The door rolls up, but it's not the bride. My bride. It's a man. This must be a mistake. He's at the wrong place. It's OK, though, Strange Man, you're not disturbing me. I'm not in the middle of dinner, or finishing the big report, or trolling around on the internet.

I'm just waiting. For her.

In fact, why don't you come in and stay awhile. It's been so long since I've seen someone else. Or, at least, I think it's been a long time. Not sure that time actually passes in here. It's stopped, stagnant, pooled in the corners, waiting to rejoin the flow of time on the other side of the door. Waiting for her.

Strange Man makes his way through the space, looks at the dress, the cake, the booze. Like those glasses? I spent a pretty penny on them. Hey, crack open a bottle, would ya? I'm a little parched. I could use a drink.

Strange Man stops short, draws a sharp breath. He's looking right at me. Do I look that bad? It's been a rough few...weeks? Months? I don't really know, but there hasn't been much opportunity for grooming in here, so to speak. See what I did there? I'm still funny, sense of humor intact, in good spirits. Pull up a chair, grab a glass - have I got a story for you.

Strange Man just stares for a few more minutes, moves his way back through space, and the door rolls shut again. Darkness, again. Oh, well. It's not the worst. Not even close. I just wish it had been her.

My bride. When will she come back for me? Still so clear in my memory. Those hazel eyes, that blond hair falling through my fingers, shining like a hundred thousand strands of fibre optics.

I found her online.

Not a dating site, or Face-whatever, Tinder. Just a good, old fashioned online classified ad on one of those city sites. It used to be so hard, finding someone willing, understanding and able to do what you need. God bless the internet, though. It's practically like putting your order in at a restaurant. No fumbling conversations, no clubs to join, much less networking to do, or easier networking, at least. Just type in, "I need a woman to do X, Y and Z," hit enter, and bam! Order up. They come to me.

It helps to toss in a few clues that you may be fancier than most, that money might be spent, even if you're a cheap SOB. You get higher quality that way. Who needs to bother with catcalling or groping on the train? That's such a numbers game, penny slots gambling for suckers. Naw, I like to work smarter. Or, at least, I used to.

She answered my ad, and agreed to meet. I didn't believe the picture she sent, not at first. I thought maybe she'd fixed it in some photo program, or just knew the best angle for a selfie. But no, she was the real deal. Banging body, smokey eyes, that hair. She gave me the once over, and I could tell that she was in.

I asked her if she had ever done this before. Answer an ad, or what you're...interested in, was her reply. She was holding a glass of wine just under her bottom lip, and for a fraction of a second, pressed the rim slightly against her skin, the tiniest bit of lipstick smudging the glass. And I knew. I KNEW. This would be different. This would be like no other. Never before, and never since.

So good. So, so good. She knew just what to do with me. Those hands. She's tall, with hands to match. Strong. Strong enough to do the trick, with or without other devices. Nothing like seeing her face swirling behind the spots and flashes of light bursting from my eyes. Until the day she faded away completely, and suddenly I was here.

Not sure how I got here, alone in the dark. It's a little like being underwater. Quiet. Things have happened to my vision. Strange Man looked distorted, wavy. Did I hear him speak? Hard to say. Everything's muffled. Whoever he was, I can't imagine I'll ever see him again.

But when will I see her?

The door's rolling up again. I don't know how long it's been - like I said, there's no time in here. Whoa, oh, my God...it's her. She's come back!

Honey, Baby, watch your step! Don't trip. Come to Papa. Your face is heaven to me. Baby...baby...I'm over here. Come this way. What are you doing? Now's not the time to go rearranging everything. We'll take care of that later. Just come here and give me some sugar. Baby...where you going? You just got here.

She's left the door open. Maybe she's going to take me out of here, and we can start again. We had some problems, like any couple, and we can work through it. I've been doing a lot of thinking (not much else to do in here), and if she'd just tell me what I did or didn't do, I'll do it, or not do it.

Oh, she's back! Baby, baby, I...what the hell is that? What's she bringing in that's so big she has to use a dolly? Did you bring me a present, honey, is that why you moved everything around? You didn't have to bring me anything, all I want is you.

Huh. Must be heavy. Even with my hearing not being so good these days, I can tell that it hit the floor pretty hard.

Never mind that, baby, just look at you. I can't believe you're standing right here in front of me. Even with my eyes the way they are, I can sense your hazel stare, like a knife right through my heart.

You feeling all right? You seem kinda agitated, kinda angry. Still, so beautiful when you're mad - sorry, I know you hate it when I say that. Talk to me, I promise I'll listen this time. I'll really listen.

Come back...come back! No, baby, don't go! You didn't even show me what you brought!

She slams the door shut.

I'm trying to check out the new addition lying on the floor a few feet away from me. Six feet long, couple feet wide. Two shoes sticking out the end. Two shoes...and hair on the other end. No. No way. Who's this guy?! I want to scream, but I can't make a sound. The echo of it bounces around the inside of my head.

Hey - hey buddy! What'd you think you're doing here? This is my place, and that's my woman. I don't know who you think you are, but you're not muscling in on my territory.

Why would she bring some random guy in here? Does she think I need the company? How long is she gonna be gone that she thinks I need some strange guy to hang out with? I gotta calm down. Getting all worked up isn't doing any of us any favors.

More time. More darkness. And now, a rattle. This is the third time I've heard that noise, but I'm not holding my breath for who it might be.

Yeah, that guy's still here. Hasn't said much. I can sense the air escaping from his pores, though, making its way through the folds of the blanket he stays wrapped up in.

The door rolls up. More darkness outside. A flashlight. A halo of gold. The sound of an engine warbling. She makes her way back again, bumping boxes as she goes. The glasses chime, the bottles clang. She's brought the dolly back, drags strange guy off the floor onto the metal frame, and maneuvers carefully to the door.

Fine. You go off with him. Fine. I guess I'll just spend the rest of eternity here, alone, while my angel's off with someone else. I should have known, I should have known, I should have KNOWN! Who uses carnations for wedding flowers these days, anyway?

A scrape, and a clank, and she's back. Oh, baby, I take it all back. I was just mad, you know how I get. I just love you so much, just want you for myself. That's right, put your arms around me, it's gonna be OK. When was the last time I felt you up against me? Heaven, I'm in heaven. I'm...hey!

I'm semi-vertical, and she's got me on the dolly, and we're making our way out toward the rolling door. We're leaving together! Oh, God, I thought this day would never come. We should always be together, baby.

At the edge of the doorway, she throws a blanket over my head, which I appreciate, since I noticed snowdrifts lining the outside of the building. There is the tail-end of a small cargo van right outside the door, and the sound of the engine gets louder. Suddenly, I'm sliding, sliding on a cold slab of a floor, and another loud clank! as she hoists the dolly into the van next to me.

The back doors slam. Front door opens, slams shut. The radio plays something indistinguishable as we start to move. She takes a corner too fast, the blanket falls from my face, and, Christ on the cross if that strange guy isn't laying next to me! His blanket has fallen off his face, too. I think he's staring at me. I can't quite tell, but it's creeping me out.

Stop it, creepy guy. Stop staring at me.

A lot of street lights pass overhead. And then fewer. And then none at all. We hit a bump, and the dolly rattles and sways. Another bump, harder this time, and CRASH! I am staring at the dolly. The L-shaped bend of the dolly is over my chest, the flat metal lip just under my chin. I can hear the edge of it squeaking against the plastic covering my...neck. No.

Where my neck used to be.

Great. Just great. How am I supposed to compete with strange-creepy guy now?

The van stops. I try to pull myself together, but really, what's the point? She comes and opens the back, makes a muffled expletive, drags the dolly off of me. Strange-creepy starts moving, and I swear he looks smug. The sound of tires on gravel, and then a noise I can't make out.

Warmth. Warmth on my ankles, and strong hands. My turn. I'm glad it's dark, it'll be harder for her to see me like this. I'm just so...tired now. I can't recall feeling that way before, but I do now.

She wheels me toward a small building, I think. Hard to see. There is the clack of a latch, another door, a dim bulb, one of those camping lanterns, maybe. Once inside, she turns me around, holding my shoulders. I'm trying to look her in the face, but all I see is her coat. Did I buy her that coat? She sighs, a long, drawn-out breath that I have no trouble hearing, and lets go.

As I fall, I see him. And him. And him. And strange-creepy. Five of us, all in a row. I hit the floor, chest up.

She turns on her heel, taking the lamp with her. The latch clicks, the van fades into the distance.

If my shoulders could sag, they would. I think the shock of these new suitors, and of the frozen floor have literally cracked open my heart.

I thought I was the only one.