When Megan walked into the house, only her parents were sitting at the festive dinner table.
"Where is everyone?" Megan asked, acting as if nothing were wrong.
"You really have to ask?" her father snapped, pausing his meal for a moment. "After the disgrace you put us through... the absolute embarrassment..."
"Yes, it's a shame everyone left so early," Megan said with a small smile. "Dad, Mom, I want you to meet someone."
A heavy silence filled the room. Finally, her mother spoke up.
"Is this starting again?"
"Yep," Megan nodded.
"And who did you dig up this time?" her father asked. "Some other loser?"
"I don't know. But for the record, I didn't find him; he found me. He picked me up."
Only then did Jack step into the room, offering a modest nod of his head in greeting.
"This guy?" Her mother squinted, trying to discern if her daughter was joking. "He looks decent enough, I suppose."
"Well, yeah." Megan shrugged. "I think so, too."
"And who is he?" her father asked gloomily, pointedly pretending the guest didn't exist.
"He's the first guy I ran into," Megan smiled.
"What?" Her father looked confused.
"Mom, Dad, haven't you ever read a book?" Megan took Jack by the hand, led him to the table, and sat him down across from her parents. She then started rummaging through the hall closet for a travel bag. "After my fiancé stood me up and ran off, I decided I'd just marry the first man I came across. His name is Jack, by the way." She looked at Jack, who was already helping himself to some potato salad. "Did I get that right? I hope that didn't sound too offensive."
"Mm-hmm," Jack grunted, busy enjoying the salad.
"Interesting..." Her father stared at the newcomer with suspicion and let out a dry chuckle. "Marrying the first man you see? How wise. I'd love to know when the wedding is. Not today, I hope?"
Jack simply shrugged.
"We don't know yet. But we're leaving today," Megan answered calmly for him, starting to toss her things into the bag. "In his car."
"What do you mean, leaving?!" Her mother spun around, watching her daughter in disbelief. "Where are you going?"
"Wherever the road takes us. I'm going to finish packing, have one last meal with you, and then we're off."
"Wherever the road takes us?" Her mother stared at her husband. "Where is that exactly?"
"I'm taking your daughter to Alaska," Jack finally spoke up. "Way up north."
"Alaska?" Megan sounded surprised. "That far?"
"Yes. I've been stationed there."
"I love the North," Megan said tentatively. "I mean, I've never actually been there, but..."
"But that's impossible!" her mother cried. "Our Megan can't handle the Alaskan cold. She has a delicate constitution. Very delicate! Do you have any idea what she went through as a child, Jack? You need to know! It was a very serious illness!"
"Get ready, he's about to hear all my flaws," Megan smirked, continuing to pack. "They'll tell you about the meningitis, how late I was to walk and talk, all my bad grades in high school, and why I almost got kicked out of college. They tell everyone. But honestly, maybe it's for the best. You might change your mind sooner."
"Wait a minute!" Her father looked closely at his daughter. "Why are you being so formal with him? You're talking to him like a stranger."
"Because he is a stranger. And also because he's a good man. There aren't many good people in the world, so you have to treat them with a certain level of respect."
"So you're seriously just some guy off the street?" The father turned his gaze back to Jack.
"Yes. We've known each other for two hours."
"That's insane!" the father nearly shouted. "Two hours... and she's ready to go to the edge of the world with him. She's lost her mind!"
"Why is it insane?" Jack looked firmly at Megan's father. "We did meet, after all. Megan, why don't you sit down and eat something? You'll need your strength for the long drive."
"My God! And he's being formal with her, too!" Her father clutched his head. "I feel like I'm in a dream."
"Yeah..." Megan dropped her bag on the floor and sat at the table. "Maybe it is a dream, but it's a happy one. And I don't plan on waking up. So, Dad, here are the keys to your car. I'm giving them back so you can't hold it over my head anymore." She slid the keys across the table. "And Mom, I'm leaving you my parrot. Please remember to feed him. There. I'll call and I'll text. What else? What else are kids supposed to say when they say goodbye?"
"Honey, please tell us this is a joke," her mother pleaded. "You're just angry at Victor, we understand that. We even forgive you for all the trouble you caused us with this failed wedding. Но to leave us for some random stranger..."
"Trouble?" Megan looked at her mother in surprise. "What trouble did I cause you?"
"Well... we warned you that your fiancé was unreliable. Think of the stress we went through trying to talk sense into you. And we spent a fortune on this dinner, and your wedding dress—it cost a small fortune! By the way, why are you still wearing it? And where is your veil?"
"Oh, right..." Megan laughed. "I'm still in the dress you bought me. Maybe I should leave it here as a souvenir? And as for the trouble... I hear the pay is great in Alaska. Is that true, Jack?"
"Well, these days people say it's not what it used to be," Jack finally smiled. "But I think we'll be able to pay your parents back for the dinner and the dress soon enough."
The table went silent.
***
After a long pause, Megan looked at Jack and asked softly, "Jack, do you mind if I just call you 'Jack'? No more formalities?"
"Of course," Jack smiled. "Don't worry, I'm a reliable guy. I'm responsible. And they say responsibility is more important than love anyway."
"I'm not worried. I'm just a little sad."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I'm saying goodbye to my parents, so I should be sad about that. But I think I'm actually sad because I don't feel sadder to leave. Anyway, are you done eating?"
"I am. Are you?"
"I've lost my appetite, actually. Shall we?"
"Let's go," Jack nodded.
Megan got up from the table, grabbed her bag, and—still in her wedding dress—headed for the door. She paused, looking back at her parents with a touch of melancholy.
"Mom, Dad... I do love you. I'll call you. Soon... once we get there."
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