A December to Remember: a Holiday Romance Anthology

by Howe, Olivia

  “Oh! We have many beautiful black evening gowns!” Janelle said in delight as she led the ladies off to the back of the store where the black evening gowns were located. She pulled a variety of dresses for Sloane to model. Each time she came out of the dressing room, Holly had something to say:

  “Too matronly.”

  “Too goth.”

  “Too funeral-y”

  “Oh, my god, this is a wedding not a stripper club!”

  “Too Miss America pageant.”

  “That gown belongs on Dynasty. Seriously?”

  “Okay, can we get serious with the dresses?”

  Holly got up from her chair and started raiding through the black gowns. She didn’t like any of the ones that Janelle had picked out. So she went searching around the boutique for other gowns that Janelle didn’t select.

  “Madam!” Janelle said to Holly.

  “Madam?! What are you doing?!”

  Holly looked at Janelle like she had two heads.

  “I’m looking for bridesmaid gowns that are more suited to my style.”

  “Only I can handle the gowns!”

  Holly had an impatient look on her face.

  “Okay, then come over here and pull four of these for me. I notice you have this exact gown in children’s sizes. We need an adult size six, an adult size ten, a child’s size ten and a child’s size 4T.”

  Janelle looked taken aback. She wasn’t expecting Holly to be so up front.

  “Whatever you wish, madam!”

  Sloane waited patiently to see what Holly was bringing back. Janelle handed each of the bridesmaids their gown as they went into their dressing room to try it on. Sloane was the first one out of her dressing room.

  “Oh, yes! This is the one!” Sloane said as she came out of the dressing room.

  She had on an elegant black evening gown with one-shoulder. The bodice was elegantly beaded and it had lovely taffeta overlay that stretched from the shoulder strap, across the breast and to the back, where it hung loosely down the back adding to the mystique of the gown.

  “That is gorgeous! Look it even has a little train!” gushed Holly with excitement written all over her face.

  Suddenly, Chloe, Gloria and Belle came out of their dressing rooms, and they all looked just as fabulous as Sloane did.

  “That’s definitely the one…”

  “Okay, now it’s your turn,” said Sloane as she pointed to the area of the store where the bridal gowns were kept. Holly gulped nervously.

  *****

  Five hours later, they had finally left the boutique. Holly had tried on just about every size ten dress in the store, and eventually opted for the very first dress she put on. Fortunately, since there were no time for alterations, the dress fit perfectly. The ladies left the boutique with their gowns in practical garment bags. They had purchased shoes, under garments, and wraps to protect them from the winter chill. Holly even found a tiara and veil that she liked. She couldn’t believe that the big day was just around the corner.

  Chapter Fifteen

  One Last Hurrah…

  December 30, 2013

  Rogue

  “Everybody raise your glasses,” started Marv, prepared to give a best-man speech. He took the job seriously, and had prepared something to read, but decided to wing it at the last minute.

  “I want to toast my daughter and my son, on their second marriage. I can’t believe that tomorrow is the big day. You notice that I did not say son-in-law. Brant, I think you know by now that you are a son to me. You are good to my daughter, and my grandchildren, and you have my blessing. Be good to each other. Life is hard enough on us all. Walk through life together as partners, and as one. Be honest but be kind… and if you hurt my daughter again, I’ll pop you right in your kisser!”

  Brant laughed as everyone clapped. Marv might not be the most poignant best man, but his words were meaningful.

  “Holly, my beautiful daughter. There is no such thing as a fairy tale life. You are tough as nails, but you have a sweet and tender heart. I hope your happy marriage will let you find a happy medium between both. Brant won’t let you down. Put your faith and trust in him.”

  “I have, Daddy,” said Holly with a tender tone to her voice.

  “And to the bridal party, I have a little poem for you:

  Polish your shoes.

  Steam your dress.

  Do your hair,

  And dress to impress.

  But at this time,

  Tomorrow night,

  It’ll be time to party,

  Until the morning light!”

  Marv’s poem’s earned him applause from the Bridal party, specifically from Sloane and Luke, who were already two beers in before dinner had even arrived. Marv took his seat, and now Brant was standing before everyone.

  “I want to thank you all for coming along with journey with us. The road for Holly and me hasn’t always been easy. But it seems when you really want something, it never is. I learned I don’t have to be the perfect husband. All I have to do is love my family and stand by their side no matter how hard it gets. I thank God for Holly every day of my life and I am so happy that tomorrow, she will be my wife again. A lot of people ask me, do you wish you could start again? And the answer is no. We’re not starting over. We have history. We have thirteen years of memories. Mostly good. It’s not starting over when you have that kind of history. Quite simply, it is deciding that you cannot be without that person in your life, and you have made the choice to continue the story on a better note. Holly is the one person in this life that I absolutely cannot live without. It was physically painful to be away from her, and I will never do it again. Besides, I don’t want to get beat up by old Marv McCresson…”

  Brant earned a chuckle from the crowd. Holly stood up, with something to say for herself.

  “Thank you all for being such wonderful friends and thank you for standing by as I marry my best friend. I cannot be happier than I am in this moment to have my family here and so tightly bound. Tomorrow will be among the happiest days of my life, and I cannot wait to get it started. So now, as a treat for our bridal party, please enjoy tonight’s dinner. There will be dinner served, desserts, and yes, Luke, an open bar.”

  Luke put his arms up in the air in celebration, as everyone laughed in response.

  *****

  “I can’t believe tomorrow is the wedding,” said Holly to Brant as they gathered by the bar and waited for their drinks.

  “No cold feet right?”

  “My feet are quite warm, thank you.”

  “No reservations?”

  “None. Do you?”

  “God no. I just want us to be a family again. I just want to be your husband.”

  Holly kissed Brant on the cheek. He really was a diamond in the rough.

  “Hey, I’ll be right back. Men’s room,” said Brant as he made a beeline for the bathroom.

  The bartender served Holly a vodka and cranberry juice while she waited. She sat at the bar, slowly stirring her drink while deep in thought. Suddenly, someone sat down on the stool next to her.

  “I thought you fell in!” said Holly, still looking at her drink, but when she looked up her face fell. Standing before her with a scraped up cheek and a shiner over his right eye was none other than Chris Beckman. The look on his face was pure anger, and Holly looked around nervously, hoping Brant would be on his way back to the bar by now.

  “What are you doing here, Chris?”

  “I’m here for a drink, is that okay with you?” he said snidely, clearly holding a grudge from Holly’s sucker punch the other day.

  “That’s fine… but you don’t need to stand right there.”

  “Cut the crap, Holly. I can’t believe you’re actually going through with this!”

  “It’s none of your business Chris!”

  “It is my fucking business, Holly!” said Chris grabbing hold of Holly’s arm and squeezing
it tight.

  “It’s none of your business, Chris! Leave me alone!”

  “I love you, Holly! Why is that so hard to understand?!”

  “You don’t know what love is then, Chris!”

  “I thought we had something.”

  “It was just one dance!”

  “I loved you before he did!”

  “I’m not a prize to be won!”

  “Bitch!”

  “Oww! You’re hurting me!”

  *****

  Brant pushed open the men’s room door and began walking to the bar when he saw it. Chris Beckman had his hands on Holly. He had her arms grasped tightly as he shook her. Chris was yelling at her, and then he violently knocked her off of her bar stool with a hard shove. Brant saw red.

  Nobody messes with my Holly.

  It took him only ten seconds to dart across the dining room and get in Chris Beckman’s face.

  “I warned you, asshole, and now you’re going to pay!”

  Chris laughed in his face, then spat right in Brant’s eye. Seemingly out of nowhere, Luke and Greg flew to Brant’s side. They grabbed Chris by the shirt and drug him outside, as Brant followed coolly behind.

  “I don’t know who you think you’re messing with! Nobody lays a hand on Holly Edgemont. Now why don’t you try picking on someone your own size?” said Brant as he rolled up the sleeves of his button down shirt.

  As soon as Brant and Chris were outside, Greg and Luke went back inside to make sure Holly was okay. They knew Brant could handle himself in a fight, especially with limp-wristed Chris Beckman.

  With all the strength he had in his body, Brant threw an upper cut to Chris’ jaw sending him flying down to the asphalt hard.

  “No one touches my girl like that! Nobody messes with my family! What a piece of shit you are! You were the best man at my wedding, and this is how you repay me!”

  “She’s a fucking tease, Brant!” yelled Chris as he got up from the ground and took a swing at Brant’s head.

  “You’re a goddamn idiot. All you wanted was a one-night stand, and she made you feel stupid, so you wanted to get back at her. She isn’t interested. Clearly. Get over it!”

  Chris pushed Brant against the hard stucco wall of the restaurant, knocking Brant’s cell phone out of his pocket. It crashed to the ground below with a smash. The screen was cracked in a million pieces.

  “Get the fuck out of my face!”

  Brant kicked Chris off of him, gaining some leverage.

  “How dare you lay your hands on my wife! Piece of shit!”

  Brant punched him again, this time sending Chris flying back into a parked car and rendering him unconscious. Brant looked down at his former friend with disgust. They had been friends for so long, but no one had the right to disrespect him or his wife like that. Brant leaned down to pick up his now destroyed cell phone as he left his former friend in the cold, bloody and defeated. In the distance, Brant could hear the faint wail of a police car.

  *****

  “Holly, honey, are you okay?” asked Brant, still out of breath from his scuffle in the parking lot. Holly was talking to two police officers about what had occurred, and she agreed to press charges against Chris. Sloane was standing by Holly’s side for support.

  “I don’t think I’m hurt. I’m just shaken up a bit,” said Holly in a shaky voice.

  “They have him in the back of a squad car. It’s okay now.”

  The police officers departed, giving Holly a number where she could follow-up if she had any other information. Sloane went back to the dining room to make sure their dinner party was still going as planned. When she left, Brant pulled Holly into a tight hug.

  “What did you do to him?” asked Holly, her eyes wide with alarm.

  “Nothing he didn’t deserve.”

  “Honey, your hand. It’s bleeding,” said Holly with concern as she grabbed a napkin off of the bar to wipe it off.

  “He’s got a hard head.”

  “Yeah! No kidding!” said Holly as she lifted her still bruised hand from their previous altercation.

  “I told you I could protect you,” said Brant proudly.

  “I never doubted you for a minute,” said Holly with a smile.

  *****

  Brant went into the men’s room to clean himself off. With the exception of a few scrapes and bruises, Brant walked away from the fight fairly unscathed. The same could not be said for Chris Beckman. Brant scrubbed the blood from his hand and fixed his shirt before joining Holly back at the bar. Once he came back, Holly was eager to get back to the dinner party so he and Holly rejoined the others in the dining room. With the exception of Sloane, Greg and Luke, no one knew that anything had gone wrong and that is exactly what Holly wanted. They were able to rejoin their dinner party without questions.

  That night, Holly and the girls stayed at the house on Wallace Road, keeping in tradition that the groom was not allowed to see the bride until the wedding. Meanwhile, Brant and his groomsmen all converged at Marv’s tiny row house in South Philly. It was a one bedroom home that was suitable for two people, tops. Tonight Marv would need to provide sleeping arrangements for four grown men and an eight-year old boy. Fortunately, he made do with a pull out couch and three camping cots. It was not a comfortable rest, but Brant’s mind wasn’t exactly letting him lull off to sleep anyhow.

  Chapter Sixteen

  White Wedding

  December 31, 2013

  McCresson Residence

  The snow fell lightly over the city and onto the pavement as Brant peered out the front window of 27 Lee Street. A black stretch limo was struggling to get up the narrow street at a slow but careful snail’s crawl. Brant felt his stomach drop when the driver side door of the limo opened and a man in a black suit and hat climbed out into the wintry weather.

  Brant glanced at the silver Rolex watch that Holly gave him as a wedding present. It was 4:00 P.M.; right on time. He took one more glance in the mirror. He looked irresistibly dapper from head to toe dressed in his black tuxedo and silver accents. His hair was neatly slicked and combed. He gave his shoes one more polish and he took in a deep intake of breath. From behind him Luke approached him, and slapped him hard on the shoulder.

  “Breathe, man. It’s all going to work out,” said Luke with a smile as he looked at his friend’s nervous face in the mirror. Brant laughed nervously, and he shook his head. He knew it would.

  “Alright, fellas,” called out Marv as he came down the steps looking sharp in his tux. “Time to go. The limo is dropping me off at Wallace Road so that I can get Holly.” Brant breathed sharply as butterflies roamed through his stomach.

  *****

  The hustle and bustle inside 56 Wallace Road had reached a fever pitch. Sloane had called in a hair stylist and a cosmetologist to tend to all the girl’s beauty needs. Doris and Chloe were in the kitchen getting their hair done, while Gloria was helping Belle get dressed in her adorable black gown. Meanwhile, Sloane was upstairs getting Holly ready. Suddenly, the front door opened and Marv rushed in from the snow as the limo skidded off down Wallace Road.

  “Brr!” exclaimed Marv as he brushed fresh snow off of his tux jacket. Gloria took one look at him and squealed like a school girl.

  “Don’t you look just good enough to eat!” she said, looking at her estranged husband in delight. Marv straightened his tie and smiled at Gloria proudly. He grabbed her hand and kissed it in a very suave maneuver.

  “And might I say, my dear, that you look simply ravishing!” Gloria laughed.

  “Stop it, Marv! You’re making me blush!”

  Chloe eyed her grandparents from the kitchen and rolled her eyes.

  “Okay, ladies. The limo will be back in thirty minutes for you, so make sure you have everything ready.”

  “Thirty minutes?!”yelled Doris from the kitchen, who still had her hair in rollers.

  “Yup. A half-hour. Best get moving…”

  Ma
rv climbed the stairs to Holly’s bedroom, but when he twisted the handle it was locked.

  “Who is it?” Sloane yelled from the other side of the door.

  “Marv McCresson… The one and only! Open up!”

  He could hear Holly and Sloane laughing from the other side of the door.

  “One minute!”

  Marv waited patiently on the other side of the door for Sloane to answer. Finally the door swung open, and Sloane appeared looking like a movie star. Her bob hair cut was gracefully pinned and brushed to the side of her face. Her make up was exquisite, but nothing impressed more than her gown which looked like it belonged on an old-time movie star.

  Sloane stepped aside to let Marv in to see his daughter as she took leave downstairs to make sure all the maids where dressed and ready to go.

  Marv slowly walked into Holly’s bedroom, and had to gasp for air at the sight before him. He had never seen his daughter look so radiant and beautiful before. For the first time in his adult life, Marv McCresson was rendered speechless.

  *****

  “C’mon down… The limo is outside!” yelled Marv from downstairs. Sloane had gone back upstairs with Gloria to help Holly down the stairs. Marv, Chloe, Belle and Doris watched with baited breath as Holly made her way to the top of the stairs. As Belle caught a glimpse of the bottom of her mother’s wedding gown, she began clapping in delight. Slowly, step by step, Holly descended the staircase in one of the most beautiful wedding gowns Doris had ever laid eyes on. It was an ivory ballgown with delicate lace across the hem. The skirt was intricately designed with Swarovski crystals, appliques, and beads. The bodice was beautifully detailed and completely covered in crystals and beads. Its sweetheart neckline showed off the journey necklace that Brant had given Holly for Christmas. Overtop of the strapless ballgown, Holly wore a long sleeved lace overlay to help protect her from the winter chill.