Essays and Vignettes: The Standoff

    Daisy scratched absently at her wig. It was cheap and it itched, incessantly. She was already counting down the hours until she could finally take it off. She pushed the annoyance to the back of her mind and glanced over at Jason. His white lab coat looked good on him, and the long black messy-haired wig he was wearing made him look like an entirely different person. Which is rather the point of cosplay. 

    She quirked a half smile at him, then laid her head on his shoulder. The darkness of the video room hid her smile. It was hard to believe that just a year ago, they’d connected in the karaoke room of this convention. It had only been a year, but Daisy felt almost like a completely different person. Her relationship with Jason had grown and flourished, to the point where they were living happily together and Daisy had a special ring in her pocket just for him. 

    She thought about the ring-shaped candy in her pocket and what it represented. If she had the courage, it would catapult their relationship to the next level. 

    She already knew he would say yes, they had talked about getting married. But she still worried. Maybe it was stage fright. Maybe it was the stress of bucking tradition. Every time she thought about that ring and what she had planned for tonight, her heart sped up painfully fast. Was her plan good enough? Would the simple video she’d made of their year together work? Is her speech right? 

    She took a deep breath. It would work out, of that she was sure. Besides, the middle of an anime convention is not the time to try to redesign an entire proposal plan. 

    Sydney, Jason’s best friend, slipped into the seat next to her. Daisy always felt small when she was standing between those two giants. But it was also very reassuring, because she knew they loved her. Jason’s romantic love was unmistakable. Daisy used to have a crush on Sydney, but now he was a brother to her. She smiled over at Sydney and he showed off the brand new deck of cards he’d just found. She didn’t recognize the anime it was based on, but she smiled and nodded anyway. She enjoyed seeing him happy and excited. 

    The episode playing on the screen finished. She turned to Jason “Can we watch that show next? Cause that was fun!”

    Jason smiled and nodded, the wig hair bouncing unnaturally “Sure. I’ve got it at home.” 

    Of course he did. She smiled up at her beloved anime nerd. “Awesome!” 

    Sydney leaned forward so he could see both of them, “Where to next fam?”

    Daisy shrugged, she still had an hour to kill before the next panel that she wanted to attend. 

    Jason suggested they go wander the vendor room again, so they gathered their things and made their way out of the video room. 

    In the hallway, they stopped to check their schedules to make sure they weren’t forgetting a panel and to redistribute the various bags they were all carrying. Out of the corner of her eye Daisy glimpsed a familiar face standing at the table in the Manga Library. She smiled wide, she hadn’t seen Sam since she stopped working at that library. She started to call his name, but hesitated. 

    Barely twenty minutes ago she’d walked into the library looking for familiar faces and to kill time. Only to run face-to-face with her ex-boyfriend. She’d known that Alan volunteered for this convention back when they were dating, but she hadn’t seen him last year, nor had she seen him throughout the first day and a half of the convention. She’d convinced herself that he didn’t volunteer there anymore. So seeing him for the first time since their breakup three years prior had been a major jolt. But Sam hadn’t been in the Manga Library when she ran into Alan, maybe they’d switched places and it was safe to say hi. 

    Her boys, Jason and Sydney, were still talking about what to do next, so she decided there was plenty of time to say hi to Sam and it was probably safe. 

 

She was wrong. Oh so wrong. 

 

    She stepped up to the door “Sam!” 

    He looked up from his computer and his teeth flashed in a large smile “Hey!” His voice was just as dark and warm as she remembered. If anyone should get into voice acting, it was Sam. 

    Alan stood up from where he’d been crouched behind the desk organizing materials. 

    Daisy froze, unable to take another step as her heart jumped into her throat and her mind scrambled. 

    “Long time no see! How have you been?” Sam asked as he moved in for a hug. 

    She plastered a smile on her face and returned his hug while Alan pointed back and forth at the two of them, his surprised expression communicating clearly that he had no idea how the two of them knew each other. 

    Sam kept talking, but the words stopped making sense as Daisy realized that stuck there in that doorway she stood at the center of a five foot square that included two crushes, a man she’d dated for five years, and the man she wanted to marry. 

    There is no way this is actually happening! This only happens in tv dramas! Her head throbbed as her heartbeat pounded in her ears. Her chest felt tight and breathing was difficult. 

    Suddenly time slowed and calm settled over her, as if a bell had been rung to silence the pounding in her veins. Like a lightning bolt from the heavens, Daisy realized that in this five foot square was every man who had expressed an interest in her in her entire adult life. The universe held its breath as it tested her resolve, the ring in her pocket burning her with its unanswered question. If she were ever to doubt her relationship, this was the time. These were the men most likely to tempt her away from Jason. Behind her she could feel his warmth and love pulsing. Invisibly, silently, Daisy made her decision. Time seemed to fast forward until she was caught up. 

    Sam’s voice sounded loud to her ears as he explained to Alan that they’d worked together just a little over a year ago. Alan looked at her, his familiar face waking painful scars. But this time, his face didn’t set her off balance. She smiled at him. “Yep!” she agreed with Sam, “he was our IT guy.” She moved away from the doorframe and towards Alan. “Let’s try that hug again, it was awkward last time.” 

    Daisy marveled at how she’d changed since she last saw Alan, just twenty minutes ago. She marveled at how much she’d changed in those few seconds in that doorway. She marveled at just how much shorter Alan was than Jason!Not nearly as comfortable to hug. She released Alan with ease, letting all those years of memories return to their box in the attic of her heart as she stepped back into Jason’s arms. 

    Someone walked up to the door, wanting to get past their little group and into the Manga Library and the moment was broken. She bade Sam and Alan a quick goodbye, then stepped back into the hallway with Jason and Sydney. 

    She held on tight to Jason’s hand. Her other hand wrapped tightly around the candy ring in her pocket and all it represented. Her love had been tested in fire and survived to be ever so much stronger. The future looked bright.