The Promise I Made

The orchestra of desperate screams echoed throughout the still air as people trampled over each other in the dark. Fathers cried out for their children while children cried out for their mothers. The fallen fluorescent lights flickered, illuminating the puddles of water on the ground, water continued to trickle down from the broken pipes above. The bride, Angelica, was trapped, pinned to the ground as blood seeped from the fresh wound on her forehead. Tears dripped down her cheeks, their path was clear to see in the patches of fresh dirt on her face. She turned her head to the left to see that she was still holding onto her groom's hand. He was unconscious, trapped under the same amount of fallen debris.

“Devon,” she cried out, “Devon!”

His eyes remained closed, blood and dirt covered his face. Angelica squeezed his hand, holding it tightly, refusing to let go. She turned her head away from her groom and looked out amongst the rubble that was their wedding venue only moments before. As she looked out amongst the ruins of the day that was meant to be theirs, and pictured the life they very nearly shared, she couldn’t help but wonder, how did we get here?

***

“Wrong, wrong, wrong. Everything is wrong!” Angelica shouted as she bounced around the venue, nearly colliding with anyone who dared step in her path.

Devon entered the room and quickly noticed his bride ranting to herself in the corner, he couldn’t help but smile. “What seems to be the problem this time?” Devon asked her with a sheepish smile.

Angelica turned to him, panicked, “They forgot the marigolds, the one flower I wanted and they forgot them in every arrangement!” Angelica picked up a bouquet, a mixture of white and royal blue flowers wrapped into one, but no marigolds in sight. She tossed the bouquet aside as if it were now worthless. “The place cards are in gelato script when I specifically said risotto, and these napkins…” Angelica picked up one of the powder blue napkins, showing it to Devon, “I ordered royal blue, does this look royal blue to you?!”

Devon hesitated, “It’s definitely...blue.” Angelica grunted as she turned away from him and tossed the napkin on the table. Devon laughed, “Angie.” Angelica turned to face him, Devon placed his hands on her hips and pulled her in close, “I think it all looks beautiful.” He assured her.

Angelica sighed, as if to transfer her panic onto him, “It has to be...perfect.”

“It will be, I mean it already is...I mean...” Devon’s eye is caught by something behind Angelica, he pointed to it, “should we be worried about that?”

Angelica turned around, her eyes widened as she screamed, “Terry!” Angelica stomped toward the corner of the large room, she looked up toward the ceiling where a small, ugly leak had formed.

“I know, I know.” Terry said as he rushed over, “Micheal himself assured me that this will all be cleaned up by the morning.”

“Oh my god,” Angelica covered her face.

Devon grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away from her face, “Angie, don’t worry.”

Angelica dropped her hands and whined, “This is a disaster.”

“Right now, yes, but it will be fixed in the morning, right Terry?” Devon gestured towards Terry for some help.

Terry stepped forward, ”Yes, I will personally see to it.”

“See, Terry’s on it.” Devon smiled which made Angelica smile back, “It’ll be perfect.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” Devon wrapped his arms around Angelica and embraced her in a hug.

***

Angelica looked down at the floor, too afraid to see herself in the mirror. Finally she took one deep breath and held it as she raised her head. Standing in front of her was a girl she pictured many times before, all dressed in white, hair pinned back with loose curls framing her face.

“You look beautiful!” Terry screeched as he entered the bridal suite. Terry carried a large white box that he sat down on a table next to the door, “Your bridesmaids are all ready and lined up, we are just waiting for our bride.”

Angelica smiled, “What’s that?” She asked while pointing at the white box.

Terry smiled, “A gift from your groom, as he put it, ‘To make today perfect.’” Terry then rushed out of the room.

Angelica was puzzled, she stepped towards the box. She took the lid off to reveal a new bouquet made with a variety of white and blue flowers, including royal blue marigolds. Angelica’s smile grew, “My marigolds.”

***

Angelica anxiously picked at her food knowing that the next event was their first dance, just another way for her to embarrass herself. Devon on the other hand was excited, not for the dance but for the night to be over. With every passing event they were a few steps closer to being done with this whole wedding and could finally start their lives together.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if you can join me in welcoming our lovely couple to the dance floor for their first dance.” The DJ announced, leading everyone to applaud.

Devon reached out his hand to lead Angelica to the dance floor, but soon he noticed that she was standing still, like a deer in headlights. Devon smiled before reaching down and grabbing her hand. “Hey,” he whispered, “just look at me.”

Angelica smiled slightly as she walked with Devon to the dance floor. Devon pulled Angelica towards him, keeping hold of her right hand and placing his left on her waist. The music started and they began to move gracefully. Devon exaggerated his steps, spinning off cue and shaking his hips with the beat, anything to make Angelica laugh. When she finally cracked a smile he felt as though he won the lottery.

“Was it everything you imagined it’d be?” He asked.

“Perfect,” she replied, “completely per…”

***

Hours, they were trapped for merely hours, but for those inside it felt like days. Many were able to climb out on their own, most had no choice but to await rescue while the rest, the unfortunate few that would never see tomorrow, laid dormant, waiting for their bodies to be claimed. Angelica was still holding Devon’s hand, she glanced at Devon every minute or so, hoping that just once she would look over and his eyes would be open.

“Over here!” A firefighter shouted as he walked down a hill of debris toward them. “Hey, we’re gonna get you out of here, okay?”

Angelica looks up to the firefighter with a blank expression, “Is he still breathing?”

The firefighter looked over and could barely see Devon lying motionless, he moved to the right as much as he could and reached toward Devon to feel for a pulse.

“I could feel his heartbeat in my hand, or maybe it was mine. His chest was moving, but it slowed down, and then...” Angelica trailed off.

“He has a pulse, it’s faint but it’s there.” The firefighter said as he pulled his arm back.

Two more rescuers arrived and the three men began digging through the debris trying to get the couple out. As the rescuers continued to dig, Angelica could hear a slight wheeze coming from her left. She looked over to Devon, waiting in suspense, waiting for a flinch, a gasp, a sign, a sliver of hope that he was still with her. Suddenly, a gasp, two coughs followed, Angelica cried tears of joy as the love of her life regained consciousness.

“Devon!” She cheered, she looked to the firefighters, “Help him, help him!”

The first firefighter raced to Devon’s side, Devon continued to cough, squeezing Angelica’s hand in fear. “Hey, Devon, right? We’re gonna get you out of here, okay?”

“What happened?” Devon asked through heavy breaths.

“The ceiling fell, right on top of us.” Angelica answered.

Devon smirked, “I guess that leak was a bigger problem than we thought.” Devon laughed which caused Angelica to laugh with him.

“We’re clear!” A firefighter yelled as he pulled out one last piece of debris, clearing a path for Angelica to get out. The firefighter reached out his hand, “Let’s get you out of here.”

“No!” she recoiled, “I’m not leaving him.” She held Devon’s hand to her chest, trying to get as close to him as possible.

“Hey,” Devon whispered, “I’ll be right behind you.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Angelica took in a deep breath, “Okay.”

She let the firefighter lead her out of the rubble, she held onto Devon’s hand until the last moment. She hesitated letting go, so Devon pulled away first. He watched her be led out of the crumbling building, letting out a sigh of relief, knowing now that she is safe.

“Alright, Devon, it’s your turn, let’s get you out of here.” The firefighter started moving around the debris, as he moved a piece of drywall his stomach sunk.

Another rescuer approached, “We got her out, how’s…” He went silent as he looked into the crevice where Devon was trapped. Both rescuers stared with concern as they contemplated their next move.

“I can’t feel my legs.” Devon muttered before losing consciousness again.

***

Devon’s eyes fluttered open, the room was bright, nothing but white walls and silver machines, one of which was connected to him, helping him breathe. Devon looked to the left and saw his mother sitting in the corner knitting. As his mother wrapped her yarn around the hook it was as if she felt him watching her. She looked up, shocked to see Devon looking back at her. She gasped before dropping her yarn to the floor.

“Alright, Mr. Davis, just look straight ahead.” The doctor shined a light into Devon’s eyes, moving it side to side, “Well, all of your vitals are good, your brain function seems normal but I’m going to order a CT to be safe.” The doctor walked to the end of the bed and lifted the blanket. He pulled out a pen and poked the top of Devon’s feet, “Can you feel this?”

“Yes,” Devon replied, “but before…”

“Most of the impact from the accident was in your back, causing swelling within your spinal cord which temporarily paralyzed you.”

“So I’m okay?”

The doctor smiled, “After some physical therapy, you should be back to normal in no time.”

“That’s amazing.” Devon laughed and looked at his mother who was also smiling with joy, “Where’s Angelica?”

Her smile faded, she looked to the doctor not knowing what to say. The doctor hesitated, unsure himself. Devon quickly recognized that something was wrong.

“Devon…” the doctor started.

“Is she okay? Is she at home?” Devon became panicked, he looked back and forth from his mother to the doctor. “Is she still here, is she hurt?”

“Devon,” the doctor said, “Angelica was in an ambulance on her way to the hospital when her brain hemorrhaged. Debris must have fallen on her head causing an artery to burst, she died before they made it to the hospital.”

Devon processed the doctor’s words, unable to accept what he was just told, “That’s...no.” He raised his voice, “She got out, she was fine!”

Devon’s mother stepped toward the bed, “Devon,” she said softly, “I’m so sorry, honey, but she’s gone.” Devon’s mother reached out for his hand and grabbed hold of it. She placed something in his hand and closed it. Devon pulled his hand back, he opened it slowly to reveal Angelica’s wedding ring.

“Gone?” Devon could feel the weight of the world crashing on top of him, it was like being buried by debris all over again, but this time the rubble is not of a building but of a life he pictured, a life he dreamed of since meeting the love of his life. He closed his fist, holding it against his chest as he screamed out in despair. Emptiness, broken pieces left behind where love should be. A pain much worse than pain itself, loss, in its truest form.