by S. J. McCoy
“I know. Where’s Scotty?”
She pointed to where he was chatting happily with Gramps and Joe. “The old guys are keeping him busy. I think they’re trying to build his confidence in their own way.”
Dan smiled as he watched. Scot laughed at something Gramps said. “I think we should go see Pete and Holly and then get out of here.”
Missy nodded. “Come on then.”
Pete grinned as they approached. “We beat you to it!”
Missy laughed. “You never could be outdone, could you Pete?”
Holly shook her head. “I’m not going to complain about it this time though.”
“And you know I don’t mind,” said Dan. “I don’t feel outdone.”
Holly laughed. “You’re not. I mean Pete’s surprise was awesome, but yours is…” her hand flew up to cover her mouth.
Dan couldn’t believe that she was about to blow it.
“Your wedding is going to be amazing!” Pete stepped in, in an attempt to cover for her. He grinned. “I mean you’ve had all this time to plan it and everything!”
Missy laughed. It seemed she hadn’t picked up on Holly’s mistake at all. “Yours was amazing because it wasn’t planned Pete! You’d do well to remember that.”
Holly nodded at him. “See! It’s not just me!”
Pete grinned at Dan. “It’s not fair, is it? None of these ladies seem to appreciate planning and preparation, do they?”
Dan smiled. He was relieved that they hadn’t blown it, but he didn’t want to stick around any longer than they had to. Anyone could let the cat out of the bag at any moment. “I don’t know, Pete. I think when it comes to planning dresses and makeup they get it. I know Miss here wants some time to prepare herself.”
Missy grinned at him. “I do. We should get going.” She hugged Holly. “Congratulations, hon. I’m so happy for you.”
Dan nodded. “Congratulations to you both. Now if you’ll excuse us, we need to go get ready.”
~ ~ ~
Missy pecked Dan’s lips. “I guess I’ll see you out on the balcony.”
He smiled down at her. “You will. Don’t go changing your mind before you get there, will you.”
“No chance! You just make sure you’re there waiting for me.”
“Oh, I will be. You’ve got no worries there. Are you nervous?”
She smiled. “I think I am. Maybe it’s just excitement, but either way the butterflies are swirling like crazy in my tummy.” She looked at him, she knew he didn’t experience emotions in the same way she did, but she was curious.
“What?” he asked.
“Do you even know what butterflies feel like?”
He smiled, the smile she wanted to wake up to every day for the rest of her life. “Believe it or not, I do. But mine don’t swirl.”
“No?”
She loved the way his eyes twinkled when he smiled. “No, I’ve trained mine to fly in formation.”
She laughed. She had no doubt that he meant it!
He slid his arms around her waist and she clung onto his shoulders as she kissed him again.
Scot laughed as he joined them. “I keep telling you two, you need to stop that!”
Missy laughed and went to hug him. Not only did he let her—he hugged her right back!
“Okay, then,” he said. “I’ll let you off since I get one as well.”
“Come on, champ,” said Dan. “Let’s go do our thing.”
Missy’s heart filled up as she watched them walk away. They were her world. And the three of them were about to make their little family official. In some ways she’d felt almost left out the last few months, since the adoption papers had come through and Dan was legally Scot’s dad. Now she and Dan would be bound together in the eyes of the law—as well as in love. They already had that, and she knew they always would.
Emma came to her side. “Do you want to go yet?”
“Yeah, let’s go, hon. It’s time. Do you know where Charlotte is?”
Emma sighed and jerked her head to where Charlotte was sitting with Ben’s parents.
“Oh, crap!” said Missy. “Where is he? That’s all he needs!”
“I know. And I can’t find him.”
Missy sighed. “I feel so bad about this. But I swear I’ll kill him if he doesn’t show up!”
“Calm down. You know he’ll be there. You need to forget all about him for now. You’ve got more important things to think about like getting into that beautiful dress of yours and marrying Dan!”
“I know, hon. But I can’t just forget about him, can I?”
Emma shrugged. “He’s going to be fine. And much as we love him, I really do think you should put him out of your mind. Focus on the good stuff. Come on. Let’s go get Charlotte and get you ready.”
~ ~ ~
“Have you decided what you’re going to do yet?” Ben asked Missy’s dad. He’d decided to come hang out with him while they waited for five o’clock to come around.
He shook his head. “It just doesn’t seem right to roll out there in a wheelchair. That’s not who I am, Ben. You know that.”
Ben nodded. He didn’t know what to say. He could imagine how it must feel.
“But then, it seems even worse to not do it at all.”
Ben could see that, too. He decided to take a risk and say what he thought. “Do you mind if I ask you something.
“Go ahead.”
“If you do it in a wheelchair, what’s wrong with that?” He watched as Missy’s dad thought about it. He decided to make the question a bit more leading. “What gets hurt if you do that?”
“I know where you’re taking me. The only thing it hurts is my pride. And if I don’t do it at all, I hurt Missy’s feelings, right?”
“Wrong. I didn’t mean you’d hurt Missy’s feelings. I meant that you’d hurt yourself. You’d deny yourself the chance to do something that every father thinks they’ll do for their daughter someday.”
Chance came into the lounge and walked toward them. “Missy’s gone to get ready. It’s almost time.”
His dad nodded at him, a thoughtful frown on his face.
Chance looked from his dad to Ben and back again. “What’s going on?”
“I want to do it.”
Ben smiled to himself as understanding dawned on Chance’s face.
“You do?”
“Yeah.” There were tears in his eyes as he said. “Well, I want us to do it. I want you to push me, so I can hold her hand. The three of us. Together. As a family. Like we haven’t been in twenty years.”
Ben felt like an intruder now as Chance and his dad hugged each other awkwardly. He stood up, he should go.
“You stay right there, son. You’re the one who made me see that my pride doesn’t count for much. That I’d be a fool to let it get in the way.”
Chance shot him a grateful smile.
Ben nodded. He knew he was pretty good at helping other people get over their shit. Why couldn’t he do the same for himself?
~ ~ ~
Dan grinned at Scot as he straightened his cravat for him. They were getting ready in one of the changing rooms by the hotel chapel. “You look great, champ. How do you feel?”
Scot nodded. “I feel great! He checked his inside pocket. I’ve got the rings. I’m good.”
Jack smiled at them both. “I’m so proud of you guys.”
Dan nodded. It was totally illogical that happiness should make a person cry. But he still had to take a breath before he dared reply. Even then he didn’t trust his voice not to crack, so he simply nodded.
“What do you think?” asked Scot. “Is it time to go out there yet?”
Dan checked his watch. He shook his head. “Not yet.”
Jack raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged in reply. He wasn’t nervous about getting married. Wasn’t nervous about committing the rest of his life to loving Missy and Scot. But he was nervous about standing out there in front of the crowd while he waited for her to arrive.
He didn’t want to be on full display for everyone while he felt so emotionally transparent.
There was a knock on the door. Jack went to open it. He grinned as he stood back to let Missy’s dad come through with Chance behind him, pushing his wheelchair. Ben brought up the rear.
“Poppy Jim!” Scot said with a grin.
Dan knew there was something different about him as he reached his good arm out to Scot and hugged the kid tight.
“What’s the plan?” asked Dan.
Chance looked at his dad and they both smiled.
“I’m going to let my son push me around.”
Dan cocked his head to one side, not sure he understood.
Chance grinned. “The three of us are coming out there together.” He put a hand on his dad’s shoulder. “As a family.”
Dan had to swallow the lump in his throat again. He was so happy that his and Missy’s special day appeared to be bringing her dad and brother together. Healing the rift that had kept them apart for years. He nodded. “That’s awesome.”
“It is. And we’ve got this fella to thank for it,” he jerked his head toward Ben.
Dan wasn’t at all surprised to hear that. Or to see him here instead of out with the other guests, where he might run into Charlotte.
“Thanks, Ben.”
Ben nodded. “Do you mind if I wait here with you? I want to see Missy’s face when she sees her dad.”
“Of course.”
~ ~ ~
Missy held her breath while Emma pulled her zipper up, wishing the whole time that she’d made more of an effort to lay off the doughnuts these last few weeks.
“Oh my God! Just look at you, Miss!” cried Charlotte. “It’s beautiful. You are beautiful!”
Missy smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror. She didn’t consider herself to be beautiful. She hung out with too many truly beautiful women to go kidding herself about that. But even she had to admit that today, in her wedding dress, she did at least look beautiful.
Emma laughed. “Even you can’t argue, Miss. Not today. Not looking like that.”
Missy laughed with her. “Okay, so I’m gorgeous!”
“You are. I can’t wait to see Dan’s face!” said Emma.
“He hasn’t seen the dress at all yet?” asked Charlotte.
Missy shook her head. “I wanted to do some of the traditional things. I mean, yeah, we didn’t spend last night apart, and we’ve been together most of today, but I didn’t want him to see the dress. And I wanted to do the something old, something new thing.
“That’s wonderful,” said Charlotte. “So what are they?”
“Well, the something new, is my dress. Isn’t it gorgeous?” she wiggled her ass making the others laugh. “The something blue, is this.” She picked up a garter, slipped her foot through and rolled it up to her thigh.”
“Nice!” said Charlotte.
Missy picked up the box Michael had given her. “You’re going to love this,” she told Charlotte.
“Oh, you will,” agreed Emma. “I do!”
Missy took out the pearl earrings and necklace.
“They’re lovely!” exclaimed Charlotte.
“They are,” said Missy, “and what’s even lovelier is that they’re Michael’s grandmother’s. She told me when we were little kids that they could be my something borrowed. He remembered and let me have them!”
“Oh, that’s so nice! He’s such a good guy, and Megan’s lovely! But hold on. You’ve got new, borrowed and blue. What’s your something old?”
Emma looked at her, too. “Yeah. What is it?”
Missy was determined not to cry. “The something old is my ring.” She held out her right hand so they could both see.
Emma nodded. Missy knew she would recognize it immediately.
“I’m sure you remember, I had a pretty rough time with my dad when I told him I was pregnant at seventeen.”
Charlotte nodded. “Of course I do.”
Missy hesitated, wondering what memories this would bring back for Charlotte.
Charlotte smiled as if to reassure her. “I might not have been here, but we did used to talk all the time. Go on, though. Tell me about the ring?”
Missy looked down at it. “He came through for me though when Scotty was born. He bought me this ring and brought it to the hospital when he came to meet his grandson for the first time. I know how hard it must have been for him to accept that I’d screwed up my life. But he did. He gave me this ring. Told he me loved me no matter what. And now that Scot was here, he would love him, too.” She had to blink away the tears. She shouldn’t have gotten into this right now.
Emma patted her arm.
She swallowed. “And he told me that he’d always be there for us, no matter what.” She finished on a sob. “And he always has been. Until today!”
“Oh, Miss. Don’t cry!” said Charlotte.
“It’s going to be okay,” said Emma.
“How can it be okay?” she wailed. “He’s not here!” She didn’t understand the look Emma and Charlotte exchanged. They probably thought she was over emotional. Well, dammit she was! And she had every right to be! She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. “Sorry. I just wish he was here. All this is wonderful, but if my dad was here, it’d be perfect. I should know better than to hope for perfect, though. That’s not how my life goes, is it?”
Emma put an arm around her shoulders. “Maybe today is the day that all that changes.”
“What do you mean?’
Emma looked panic stricken for a moment.
“I think she means that today you marry your lovely Dan. And from now on your life will be perfect,” said Charlotte.
Missy nodded and blew her nose again. “I like the sounds of that. Anyway. I don’t have time to sit around here blubbing. It’s time to work your magic with hair and makeup, ladies.”
As she got ready, Missy had to keep dragging her mind away from thoughts of her dad. She had to focus on what she did have. Dan and Scot, and Chance, and all their wonderful friends.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Will you put your phone down, Mouse! I’m ready. It’s time to go. I don’t want to be late for my own wedding because you’re too busy texting. Who are you texting anyway?”
Emma gave her that odd panicky look again.
Charlotte laughed. “I’ll bet it’s Jack. She hasn’t seen him for a whole hour!”
Emma hung her head. “Sorry. I’m done. Let’s go.”
“Thank you!” said Missy with a grin. She was excited now. The time was finally here.
When they got close to the chapel Emma stopped. “Just wait here a minute would you?”
“Are you kidding? We’re almost late! I need to find Chance.”
“I know! I’m going to get him. Just wait here, would you? And stop panicking.”
Missy looked at Charlotte as Emma went on ahead. “Is it me, or is she the one that’s panicking? I’d swear she’s more nervous than I am!”
Charlotte shrugged. “She just gets excited. She hasn’t changed much has she?”
Missy shook her head. “Not in some ways, no.” She picked up her skirt. “But I can’t be standing around here waiting for her. Let’s go.” She started out toward the corner that Emma had just disappeared around. When she reached it, she stopped. There was no sign of Emma, or Chance. Or anyone. She’d thought they were supposed to meet Chance here!
The chapel attendant who had helped with all the arrangements popped her head out of the reception area. “There you are. Your guests are all out on the balcony. Your brother said he’d meet you there, too.”
Missy looked at Charlotte. “Great! He’s supposed to walk me up the stairs and out onto the balcony!”
Charlotte smiled. “Never mind.” She offered Missy her arm. “I’ll be happy to take his place for the stairs at least.”
Missy linked arms with her and grinned. “We did say we’d be there for each other’s wedding day, didn’t we?”
“We did. And I wouldn’t miss this for the world!”
When they reached the top of the stairs Missy smiled at the sight of all their friends sitting there. They didn’t spot her yet. They were all facing the front where Dan and Scot were waiting. Dan saw her first and smiled. All heads turned to follow his gaze and she was met by a sea of smiling faces. Chance stood off to the right behind the last row of chairs. Missy had to chuckle that Emma stood beside him. Even in a moment like this she couldn’t resist being around him. It dawned on her though that they were standing too close together. Almost as though they were hiding something behind them.
She gave Chance a puzzled look. He smiled. He looked as though he might be on the verge of tears. Then he and Emma stepped aside and she understood why. Her dad was sitting there in his wheelchair, smiling at her. Missy couldn’t hold back the tears as she ran toward him. “Dad!” She squatted down beside his wheelchair.
He folded her in with his good arm and she sobbed into his chest.
“You’re here!”
He patted her back. “I couldn’t miss my little girl’s big day, could I?”
“But how? The Doc said…”
He smiled at her. “The Doc came back to get me, with your friend Smoke…”
“You flew?”
He nodded. Missy searched the watching faces until she found Smoke. She’d never be able to thank him enough! He smiled and nodded. He even looked a little teary eyed himself.
“And Ben,” her dad continued.
Missy searched for him. He stood in one of the last rows—what was he doing all the way back there? He, too, was smiling and nodding at her.
“There’ll be time to explain it all later,” said her dad. “For now the man responsible for me being here is starting to look a bit lonely up there at the front. What do you say, shall we go see him?”
“You’re going to walk me down the aisle?” Her heart felt as though it might burst.
Her dad looked sad for a moment as he patted the wheelchair. “I can’t, Miss. But this works out even better.”
She couldn’t believe the look he exchanged with Chance, the way the two of them smiled at each other. “We decided we’re both coming. Chance is going push me, so I get to hold your hand.”
Missy had to wipe away the tears. This was perfect! It was even better than she could have dreamed. Having her dad give her away was what she’d wanted. Now she got both her dad and her brother, and better yet, the two of them had obviously made their peace.