Love in Las Vegas

By:anonymous(toni-cornford.com)
Pictures by:(leagueofbikepolo.com)

Danny and I stood and glared at each other over the breakfast table. The reason for our latest row was a slightly overcooked boiled egg! To hear the way he'd sounded off you'd think I'd done it deliberately to annoy him. He didn't seem to realise I had to get to work too!

"I think it's time we had a serious talk about our marriage," I challenged him coldly.

He snatched his jacket off the back of the chair and practically threw it on.

"On the contrary..." he snapped back. "A serious talk about divorce would be more appropriate!"

He stormed out of the kitchen and a moment later the front door slammed so hard the windows shook. I stood with my hands clenched into fists as fury erupted inside me. In the three months we'd been married Danny had turned from a loving adorable man into a chauvinistic monster I was rapidly beginning to loath.

My best friend, Alma, had sympathised and said it was all to do with adjusting to being married and time would sort it out. After all, we used to be so happy, so in love. The envy of our friends and the pride of our families! Now look at us. The moment we opened our eyes in the morning we were bickering. Not about anything that really mattered, just stupid things. Like an overcooked boiled egg, and the fact I hadn't had time to iron him a shirt, and leaving the top off the toothpaste.

A couple of times I'd reminded Danny that there were two of us living in the flat, and surely it was against all the odds that only one of us, namely me, could be responsible for everything that went wrong or didn't get done. What was I? Some kind of slave. Or merely the dustbin for Danny to dump his bad temper into.

Perhaps he was right. A divorce might be the only answer. We certainly couldn't go on living like this for the rest of our lives. Yet the thought of divorce after only three months of being married horrified me.

I sat down and stared at Danny's half eaten egg. My anger was quickly

being replaced by despair. If only I could figure out when the bickering had started, and why. We'd been going out together for two years with barely a cross word. And then I'd won the competition.

Remembering the day I'd got the letter I felt my brain glow like a light bulb. It was then it had all started going haywire...

Dear Miss Scott, I'd read with growing excitement. Congratulations! We are delighted to tell you, you have won first prize in the Candy Orange competition. At a time of your choosing we will fly you and three companions to the fun city of Las Vegas for two weeks, all expenses paid...

It went on about the delights of Neva, the hotel we'd be staying at, and there was an enormous list of things to do and places to visit.

Alma and I were sharing a flat at the time and we invited Danny and her boyfriend, Martin, over that night to announce the news. It was celebrations all round as we worked out how soon we could all leave.

"That's it then," I beamed when we'd all agreed. "I'll ring them in the morning and in three weeks time we'll be on our way to Las Vegas."

It was a crazy time. We were all on one big high and determined not to come down ever! Those three weeks flew past and before we knew it we were landing in Las Vegas and a noisy reception was waiting.

The moment we stepped out of the plane a crowd of cheer leaders went into their routine right there on the tarmac. Behind them a jazz band belted out their version of 'The Saints', and there was cheering and whistling coming from all directions. Banners waved and photographers took photos as we hurried into the stretch limo the hotel had sent for us.

That set the tone for the next two weeks. The hotel really rolled out the red carpet and we were treated like royalty. Nothing was too much trouble, and the representative of Candy Orange was there to make sure it all went smoothly. Danny made a few cynical remarks about 'free advertising', but I didn't care. From the moment we'd arrived I was in another world. A world of glamour, bright lights and unlimited entertainment.

It was like one long party. A party that ended up with Danny and I getting married!

Wedding Chapels are big business in Las Vegas, and the subject came up during a promotional evening Candy Orange put on. The rep, Cathy, had asked Danny and I to pose for a few photos to go into their company magazine. They wanted to make a big splash with a feature on the winners of the competition. The writer wanted to know all about us and as one thing led to another someone, I can't remember who, suggested it would be so romantic if we got married in Las Vegas.

Danny and I laughed it all off. We were happy as we were, and although we probably would get married one day, that day was a long way off. No one pressed the subject and as the champagne flowed it was forgotten. At least it was until Danny brought it up later that night.