The Bells; 1982, 2008

Wedding Bells
1982

Lynnéa Norratov bit her lip hard, she stood alone at an alter in Las Vegas, she wore a little white dress that stretched over her swollen, pregnant belly with matching fingerless gloves, pearls dangled from her neck, and there was a soft blue ribbon in her large, teased curls, “Where is he?” she breathed, turning her violet-silver gaze to her older brother who held a large, blocky camcorder on his shoulder to record the ceremony, “I don’t know.” Hannibal Landry muttered, “But he’ll be here.” He said, giving her a slight nod as if to convince both of them.
Lynn wrinkled her pretty nose, “I’ll kill him.” She grumbled as the reverend’s wife came bumbling through the door, holding out the large cordless phone to her, she frowned slightly as she took it, “Hello?” she breathed.
“Hey baby.” William Hawthorne drawled on the other line, “I’m running a little late.” He said over the sound of flying bullets and exploding bombs.
The young woman made a noise, “Are you working?” She breathed, struggling to keep her voice down, “On our wedding day?”
There was a pause on the other end of the line and she knew he was contemplating lying to her, “I’ll make it up to you.” He mumbled, “I’ll be there soon.” He said and hung up.
Lynn felt her throat tighten, she let her arm drop to the side, the phone clattering to the hardwood floor as she stepped off the alter and slid into the first pew, her pretty eyes burning with tears, “He’s working.” She breathed her words thick as if at any moment she might start crying.
Hannibal frowned to himself as he put down the camcorder and moved to sit beside his little sister, “I’m sorry.” He mumbled, “You know, Will, he’s always working.” He muttered.
Lynn brought her gaze to his face, “But should I be worth a day off?” she mumbled, tears slipping down her face, “It’s our wedding day, Hanni, and he’s working.” She said, dropping her gaze to her belly as she slid her fingers along the bump.
Her brother chewed his lip, silent for a long moment, “Are you having second thoughts?” he asked finally.
Tears slid down her face, following the curve of her pretty nose and splattering on her belly, “Take me home, Hannibal.” Was all she whispered.

Lynn sat on the edge of her bed, she had stripped herself of her gloves and shoes and her light blue ribbon, and she sniffled, reaching back for her zipper, nearly tearing it as she pulled it down, just wanting to be free of the damned thing. She shut her eyes tight for a moment, feeling warm, fresh tears slide down her face when there was a shift in the air, she didn’t need to open them again to know he was there, “Imagine my surprise when I got to the chapel to find that you weren’t there waiting for me.” William breathed, leaning in her bedroom doorway.
Lynnie opened her eyes slowly, her throat tightened as she studied him, looking handsome as ever in his dark suit, he moved towards her, getting on his knees in front of her, “I’m sorry, baby.” He breathed, his pretty blue eyes searching hers as he lifted a hand to move the hair from her pretty face.
She sniffled, her shoulders drooping, “I’m scared.” She breathed, more tears sliding down her face, “You know I married so young the first time, I was just a silly girl, and he broke my heart so bad, Will, he destroyed me, and I’m so scared.” She whispered, “But I love you, I love you, and I just…” she shook her head,
William smiled softly, “I know, baby, I know.” He said softly, leaning up to kiss her gently, “I love you, Lynnie, I’m never going to hurt you.” He breathed, bending his head to kiss her belly now as he slipped his arms around her, “I will never hurt you,”
Lynn let out her breath as she ran her fingers over his hair, the tension slipping away from her shoulders, “Promise?”
“I promise.” William mumbled before he stood and held his hand out to her, “Marry me?” he smiled.
She sniffled and took his hand, a soft, watery smile gracing her lips, “Get us to a chapel, baby, and I will,”


The Bell Tolls
2008

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest. Their hotel room smelt of blood, sex, and anger; Lynn shut her eyes, not wanting to face her soon-to-be ex-husband, “Just sign the fucking papers, Will.” She breathed out, pushing herself up into a sitting position as she opened her eyes to look at him beside her.
William Hawthorne made a face at her, “You could have mailed them.” He muttered, “But then again…” he breathed, turning on his side to wrap an arm around her and pull her naked body up against his as he nibbled on her hip playfully, his stumble raking across her skin and sending tingles through her abdomen.
Lynn made a noise and pushed him off her, “This was a mistake, sign the papers.” She said, her violet-silver eyes darkening as she slid out of bed and stepped into black dress; she shimmied it up her hips, grateful it hadn’t been torn to shreds like her panties, she reached back to zip it, feeling his eyes on her.
William gritted his teeth, “Fine,” he muttered, sitting up now to take the manila envelope from his nightstand, he pulled the divorce papers out, and grabbed a pen, he scribbled his signature on every dotted line, “Happy?” he breathed, stuffing the papers back inside before he threw them at her.
Lynn picked them up from where they landed on the floor, “Yes,” she breathed, “You left five years ago, Will, you knew it was coming.” She muttered, turning away from him to leave.
“Lynn?” William called as she reached the door, “Do you know why I married you?”
She shut her eyes for a moment, letting out her breath, she knew she should just leave but she glanced back at him, “Why, William?”
“So I could fuck you whenever I wanted.” He muttered, his eyes darkening to near black as he was up suddenly, his fingers wrapped around her throat, her back pinned against the door, “It’s what attracted me to you when we first met, do you remember? That skimpy bikini you wore, your body looked so perfect and then you let me fuck you and you were such a good, little fuck too, baby.” He said softly, bending his head to press his forehead against hers, “And I thought to myself I’d just fuck you a few more times and then I’d leave but you got pregnant with Drake,” he sighed, “You know, your brother begged me to do what was right for the baby, he said if I married you, you would be the perfect little wife, you’d understand my job because you worked the same one, you would be there at night to warm my bed, I’d never have to be alone.” He muttered, “But you know what I thought? That if I married you, I’d get to fuck you whenever I wanted, you would love me, give me children I wouldn’t have to bother with because you were there, it was the perfect idea, I would just have to fall in love with you, it would come eventually, right?” he smirked, “But your only value to me is what’s between your legs.”
Lynn studied his face, her heart hurting in the worst way as her eyes burned. She punched him hard in the face, making him stumble away from her, “I gave up so much for you; I tried so hard to be perfect for you.” She whispered, tears tumbling down her pretty face, “I’m so glad you left, William, now I can finally be done with you, I can be free.” She muttered, turning and escaping from the room.