by Lori L. Otto
“As long as you’re there,” she says, “that’s all I need.”
“Thank you,” I tell her. “So you’ll still marry me? Here?” I smile, hopeful, my eyes pleading.
“Of course,” she replies as relief washes over me. “And thank you,” she replies, following it with a kiss. “Where did Donna go?”
“I think she’s probably outside in the yard. She wanted to give us some time alone to see that,” I say, pointing to a door in the opposite direction. “That... is your workspace.”
Her smile broadens as she walks toward the tall wooden door.
“Go on,” I encourage her as her hand rests on the knob.
“Holy shit, Jack,” she murmurs. “It’s like an apartment.”
“A small one, yes,” I say. “I wanted to make sure you’d have everything you need here.”
She sits down on a moss green daybed, leaning against the pillow on one side. “This is awesome,” she says. “Have you sat on it?”
“I thought it was comfortable... and if you’re ever here so late you just want to crash, there are blankets and pillows in the closet over there next to the bathroom. But so you’ll know, I will always be ready to come by and walk you home. Anytime. It’s just two blocks from the house.”
“I promise to always come home,” she says, standing up and walking to the mini kitchen, the refrigerator stocked with water and diet soda. “Did Anna design this place?” she asks.
“Of course she did.”
“She did an amazing job. I’m pretty sure we saw this desk somewhere last spring... I told her I loved it... and now I have it...” She sits at her desk as I perch on the edge of the daybed. “Did you get me a new computer?”
“Well, I thought you’d need one here so you don’t have to lug that old laptop around all the time.” She hits the power button and grins at the familiar start-up chime.
“Jack, this is too much.” She stands, walking across the room, pulling back the tapestry curtains and looking out the window overlooking the park.
“Emi, it was the least I could do after encouraging you to sell the loft. I know how much that place inspired you.”
“Is that a dog bed?” she asks, laughing.
“We thought you might want company some times.”
“I’d want you,” she says, walking back to me. “Will you visit?”
“Of course,” I say, kissing her. “I was hoping you wouldn’t get too comfortable here. And you can always work from the bedroom, like you do now. I love waking up to the warm glow of the computer screen highlighting your beautiful face.”
A soft knock interrupts us. “What’s the verdict?” Donna asks.
“The wedding is on,” I tell her.
“Do you like it, Emi?” she asks.
“I love it. And Nate would have loved it, too. I know he dreamed of having a gallery one day.”
“Will it do for your wedding?”
“It’s beautiful. Of course.”
“I told you that you didn’t need to worry, Jack,” Donna gloats.
“You were worried?” Emi asks me.
“Yeah,” I sigh. “Just a little.”
“You. Me. Dress. Rings. Cake.” Her hand caresses my face. “That’s all I need, right?”
“That’s what you said.”
“That’s all I need. Thank you... for all of it. For everything. For you... for loving me.”
“You’re most welcome, Emi.”
~ * ~
We stare across the restaurant, watching our families interact at the rehearsal dinner. “Looks like your mom is getting an earful from Elaine,” Emi whispers to me. “She just doesn’t know when to shut up sometimes. God love her, but man! Can she talk!”
“I think they probably make perfect dinner companions then,” I tell her. “My mom is just too polite to turn away. She’s a great listener.”
“Your dad looks uncomfortable.”
“He’s not big on social gatherings,” I tell her.
“I’m going to go talk to him,” she says. She smiles wide and squeezes my thigh before walking over to my father. She pulls a chair close to him and sits down, leaning into him to talk. My father laughs at something she whispers to him, and his shoulders seem to relax immediately. She just does that to people.
She did that to me on the night we first met.
I walk to the bar and order a scotch, taking it outside on the patio, feeling reflective and remembering that night in college. I watch her through the window as she invites my shy niece into their conversation. Jackie crawls into my father’s lap as Andrew runs over, tugging on Emi’s sleeve. She picks him up and bounces him on her knee, causing him to giggle loudly. Contemplative, I scan the room to see the rest of our families and friends enjoying one another’s company.
Lost in my own thoughts, I’m startled when Emi joins me on the restaurant’s patio.
“What are you doing out here?” Emi asks, pulling on her coat.
“I was just thinking about the night we met,” I tell her, snapping out of my daze.
“What about it?” she asks.
“I just remember how comfortable you made me feel. I had never felt as nervous as I had once you started talking to me... but within seconds, you put me completely at ease. Just like you did with my dad.”
“Awww...” she says. “You got it backwards, though.”
“No,” I shake my head. “You don’t remember it clearly.”
“I remember a lot,” she says. “I told you, once you kissed me last year, most of the night came back to me. I remember how cute you looked as I walked past you. As soon as I saw you, I decided I was going to try to get up the nerve to talk to you.
“And then, you came over to make sure I was okay. Right away, you presented the opportunity... and right away, I knew I was safe with you. I was completely at ease from that moment on.”
“So, if you remember that night,” I say as we put our arms around each other, “what were you thinking on that picnic table... when you were so quiet for so long?”
“I kept asking myself over and over again, ‘Why didn’t he kiss me?’ and ‘Why wasn’t he the one to pull me away from the other guys?’”
“You were not.”
“I totally was!” she says. “After you didn’t kiss me on the curb, I was confused. I had convinced myself that you weren’t interested... but I thought we had shared a moment there... so I decided to test you by playing drinking games with your brothers. But you didn’t ‘rescue’ me that time.”
“You were testing me...”
“I was. You failed miserably,” she jokes. “Then, when you just sat there on the bench and did nothing, I just got more frustrated. I thought I misread you... that is, until, I tripped into your arms and saw that look in your eyes again. And I was drunk enough to take advantage of the situation... and I kissed you.
“And that’s about all I remember... of you, anyway. Then things got kinda confusing with Nate.”
“Right... damn,” I say, smiling. “I failed miserably.”
“You’ve made up for it,” she assures me. “You’ve never failed me since.”
“I hope I never do.”
“I don’t think you ever could,” she says. “Anyway, I think they’re ready to serve dinner, and there are a few people who have some things to say...”
“Well, what are we waiting for?” As she begins to walk in, I pull her back to me. “One more thing...” I tuck her hair behind her ears and pull her in for a kiss. “That’s for the curb.”
“You’re forgiven.” She kisses me again.
“Dear Emi,” Chris begins as the wait staff brings out the food. He clears his throat and swallows hard before continuing, reading his toast from a folded piece of paper. Anna rubs his arm for encouragement. “I remember the night that Jack told me that the two of you kissed in college. I was so angry, I hit him. Gave him a black eye. Even after that, he still had the nerve to talk to me about you. Kept asking me to find out if you liked
him...
“I never did... and eventually he dropped it.
“I never asked you because all of my fraternity brothers wanted to go out with you after that one party. How was I supposed to know that this one– that Jack here– would be someone special to you?
“Of course, I feel bad about this now... knowing you could have been with him all this time... and thinking of the heartache it may have saved you over the years, with break-ups, incompatible boyfriends and bad dates...”
Emi squeezes my hand tightly. I watch as she looks up at the ceiling, willing the tears to abstain from falling to her cheeks.
“But that’s all in the past... and we can’t live with regrets. So, I apologize for keeping the love of your life from you all those years. I find comfort in knowing, though, that the years you spent apart helped to sculpt you into the beautiful person you are today, Em. Those years made you the person that Jack, my best friend, fell truly in love with. He was a little infatuated in college. If he knew how silly you were back then– if he had gotten to know you then– I don’t know that he would have stuck around. I would never have put College Emi and College Jack together. Not in a million years. You were creative, confused and flighty, changing your mind and opinions daily, living in a fantasy world... an idealist to a fault. And then there was Jack, driven, completely grounded, knowing what he wanted in life, sometimes a little too smart for his own good... a total realist.
“But that just goes to prove my point. You were different people then. Over the years, you’ve both drifted into this space in the middle where the idealist and the realist fall in love.
“And now, I can’t imagine two people better suited for one another. Well, maybe my beautiful wife and I...” he mutters.
“Anyway, to my amazing sister and my best friend,” he says, raising his glass. “I hope you find support, happiness and above all, love, in each other, every moment of every day that you’re together.”
“Thanks, Chris,” I tell him, smiling.
“Love ya, Chris,” Emi smiles.
“Okay, my turn,” my sister says, addressing Emi and me. “I have been fortunate to know my brother all of my life. And I can tell you– all of you Hennigans– that there are definite advantages to having Jacks in your family.”
“First, he’s got mad grill-skills,” she smiles. “I’ve heard that there is a little competition in your family with Chris, but I’d put my money on my brother. And when you’re ready to fight it out, please invite me. I’d be a great judge. I like my steak medium rare.
“Secondly, he is amazing with kids. Doesn’t matter whose they are, he’s a natural with them. I guess he can thank me and our brothers for that, since he spent quite a lot of time keeping us entertained and out of trouble when we were growing up.
“He is an amazing listener. And he’ll keep his mouth shut when he needs to, or give great advice if asked. He’s really good with financial advice.” She winks at me.
“And on that note, he makes a pretty good living,” she shrugs. “He gets by, at least.” Our families laugh.
“He is selfless and caring... like no one I’ve ever met. He will always put others in front of himself. And he never asks for anything in return. He is humble and kind, and always the first to lend a hand. He’s a great problem-solver, and he knows how to compromise. He’s very methodical, reasonable... and he makes sound decisions. And he’ll admit when he’s wrong... but he rarely is.
“He can fix cars, among other things,” she states. “Maybe something you didn’t know, but Jacks got the highest grade in his junior-level shop class. We all thought we had a car mechanic on our hands... but he surprised us with this whole computer nonsense in college.
“One more thing, he plans awesome vacations,” Kelly adds. “And I have been informed that this year we will be having a combined Holland/Hennigan spring break, so let the madness ensue!”
Everyone claps as Emi leans in and kisses me. “You’re asking for trouble,” she laughs.
“But most importantly...” Kelly says as she lifts her champagne glass, “the most important thing that he brings to the table... Jacks apparently makes someone in your family very happy. And Emi,” she concludes, “I can honestly say that he found someone that really deserves him... someone that appreciates him and gives him purpose. I often worried that there wasn’t anyone good enough for my big brother... but you’ve surpassed all of our expectations, and you’ve made him happier than we’ve ever seen him. I will be honored to call you my sister.”
“Thank you,” we say together to Kelly. Emi blots a tear from her eye and leans into me.
“Yeah, on that same note,” Jen chimes in, “I just want to say that I think you two were made for one another. I just wish you both all the happiness in the world.” She gets choked up and smiles. “Happy tears,” she says, wiping them away from her cheeks.
Stevie, Matthew, Anna and both of our fathers toast us before the night is through. Over drinks, our parents have become quite comfortable with each other, and our siblings have spent most of the night comparing stories.
“This feels right,” I whisper to Emi, kissing her ear shortly after eleven. “I’m going to miss you tonight.”
“I’ll miss you, too,” she returns. “But just think. In less than twenty-four hours, I’ll be your wife.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Kiss her goodnight, Jacks,” Matthew says. “We’ve got places to go... Emi, we get him tonight. You can have him the rest of your life.”
“No strippers tonight,” she smiles. “Matty, I mean it.”
“You don’t get a vote, sweetie,” he teases her. “He only gets one wedding, which means one bachelor party– so we have to make it count!”
“Chris!” she calls out to her brother.
“Yeah,” he says, Anna clinging to his side.
“No strippers, right?”
“This is Jack’s last night as a single man. We do what he wants.” She looks at me, her eyes pleading, yet playful.
“I love you,” I tell her. “You know me. Sleep well knowing that.”
She looks at me, suspicious, and sighs heavily. “I know you. I know your brothers and mine, though, too.” She gives me a stern look that eventually melts into a smile. “I love you.”
“You girls have fun... try to sleep.”
“Can we have our midnight kiss early?”
“Of course.” I kiss her deeply, putting all the assurance I have into the loving gesture. “Happy New Year, Em. May this be our best year yet... and may all the years that follow be even better.”
“Happy New Year, Jack. I have no doubt they will be.”
EMI
CHAPTER 13
“Damn it,” I mutter under my breath, checking my watch after staring at myself for far too long in the full-length mirror. “Darn it!” I correct myself, remembering my vow to Jack to clean up my language. I smooth out the folds in the dress and shift on my heels, calling to Anna through the bathroom door.
”Hair up or down?”
”You still haven’t decided?” she responds, frantic. ”We don’t have any more time!”
“I’m aware of that, and you’re not helping to speed things up. Up or down!?!”
”Down!” she exclaims. I knew she’d say that. I start to pull the clips out of my hair, turning the curling iron back on, knowing I’m going to need to fix a few strands. “No wait!” she adds. “Whichever way it’s already done! I thought we decided, either way looks beautiful!”
“Too late!” I respond after brushing my hair out. I tilt my head to the side, pulling a few locks in front to frame my face and smile. Picking up the hairspray, I commit to the look and turn the curling iron off. I can’t be late. Not today. The butterflies in my stomach flutter wildly as the smile on my face grows. I can’t wait!
Much to Anna’s relief, I rush by her on my way to the closet, listening to her whispering updates to Chris into her cell phone on my readiness. After switching shoes– only twic
e– I go to my dresser and look over the jewelry I had set out the night before. I hold up the ornate diamond necklace Jack had given to me as a gift for the wedding and run my fingers over the stones. Even though I know he’d like to see me in it, it’s too extravagant, too much for even today, what is likely to be the most important day of our lives. I set it back in its black velvet case and put it in the safe in the closet and lock it up. When I get back to the dresser, I hear my phone vibrate. Glancing across the room, I see his picture on the display and run to answer it.
“Jacks,” I sigh into the phone giddily.
“At what point of undress are you right now, Poppet?”
“I’ll have you know, I’m dressed.”
“Anna tells Chris you’re having hair problems?”
“Anna lies.” She glares at me as I stick my tongue out at her. “I’m ready. I’m just putting on my jewelry and then we’ll be on our way.”
“I knew it wasn’t a good idea to leave you two alone today,” he laughs into the phone. “Jen would have made sure you were here by now.”
“What, are you anxious to see me?”
“More than you know. You won’t be late?”
“I promise, I won’t. I want to look perfect, that’s all,” I plead. “They’re all going to be judging us.”
“You are beautiful, Emi, and no one is judging us. That’s all behind us. This is just a formality today.”
“Right,” I breathe heavily. “Just a formality. I can’t believe this is happening. Jacks... thank you. Thank you for everything.”
“No, Emi. Thank you. You have given me everything I’ve ever wanted. I have to admit, though, I’m anxious to get this behind us, and I just want you here with me.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Okay,” he says, obviously smiling. “Don’t forget the flowers.”
“I won’t, they’re in water by the door.”
“Tell Anna to drive carefully. Don’t speed, these things always start late anyway.”
“She won’t speed, and we won’t be late. Promise.”