[ WP ] at wedding of the woman you love , and you 're the best man .

I had played this fantasy over in my mind for years. After the ceremony, when she would vow to love my friend for all her life, I would have a chance to dance with her just once during the reception. It would be a slow song. I would hold her close to me one last time and imagine those vows she just said were for me. My fingers pressed into the fabric of her perfect dress, forever woven on my palms, the pads of my fingers reaching, stretching beyond the layer of her dress to her skin that bore no blemish. 
 
 At the right moment I would lean and whisper to her that I was sorry for all the stupid things I said when I was young. We could have done it, you know? We could have made it work. We could have been together and sanctified. 
 
 Instead, she danced with him. They stayed for only a moment, then ran to the getaway car under the rain of birdseed. The vehicle turned the corner, and slid away into perfect hindsight. 
 
 I loosened my tie and went home.
