by C. C. Brown
The big day had finally arrived.
After weeks of indecisiveness, cry fests, screaming fits, and threats of walking out, Chelsea and Hunter's wedding day was finally upon us. Watching her as she stepped into her dress, her mom beaming with pride, erased all of the horrid memories of the planning stage. I knew Chelsea wouldn't be easy to please, but to see it all come together, and to see the elation in her, in some strange way made it more than worth it. I guess after dealing with Jason Bradley, it was easier to get through most things.
"Alright! I'm ready!" Chelsea exclaimed, beaming her pearly whites at everyone in the room.
Mila took Chelsea's bouquet as I helped straighten her train. We walked out of the dressing room and down the hallway that led to the back doors where Chelsea would be making her grand entrance.
The perfectly landscaped grounds of the La Jolla Country Club looked exquisite, a perfect venue for such an illustrious affair. An effortlessly, sunny day set the stage as two young boys walked with the white roll of fabric behind them, laying it out for the wedding party to make our way. Hunter and Jason strolled down the aisle, looking dapper as ever. They both walked so carefree, like no hint of nerves were swirling through them, and I envied them. I wasn't even the one getting married and my stomach was in a mangled mess.
The adorably cute little red headed flower girl dropped a few flower petals here and there, but for the most part, she kept her 'pretty' flowers, as she yelled out, in her basket. Her ring bearing companion took off down the aisle, not waiting for her, as he ran to stand next to Hunter's side.
A soft melody played through the sound system as each of the couples of bridesmaid and groomsman locked arms and strolled down the aisle. Mila and Ryan were last to go, and I pondered for a minute if they would be the next to get married. Shaking my head to focus, I looked back at a tearful Chelsea who was standing, arm locked on her father's arm.
"You've got this, Mrs. James," I whispered, hoping to calm her nerves.
She smiled through her joyous tears and I turned and began my stroll down to the alter. Since I was alone, the walk was unbearably long. With all eyes on me, I walked pointedly, hoping to stay afoot so as not to embarrass myself on Chelsea's big day. When I finally made my way to the end of the forever long walkway, I looked over to Jason, who was smiling enticingly at me while licking his lips. I flushed red, hoping no one else saw what I was seeing. Luckily, as I quickly scanned the audience, everyone was turned and waiting for the bride.
Chelsea elected to walk down the aisle to Kenny G's The Wedding Song. Numerous arguments with her mother led to walk-outs and tear fests over it. Chelsea held her ground, saying it was what she had always envisioned when imagining her wedding day, and her mother saying that she needed to stick to tradition. In the end, Mr. Peters stepped in and went to bat for Chelsea, reminding Mrs. Peters that it was Chelsea's big day. She reluctantly relented, and now the song was blaring through the speakers as Chelsea slowly strolled down the white linen fabric, sniffling on her proud father's arm.
The Officiate asked who would be giving Chelsea away, and her father proudly announced, "Her beautiful mother and I," before kissing her. He then shook Hunter's hand and pulled him in for a hug.
I watched as Hunter wiped away a few sweat beads from his face before taking Chelsea's hand. He snuck a glance over to Jason who snickered at him, then he and Chelsea stepped up the stairs and the service began.
Listening to the words of the Officiate took me to another place. My mind thought up a picturesque scene where I was standing, in a long white dress, locked on my dad's arm and, crying as I strolled down the aisle to a waiting Jason. He looked amazingly hot and well put together as he stood in a black suit, smiling out at me. The brown in his hair glistened as the sun beamed off of it, showcasing his luxuriously tanned skin. The walk was slow and tortuous, with thoughts of Jason, our new home, and a truck load of babies flashing through my mind.
The last part frightened me. I slightly shook my head, bringing myself back to Chelsea's ceremony, and I caught the last part where Hunter was told that he may now kiss his bride.
A raucous roar of applause filled my ears as Hunter dipped Chelsea and kissed her like they were the last two people on earth. Jason whistled, then smirked over at me, as I smiled back at him, clapping loudly for my friends. Chelsea's mom cried as she stood, clapping for her daughter, while her dad beamed with pride
When Hunter finally allowed her up, I marveled at the beauty of her. She stood there, grinning from ear to ear, holding her bouquet that I had just handed over to her, looking like the picture perfect bride on her wedding day.
We made our exit and I finally got to hold Jason's arm. When we were out of sight of the guests, he pulled me in and kissed me like he was taking his last breath.
"Hey! This is our day," Hunter joked, nudging Jason in the arm.
"Have at it, man. But I can't hold back from this," Jason said, waving his arms up and down my body.
Everyone laughed as we were whisked away for pictures near the koi pond and garden area. After what felt like hours, we were finally allowed entrance into the ball room for the reception. My stomach rumbled and I knew it was time to eat.
Introductions were made as we strolled in, taking our places at the head table. Chelsea and Hunter walked in last, throwing their hands up wildly as the room stood to welcome the newly married pair. Toasts and thanks were given and then the microphone was handed over to Jason for his Best Man speech. My heart raced for him as he stood in front of over three hundred people and began speaking.
I'm honored and thankful that Hunter chose me, out of all people in his life, to be his Best Man today. In the relatively short amount of time that I've known Hunter, he's always been a shining example of what a man who is truly in love with a woman is supposed to look like. He doesn't know it, but I've been watching him and taking notes. He may be quiet, but he's meticulous and tenacious when it comes to his love for Chelsea, and I'm proud to call him my friend.
Chelsea, you're his opposite in every way, but when people say opposites attract, they must be using you two as an example, because I have never seen the connection shine more brightly on two, very in love people. Challenge him every day to be the best man that he can be. I wish you two a lifetime of happiness. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. James.
Tears poured from my eyes as I listened to Jason speak such eloquent words, and with no profanity at that. The microphone was handed over to me and with shaking hands, I took it, not sure what I was going to say. I stepped out in front and looked back at Chelsea, who was beaming while raising her glass of champagne at me.
Wow! I don't even think I can convey with words what this beautiful woman standing behind me really means to me. I've gained a sister these past four years, and everything has been a fantastic and magical ride. She may overbearing and crass, but there is love in every ounce of it, and I couldn't be more thankful to have her in my life.
Chelsea, you've been my friend, my sister, a shining example of who I want to be, and my rock when I needed a shoulder to cry on. Hunter is such a lucky man to have you, even when you're being impossibly stubborn and it seems there's no getting through to you.
Hunter, thank you for loving my friend and stepping in like a second big brother to me. You are a phenomenal man and I am sure you will make a phenomenal husband. Congratulations and I love you both!
Applause filled the room as Chelsea and I met for a tearful embrace. She whispered how much she loved me in my ear, while nearly squeezing the life out of me. We pulled apart and laughed, wiping one another's tears away before taking our seats and waiting to be served.
After hurriedly gobbling down our food, the newlyweds made their way around the room, thanking their guests for coming and posing for what seemed like an endless amount of pictures.
Jason strolled over with a glass of wine for me, kissing me on the cheek as he handed it over. "Beautiful speech, Gorgeous." His eyes lowered into an alluring stare as he suck
ed on his bottom lip.
"I guess I should say the same for you," I replied, feeling the tingles that his stares elicited in me.
We both took a sip from our glasses when I scanned the room and my eyes locked with Chase's. I was shocked to find him there. I didn't think he would want to be anywhere near where I would be, not after what had gone down between us. I swallowed hard. Neither of us tore our gazes away, and before I knew it, I was walking over in his direction.
"Hey." I tentatively said in a low voice. I wasn't sure if he was going to stride off in the opposite direction or not, and if he did, well, a part of me felt like I deserved it.
"Hey," he said calmly. He looked over to the petite blonde standing next to him, who gave him a confused look, but then walked away.
I didn't know what to say to him so I let out a sigh and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"Look, I'm really sorry Chase. I was waayyy out of line."
"Stop, Cara," he interrupted, running his hands through his hair. "If anyone was out of line, it was me. I should have never put you in that position, and I'm sorry."
Tears welled up in my eyes and I shut them, but a couple escaped, sliding down my face. "We were both wrong. We needed to clear things between us, but it should have been handled much better than that."
Chase nodded. "Yeah, you're right about that." He looked around the room and locked eyes with Jason. "Your boyfriend probably still wants to rip my damn heart out."
I looked over to Jason who was watching us intently, but I couldn't find any trace of anger or aggression in his face. "Nah, I think he's over it."
Jason walked up beside me and placed his arm around my waist. "Chase," he said, nodding his head in Chase's direction.
"Jason," Chase nodded back. "Look, I'm not trying to cause any trouble. I was just--"
"I didn't think you were causing trouble. I know how much your fight with Cara hurt her, so I came to make sure she was okay."
I looked up at Jason who was staring down on me with nothing but love in his eyes. "We're fine, babe."
Jason kissed my forehead and then turned back to Chase. "Look, I'm sorry shit got out of hand that night. I think we all need to clear the air on the way it all went down." Jason stuck out his hand and Chase took it. They exchanged a firm handshake, both looking genuine and sincere.
"I'm sorry about all of it, too," Chase said, "but I better get over there before someone steals my date." He looked back at the blonde who was talking to a few people at the bar.
"Who is she?" I asked out of curiosity.
"Jamie. I met her in class."
"Well, get to her. She's a nice catch." I smiled and Chase pulled me in for a long hug.
It felt good to have my friend back. Even though I knew things would never be the same for us, it healed the wound on my heart knowing that we weren't strained and hating each other. He walked away, looking back only once to smile at me.
"That went well," Jason said, holding my back and pulling me into his chest.
"I know. All feels right again," I said, smiling back at him.
"Things will be well when I finally get to dance with you. I've been wanting to hold you all night long."
We strolled hand in hand onto the dance floor where Jason wrapped both arms around me and pulled me in, gently swaying us back and forth. I rested my head on his chest, taking in his strongly, enticing aroma, and basking in the love swirling around us. I didn't know what the future held for us, but I knew whatever it was, that I wanted it to be me and Jason, as a couple, fighting our way through whatever challenges life threw at us.
"I love you, Jason," I said, as two teardrops trickled down my face.
He pulled back and looked into my eyes. "I love you too, Cara."
We held each other tight and swayed to the music as Jason softly sang the words to Eric Clapton's, Wonderful Tonight, which played in the background.
Epilogue
Six Months Later
Jason and I were settled into our new La Jolla home up on the hill. He'd recently adopted a German Shepard puppy and most of our free time was spent teaching him how to do tricks, running him down by the beach, or my least favorite thing, picking up his shit. I didn't think we were ready for such a large amount of responsibility, but Jason said it was practice, since we wouldn't be having any kids any time soon. I could agree there, so I welcomed Killer into our home with open arms.
Work was phenomenal. I was still a junior level executive at SDSM, and Jason was still owner of The San Diego Tide. The inaugural season had just begun and surprisingly, for such a new team, the guys weren't doing half bad. Still, it was difficult to watch games with Jason. He was overly competitive and hated to lose. I found myself curled up with Chelsea and Mila more often than not, shielding my precious ears from the incessant outbursts that Jason frequently had. He'd apologize over and over again, but I just laughed, knowing that some things were just never going to change.
Chelsea and Hunter were doing great. She was now a proud first grade teacher at Suzie Elementary School, and Hunter had worked his way up to Accounting Manager in his dad's firm. The firm held Jason's Tide account so he spent a hell of a lot of time with Jason. Chelsea and I often joked that they were boyfriends, cheating on us, and we usually got the middle finger in return, but everyone always laughed it off.
Mila and Ryan worked tirelessly on making their relationship work. Mila was in school to become a Nurse Practitioner, and Ryan worked crazy hours, so their relationship suffered a bit. When Mila told Ryan, three months ago, that she was pregnant, he immediately went into proud papa mode. They moved into a house together in Carlsbad, near both sets of parents. No wedding plans yet, but I hold out for them every single day.
Chase and Jamie, as far as I knew, were still very much a couple. I didn't see or speak to him very often, but when I did, we'd play catch-up on everything that had happened, just like old times. He had finally graduated and was now working for a large public relations firm. After not even being called for an interview, he had resigned himself to minuscule jobs with hopes to work his way up. Jason got in the ear of the hiring manager at a golf tournament, and before we knew it, Chase was called in for an interview and got the job. He didn't mind that Jason had pulled strings for him. He was grateful, and it helped our friendship tremendously.
Lying on the grass in our backyard, staring up into the scattered clouds covering the sky, Jason ran his fingers through my now mid-back length, blown out hair.
"I swear, babe, I have to pinch myself every so often to make sure all of this is real."
I turned onto my side to look into his beautiful brown eyes that were shimmering in the sun. "Why? I tell you every day that I'm not going anywhere."
"Cara, if you could've been in my shoes, feeling what I felt, thinking what I thought, you'd be amazed that I'm still alive. My heart stopped beating, and I'm not sure how I went on, because I certainly didn't feel alive."
"Shhhh…" I said, placing my index finger over his lips. "Everything is right in our world now. We're happy, our friends are happy, our families…" "Well, my family is happy." I never wanted to offend when speaking about the trials and tribulations that his family was going through.
"It's alright. They aren't really my concern anymore."
"Jason. I want you to be complete. Your family, no matter how shitty they may be, is still your family."
"Oh I know, and I love 'em, but I think my mind is right, and my anger is under control the less I think about 'em."
I half smiled over at him.
His parents had actually checked themselves into couples counseling and were trying to work through their issues. They tried to get Jacob to go to counseling with them, as a separate family session, but he refused, never wanting to acknowledge what he had done or that there was anything wrong with him.
Heather got her divorce and moved to Houston with little Abby. Stacey moved back to Heath and tried desperately to get close to her sister again, but
Heather kept her at arms-length, only communicating for the sake of the girls getting to know each other as cousins. Damian and Stacey had finally hashed out a child support agreement, and while Damian still hadn't spent much time with his daughter, he was paying, so that was a step in the right direction.
"Well, you hungry? I know I am." I said, rubbing my aching stomach.
Jason alluringly sucked on his bottom lip. "Yeah, I might be… but I don't think we have the same thing in mind." He stood in the grass and picked me up, making Killer jump and bark at his sudden movement.
"Jason!" I shrieked, "I'm serious. I'm starving, let's get some food."
He held me and stared into my eyes. "It's best to work that appetite to the max then I'll get you some food." He kissed me and ran us into the house.
Our lives felt complete. I was in awe of the man that Jason had become, and I cherished every minute I had with him. There was no doubt in my mind that someday, we'd make beautiful, bouncing little Caras and Jasons.
Until then, I was quite content with us being engulfed in us.
The End!
Excerpt from upcoming novel, Shattered
Coming June 2013
Our food arrived and, while reaching for the pepper, our hands brushed against one another, making us instinctively jump back. I bit the inside of my jaw, not knowing what to say, but knowing that something needed to be said.
"Why do we keep doing that?" Grayson asked.
"Doing what?"
"Every time we touch, we jump back like the feeling we feel is a bad thing." His voice lowered to a husky whisper, sending shock waves through my body with just his words alone.
I took another drink of my Vodka Tonic and let out a light sigh.
"I'm telling you, Grayson. I'm pretty much a screwed up bitch right now. You don't want to have anything to do with me in that respect. You're much too sweet for my bullshit."
"Is that why you've been avoiding me? You think I can't handle whatever it is you have going on?" he asked, looking slightly offended that I wasn't giving him more of the benefit of the doubt.