Ghosts of the past.....

** August 2013**

Arianna stood in shock staring at me.  She had only heard of Craig but never actually met him.  I was almost willing her to say something when my phone beeped.  I sighed and picked it up and it was Mark confirming tonight.  I did a face palm and sighed, I had enough on my plate with Mark let alone Craig trying to skulk back into my life.  Arianna put her hand on my arm in a comforting way.  Without saying a word I knew she understood.  I texted Mark back and asked for a rain check.  I needed to sort my head out; after all I was basically doing what was done to me to some other woman. 

Arianna was not one for being subtle “So wait.  That hunk of a man is the one who cheated on you with your best friend?”  I nodded and replied “not just once....but for months.  Monroe ended up telling me about it, I caught them in the loft and to top it all off his mother and I caught them on the day of the rehearsal dinner.  And long story short, he then had the nerve to blame it on me, saying I was becoming distant with all the wedding planning. And he had needs.”  I surprised myself with the fact that I didn’t cry over my confession.  I used to burst into tears when I had to recount that story to people, then go home and stare at my engagement ring and engagement photos.  Eat a pint of ice cream and cry myself to sleep.  However, I didn’t feel sad anymore.  I was finally over him, over us and what had happened.

*Flashback  June 2012*

Craig and I had been together for a little over 3 years before we got engaged.  He was so charismatic and handsome; 6’2”, solid build, dark brown hair and blue eyes....oh and did I mention he is Australian?! Yes HOT ACCENT!!

I had known he was a playboy prior to us getting together.  Craig was charismatic and with his accent could charm the pants off anyone (literally I would find out later.) I guess that’s why he was in advertising. We had met through my GBF (Gay best friend) Monroe, at Monroe’s “Moving to NYC, Bitches” going away party.  Even my BFF Courtney was drawn into his charisma.

Long story short, we had quite the hot and steamy courtship.  I was swept off my feet a year and a half later when he asked me to move in.  He had met my family; and had later divulged to me that he asked my grandfather for my hand.  It all seemed like a fairy tale, then 6 months later he took me to Sydney to meet his family and it was there that he took me out on a local beach at sunset and proposed.  It was a stunning ring with a platinum band, and a 1 carat diamond solitaire.  I was blissfully happy, for once in my life things had gone my way.

I had called Monroe first, who was yelling into the phone “I’m the best matchmaker!”  I laughed and of course asked him to be my Man of Honour, which he gleefully accepted.  My next call was to Courtney, who as soon as I said I was engaged was not as enthusiastic about it. 

We had set a date for June 20, 2013.  So I had a little over a year to plan the most perfect wedding.  Of course Monroe came back when he could to help me with the executive decisions.  Everything was going so smoothly, I didn’t even notice that Craig was changing.  Our sex life was dwindling, but I just attributed it to him working on a major contract for his firm, and me being tired from work and wedding planning, cleaning the apartment, etc.

**May 2013**

As the months went by, we tried to rekindle our relationship with a pre-honeymoon trip.  After much debate, we had decided to go to Punta Cana.  We just needed us time, no wedding planning, no contracts, just us and a whole lot of sun.  Our first day there we were back in sync with each other; right down to the amazing all night sex.  As I awoke the next morning I reached out to him, but found an empty bed.  Frowning to myself I sat up and wrapped the white sheet around my body.  Walking towards the balcony where I saw his shadow and heard him talking to someone.  I listened in on his conversation, well one side anyway.

“I miss you too”

“I will see you when I get back in town”

When I walked around the corner he quickly said “Gotta go” and hung up and shoved his phone in his pocket.