seen asking for money and selling her valuables to get by. We live in small community

Mark, people see and know everything.

 

Mark: what!? That’s absurd. They are separated at the moment because of personal differences. Not because of this mistress you speak of.

 

Emily: Jesus Mark. Your mom and my mom are best friends. She has told my mother everything. Be honest with me and I’ll also be honest with you.

 

Mark: be honest with me? In what way? Because you are not being honest with yourself by marrying Edgar, so how do you expect me to believe that you’ll be honest with me?

 

Emily: Mark…I’ve been doubting the wedding.

 

Mark: See I knew it!

 

Emily: shut up no. this isn’t about you. From the very beginning, it hasn’t felt right. It’s like I’m doing this because I don’t want to hurt Edgar. He’s so kind and good to me and everything around him. He honestly deserves nothing but happiness.

 

Mark: how do you expect him to be happy if you’re not happy with him?

 

Emily: I just don’t want to hurt him. It’s already gotten this far. I can’t just get up and leave now.

 

Mark: But you can, with me. We can go away and be together. Think about it. You have your trust fund and the cabin in Interlaken. We have time. Let’s do it.

 

Emily: See, there you go again! The cabin and my trust fund. It’s always been about money to you. It’s all you care about. You’re never going to change.

 

Mark: no, that’s not true. You know it’s not true.

 

Emily: You need to go.

 

Mark: you love me. You can’t go through with this wedding. You know it’s wrong.

 

Emily: I’m marrying Edgar and that’s final. Please leave.

 

Emily walks to the door to open it and realizes that Edgar has been standing by the door, yet doesn’t know how much he has heard.

 

Emily: Honey! Thank God, you’re here. Mark is being insane and needs to go. Talking about –

 

Edgar: That he wants to marry you and he loves you. I heard.

 

Emily: Oh, you heard? Good, that way you know that I wasn’t spinning a story here.

 

Edgar: yes, I also heard about your doubts for the wedding. If you don’t want to get married tell me. How long have been feeling this way?

 

Emily to herself: oh shit, he heard that. Think Emily, think. This wedding has to happen. You need to marry Edgar. Think.

 

Mark: Yeah, Emily. How long have you been feeling this way?

 

Emily: Edgar, I just said that so he could tell me what his intentions are. He’s after my family money. He is literally here to stop our wedding. Trying to persuade me for my money and cabin!!

 

Edgar: you couldn’t have said something else? You had to say you didn’t want to go through with the wedding?

 

Emily: because I knew it was what he wanted to hear! Listen, if I didn’t want to get married would I be here? Would I have planned this wedding down to perfection with you? Would I be in my gown ready to walk down the aisle? No. I wouldn’t have done any of these things. You’ve known me our whole lives.

 

Edgar: I don’t know Emily, you sounded really convinced that you didn’t want to get married to me.

 

Mark: come on Emily, be honest with us. You know you’re lying to yourself.

 

Emily: Mark, shut up. if there’s anyone here that needs to leave it’s you.

 

Edgar: Em, are you sure you want to go through with the wedding?

 

Emily looks at Edgars’ soft blue eyes. She looks over to Mark and sighs. Does she want to marry Edgar? No, but she has to. Her family lost all their money when they got caught laundering it and he’s her safety net. She can’t risk losing him and everything she has worked so hard to have. She was born to be at the top of the chain and she would do what needed to be done in order to be where she belonged. Edgar was her key to the life she has always had and deserved to always have. There was no way she was going to go back to Mark. Maybe if his family situation wasn’t happening there would be a chance that she would go back to him. But he’s a lost cause now. Marks dad is gone with his mistress and has completely abandoned his family. It was sad really. Mark was always on top of the world and now he didn’t even have anywhere to drop dead on. What was the saying? All is fair in love in war? No. This isn’t war and this isn’t love. Emily was convinced that Edgar was her path to the life she deserves to keep.

 

Emily: Mark, please leave and never talk to my husband and I again. What we had was a phase and Edgar is my future and my happiness.

 

Edgar: are you sure?

 

Emily: I’ve never been so sure in my life.

 

Edgar: Okay, I love you.

 

Emily: I love you.

 

Edgar: Mark, I’m sorry this happened. You’re welcomed to stay for the reception if you’d like.

However, after that I would like to never hear from you again.

 

Mark: I understand.

 

Edgar leaves the room to wait at the end of the aisle for his bride.

 

 

Mark: Emily, you’re lying to yourself.

 

Emily: aren’t we all at some point in our lives?

 

 

Emily fixes her veil, takes one last look at Mark and heads towards the wedding ceremony where her husband is now waiting for her.

 

 

Epilogue:

 

It has now been four years since the wedding and, just how Emily predicted, life is the best that it could be. She and her family don’t lack a single thing.  

 

With a child tying her to Edgar for good, now is the time for her to finally be free and happy.

She divorces Edgar on the eve of their child’s third birthday. She fights tooth and nail for 70% of her husbands’ earnings and 40% of all his properties. Once the divorce is finalized, she leaves for the summer to her cabin in Interlaken. It was the only property her family saved during the downfall of their empire. It is summer so her son stays with his father. They did agree to an amicable separation for the sake of the child anyway, no harm no foul.

 

She arrives to her cabin during the evening and finds an old college female friend waiting for her. They wrap each other in a tight embrace.

 

Finally, Emily can now be with the one she truly loves, Sarah.