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Frank is fiddling with the bracelet on his arm. Stroking the pearls with his fingers again and again. The air is buzzing with excitement. Whispers are flying through the pews. The church is filled. So many people that came to celebrate this special day.
He can’t remember the last time he was this nervous. There’s no reason to be, he thinks, as he adjusts his sleeves.
The attention is shifting to the back of the church. The soft sound of a piano comes in. The big wooden doors are opened and there she is.
With the sun in her back Mel looks like an angel straight from heaven. Her blonde hair is in a loose knot at the back of her neck, she’s wearing her glasses as she always does but as she comes closer he can see that she put on a light layer of makeup, some shimmer on her eyes and a soft rose blush on her cheeks. Her dress is simple but elegant and it’s screaming Mel. It takes Frank a second look to spot the little flowers that are stitched onto the upper part of the dress. Matching the real flowers in her hair.
Mel looks beautiful.
But to Frank, she always does. Even after a long shift with tired eyes and tousled hair, she’s the most beautiful woman in the world.
He should have told her that more often, he thinks, as she passes him to meet another man at the altar.
It was a gradual process. Them becoming something more. Between him getting thrown out of the emergency departmend and his divorce, she became more than a colleague to him, more than a friend even.
Frank can’t pin down the exact moment he realized he was in love with Melissa King, but he fell and he fell hard.
A slender hand lands on his leg. His date, a friend of a friend. They’ve been casually hooking up. It’s actually not serious enough to make her his wedding date but Frank wanted to make it clear that he had moved on. Just as Mel had quite obviously.
It still stings to see another man looking at her like that.
He had been contemplating for a while to ask Mel out. Weeks passed, but Frank couldn’t bring himself to do it. He was scared that she might say no. Scared to ruin their friendship.
Then came this one case, they were working on together. A teenager. Car accident. Lots of fractures, internal bleeding, a punctured lung. It took them a while to get the girl stable. When she was finally brought to surgery and they were alone in the room, both high on adrenaline and the joy of saving a life, that’s when Frank suddenly found himself with his hands around Mel’s face, his lips pressing on hers.
The kiss was over as fast as it started. Frank quickly stepped back as he realized what he just did, an apology already forming on his lips. But then Mel grabbed his scrubs, pulling them back together. It surprised him but the pleasure predominated. For this second kiss he took his time. Really taking in the feeling of her soft lips, the taste of her. His hands stroked over her braid, went down her back. He grabbed her hips to pull her closer to him. Frank didn’t want this kiss to ever end.
Mel has taken her place at the front of the altar and the priest steps forward, “You are gathered here today to bear witness to the union of Melissa and John.” He folds his hands, “But first, let us pray. Heavenly father, we ask your blessing upon…”
It was a punch to the face for Frank when he was told about Mel’s engagement. Of course she would move on eventually but he didn’t expect it to happen so fast and not with Shen. John Shen of all people. Who he wouldn’t exactly call a friend but who was definitely one of his preferred colleagues. It made sense though. He was a good guy. Funny, caring, down to earth.
And Frank tried hard to be happy for them.
And he tried to be Mel’s friend, he really did.
“May their love be strong, their faith unwavering and their journey together filled with joy and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen”
Their faith unwavering, Frank huffs. Mel isn’t even religious. It must have been Shen who wanted the church wedding. Frank wonders what else about this event was Shen’s decision.
If he was the one who was marrying Mel, he would've made sure she’d get exactly the wedding she wanted.
But it’s not their wedding and it’s Frank’s own fault that he’s not the one standing next to Mel at the altar.
Life got in the way, well no, actually, it was only his head that got once again in the way of something good. Apart from Mel, his life was a mess and he didn’t want to make it Mel’s as well. She deserved someone better. Not a struggling divorced addict. Frank was scared of going all in with Mel. He told himself that it was fine. That they could stay friends.
Frank was always good at lying to himself.
Santos is staring at him. She quickly turns back to the front of the church when she sees him looking. But Frank still catches the hint of pity in her gaze. Through a weird chain of events, she’s the only one that knows what’s going on between him and Mel.
Friends may had been a too optimistic description of his and Mel's relationship. They were only seeing each other at work and even there Mel tried to keep her distance. Still there was the way she looked at him when she thought he didn’t see her. There was still a spark between them, whenever their eyes met and whenever they touched unwittingly.
A few weeks before the wedding Frank went to a bar. He had gotten really badly drunk and in a weak moment he found himself calling Mel. He told her voice mail how much he missed her, how much he didn’t want her to marry John and how much better off she would be with him.
Santos found him at the bar, all broken and miserable. She listened to his lamentations and made sure he got home safe. They were still far from being friends but there was some sort of truce between them now.
The next day he apologized to Mel, blamed it on the alcohol, told her he didn’t mean what he said, when in fact he did mean every single word.
He should be the one marryiyng her.
“...Should anyone present know any reasons why this couple cannot be lawfully wed, you must speak now or forever hold your peace.”
Frank slowly takes his date’s hand off his leg, “I am so sorry”, he whispers and then he stands up.
This might be the most selfish thing he’s ever done.
The silence that follows is almost deafening. He can feel everyone’s eyes on him. Like little daggers in his back. The priest’s mouth is open. Not prepared for someone to actually stand up at this part.
“I…” Frank stops. A wave of dizziness hits him. He is trying to take a deep breath, the weight of this moment pressing on his chest. Blending out his surroundings, Frank keeps his focus only on Mel. She looks at him. Her face unreadable.
“I love you…Mel. Everything about you. The way you make me feel seen and heard. How you make me smile. And…you make me want to be a better person. I love everything about you. Even your bad habits, I love them all. I was an idiot for ever letting you go and I know I’m a loser and you probably deserve so much better, But I’m ready to give you the life you want and the life you deserve. I love you and I want us to be together. And I think, no I hope, that you might love me too.”
For a long, painful moment, nothing happens. Then Mel’s gaze flickers over to Becca, glazing over Frank until finally landing on John. She takes a sharp breath, then says something to him. The words too quiet for Frank to understand. She carefully drops her bouquet on the chair behind, gathers her gown as her eyes meet Frank’s and then Mel starts running.
Frank joins her as she passes his pew, she takes his hand, dragging him with her, and they run out of the church, leaving everyone else behind.
They’re both panting when they reach Frank’s car. He opens the door for Mel and then sits down on the driver’s side. With the doors closed and Mel next to him, Frank can finally take a deep breath.
There’s a moment of silence, both hanging back in their own thoughts. When they lock eyes, Mel starts laughing. It’s like music to his ears, and he can’t help himself but joins in. Laughing about the absurdity of the moment.
Mel is wiping tears from her eyes as their laughters eventually fade out.
“Are you okay? Do you want to do this?”
Instead of giving Frank an answer, Mel leans in to kiss him. Their lips pressed together, it feels like coming home. That sweet taste of her Frank has longed for all this time. There’s nothing gentle about his kiss. Mel’s hands are clawing into his hair, kissing him with the hunger of a starved woman. He’s grabbing her face, responding with he same intensity. The little moans of her send jolts through Frank’s body. When they part they’re both heavy breathing.
Mel smiles, as she smoothes her dress,
“Let’s start the car.”