... and they lived happily ever after. This story happens after the ever after.

Ever afters are mostly are

mostly long lived, but in the case of Mary and Matt things were a little different. Matt and Mary was
an average couple. They fell in love, lived together; Matt proposed, Mary accepted; they got
married. The marriage was titled the ‘best’ and the couple were titled as the ‘cutest’. Thus they
joined the ranks of many other couples, in the small town of Belleview.

Just three months into their marriage and they saw the first few fights in a family life. These fights
were mostly centred on cosmetic over usage, Saturday night football, friends etc. But as time went
on, the fights grew worse. There were a lot of ceramic being thrown around, destroyed drapes and
even a fused television. The final round of battle ended the ever after for good- a simple
misunderstanding, followed by a not so simple slap. Mary slapped Matt. Matt found himself kicked
out of his house that night.

***

There was a young man in his mid-twenties sitting at the bar with a beer bottle in his hand. He
looked up to the small television above. It was showing the news. Nothing interested him. He
returned to sipping from the beer bottle. He saw his image on a steel case in front of him. He ran his
fingers through his short army-cut hair. His beard was well trimmed and his shirt was stained a bit,
by the greasy meat he had earlier. He looked like a homeless guy who spent most of his time getting
wasted.

“The usual...” he said in a soft voice to the owner of ‘Meat Shack’, Tim.

“Coming right up” Tim went to the kitchen to place the order.

It was quite for a Wednesday night at the shack. Normally it would be filled with people partying or
by those who just wanted to socialise. That Wednesday was different. It was just Tim, two girls, just
legal to drink, a truck driver and Matt. Matt was a regular customer at the shack. He knew the menu
by heart. He knew how much what cost, and thus he always carried the correct amount. He ordered
the same thing everyday- for lunch and dinner. For breakfast he ate at a friend’s house. He was
staying in an apartment a block away from the shack. He enjoyed his work once. But that was all in
the past ever since...

“There you go. Medium-rare steak and bread. As always...” Tim placed two plates in front of Matt

“Thanks” Matt replied. He had no emotions in his speech. No sadness, no happiness and no
thankfulness.

“So... Matt... How’s work?” Tim was good at starting conversations

“Good” Matt was better at ending them.

Tim took a glass and filled it with beer. He pushed it towards Matt. Matt looked at him. Tim bent
down and took a pill. “You know what this is?” Tim asked holding the pill between his thumb and
index finger.

“I don’t do drugs” Matt replied.

“This was you when you first came in here. Strong, hard and at the same time helpful” Tim replied.
He put it into the beer in front of him. “This is you now. Slowly fading away into a sinful world and
slowly killing yourself”

“What are you getting at?”

“The pill doesn’t choose to dissolve. It is forced to. Unlike the pill you have a chance to be normal
again- to be yourself.”

“Tim...” Matt was attacking the steak. It was juicy and delicious no matter how many times he ate it.

“It’s been what... five months now?”

“Six”

“Six months. That’s nine months from the day you got married. You could have been a father by
now. I am not sure about her. But I know you can make things okay with her. You have loved each
other for a long time... I can’t see you like this anymore. Do something to make everything right
again. I can’t see you coming in here depressed like this every day. Move on... please”

“Here you go.” Matt place twenty dollars on the plate where the bread was. He took one last sip
from the bottle of beer and left the bar. Tim kept on watching as his customer left the bar through
the front entrance.

The night was like any other- cold and partially lit by the moon and the street lamps. Matt set his
course for the pharmacy. On his way, across tall and short buildings, he slowed down, when he
reached a building with a triangular roof and iron fencing. It was the Belleview church- where he got
married. Turning a little more spiritual was his last hope. He still loved Mary and he wanted to get
back with her. He opened the fence. The church was always open. He went inside the church. There
were rows of wooden benches on either of his side. On top was a glass painting of Virgin Mary
holding baby Jesus. Just below it was a rack where candles were lit. On one side fresh candles were
available.

Matt sat on one of the benches on the left side, lowered his head and started to pray. “God... I have
no idea where I am and how I got here. My condition is pathetic. I loved Mary ever since the day she
became my lab partner. I never thought there would be anything wrong between us. I was so sure
that she was the right... no ... I am still sure she is my true love. But I feel I can’t get her back. Help
me... please... I am lost...”

He sat there idly for some time. He looked up. The chandelier above him was sparkling. There was
no one else in the church. He got up and walked towards the rack. He took a candle, looked up at
the glass painting and lit the candle with another candle in the rack. He looked again at the painting.

Something about it gave him hope. He knelt down with the candle in between his palms, closed his
eyes and started to pray again. He murmured something and suddenly the wax melted and fell on
his palm. He had a déjà vu. “Mary... this pain that I feel is the pain that I felt whenever I saw you sad.
This wax... this wax... they are like your tears” He continued praying until the candle finished. He
didn’t care about the pain. All he wanted was to get her back- to be back with Mary. Matt kept on
praying. When the last roll of wax fell onto his palm and the flame went off, teardrops started to roll
down from both his eyes. He was crying. He had not cried after he was kicked out. It felt great; as if a
load was raised from his shoulders.

He got up, plucked the wax out his palms, looked up and said “Thank you”

***

“Oh... Matt”

“Mary... I am so sorry for whatever I have done. It was a misunderstanding. The woman I was talking
to was my aunt...”

Mary’s eyes were filled on seeing Matt. She just pounced on him and embraced him as hard as she
could. “I missed you... <sob>... Am sorry ... Please...”

“Mary ... I love you. I have always loved you and you are the only person I love...”

“Don’t talk anymore ... it was my fault ... come in” Mary pulled Matt into the house.

Mary and Matt got back together after that. And they lived happily. Fullstop.