by Laura DeLuca
“Everything is going to be okay,” Rebecca promised. “You’ll see.”
Mr. Hope nodded. “I’m sure it will be—as long as you don’t bring that baby home with a dog collar.”
Rebecca gave her father a playful nudge before promising to meet him out back for the wedding march. As soon as he vanished, Carmen was back, annoyed and emotional all at the same time.
“Girl, look at those puffy eyes!” Carmen huffed. “Go sit down and let me fix your face before you make a complete fool of yourself. And stop all that sniffling! I swear, if you make me cry, I’m never going to forgive you. I look smokin’ hot right now and I don’t want to ruin the effect. Some of us don’t have a ring on it, you know.”
It only took Carmen a few minutes to repair the damage Rebecca had done to her makeup. She was putting on the finishing touches when Tom showed up, looking very uncomfortable and overheated in his long-sleeve jacket suit.
“The natives are gettin’ a little restless,” the best man informed them as he adjusted his tie and hurried them out the door. “And I think Justyn is starting to worry a little bit too.”
Before she had a chance to reply, Carmen put away her eyeliner and blush, and Rebecca suddenly found herself being dragged through the sliding glass doors leading to the backyard. Carmen shooed Tom back to the altar, and Mr. Hope met them on the deck. The maid of honor peeked around the corner, and someone must have given her the thumbs up because she straightened her light blue dress and took a few steps toward the walkway. Before Carmen could escape, Rebecca grabbed her hand.
“What is it?” Carmen narrowed her eyes. “You aren’t getting cold feet, are you? I’ll kick your ass if you try playing runaway bride after all the work we did throwing this wedding together in less than a week.”
Rebecca’s reply was to pull her best friend into a tight hug. “Thank you, Carmen. For everything. I couldn’t have asked for a better maid of honor or a better friend. I love you like a sister.”
“Damn you, Becca. Didn’t I tell you not to make me cry?” Carmen unraveled herself from Rebecca’s arms and tried to blink back tears. “But you know I love you too. Now come on. Let’s do this thing.”
Rebecca tried not to let her nerves get the better of her. Carmen inched her way out with a brilliant smile, clutching her flowers with confidence. With her long tan legs and trim figure, she looked regal stalking down the walkway in her fitted gown. Rebecca had no idea how she was going to accomplish the same thing. Her family and friends shouldn’t have been nearly as intimidating as the hordes of strangers she faced on the stage, but this personal performance was the most important of her life.
Rebecca looped arms with her father while she waited, but she was too nervous to talk. She started to chew her fingernails as Carmen slipped down the aisle to the light music of the sitar and an oboe-like instrument called a surnai. Darlene had persuaded her friends from the Indian restaurant to donate their time for the day. Two dark-skinned men with long braided beards and tunics on their heads swayed as their notes filled the yard with their gentle rhythm. A third gentleman whose black hair had turned gray with age patted softly on the tabla drums. The three instruments created an exotic nuance that was a fitting melody for this special day. Rebecca could have gotten lost in the beautiful music, but Carmen arrived at her post a little too quickly.
“Are you ready?” Mr. Hope asked.
Rebecca took a deep, cleansing breath. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Rebecca allowed her father to guide her, and his presence gave her a little more confidence. Despite their minimal budget, Justyn’s family had managed to create something of a botanical wonderland in the backyard, mostly from Darlene’s assortment of bush daises, sunflowers, and other summer blooms that stretched out across the lawn. Even her potted rosemary and sage added a spray of green to the vibrant colors. A white trellis was set up at the end of the walkway with a silver pentacle dangling down instead of the traditional wedding bell.
“Almost there, sweetheart.” Mr. Hope patted her hand. “You can make it.”
Rebecca clung to her father’s arm as they glided down the aisle. There were dozens of folding chairs lined up, all of them filled with eager and familiar faces. The first two people that jumped out at her were Frankie and Quinn, their chums from college, relaxing in the back row. It was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. A few seats ahead of them Victoria sat with her legs crossed, acting bored in her violet sundress. They had barely spoken since the police investigation, but Rebecca was still happy to see her co-star.
A few more steps and she saw Fernando looking dapper in his suit and tie though strangely overdressed beside Justyn’s stepfather Matt, who was wearing khaki shorts and a dress shirt he had left half unbuttoned. In the front row Rebecca’s mother still sobbed uncontrollably while Sherry and Bruce consoled her with gentle pats on the back.
When she reached her destination, Rebecca stepped up to the altar. Her future mother-in-law was adorned in a pretty purple gown ornamented with a velvet belt that made her seen very official in her role of high priestess. Beside the altar Tom was squirming and sweating in his monkey suit—understandably, since it was close to ninety degrees. Despite the heat and the intensity of the moment, Justyn stood next to his best man as cool and collected as ever.
Once in their allotted spots, Mr. Hope lifted her veil with trembling fingers and stepped to the side. Rebecca felt her heart swell with love as she admired her stunning groom. Always staying true to his personal style despite the elements, Justyn had chosen a full black ensemble—black dress pants, a black button down shirt, and dark tie. The thing that made his wardrobe choice really stand out was the velveteen vest with grosgrain detail. Dangling from the elaborate silver buttons was a simple pocket watch chain. As always, Justyn displayed a perfect cross between old-world charm and new-age flair. His longish hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail and even the still-healing scabs on his cheek did nothing to take away from the breathtaking effect. He’d even painted his nails black and adorned his favorite eyebrow piercing for the occasion. Rebecca felt smitten all over again. It was only her father’s voice that broke her trance.
“You better take care of my little girl.”
“I will,” Justyn promised. “Every day for the rest of our lives.”
Rebecca’s father cleared his throat. “Well then, welcome to the family … son.”
Mr. Hope nodded his approval and placed Rebecca’s hand into Justyn’s before taking a seat beside his wife. Rebecca couldn’t cover her grin when she noticed how sweaty Justyn’s hands were. He might have appeared calm, but that was only his superb acting skills. For once, Lord Justyn was just as nervous about a public appearance as she was. They were both so jittery they almost forgot what they were supposed to do next. Darlene cleared her throat and gestured for them to step a little closer to the altar.
“Today is a special day,” Darlene began once she was certain she had everyone’s attention. “A day when two souls are bound in love. In our handfasting ceremony, you’ll hear me say the words ‘as long as love lasts’. This is because in the Pagan path, many of us believe as people grow and change along their journeys, they can sometimes grow apart. But once in a great while, a pair of souls will meet whose love has spanned so many lifetimes and grown so strong, their connection is instant and eternal.” Darlene cleared her throat and wiped a tear from her eye before lapsing back into professional high priestess mode. “It has been a blessing and an honor to see my own son find that type of magical connection—a connection we will celebrate and honor today in the sacred rite of handfasting.”
After that, most of the ceremony went by in a blur. Darlene cast a traditional circle and summoned the guardian elements and deities to witness their union. Their wrists were tied together with white cord to signify their joining. They fed each other with their hands still bound during the cake and ale rite, though apple juice was substituted for the more traditional wine since Rebecca was expecting and Justyn a
lways abstained. Once that part of the ritual was completed, Darlene smiled at them both.
“Do either of you have anything you’d like to say.”
“I do,” Justyn replied.
Of course Justyn had something to say. He was always ready to make fancy speeches. But Rebecca’s heart started to pound again. She hadn’t realized they were supposed to prepare vows. No one had warned her, and there was no way she was going to be able to come up with anything on the spot. For a second, she thought she might have a panic attack. However, a moment later, it didn’t matter because Rebecca was completely lost in Justyn’s eloquent words.
“Before we met, I was something of a loner.”
Behind them Tom made a noise that was half snort and half good-natured chuckle.
“In those days, my life revolved around my art—my acting and my music. I never had time for anything else. Then a few weeks after starting at a new school in a new state, I heard this shy girl sing with the voice of an angel, and everything changed. Some people might wonder how it’s possible to fall in love with someone instantly and completely based solely on the sound of their voice. Those people don’t understand the power of a soul connection. Becca, the first time I heard you sing, the vibration of your voice woke something up inside of me that I didn’t completely understand. Almost like a long-forgotten memory, but so much more intense.”
Rebecca found herself nodding. She had experienced those exact same emotions the day she’d watched him audition for the role of the phantom for the first time. Justyn lifted a finger to brush away a tear she hadn’t realized had escaped before he continued.
“I loved you, Becca, from that very first day. Every day since, I’ve only grown to love you more, even though we haven’t always had an easy time of things. The last few weeks, I’ve doubted a lot of things, including myself. But the one thing I never doubted was your affection. Despite all we’ve been through, I know I’m right where I belong. You’re my partner, my soul mate, and now my wife.” He laid a hand on her belly. “Soon you’ll even be the mother of my child. You’ve given me so much and you never stop giving. Today, I promise you I will give just as much back to you. I will honor, respect, love, and adore you every day for the rest of my life and every life that follows until the end of time.”
Justyn ended his monologue by lifting her hand to his lips. There was a whole lot of sniffing going on, not the least of which was coming from Rebecca. She wiped away the tears from her eyes with one hand while she squeezed Justyn’s fingers with the other. He was staring down at her, watching her expectantly. Suddenly, Rebecca realized it was her turn. Not only Justyn, but all their guests, were waiting for her to proclaim her love in the same touching and elegant way Justyn had. But moving words had never been one of Rebecca’s talents. Her music was what fulfilled her soul and what brought Rebecca and Justyn together. The best gift she could give him was her song. There was a sonnet in Hyde that Emma sang for her true love that fit the bill perfectly. Swallowing back her anxiety, Rebecca forced herself to forget their audience and lifted her voice in a sweet and gentle melody meant for only Justyn.
“When I look in his eyes, it’s plain to see.
The perfect man is staring back at me.
In his eyes, the love shines through.
That passion is hard to misconstrue.
I know there is nothing I need to fear.
In his eyes, my path is clear.”
Rebecca didn’t stop at the first verse, but sang the ballad through from beginning to end. Even without the accompaniment of an orchestra, Rebecca’s strong voice carried throughout the yard in perfect pitch and key. Their audience listened, each person entranced, but none as enchanted as her groom. Justyn’s dark eyes, filled with the intensity of his love, never strayed from her own as she serenaded him. Only after the last notes of vibrato faded did Rebecca finally shift her gaze. Around her everyone was weeping—some openly while others, like Tom and Carmen, tried to discreetly rub their eyes. Darlene was blubbering so much she had a difficult time getting back into high priestess mode. Somehow she pulled herself together and instructed them to leap over a besom broom to represent crossing the threshold into their new lives.
“That about wraps this up!” Darlene announced even as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue. “Go ahead and kiss your bride!”
Justyn didn’t need to be told twice. Rebecca stood on her tiptoes to give him easier access, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. His touch made her swoon as much as it had four years before, and Rebecca knew this was one decision she would never regret. For the second time that day, Rebecca ignored the spectators and kissed her new husband.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“I can’t believe you two came all the way to New Jersey for our wedding,” Rebecca gushed. She stood on her tiptoes to give Quinn a hug. With Frankie, she had to bend at an odd angle to avoid having his head leaning against her chest. “Quinn, I thought you would be busy shooting for that soap opera.”
Quinn tossed his blond hair out of his eyes. “Nah, my part’s pretty small. I shot a whole month worth of scenes in one day and I’ve been waiting tables on the side ever since. And seriously, did you really think I’d miss this?”
Frankie shrugged his shoulders. “Personally, I had nothing better to do and figured it couldn’t hurt to visit the shore this time of year.”
“Well, we’re glad to have you both here under any circumstances,” Justyn told them with a good-natured chuckle. “It means a lot to us.”
Justyn reached out to shake their hands, and his smile was genuine. It felt like old times on campus having the guys there. Even though her life had taken some drastic and unexpected turns over the course of the summer, it was nice to see some things never changed. Frankie was still a brainiac pigmy, and Quinn still resembled the lead member of a boy band. Despite Frankie’s teasing, it warmed Rebecca’s heart to know they’d made a special trip on such short notice.
“Enough hobnobbing!” Darlene nudged the newlyweds toward the car, making her purple skirt flare and the bells on the ends of the cords at her waist jingle. “That’s what the reception is for. You shouldn’t keep Fernando waiting. He already went ahead to the restaurant some time ago.”
“We’re on our way over there too,” Carmen added. “We promised Fernando we’d help set things up before the guests get there.”
“Quinn, Frankie, you can hitch a ride with us if you want,” Tom offered.
“Sounds like a plan,” Quinn agreed.
“We won’t be too far behind you,” Sherry told them. “We’re going to clean things up here and figure out where the guests are staying. But as soon as everyone is settled and gets the address for Tamilio’s programmed into their GPS units, we’ll be on our way.”
“Expect us to be at least two hours behind you.” Darlene glanced at her watch and rolled her dark eyes. “It’s already three, and dinner is set to start at six. Let’s hope we make it in time. Getting this crowd in order could take a while, not to mention finding parking spots in Cape May for all these cars.”
The group split in two directions. Justyn took her hand as they prepared to leave. They were hoping to get to the restaurant as early as possible. Fernando was doing them a huge favor by footing the bill for their reception. The least they could do was help set the tables so he didn’t have to pay a full waiting staff. Carmen and Tom even offered to take care of serving the guests, so they were pretty much set to go. Of course, when Rebecca reached her car, it caused at least a momentary delay. Her little sedan was waiting out front, and when she saw what her friends had done to it, she had to cover her mouth to stifle her giggles.
“Seriously?” Justyn turned to Tom. “This was the best you could come up with?”
“You didn’t think I’d miss an opportunity like this, did you, Lord Justyn?” Tom teased. “I had to pimp your wheels.”
Tom and the gang certainly had done just that. They’d pimped out Rebecca’s car Gothic style. Just Married was
written in black paint on the back window. The A was shaped to look like a grinning skull and the script was calligraphy style. More black-and-white skulls embellished the exterior of the vehicle. They had even tied a colony of plastic bats to the rear bumper along with the more traditional tin cans. As a finishing touch, someone covered the tip of the radio antenna with an unwrapped condom.
“That part was my idea,” Carmen admitted when she saw where Rebecca’s gaze had landed. She shrugged. “I figured you can’t use them for anything else since you already got yourself knocked up.”
Frankie rolled his brown eyes. “They sure have you two pegged.”
Justyn laughed. “Well, it would have looked better on the Mustang, but it’s still pretty creative … for you.” He patted his best man on the back. “Thanks for standing up for me today, Tom. You’ve really been there for me the last few weeks. I’ll never forget that.”
“What are friends for?” Tom forced Justyn into an awkward hug. “But for the record, we are now even on all that crap that went down when we first met.”
“Deal,” Justyn agreed. “It will never come up again. No matter how much you annoy me.”
“All right, that’s enough of all this mushy stuff,” Carmen insisted. She gave Rebecca a gentle shove toward the car. “Fernando is waiting on us.”
The newlyweds climbed into the sedan with Justyn taking the wheel. He beeped the horn and they both waved at their friends as they pulled from the driveway. From the rearview mirror, Rebecca saw a few people were still throwing handfuls of birdseed until well after they were out of range. Soon Darlene’s house faded into the distance, and it wasn’t long before they were on the parkway and heading down the familiar path to Tamilio’s. Rebecca stared out the window at the still water as they crossed over the Great Egg Harbor Bridge until she felt Justyn reach over and squeeze her fingers.