by J. G. Sumner
I wrap my arm around Kate’s shoulders, trying to give her some solace. I can’t imagine the emotions swarming around in her like a tornado. Between the postpartum depression, dad dying, kids sick in the NICU, and me, I can’t believe the woman isn’t a heaping pile of tears and dysfunction on the floor. Instead, she’s risen to the adversity, and has become stronger and much more willing to fight. Kate amazes me more each day.
Charles gasps for air before getting the words out. “I’ve already made arrangements for that. Your mother will be fine. The only thing I couldn’t schedule is your wedding.” Charles closes his eyes as the conversation has taken what little fight he has left in him.
“Say I was to agree to marry you, there’s no way we could pull everything together so quickly. It would be impossible. Who knows how long he has left?” Kate motions to her father clearly annoyed, but obviously contemplating the possibility of saying yes to my proposal.
Butterflies take flight in my stomach. I hope that Kate will agree to be mine forever. I motion to Jasper as I get back down on one knee. “You know how much I love you. If you say yes, we can be married in this room within the hour.”
Kate’s crystal blue eyes bore into mine before the commotion by the door catches her attention. She looks over to the minister, Kendall, and personal assistant walking through the door. “What’s this?”
“These are the people who are going to help make the wedding official. Just say the word. Katherine Elizabeth Anderson, will you marry me?”
Chapter
Twenty-Six
Kate
I’m not sure what to say right now. I feel as though I’m being pressured into the marriage. Do I want to marry Tony? Hell yeah. He’s the man I’ve been in love with pretty much since the moment we met on that train in Italy. I didn’t know it at the time, and I struggled so hard to fight against the idea that I could fall in love so quickly after leaving my fiancé. But, I can’t forget that Tony left me during my darkest hour. How can I trust when things get tough, he won’t split?
The word faith pops in my head. I have to have it. Isn’t that what any good relationship consists of? Trust and faith in the person to whom you’re committing yourself? I’m not making excuses for him, or maybe I am, but he’s been through so much too. It couldn’t be easy losing his family, seeing me be brutally beaten by his cousin, and then kidnapped and raped by him. That’s a lot for a man to take in. No wonder he felt like such a giant failure. Who wouldn’t? I might have taken off too had I thought this was all my fault. Still, this doesn’t make my decision any easier. All eyes are trained on me and I’m experiencing quite the conundrum.
I shift my eyes back to Tony. He’s got a half smile with his lip curved up on one side. At one point that quirky grin made my insides melt. Now, I’ve become more hardened, but it’s still a bit irresistible, and part of me wants to reach out and plant my lips on his. My inner self tells me to hold on and not let him off that easily, or maybe it’s just Kendall silently screaming at me not to do this. The daggers her eyes are throwing at Tony are virtually stabbing him in the head and neck.
I glance over at my dad. I can’t believe he’s dying. Furthermore, I’m curious as to what exactly transpired between him and Tony. When did they become such good buddies that my dad now has Tony’s back and encouraging this marriage? What does he know about Tony that I don’t? This is all one big clusterfuck. What I really want is to be at home with my babies and pretend none of this is happening. Unfortunately it is and I have to make the decision of a lifetime. I guess I don’t have to worry about Tony leaving me at the altar. A short laugh escapes my throat and everyone’s eyes grow big. They’re obviously trying to figure out what I think is funny about this entire situation; what I could possibly be laughing at.
I laugh uncontrollably. Tears form in my eyes, and my stomach aches from the muscles straining so hard. I don’t know why I’m laughing. There’s really nothing that deserves this kind of reaction. Perhaps it’s just the stress from everything that’s happened.
I peer past the watershed blurring my vision and note the very different emotions cascading my friends and family’s faces. Kendall stares back at me in horror while my mom looks concerned. Jasper stands ready to pick up the pieces while Tony is apprehensive. I think I’ve reached my breaking point and I don’t really give a shit about what I’m supposed to do in this situation. All that really matters anymore is what’s best for me and my children. Unfortunately, I don’t know what that is. I don’t know about anything anymore. My entire life has gone through a front loader washing machine and has been turned upside and around and around more than anyone’s should. You would think that would make me stronger than cast iron, but I’m not so sure. If anything, I think I’m more cynical.
My laughter finally subsides. “Why do you want to marry me? I’m not nearly the woman I was in Italy or even the one you proposed to in Times Square. You don’t even know this person. I’m a magnet for chaos. If anything can go wrong, it will. Why on Earth would you want to be subjected to that?”
What little spark of life there was in Tony’s eyes has dimmed to just a flicker. I’ve done this to him. Even though we’ve gone down different paths, it’s been the same road and the same journey. The last two years have killed our spirit, damaged our souls, shaken our belief system, and turned us into people we never thought we’d become. I already know his response before he speaks.
“You say you’re like a magnet for chaos…well, I’m that same magnet. We may be at opposite poles, but we attract the same bad crap. I want to be the one to change that. I want the chance to take the lead we’ve acquired that has been weighing us down and turn it into a precious metal that brings joy and happiness into each other’s lives. While we may not have taken this entire journey together, we have experienced the same pain, hurt, happiness, and sadness. There’s no one else I want to go down this road with. You’re my everything, my world. I’ve experienced life without you and it wasn’t anything I’d ever want to do again. Please…please say you’ll be mine now and forever.”
Tony takes my hand in his and in that moment, an electric current surges from his body to mine, connecting us as one. Even though there’s a room full of people, it’s as if no one is around and in that moment, it’s just the two of us connecting through heart, mind, and soul. I’m not sure what it is about Tony, but something binds us together preventing my escape. The thought of losing this man from my life forever pains me as much as the thought of losing one of my children.
“Yeah, let’s do this!” The words escape my mouth before I can give it another moment’s thought. Gasps fill the room, but my eyes never leave Tony’s. I refuse to let this connection between us become severed.
Before I know it, a middle-aged woman has an arm wrapped around my shoulder as she whispers in my ear, “Come on, my dear. We need to get you ready.” I glance up at the woman whose face I don’t recognize. She’s got a short, gray-blonde bob with every strand of hair meticulously placed. Her long-sleeve peach silk blouse compliments her ivory pants to a tee.
“Where are we going?” I look at Tony who’s flashing me a million-dollar smile before glancing back at the woman who is now leading me away from my father’s bedside and out of the room.
“Well, dear, we’re going to get you ready for your big day. Your fiancé has arranged everything. Such a charming man he is.” I didn’t notice it before, but she has a Scottish brogue. “We must hurry, there’s no time to spare.”
“I’m not sure I understand. What’s going on?” My head is spinning with everything that’s happening—my father dying, children in the hospital, lack of sleep, my unexpected acceptance to Tony’s proposal, and now this woman whisking me away.
“Mr. Bertalucci has arranged for you to be married here this afternoon. It’s so romantic.” Her voice is wispy and if I didn’t know better, the woman is swooning.
“And who are you?” Call me crazy, but I know nothing about this woman who is leading me
away from the safety of my friends and family. After everything, I’m still a little gun shy.
“Call me Meg. I’m a personal wedding planner and coordinator. Normally I don’t do these things on such short notice, but after Jasper explained the situation, I couldn’t help but say yes. I’m such a sucker for happy endings. I truly believe the two of you are meant to be together.” If I didn’t know better, I’d think the woman was star struck. Holy crap, what have I agreed to?
Meg opens the door to my childhood bedroom. So many happy thoughts come flooding back sending me down memory lane. I glance at my bed and remember how my dad used to tuck me in at night and tell me funny stories until I fell asleep, helping my mom paint the purple butterflies on the walls, and forcing my brother to have tea parties at the little table next to the bed. Those were the days when there wasn’t a care in the world, where I was safe, princesses were real, and dreams really did come true. That’s when I had everything I could ever want and a disappointment was rare. I was one of the lucky ones with an amazing family who also happened to be quite wealthy. I long to go back there.
Meg shuts the door behind us and my first reaction is to turn around and go back out. I don’t like the door shut anymore. It gives me the feeling of being trapped, suffocating, and a prisoner again. I can’t go back there and I won’t.
Before I have a chance to reach for the handle, I gasp. I’m caught off guard by the lace wedding dress with hand sewn crystals I’ve been admiring for years. I kept a picture of this dress and everything else I wanted when I finally got married. Most of it I had for my almost wedding to the name who will go unmentioned. However, I didn’t get this dress. I don’t know why. I certainly had the means to do so, but for some reason, it just didn’t seem like the right dress. Now, here it is before me taking my breath away as it’s even more captivating in person than in the pictures on the models.
“Where did you get this? How did you know this is the one?” My hands are shaking as I slowly approach the most amazing design of a wedding gown I’ve ever laid eyes on. The lace is so soft and delicate and the crystals catch every speck of light in the room alighting them on fire.
“I can’t take credit for this. It was already here when I arrived. My understanding is that prince charming you’re about to marry arranged for its arrival. Now, we must hurry. There isn’t time so spare and we have a lot to do in order to get you prepared to walk down the aisle.” Meg hands me a white silk robe with ‘Bride’ written in bright pink cursive letters on the back. “I need you to get undressed so we can do your hair and makeup.”
I proceed to the bathroom that’s attached to my room. My mom may not have changed my bedroom, but the bathroom has definitely been modernized with granite countertops and travertine tile in the bathtub/shower area. I only shut the door halfway leaving it open enough to either make a quick escape or hear what’s going on in the other room.
As I undress, a knock at the door puts me on alert and peppering my skin with goose bumps. I listen as Kendall pushes her way through. It’s no surprise she’s here. What I am shocked about is the fact it took her so long.
“Where is she?”
Meg’s baroque fills the air like birds on a sunny morning in the country. “I’m sorry, but she’s getting ready. Perhaps now is not the right time.”
I can almost hear Kendall’s blood begin to boil. No one tells her to wait, especially not when she’s on a rampage like now.
“Kate, I’m coming in.” The sound of Kendall’s footsteps stomping across the carpet alerts me to her imminent ascent into my space. “What in God’s name are you thinking?” she spouts as the door flies open exposing me to the angry heiress who couldn’t give a crap if I was going to the bathroom or stark raving naked.
“I’m thinking I love him and Tony is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with.” My response is a bit smug, and a smile peeks up from the corners of my mouth. I know she’s pissed, but I can’t help but toy with her a bit.
“How can you consider this? You’ve gone from bad to worse. First it was Mike who cheated on you, now it’s this asshole who has left you several times, put you in situations where you’ve been beaten and raped, left you pregnant with twins, and now you think you’re going to get a happily-ever-after? Have I taught you nothing? You deserve better than this. You’re the princess of the Anderson Empire for Christ sakes. Don’t settle for this.”
Kendall is on fire. The last time I saw her like this is when she was banging on my apartment door after I holed myself up for a week when I left Mike. While she was ticked at Mike, she was much angrier with me drowning my sorrows alone with Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey and romantic comedies from the nineties, and not inviting her to the pity party.
“You’ll never understand it, but there’s a connection between us. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt. There’s this electricity that brings my body to life every time we touch. I can see in his eyes how much he loves me, and I love him. Despite everything, I’m in love and want to spend the rest of my days in this man’s arms.” Wow, even I’m surprised by the sugary sweetness in which I just described my feelings for Tony.
“There’s a fine line between lust and love. Just because you can’t resist him and you want to jump his bones every chance you get doesn’t mean this is love. Now wake up and smell the goddamned coffee. Tony is trouble and has been from the first day you two met.”
Kendall crosses her arms and stands before me refusing to allow me out of the bathroom until I come to my senses. Unfortunately for her, I’m a lot stronger than she gives me credit for. I finish undressing, put the robe on, and push passed her and into my bedroom. Meg stands there with her mouth wide open in disbelief. Apparently, all her beliefs about Prince Charming have just been shot to hell.
“You’ve hated Tony from day one. You never once gave him a chance. What you’ve never come to appreciate is what we have between us is more than lust.” I throw my two fingers up in quotations. “But there’s so much more. Tony understands me like no one else ever has. He knows what I want before I can tell him. All he’s ever done is tried to protect me. Even when Tony took off after I found out I was pregnant, it was so he didn’t inflict anymore pain on my life. Was he somewhat selfish? Absolutely. He should’ve stayed and weathered the storm, he should’ve been man enough to handle the possibility they could’ve been Matteo’s kids. He wasn’t. We all have our breaking points and that was his. He handled it poorly and there’s no excuse for that. But he’s back now and he’s done everything humanly possible to make amends including fulfilling my dying father’s wishes of seeing his daughter get married. My dad trusts Tony with my life, I have to do the same.”
“What about the crazy ex-girlfriend who kidnapped your son? There’s always going to be something or someone coming after you and now your kids. Is that the life you want? You’re always going to have to look over your shoulder.”
“Those people are going to be there regardless of whether or not I’m with Tony. If someone wants to get to them, they’re going to do it through our children. I might as well be with the man I love and endure the risks together than try to forge ahead alone with a broken heart and a part-time dad for my kids. Abby and AJ deserve to have their family whole and I intend to give it to them.”
I sit down at the desk and stare in the mirror at Kendall behind me. She’s not just angry anymore, she’s crying. There have only been a handful of times in which I’ve seen emotion like this from her. Kendall is always strong and puts on a façade that she’s tough as nails and doesn’t give a shit about anyone. I’ve always known better, but this is one of those rare moments when she’s exposing a vulnerable side.
I stand up and hold her in my arms. “I’m going to be fine. This is the right thing to do. I love Tony and don’t want to ever let him go. This is my leap of faith to take and I hope you’ll be alongside me as I do. I need a matron of honor and I can’t think of anyone else I’d want to do it. Please say you will, do this for me.”
/>
A long period of silence passes between us as we both shed tears of pain, sorrow, and happiness before we can move on to new beginnings and possibilities. “I love you, Kendall. I always will, but Tony is the man I want and I need you to be supportive of us.”
Kendall nods as she pulls away and wipes the tears from her eyes. “If this is what you really want, then of course I’ll be there for you.” She forces a smile on her face as I embrace her.
“Thank you so much! It wouldn’t be the same without my best friend standing next to me.” I return to sit down at the desk to get my hair and makeup done. There’s a new woman I didn’t see come in who’s standing with a box of supplies including makeup and hair supplies. Both she and Meg look completely dumbfounded.
“Just one more thing, please try to keep the dagger shooting at a minimum. Think happy thoughts when looking at Tony.”
Kendall laughs. “I’ll do my best.” As she makes her way to the door she stops. “Oh my God. It’s the dress. When did you get this?”
I turn to face her. “Tony had it waiting here for me. Isn’t it beautiful?”
Kendall rushes to it and runs her hands through the material. “It’s magnificent. It’s really unlike anything I’ve ever seen. How did he know?”
Butterflies float from my stomach and into my chest causing my heart to flutter just a little. “I don’t know. I can only guess that he found my wedding notebook and went through it. I was as shocked about it as you are.”
She inspects the dress a bit more. “He really did this for you?”
I bite my bottom lip holding back the mound of emotions wanting to escape including the giddiness that’s starting to rage out of control, and just hoping Kendall is getting a glimpse of what an incredible man Tony really is. “Yeah, he did.”