The Groom Who Was Mine

tilted, the

s echoed, "I

tolen him, then hidden him, whi

ic calls, police reports, private

ss nights wondering if

y job performance suffere

ss so deep I thoug

ER, the sterile smell, the

hidden by long sleeves, throbbed

ed by his old college friends, men wh

en their eyes met mine. They

it from him. I ne

rds him, my l

is name felt foreign

n unreadable, then harde

y name. No surp

, my voice bar

ssive, careless gest

joke about being our future kids' godfat

r, trying to breathe, trying to mak

familiar timbre now laced with

talking

gh," Mark said

t, sharp. "She's damaged goods, man. Always wa

ged

e harder than a

blurring the glittering

hone, my fingers

etime of regret, Mich

it

like it was cl

to g

of laughter and music chasing me

posure, the one I wore like

mmense, a raw,

he had erased me, th

t friend, had bee