Matthew's hands shook nervously as he stood at the end of the make shift aisle, waiting for Sharon.

The day had finally come!

Excitement washed over him, making it nearly impossible to maintain his footing. Glancing around at the perfection of their wedding venue, a wide smile settled on his lips. The farmhands had done their best with the decorations, even going as far as sticking wild flowers to every chair.

Everything was perfect; from the peaceful looking blue clouds that loomed above, to the calm lake before him, to the guests that consisted of his farmhands, members of his family, Nana Lois, and even Gretchen. Considering their last conversation before she left for San Francisco, he had been surprised to find her present in the carriage that arrived the day before with his family. Her eyes no longer sparkled with life, but he knew Gretchen was dealing with the loss of her family's fortune with as much grace as she could muster.

A part of Matthew pitied her, he thought, her gaze coming to rest on him. She mustered a smile and a nod, prompting him to reciprocate the gesture; he pitied her for the sadness and fear he saw in those eyes.

His family was here, but Sharon's wasn't. He was slightly disappointed by George Freelance's decision to neglect the invitation he had sent through his farmhand two weeks ago, but he wasn't surprised. The invitation to George was nothing but a polite gesture; one he hadn't expected George to honor. And if Matthew was going to be honest, then he had been hoping George Freelance would stay away from their wedding, considering what had happened the last time he was here on the farm.

His gaze shifted to Nana who was seated on a chair in the front row, her eyes dancing with pleasure. The last time George Freelance was here, he had nearly hurt Nana Lois. Matthew did not look forward to seeing the older man in the near future. Perhaps only when George was over his obsession with liquor and gambling? He was sorry Sharon even had to be burdened with such a father, spurring him to mentally vow to make up for all of her father's short comings, to love her unconditionally, and to protect her —even from George Freelance, if there was ever a need to.

Turning from Nana, he refocused his attention on the path before him, waiting anxiously for Sharon's arrival.

Time slipped by slowly, and with it, Matthew's patience. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, the smile on his face was quickly displaced by a concerned frown. Soon, the look on the crowd's face mirrored his own.

Cupping his hand over his forehead, he stood on tiptoes and tried to catch a glimpse of the building, hoping he would in the process, catch a glimpse of her. But even as he did so, he recognized the futility of his action for the lake was several miles from the house.

Frustrated, fear sent a cold chill down his spine; where was she?! Perhaps something happened? Was she hurt? Was she in need of his help?

Turning sharply to Stanley who stood by his side, he said, “I'll go to her. Keep the guests busy.”

While Stanley had a look on his face that screamed 'how?!', Matthew didn't pause to answer the question. He instead hurried down the aisle, ignoring the loud murmurs of their guests.

Unhitching a horse from his family's carriage, he mounted it.

His heart slammed painfully against his ribcage, fear clouding his vision as he raced home. He imagined finding Sharon hurt and drowning in a pool of her blood.

Shaking the image aside, he reached the building, pulling his horse to a halt by the wagon that was tasked with bringing Sharon to the lakeside. The driver —his farmhand— turned to him as well, the impatient look on his face making it very clear to Matthew that he too had no idea where Sharon was.

Alarmed, Matthew hurried up the stairs, his heels barely making contact with them. He pushed the door open and swept the down floor with his eyes. Finding no sign of her, he turned to the stairs, taking them two at a time until he was pushing their bedroom door wide open.

“Sharon!” His lungs constricted as his eyes swept the empty room. “Sharon!” He stepped inside, his limbs trembling as he pressed a finger to his forehead in a failed attempt to ease his mounting headache.

Several thoughts raced through his mind, one of which was the possibility of Sharon being hurt, or worse; kidnapped! It was possible, especially with a man like Jenkins being interested in her.

“The bastard!” He muttered, trembling.

There was also the threat of her father. He was a fool for inviting George to their wedding! What on earth had he been thinking?!

Stepping further into the room, he turned around in a circle, the motion causing his head to spin. He pressed his hands against his ears, racking his brain for answers, his desperation making it difficult to think properly.

Pressing his eyelids shut, Matthew fought to regain control of his breathing and his pounding heart. He knew he needed to be in control in order to fix the problem. He knew he needed his mind to be calm enough to think up a solution.

Still, he knew he didn't have the time. For all he knew, she desperately needed him.

Tearing his eyelids apart, he made to turn around when a flash on the edge of the bed caught his attention. He stared at it, realizing then that it was his grandmother’s ring.

Confused, he went to it and picked it up, noticing then the piece of paper that laid underneath; a seemingly worthless piece of paper he had half the mind to ignore, until he picked it up as well and hurriedly ran his gaze through it. It was then that Matthew no longer considered the piece of paper to be worthless. It was then, in that moment, that Matthew's pounding heart finally began to slow down until it was threatening to stop completely. It was then that his legs finally caved beneath him, forcing him to crash to the bed.

Rubbing his eyes with his sleeves, Matthew told himself he could not possibly be seeing correctly. His mind was making up things, torturing him with a cruel lie. He was simply anxious and afraid!

He read the note again, aloud this time:

Matthew,

I'm gone. Don't try to find me. I want nothing to do with you or the wedding. Goodbye.

Sharon.

Simple words, they could not possibly have gone beyond five sentences. Yet, the note in his hands caused his limbs to ache; it felt like it weighed a million pounds, crushing his heart with every word it carried.

He must have been seated there for hours, having lost control of his limbs, and possibly his mind. For his mind could not be interpreting the note before his eyes properly! His own darn eyes were betraying him! It was him, not Sharon! Sharon would never betray him.

“Matthew?”

Matthew did not hear the voice beside him, and he barely felt the light weight that settled on his shoulder as a hand rested on it. “Oh Matthew,” He was pulled against something. “She's gone, isn't she?”

He shook his head; it couldn't be, she couldn't be gone.

“I'm sorry.”

“Find her!” He heard his own desperate voice.

“We searched. We found you here an hour ago and saw the note in your hands. You wouldn't release it but with much probing, we pried it out of your fingers and read it; Sharon is gone.”

He recognized Gretchen's voice. She was here to mock him, wasn't she?! How was it that the two women he had managed to fall in love with had ended up wrecking his heart?

“Lies!” He yelled.

“Matthew, please rest.”

Rest?! He couldn't rest!

“Kidnapped. Inform the Sherriff.” He tried to move but his legs stubbornly ignored his command.

“I'm afraid you are wrong.” His father's voice rang in his ears. He hadn't known he was in the room. Who else was here? Who else came to see his misery?!

He tried again to rise and run from the world that was shattering all around him, but he still could not move.

“She has been kidnapped,” he offered, trying and failing to ease the pain in his heart.

“Matthew, she left.” His father said.

Irritated, he turned fully to him. This was what his father wanted, wasn't it?! He never did approve of Sharon.

“How would you know?!” Anger rang in his voice.

“Because she told me. She came to me for money and I gave it to her. She asked me to pay for her stage fair and a new life and I did.” His father's words were like multiple stones being pelted at him. Shocked, he sat gawking at the monster before him who might as well have grown horns. “I might be a monster, but Sharon is the bigger monster. The sooner you accept that, the better.”

____________________________________