A Paper Trail

by Magan Vernon

  Britt opened the door and there stood Leslie in her typical fashion of a black dress with cherries on it and black leather leggings. Her bump was a little less noticeable in all black. Very little.

  "There's our beautiful bride!" she said, putting her arms in the air and waltzing over me to embrace me in a big hug.

  "Leslie, Clifton, what are you two doing here?" Mom asked.

  Grandpa put his hands in his tailored suit jacket. "I thought I should come see Desiree before the ceremony."

  Aunt Dee emerged from the bedroom in her rose-colored sundress. "Clifton!" She ran over and embraced him in a hug.

  He let go but still squeezed her hand. "Desiree, I don't believe you've met my wife, Leslie."

  Aunt Dee turned toward Leslie, her eyes slowly looking over her bump, then back to her face. "It's nice to meet you, Leslie."

  "This doesn't have to be awkward," Leslie said and gave Aunt Dee a big hug.

  Everyone held their breath for those few seconds until they let go of each other. Aunt Dee smiled and then looked back at Grandpa. "So, how have you been?"

  "We've been good. I'm glad to see that you've taken good care of Libby. She seems really happy."

  Aunt Dee put her arm around me. "She's really been a joy. It's been a blessing having her here. Now a year later, I get to watch her walk down the aisle and leave."

  I took Aunt Dee's hand and squeezed it. "I'll still be here, Aunt Dee. Always. I'll be at work and you know you're not getting out of babysitting duty."

  She looked up at me with happy tears in her eyes. "I know, sha. It's just amazing to see how much you blossomed. The little bird who came in here so lost is now spreading her wings and flying. I couldn't be more proud."

  Mom put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. "Neither can we."

  ***

  One of the worst things about being pregnant is gas. Okay, gas and heartburn.

  "Libby! Seriously! What the hell did you eat this morning?" Kristi yelled, kicking my boot with hers from across the limo that was taking us to the church.

  "Sorry! I can't help it!"

  "Are you going to be up there, saying your vows and all of sudden just let one rip?" Kristi asked.

  "Hey, leave gassy alone!" Beth said.

  "Oh, gee, thanks for the new nickname." I rolled my eyes.

  "Would you prefer skid mark?" Britt asked.

  "I hate all of you," I said, but couldn't help the smile on my face.

  I was as big as a house, gassy, and had hella heartburn. But somehow I was happy. All of my friends were there with their hair in fancy updos, faces full of make-up and their purple dresses and cowboy boots. They were all there for me.

  "I can't believe this is all happening. I'm really getting married and you're really all here for me," I said, sniffling. The happy tears were falling down my face before I could stop them.

  Beth thrusted a tissue at me. "Now, don't cry yet. We have to keep that makeup job straight for pictures. I didn't spend the last forty-five minutes putting all that on you."

  "Sorry, baby hormones," I sniffed.

  "It's okay, we all get them," Kristi said.

  "Even you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  She bit down on her bottom lip. "I didn't want to tell you and ruin your big day, but the latest round of shots worked. Little man Crabtree is going to have another best friend in Chicago."

  I threw myself across the limo, feeling it shake underneath me, but I didn't care. I embraced Kristi in the biggest hug I could. "Kristi! This is great news! You didn't need to wait to tell me."

  She shrugged as I sat down beside her and Dina scooted over so my big pregnant butt could fit in the seat. "I didn't want to try and take your spotlight."

  I shook my head. "I don't see it that way at all."

  She smiled. "That's why you're the best. You always think of others, no matter what. I wasn't sure how your pregnancy hormones would be either, so I didn't want to push it. I know just in these few short weeks I've become a raging bitch."

  "Wait until both of your third trimesters," Beth said.

  "Not much longer for mine," I grumbled.

  "Hey, it could be worse. You could be stuck working on your feet all day in the Louisiana heat...wait," Dina said and then laughed.

  "Hey, at least the shop is air conditioned and I'm sure the boss won't mind if I put my feet up," I said.

  Britt laughed. "We'll see if Grandma lets you get away with that one."

  I shrugged. "Hey, it couldn't hurt to try. I've gotten away with a lot more."

  ***

  I'd never been one of those girls that dreamed of their wedding day or thought I'd get emotional, but when 'Canon in D' started playing and the church doors opened to see all of my family in friends standing there, the tears openly streaked my cheeks. I had a feeling Beth was silently cursing that I was ruining my makeup.

  But I didn't care.

  At the end of the aisle, my dad hugged me and whispered in my ear, "I'm proud of you, Libby," then he kissed my cheek, shook Blaine's hand and stepped back.

  I looped my arm in Blaine's and turned toward the priest, listening as he spoke the words to us. To our family. To joining of all of us.

  I found myself constantly looking over at Blaine and every time I did, he would smile and squeeze my hand. We were finally here. There was no running for either of us.

  When he held my hand and said "I do," a new fresh set of tears sprung. Tears of pure joy.

  This was real. He was mine and I was his. Forever. For always.

  After the service had ended and we took a million pictures, we all drove back to Blaine's parents' house where a large, white tent was set up with dozens of tables all under twinkling lights. A long table sat near the house, with the church ladies behind it. They set up trays of different Louisiana dishes and a large cake with a blonde bride and groom on top.

  Before dinner was served, Blaine and I and the bridal party sat at the head table and Beth stood up to give her speech.

  She smoothed out her purple shift dress and looked at me, smiling. "As you all know, Libby Gentry is my little sister. Just like Blaine is now, she's been stuck with me for better or for worse."

  Everyone laughed at that one.

  Then she put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. "My little sister has always looked up to me and I haven't always been the best big sister. She lost her way and I had no idea where to point her, so she came here, to Elsbury, and I think if there was a trail for everyone that would point them in the right direction, then this was it for her."

  She looked over at Blaine, brushing a tear from her cheek. "Blaine, you've brought out the very best and the worst parts of my sister. But you've been her savior. You've blessed me with my future nephew and now I have the brother that I wanted Libby to be. Keep her on her trail, Blaine. Keep her and my nephew happy like I know you've made her and I promise you she'll do the same."

  Blaine nodded and raised his glass as the rest of the bridal party did in a toast.

  "Now, I do have one more thing to say, or well...try to say..." Blaine stood up and Beth handed him the microphone.

  I raised an eyebrow, looking up at him. We didn't talk about him doing any sort of speech and Blaine wasn't much for public speeches.

  "A lot of you have thought we were crazy. Hell, I've thought we were crazy half the time for doing this, but sometimes when you love someone, you're willing to go a little out there for them."

  He signaled to Jackson, who nodded and went behind the tent.

  "Now, I'm not much of a talker, but I do have a lot that I want to say, so..."

  Jackson emerged from behind the tent with Blaine's acoustic guitar in his hand.

  "Thank you, Jackson." Blaine nodded and took the guitar, slinging the strap over his shoulder and strumming a few chords.

  "As I was saying...they called us crazy when we started out..."

  He strummed a few more chords then started singing "Said twenty is too young to know what lo
ve's about."

  Jackson cupped his hands together "And they'll be together another fifty years."

  Blaine laughed, strumming the chords and singing "That's crazy."

  He sang the next couple of lines and then all of his groomsmen joined in as he got to the chorus, where I finally realized that he was singing Lee Brice's "Love like crazy".

  I watched in awe as his fingers moved along the strings and he sang with a huge smile on his face, the rest of the bridal party joining.

  I didn't know the words, but I clapped along and watched.

  When Blaine got to the end of the song, he sat down, his blue eyes locked on me. The rest of the bridal party stopped singing and it was if there was no one else in the room but Blaine and me.

  "They called us crazy when we started out," he sang.

  "And we'll be together another fifty-eight years, if not more, ain't that crazy?"

  I shook my head and leaned in and kissed him, which caused an eruption of applause from the crowd.

  "Crazy and wonderful," I whispered into his lips as I broke the kiss, keeping my hands on his cheeks.

  "Happy one hour anniversary, baby."

  I laughed. "Happy one hour anniversary."

  ***

  After the large buffet was served, the DJ called us out to the wooden dance floor in the middle of the room and a Rascall Flatts song played. It was the song we danced to on the beach at Kristi's wedding and the first song I heard in the car when I followed him back to Aunt Dee's the night we met. The night I had no idea what I was in for.

  Blaine pressed his forehead to mine. "We did it. We're really married."

  "Did you think we wouldn't be?"

  He squeezed my sides. "I think I've known since the minute I saw you that there was no way I wanted to be with anyone else ever again."

  "How could you know that?"

  He shrugged. "Sometimes you just know. It's this immediate connection. A spark. It was the thing that made me jump up and talk to you. The thing that keeps me looking at you every single day and wonder how the hell a beautiful girl like you could be with a guy like me."

  "I could say the same thing about you."

  He pulled me closer, his hands resting on the small of my back. "Well, for better or for worse, it's you and me. I know things might not always be perfect, but I'm going to try and be the best damn husband and father I can be."

  I leaned and lightly kissed his lips. "You already are."

  "Um, Libby?"

  I felt Sawyer's nimble fingers on my shoulder before I turned to see him. I convinced Blaine to make him a groomsman since I had so many bridesmaids and he had an extra space. That said, Sawyer wasn't the best at pulling off the rugged look in jeans and a blazer, so he rebelled and wore his skinny jeans and suspenders.

  "I hate to interrupt your dance, but you know your favorite blonde? She may or may not be in the middle of a fight with your fiery redhead bridesmaid."

  My eyes widened and I went to move, but Blaine was quicker, letting go of me and barreling off the dance floor toward the corner of the tent.

  Of course Nikki would find a way to ruin something at my wedding. And of course, Blaine would go after her.

  Kristi was standing under the weeping willow with her hands on her hips and Nikki was directly across from her, swaying a bit. Even though she was in a pale blue one-shoulder dress and heels, she still looked like she was ready for a fight. Always the redneck princess.

  "What the hell is going on?" Blaine asked, pushing his way between the two of them.

  Kristi shook her head. "Ask your little tawdry friend who seems to think draining half a bottle and then crying about how much she loves you is a good idea."

  "Nikki..." Blaine stared at her like he was reprimanding a toddler.

  Nikki rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, like you're going to be happy with Libby. Like, really, who believes that?"

  Blaine put his hands out and stepped forward. "Now, I think you've had a little too much to drink. Why don't I go find Bubba to take you home?"

  She swatted his hands. "No! I'm speaking the truth! Do you really think you're going to be happy? You're just marrying her because she's knocked up and now you have to go home to her bitching every night. You'll never get to go out with your friends. This is the end of the line, Blaine Crabtree and I hope you're happy with it."

  Kristi turned to me. "Can I just punch her now?"

  I shook my head before stepping forward, pushing Blaine out of the way. "Look here, Nicole Sinclair, I didn't want to invite you to this wedding, hell, I didn't want you anywhere in my life. I don't care that we did a little kiss and makeup at Cotillion, you're still a pain in my ass. I'm not saying I'm sorry that Blaine loves me and that we're together, what I am sorry for is the fact that you can't seem to get past that. For that, I'm sorry that you're stuck with your miserable self forever."

  Nikki opened her mouth to speak, but Blaine stepped in between us. "I think that's enough, you two. Nikki, I'll get Bubba. Libby, meet me back on the dance floor in five."

  I raised my eyebrows. "Think you can tell me what to do?"

  He leaned in, smiling before he pulled me close and placed a huge kiss on my lips. "I think I just might try, wifey."

  I nodded behind him. "Think she's going to be a problem?"

  He put his hands on either side of my face. "You mean, do you think I'm worried or taking to heart what she said? Absolutely not. I took those vows today and I meant them. We're going to have some crazy ups and downs, maybe even more than we've already had, but a few words from a jealous ex ain't gonna affect me."

  I smiled and leaned in for another kiss. "Good."

  ***

  Blaine turned out of the long driveway and down the street.

  This was it. We were married.

  Okay, technically we'd been married since we got the marriage license at the courthouse the day before, but now we'd said our vows. We'd had our first dance as a couple and been sent off with our friends and family holding sparklers.

  Now we had the rest of our lives together and the car was packed with enough stuff to spend our first night in our new place.

  At least, I thought we were.

  Instead of going toward the highway, Blaine turned in the other direction.

  I arched an eyebrow. "I know you've lived here a lot longer than me, but I'm pretty sure it's the other direction to New Orleans."

  A ghost of a smile danced on his lips but he didn't look at me. "We aren't going to New Orleans."

  "Then where are we going?"

  He put his hand on mine and squeezed it. "It's a surprise."

  I normally would have whined and protested for him to tell me. But after having the best day of my life and with his thumb rubbing over the bridge of my knuckles, I just smiled and let him surprise me.

  He turned down a gravel side road that I'd never been on before. It was lined with a forest of willows with branches that barely missed sweeping the top of the car.

  Blaine put on his turn signal and turned left. The only thing lighting the path were Blaine's headlights, so I couldn't see anything more than the gravel path ahead of us.

  That is, until a small open air porch greeted us. It was attached to a Southern-style white home with large windows and plantation shutters.

  There were a few bed and breakfasts in the Elsbury area. When the economy took a downturn, a lot of people opened their older homes to guests that wanted to stay outside of the hustle and bustle of the city. I figured that's what this was.

  Blaine turned off the engine and got out of the car, coming around the passenger door to help me out.

  "Well, this is cute," I said as Blaine led me down the path to the front porch.

  "I think it could use some landscaping. Maybe plant some flowers magnolias upfront. Pave the path and driveway."

  I arched an eyebrow. This wasn't like Blaine to start critiquing places we went to. But he was also smiling, so I didn't want to ruin his mood.

  We st
epped on the porch with its green wooden floor and a small porch swing barely moved in the still night air.

  Blaine pulled his keys out of his pocket and searched through them until he pulled out a gold one and slid it in the door, then pushed it open.

  Before I could ask why he had a key to the place, he swooped me up in his arms, fireman style, and carried me over the threshold before setting me down in the foyer and turning on the lights.

  "Blaine, what is all of this?"

  He stepped in front of me and took my hands. "This is our home."

  "What?" I widened my eyes.

  He let go of one of my hands and led me through the foyer and past two darkened rooms and then turned on a light to a room with green floral wallpaper and a large stone fireplace. "This was my meemaw's. I was going to wait to move in, but tonight before the reception, Dad and Aunt Mary gave me the keys. They said it was always supposed to be mine and Meemaw would want us to move in right away and for this to be the place we bring our son home to."

  Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked over the dark wood floors and the crown molding.

  Blaine stepped closer. "Now, I know it needs some work, but I can do that. Dad will help me and we can make it our own."

  I shook my head, a single tear falling down my cheek.

  Blaine brushed the tear away with his thumb. "Aw, baby, don't tell me that you hate it."

  I shook my head and kissed him deeply, letting my lips say what I couldn't.

  This all started with a piece of paper saying I'd failed out of college. Now we had a piece of paper saying we were married. Those pieces all began a paper trail for the rest of our life together and it was going to start and end in our new home.

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  About the Author

  Magan Vernon has been living off of reader tears since she wrote her first short story in 2004. She now spends her time killing off fictional characters, pretending to plot while she really just watches Netflix, and she tries to do this all while her two young children run amuck around her Texas ranch.