“What?” Agotia asked, surprise in her voice.
"I can tell you two are really in love with each other. These kinds of photoshoots make me believe in love again."
Agotia’s wide eyes gravitated toward mine; I was unsure how to respond. I shrugged my shoulders and handed the photographer a tip, effectively dismissing her, hoping that would ease the tension I could see in Agotia’s face.
“Now what?” she asked as we walked down the street and back to my car.
“Now, we go tell Asta the news and confront Bridget.”
The drive back to the lodge felt different than our trip into town. There was an odd heaviness to the solid gold band on my left hand. It wasn't the suffocating weight I had expected but rather the calming pressure of a heavy blanket on a cold night. I twisted the band around and around my finger as I drove in silence.
“Have you told Asta anything?”
“No,” I answered, “I’ve only told her to meet me at the lodge for some exciting news.”
Agotia nodded, but I could tell she was nervous.
“You don’t have to worry about Bridget. I won’t let her hurt you.”
“Oh, I - I wasn’t thinking about that. I was more worried about how Asta would react. I've known her my entire life, and I don't want her to think I've purposefully hidden a supposedly 'important day in my life' from her."
“We’ll just have to tell a really good story then.”
“You what?!” Bridget screamed and started berating me with all types of accusations.
“That’s enough.” My words were cold and commanding. It was a tone I had never used with Bridget before, but I wouldn’t have her continue these insulting accusations.
“I can’t believe you would do this,” Bridget cried, forcing tears to roll down her cheeks. “I can’t believe you would leave me stranded with a baby. I love you, Alex.”
Her words held less sting than I had expected. A month ago, hearing that she loved me would have reeled me. Now, it was just an annoyance. Bridget had taken enough space up in my life, in my mind, and now in my home. I was done.
“Bridget, you made it clear to me that you didn’t love me when you cheated on me. I doubt that baby is even mine. I will not believe anything you say until I get a DNA test.”
“Alex,” she crooned, crawling across the covers of my bed on her knees to me.
"I believe I have spoken clearly," I said, stepping out of reach so she wouldn't touch me. "And I would appreciate it if you would leave our bed. It is inappropriate for you to be in this house, especially in this room."
“Are you really going to talk to me this way, Alex?”
"It's Alexander to you. You are invading our house. Now, you need to get your things and leave."
Bridget took one second to look at me, trying to judge my seriousness. Then she slowly got off the bed, gathered her things, and walked out the front door. I followed her down the hall to the front door.
“Good riddance,” Asta said as I stood at the kitchen door from her usual spot behind the counter. "How did you manage to get rid of her?"
From where Agotia and I were standing, Asta couldn’t see Agotia behind me. So, I stepped to the side, revealing my bride still dressed in white, and said -
“I had a little help.”
“Agotia? What are you doing here?” Asta asked, setting the mixing bowl down. “And why are you both dressed so nicely?
“We have some news,” Agotia answered shyly.
She fit her hand into mine, for encouragement, before looking up at me with a smile that I wanted to etch into memory.
“Agotia and I are married.”
"What? Are you? When did this happen?"
