Chapter 1 - The Weight of Velvet
The silk of the wedding dress felt like cold armor against Maya's skin as the silence settled heavily over the bridal boutique. The grey curtains behind her hung limp, disturbed only moments ago by Isaiah’s retreating shoulder. The thud of the pink peonies hitting the hardwood floor still echoed in the small room, their bruised petals staining the pristine finish. Maya’s breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. Her hands, resting against the structured bodice of the gown, trembled violently.
Across the room, Maya’s friend Zoe stood up so fast her coffee cup rattled violently against the saucer, spilling a dark brown puddle onto the grey tufted ottoman. Zoe’s short red hair seemed to crackle with tension as she stared at the doorway where Isaiah had just vanished into the corridor of the high-end boutique.
"You didn't just say that," Zoe whispered, her voice sharp, cutting through the heavy air like a scalpel. "Tell me you did not just say that to his face, Maya."
Maya turned slowly on the round mirror platform, the reflective glass beneath her feet making her dizzy. "I didn't know he was there, Zoe! The fitting room acoustics are terrible. How was I supposed to know?"
"That is not the point!" Zoe stepped forward, her denim jacket swishing with aggressive energy. "You told the man you're marrying in three days that he’s just a safety net! You told him you still bleed for Corey!"
"Keep your voice down," Maya hissed, her eyes darting toward the front of the boutique. "Isaiah heard every word. You saw his face. It was like stone. He didn't even yell. He just dropped the flowers and told me to call Corey."
"Then call him!" Zoe crossed her arms, her jaw tight. "Call Corey right now. If Isaiah is walking away, you need to know if the ghost of your past is actually waiting to catch you, or if you just blew up your entire life for a dead memory."
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Maya pulled her phone from her small clutch on the counter. Her hands shook so badly she dropped it twice before the screen lit up, displaying the unread messages from a number she hadn't dialed in three years.
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