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Written from Joey’s point of view. ”Sooner or Later by BBMak is featured in this part. **"I don't understand you have you lost your mind
I walked around the lake with my headphones on. It wasn't my tape, actually something Bron had forgotten when she borrowed my walkman months ago. It was late June and it had been months since I had last seen her at the wedding. When I walked by that lake now I always had to have music. It was too quiet without Bronwen there. It's not like we talked a lot, but I couldn't hear her feet shuffling, or her camera snapping as she took a picture, or her voice humming as she fed the ducks.
**"Cos I see what she is thinking, it's like she's had enough
I listened to the lyrics as I thought of her, I was doing that a lot lately. Thinking about her. I've been dating Nicole pretty regularly, and I'm not sure if I want to take the next step and make it exclusive or not. I hate it how whenever I think about a girl, Bron is the first thing that comes up.
**"Sooner or later you'll learn
I had almost completed my walk when I saw the elderly couple sitting on the bench. They looked so peaceful and at ease with one another. I wondered if I would ever have anything special like that. Just then the crossword that the old lady had been doing flew out of her hands and towards my direction. I ran to get it and then slowly walked over to the bench.
"Here, mam," I said smiling.
"Oh thank you so much," she smiled back and then stared at me for a few seconds.
**"I can still remember chasing her around
"Haven't I seen you before?" she asked quizzically up at me.
"No, I don't think so mam, I just have a recognizable face," I played off my fame.
The old man now was looking at me too, "No you're that guy who's always walking with that girl," he said to me and then turned to his wife, "You know, the one always taking those pictures?"
"Oh yes!" she smiled, "You two are so sweet, so in love!"
**"Sooner or later you'll learn
"Oh no," I smiled at her innocence, "We're just friends."
"Sure you are," the old man snickered, "I saw the way you used to look at her, that's the way I look at my wife."
"How long have you been married for?" I asked trying to change the subject.
"Fifteen years," the old woman answered, "We were first loves, broken up, and then thrown back together.
"We lost so much time in between," the man frowned, "We lost each other when the war broke out, I went over seas, and she got married."
"How did you find each other again?"
"Oh sonny," the lady smiled again, "True love always finds a way, I wasn't so sure," she grabbed her husbands hand, "But I'm sure of it now."
**"When the lights have all gone down
I began to walk away and said good-bye to the couple. I put my earphone's back on and walked to the car, I was late and I still had to pack. I sat down in front of the steering wheel and felt a tear slide down my cheek, for the first time since I was twelve I cried.
**"Sooner or later you'll learn
A few hours later I was on the ground in New York City. This was the third time we had been there since Bron had moved. I spent most of the time there worrying about running into her and praying I wouldn't, it would be too weird. We were there for only two nights this time, and I was thankful.
"Joe, we only have Rosie tomorrow, right?" Chris asked.
"Yeah man," I answered, picking at my food.
"What's the matter with you lately?" Chris asked, "You've been so weird this past week."
"I don't know I'm just in this kind of funk lately, and Nic is pushin..." my phone interrupted. "Hello?"
"Hey, I just wanted to make sure you made it alright," Nicole said.
"I'm fine Nic, sitting here having an early dinner with Chris in the middle of New York City," I replied, "And I gotta go, we're leaving in a minute."
"Ok," she sighed, "Bye babe."
"Bye." I hung up and stared at the street through the window. And then she came running through. It was like slow motion watching her. The long brown, straight hair with fluffy curls bouncing on her bare arms as she ran across the street. Her briefcase held by her side and her knee length skirt stayed in perfect place as her flat clogs moved beneath her. As she opened the door to the building across the cafe I was in, I stood up.
"Joe, what are you doing?" Chris asked turning around to look outside, but he couldn't see what I had seen.
"I'll meet you at the hotel later," I answered and then walked out of the restaurant. I had no idea what I was going to say or even if I would speak to her. I went into the building, "Bronwen James?" I asked at the reception desk, out of breath.
"She should be down that hall," she pointed, "And to the left."
"Thanks," I said already headed in that direction. I slowed around the corner and stood in the frame, watching her talk to someone, showing some pictures. She breathed beauty. She began to turn to walk in the opposite way and I found my voice, "Bron."
She spun quickly and found me instantly through the busy office, "Joe," she squinted, "What are you doing here?"
"I have something to ask you?" I said, not even sure what it was.
"Ok," she hesitated, "We can talk in my office." I followed her into a medium sized cubicle, full of photographs she had taken. I took a minute and looked at them all, and recognized most of them, a lot being from the lake.
"These are amazing," I commented.
"Thanks," she smiled nervously, "You wanted to ask me something?" she questioned.
Thoughts flew in and out of my head as I finally let one spurt out, "I want you to come to my wedding."
Her eyes popped wide, "What, Joe, I told you I couldn't do this," her breathing was uneven.
I settled on my plan ahead and spoke again, this time more comfortably, "I really need you to be there."
"No you don't," she said fighting with a bag of M'n'M's trying to open them. "You may think you do, but you will do just fine without me."
"You don't get it," I said stopping her shaking fingers and opening the bag and handing it back, "If you don't come, then there won't be a bride."
The bag dropped to the floor, "What?" she trembled, "No, no, when did you come up with this?"
"Right now," I answered honestly.
"See, no," she began, "You don't want to marry me, you think you need me as a friend and you think this is the only way you can have it," she stammered sitting in her chair.
"No that's not it," I tried to calm her.
"Yes it is, I'm going to therapy still, and he said you might do something like this, he said it." she tried to gather the candy that had fallen.
"Who said it, you're shrink? Well he's wrong."
"No, no he isn't," she said still fumbling with the M'n'M's. "I can't go through this again Joe."
"Look at me," I bent down, grabbing her hands and holding them, as she picked her head up. "I love you,"
"Not the way I need," she interrupted.
I smiled, "Just listen, I don't love you as a friend and I don't love you as more than a friend," my heart was beating a mile a minute, but the words came easily, "I love you in every way I never thought I could."
"And when did this revelation come to you?" she asked, still unconvinced.
"Now, this morning, these past few months," I said, "It's been building up and I don't want to waste any more time without you."
"I want to believe you so badly," she let a tear slide down her cheek.
"Then trust me." I said looking straight into her brown eyes. "Do you?"
"I'll always trust you," she looked back, "But I'm afraid you won't want this forever."
"Do you want this forever? Tell me the truth."
"Yeah, I love you, I can't make it stop," she said as another tear fell.
"I can't either and I've been fighting it since you're twenty-first birthday," I smiled, feeling a tear on my own cheek, "It won't go away, so will you just give up and say yes already?"
"Yes to what?" she looked confused.
"Marrying me," I held back a chuckle.
Her eyes darted in circles for a minute, "Ok," she said shyly, "Yes, yes, I will marry you Joseph Fatone," she pronounced sliding off her chair, into my arms.
I kissed her for the first time in forever, and felt amazing with her in my arms where she belonged. "I better not regret this," she squinted, smirking as she loosened my grip slightly.
"I love you," I said finding her lips again.
She buried her head into my neck, holding on tighter than before, "I love you too."
You've always been a friend of mine
But you're running out of time"**
Cos you never took the time to show her love
Even when you knew you should"**
Sooner or later you'll cry
Sooner or later you'll learn
That you can't live a day without her in your life"**
But the minute that she gave her heart to you
You just threw it on the ground"**
Sooner or later you'll cry
Sooner or later you'll learn
That you can't live a day without her in your life"**
And the good times disappear
She may not be here when you need her, when you need her"**
Sooner or later you'll cry
Sooner or later you'll learn
That you can't live a day without her in your life"**
This story has been nominated for best Joey story
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