by Mila Nicks
Dad used what strength he had to brush her hand, his sickly version of a caress. Juliette held her breath from where she stood in the back beside Preston. If she didn’t her next inhale would’ve caught and she’d be stuck shuddering out an emotional sigh. Seeing Mom and Dad like this was difficult. Though their love was inspirational, it was hard to remember what they used to be. Back when Dad was at full health, he and Mom used to be vibrant presence in the home she grew up in.
Preston gripped her waist and gave a squeeze, knowing despite her silence, this was rough for her. The small show of support helped more than he could imagine.
“Mom, Dad,” Gigi spoke up. “There’s something we need to tell you. It’s…It’s pretty important.”
Gram perked up from the chair she sat in by the hospital room window. She’d been busy staring at the TV screen mounted on the wall. Her penchant for total honesty won out and she blurted, “Everybody knows your pregnant, Gigi honey.”
Mom choked on air. Dad’s eyes widened in speechless shock. Juliette looked at Preston and then at Gigi and Dom. Nobody expected the bombshell to be dropped that nonchalantly. Not even Gigi herself, standing there in a loose fitted shift dress and sandals.
“Pregnant?” Mom mumbled. “Is that true? You two are expecting?”
Gigi smiled at Dom and they held each other’s hands. “Yeah, we are. I found out three days ago.”
“Told you. Stevie Wonder could see that one,” Gram added smartly.
Juliette wasn’t sure what to expect of Mom and Dad’s reaction. Another second passed of stunned silence before the mood surged into familial celebration. Dad started it up, unable to speak much, but fighting for his mouth to spread into a smirk. Mom burst into joyful tears and rushed forward to embrace the couple.
“Oh, it makes so much sense! No wonder you were sick as a dog,” she cried, squeezing Gigi tight. “This is what keeps us together! This is how I know we’ll make it through this. The miracle’s too great not to.”
“That’s not everything, Mom. Dom and I—we’re gonna get married.”
“I know, honey. I’m sorry it’s all been ruined—”
“Today. This morning,” Gigi finished.
“You got me there. Wasn’t expecting that curveball,” Gram chirped.
“Wedding today?” Dad croaked.
Dom nodded, voice a nervous shake. “Y-Yes, sir. If we have your blessing. We…We want you to be there. We want you it to be the last thing you see before you go into the surgery.”
“We know how much it means to you, Daddy,” Gigi said.
Mom used the back of her hand to wipe tears. “Will the hospital chapel allow it?”
“We already spoke to the Priest, Father Gabriel. It’ll be a small intimate ceremony, just the seven of us. We can always have a bigger wedding later,” Dom explained. “This one’s about family.”
“But yours won’t be there,” Mom pointed out.
“It’s alright. My family’s a little…preoccupied right now. Besides, you guys are my family now.” Dom looked around the room at them, his usual charisma there, but upstaged by a touching sincerity Juliette hadn’t yet seen of him.
“I want to see,” Dad breathed heavily. Every word was an effort despite the oxygen cycled through the tubes up his nose.
“You will, Daddy. You’ll wheel me down the aisle.” Gigi walked over to the bed and gave him a smooch on the cheek.
“So, Gigi and Dom aren’t the only ones getting married today,” Juliette announced firmly. The attention shifted, falling on her in a shock that surpassed Gigi and Dom’s reveal. She never faltered though, confident in the decision she and Preston had made. “I know there’s been a lot of confusion this week with what was going on between Preston and I. Us pretending was always about giving you, Dad, and Mom and everyone else what they wanted. I wanted the week—the wedding—to be perfect. I didn’t think about what I wanted for myself though.”
“Jules, what are you saying?” Mom asked. The confusion pulled her eyebrows together.
“I’m saying, I asked my best friend to help me out of a tight spot, and I realized…I realized I was in love with him. I realized what I want for myself is for it to be real, and it is.” Juliette couldn’t help the contagious smile that brightened her face, her hand slipping into Preston's. “We’re getting married this morning too.”
“Wow!” Gram whistled, eyes bulging behind her glasses. “Now that I sure as heck wasn’t expecting!”
“No,” Dad puffed out.
Mom guiltily tried to mediate. “Tom Tom, maybe you should—”
“No,” he repeated.
Juliette's resolve only climbed. Holding onto Preston's hand, she requested they be left alone in the room with Mom and Dad for a chat. Gigi, Dom and Gram vacated the room sans protest. Once down to the four of them, she addressed the elephant in the room.
“Dad, I love you, and I want you to be there to see us marry. It’s just as important to me as it is to you. I know you want what’s best for me, but you have to respect my decisions. I’m marrying Preston. I love him. He loves me. We’re going to be happy together, and we want you to be a part of that,” she said earnestly.
“That’s right, Mr. Lowry,” Preston chimed in. “Things have gotten mixed up this week with Winston and Natasia, but I hope you believe that I’ve only ever loved your daughter. I’m crazy ‘bout her.”
Mom sniffled, tearing up all over again. “Oh, Tom Tom! It’s all come out how everything was misunderstood. You and I both agreed we love Preston. Now’s not the time to be stubborn. Let’s celebrate these miracles as a family and make this the last memory before your sendoff into the operation.”
Juliette could tell by how Dad’s features softened, brow no longer pinched, that he was on the cusp of giving in. She anticipated him nodding his head or uttering a ‘yes’, but instead he surprised the three of them.
“Preston, me and you a word.”
“Dad, anything you have to say to Preston, you can say to me—”
“It’s alright,” Preston interjected, giving her a reassuring smile. “You and your mom go get a coffee and relax for a few minutes. I’ll stay and talk with your dad.”
Juliette left the room by Mom’s side, glancing one final time over her shoulder. She supposed Dad wanted a man-to-man type of talk with Preston. In the hallway outside, she asked Mom for her opinion.
“Don’t worry about it, honey. Your dad does like Preston. He’s told me so himself. This is about clearing the air one last time,” she soothed, patting her hand. “We never had a son, so that’s what he’s thinking about. If anything happens to him, Preston and Dominic will be the men to carry that torch for our family. That’s all.”
Juliette smiled at ease. “You’re right.”
“My daughter,” Mr. Lowry wheezed. “You love her?”
Preston's smile was easy and earnest. “Yeah, I do.”
Mr. Lowry motioned with his hand for Preston to come closer. Preston listened, stepping forward on the right side of his hospital bed. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he believed that it would be alright. Mr. Lowry loved his family to his core. He had every right to question him and Preston wouldn’t fail. How could he when he loved Juliette just as deeply?
“You make her happy. I can see that. I can feel it’s sincere.”
“Sir.”
“Thomas.”
“Thomas,” Preston corrected himself, “your daughter is my best friend—has been since I met her. Not sure if you know the coffee at the courthouse story, but we bumped into each other by accident. Then we got to know each other. It didn’t hit me ’til this trip that I’ve been falling in love with your daughter over the last two years. She’s an amazing woman I’d be honored to call my wife.”
Mr. Lowry stared long and hard at Preston with his expression unreadable. The machines he was hooked up to filled the quiet in the room with beeps and boops. His nostrils flexed as the tubes carried more oxygen to his body. Finally, after another dr
awn out second, the corners of his mouth changed. They shifted into the slightest smile Preston had seen in his life.
“I like you two together.”
“I’m glad. I like us two together too.” Preston gave off a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Marriage,” Mr. Lowry said between a breath, “isn’t easy.”
Preston’s nod was sharp and earnest. “Believe me, I get that, sir—Thomas. But Jules and I are gonna make it work. I believe that with everything I’ve got.”
“Good.”
“Do you, uh, do you have any advice for us?” Preston hesitated on what to say next, feeling like an insecure boy asking a father for advice on girls. The truth was, he’d never had a dad around to ask about such things. He supposed marrying Juliette, Mr. Lowry would become that type of figure for him. “I’d appreciate any wisdom you have to offer. I lost my parents young and I never really…my father wasn’t around…”
A glint lit Mr. Lowry’s dark brown eyes. “You’ve got one now. Three things.”
Preston leaned closer, even taking his soon-to-be-father-in-law’s hand.
“Be patient,” Mr. Lowry croaked between more labored breaths. “Keep the laughter alive. Always make each other a priority.”
Preston had barely digested the info when it felt like their bonding moment was over. The nurse on staff was coming into the room and it was time to start heading down for the small ceremony downstairs. He thanked Mr. Lowry for his brilliant advice and vowed to himself he would carry those three short nuggets with him for as long as he lived.
Even if he had no clue what to expect and zero experience, he was sure of his love for Juliette—he was certain they belonged together.
This was right.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Gigi demanded in the women’s restroom on the ground floor. The sisters were primping in the mirror smudged with dust and a smear of old lipstick. Gigi’s breezy sheath dress doubled perfectly as the most casual wedding dress in existence.
Juliette smiled at her little sister and crowned her veil atop her head. “Because you’ve got enough on your plate without your big sis piling on.”
“Piling on? That’s not what I call you and Preston getting married!”
“Up until you found out who Preston really was, you thought we were engaged to be married. What’s the difference?”
“It’s for real this time!”
Juliette fussed with Gigi’s veil some more. “Gigi, you’re kind of missing the point.”
“And that is?”
“It was always real. Even when it was pretend.”
Gigi caught Juliette’s hand and warmth glowed in her eyes. “You love this man a lot, don’t you?”
“How much do you love Dom?”
“A whole lot. A lot a lot.”
“Me too,” said Juliette. “But replace Dom with Preston.”
The two sisters shared a girlish giggle and then it was Gigi’s turn to help Juliette with her veil.
“I never thought we’d get married on the same day,” she said aloud. She smiled wide. “Kinda cool, huh?”
Juliette nodded. “I guess it is, isn’t it?”
“We should all go on our honeymoon together!”
“Um, I think we’re going to need some time to work that out. How about we get Daddy through this operation first?”
“Deal. Ready?”
Nerves fluttered in Juliette’s stomach as she glanced into the mirror and saw the smile already on her face. She still couldn’t believe that she was about to walk down the aisle and marry Preston. They had left Atlanta for Paradise Key as best friends and would be returning as husband and wife. Life really did come at you fast.
Juliette winked at Gigi. “More than ready. C’mon.”
The hospital chapel was a modest room with ten pews and a platform raised inches off the ground. Behind the podium a large cross hung, flanked by large arrangements of colorful flowers. The only light in the room was natural, pouring in naked and unfiltered from the stained glass windows. The quiet, serene air helped ease troubled spirits. Father Dennis greeted everyone with a warm welcome and smile.
Preston and Dominic both glanced at each other, equally as nervous as the other. They had stood mostly in silence at the altar in wait for their brides. Whenever Preston inhaled a deep breath and closed his eyes, Juliette appeared to him, looking beautiful and radiant, and his heart soared. He couldn’t wait for the real thing.
Mrs. Lowry had taken seats in the front row with plenty of tissues in hand. Gram Babes had sat down at the organ tucked into the corner. It just so happened that she knew how to play going back decades from the time she was a young woman. Her fingers struck the keys and the melodic tune of “Here Comes the Bride” started up.
Preston closed his eyes one last time, so nervous his palms were sweaty and he was feeling slightly dizzy—but it was a good kind of dizzy if that was at all possible. It was the kind of dizziness brought on by overwhelming happiness as he opened his eyes again and there she was. For real this time.
Juliette stood at the start of the aisle with a bouquet of bright flowers, a lacy veil obscuring her face, though he knew she was smiling. He was smiling too, so hard his cheeks ached, but he didn’t give a damn. It took him a while to notice the others. Juliette was on the left and Gigi was on the right. In between the sisters was Mr. Lowry in his wheelchair, guided by his nurse on shift.
As a group they started down the aisle as Gram Babes filled the room with the melodic wedding music. Out the corner of his eye, Preston was pretty sure he caught Dominic looking as goofy as him. He kept wiping his brow and smiling broader and broader at Gigi.
They went first when they finally reached the end of the aisle.
“Good morning, everyone,” said Father Dennis in his naturally soothing tone, “welcome to today’s ceremony, where you will witness love happen between two very devoted couples.”
Preston couldn’t remember a word being spoken. He was so enamored with Juliette, unable to take his eyes off of her, he blocked out the Father’s speech about the ceremony taking place today. He even tuned out what Dominic and Gigi were saying to each other. Though Juliette’s veil concealed her from him, he could faintly make out her eyes glued to his. He could vividly imagine the beautiful smile on her face. His fingers curled, itching to reach up and lift the veil and kiss her like he wanted, sealing their fate as husband and wife.
“And Preston and Juliette,” said Father Dennis what felt like an eternity later. “It is now time to reflect on what you love about each other.”
Preston swallowed as he gently lifted Juliette’s veil and then his heart was on double time, beating harder and faster as silence fell over the room. He inhaled a shaky breath. “Jules, from…from the first day I met you, I knew you were something special. I didn’t know in what way—how many first impressions start off with hot coffee being spilled on you?”
The others around the room chuckled. Father Dennis’ beam curved his cheeks. Preston continued.
“Over the past two years I’ve discovered just how special. As we’ve grown closer as friends, I’ve fallen more and more in love with you. We’ve made so many memories together already—Wing Wednesdays and Sundays in the park and even this week in Paradise Key—and it only makes me more excited for what’s to come. You’re the most capable, witty, caring woman I’ve ever met—beautiful inside and out—and that makes me the luckiest guy in the world. But you still owe me that coffee.”
There was more laughs from the others as Preston winked at her and she shook her head side to side. Even despite her incredulous head shake, he could tell she was nervous. She was shaking, her breaths as unsteady as his. Like him, she wasn’t going to let anything stop her from speaking her mind.
“Preston,” she said softly, eyes trained on him, “I don’t know if I can put into words how much your friendship has meant to me these past few years. I don’t think you know that I always smiled whenever I thought about you�
�whether or not you were around. I don’t think you know that whenever I had a bad day, my first thought was you and how I knew I could count on you to make me laugh. I don’t think you know that I’ve always felt so cared for even just as your friend—even if it’s dumb things like you giving me more of the blanket anytime we fell asleep on your couch or you letting me eat half of your fries on Wing Wednesdays.”
From the first pew, Mrs. Lowry’s sniffle was loud and bordered on an outright cry.
“And I don’t think you know that a part of me always hoped for something more. But I buried that want so deep inside of me, I refused to let it out. I didn’t want to risk losing our friendship. Now I know we’ll always be best friends—and life partners. I never would’ve guessed a collision on some courthouse steps would lead me to this. You.”
Preston’s dizziness took over again. He became so lightheaded that everything felt surreal, a wonderful dream he wondered if he would wake up from. His heart hadn’t stopped pounding and his hands were clammier than ever as he held Juliette’s. Father Dennis read them their marriage oath and asked them to repeat after him.
“And now the ring, the outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible bond which already unites your two hearts in love,” said Father Dennis. “Preston, place the ring on Juliette’s finger and repeat after me.”
Once again, Preston did as asked. He was operating off of pure elation as he had no clue how he managed to remember what to do or how to function. His brain was long ago off and his body acted on its own accord, holding Juliette’s hand and slipping the Brooker family heirloom on her finger. Tears welled in Juliette’s eyes and as he blinked, he realized there were tears in his too.
“And so now by the power vested in me, it is my honor and delight to declare you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
Preston couldn’t remember reaching for Juliette, but he did. He couldn’t remember anything but the feel of her lips as they happily melted into one and applause erupted all around them. When they broke apart, they were smiling, eyes still only for each other.