In death I dream of you. You are beautiful and you are there and you reside in me yet like the perfect stillness of a mist that rises and rests over a calm body of water in the early predawn morning; forever there, forever perfect.
The tub you've taken was long and warm and scented and was meant to help with your uncertainties and calm your anticipation. And it did, not completely of course, but it helped.
Your long and freshly straightened black hair falls over your heavy white robe that you wear now and that provides you with warmth and comfort. You walk to our room and you sit at the end of the bed and you rest. The heat of the tub has weakened you and you feel your resolve slipping. You need your strength, and so you remind yourself that this is something that you can do, something that you need to do, something, if you're honest, that you've wanted to do for a very long time now. Please, you plead with yourself; do it. Don't back down.
The day's light has begun to fade and you realize that you have been sitting for a while now. You stand and walk to the dresser and pick up the pile of things that you placed there earlier. You carry them back to the bed. You let your robe fall open as you select from the pile the lace and silk g-string you bought just for this occasion. You slip your legs through the thin lace straps and pull them up. You feel the coolness of the fine red silk front against you. You strap on the black lace garter. You roll up your leg one of the silk black stockings, then the other. You put on your new red lace bra, it fits well and it makes you feel better and little more assured. You look amazing, but there is no one there to tell you that. You hope it's true. You walk back to the dresser and finish the glass of red wine that you started while in the tub. You place the empty wine glass back on the dresser. You put on your jewelry; all fake, of course, nevertheless it shines and it glitters and it too makes you feel good. You apply your red lipstick and dab on your perfume.
You're downstairs now and it's just slightly past the time you should have left. If you're going to back out, now is the time to do it. You look in the long hallway mirror and you're happy with how you look. The short tight black dress fits well. Your high black boots are on and you know you're ready. You put on your long black coat and take one last look in the mirror; just fucking do it, you tell yourself, and before you can change your mind you open the door to the cold winter darkness and you go.
A slight wind picks up and so you put your hand to your hair to stop it from blowing. You start to run. You hope no one sees you; but why should you care? Why would anyone possibly think you were doing something you shouldn't? But you feel like they would. You can't help it.
A black town car is parked in front of the coffee shop and a driver waits by the door. You approach at a slow walk, uncertain and scared. Good evening, he says and opens the door. You don't answer. He waits, and then you get in. The sound of the door closing behind you makes you jump.
The driver gets in and pulls the car out into the oncoming traffic. There's a fully stocked bar, he says, help yourself. You thank him in a voice you know he could not possibly hear and then you proceed to pour two small bottles of red wine into a glass. You look out the window as you sip the wine that is both warm and soothing. It helps to settle your nerves, but only just enough to stop you from shaking, which you know you must not do; for if it starts, you won't be able to stop it. You mustn't start to shake and so you put back the rest of the wine. It helps.
The car pulls up in front of an elegant and very expensive-looking hotel. The driver opens the door and as you get out you see her standing there; and she is stunning, more beautiful than you remember. Her long blonde hair is done, her jewelry, real, glitters from beneath her slightly open dark mink coat. Her 5 inch high heels make her tower over you. She takes you by the arm and leads you towards the door.
Are you okay? she asks.