Deception

by Ordonez, April Isabelle

  The guests cheer and whistle, bringing Travis and I to laughter. Travis raises his hand in a stance of victory, his face lighting up with a gorgeous smile. The woman continues. "I believe Travis has prepared some vows," she says, motioning to Travis.

  He looks at me, attentively. "Many people spend their lives searching for their soul mate—their one true love. Some people are lucky to find the person they can truly call the better half of themselves, while others spend the rest of their lives searching and never finding. I’m happy to count myself among the lucky ones, because I found you. I love you, Sweets. I know that you’re the only one for me—my one true love. I’m happy and I’m grateful that you came into my life, that where others have spent their entire lives looking for the one, I didn't have to search for long. I found you at the age of fifteen, and now that I have you back, I will never let you go. I promise that I shall hold you and cherish you, and give you my heart for eternity. One night, not so long ago, I mentioned that Amanda was the second best thing to happen to me. I never mentioned what my first was. It's you."

  I swallow hard. His words spoke directly to my soul.

  Without redirecting his gaze, the woman asks if I have vows I would like to share. I nod, while exhaling. "I haven't had time to prepare what I would like to say, so I'm going to let my heart do the talking. I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I’m with you. I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you, for the part of me that you bring out. I love you, because you’ve done more than any other could have done to make me good, and more than any fate could have done to make me happy. You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign. You’ve done it by being yourself. You taught me true love seventeen years ago. I lost you along the way, but now that I got you back, I’m finally feeling whole again. It is you and me, until eternity."

  Tears stream from Travis' eyes, and I reach over and wipe them. He closes his eyes in response.

  The woman continues. "Who supports this couple in their marriage?" Drew and Marla stand. They go to my mom's side and wheel her chair next to us. My mom raises her hand in the air.

  I mouth, "I love you," when she looks over at me.

  "And who has the rings?" the woman asks. Amanda steps forward.

  The woman looks at Travis. "Repeat after me,” she requests. “I, Travis, give you, Amy, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you."

  After repeating the phrase, he extends his hand to mine, sliding the wedding band on. He brings my hand up to his mouth, kissing it.

  "Amy, repeat after me,” the woman then says. “I, Amy, give you, Travis, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you." I repeat, and then take the ring from Amanda and slide it on Travis’ finger. I look up at him with excitement.

  "By the power vested in me, by the State of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Now, Travis, kiss your bride.”

  He doesn't wait a moment longer. He grabs my face in his hands and kisses me passionately. All the worry and stress of the world melts right out of me.

  "I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Travis Cashman," the woman announces. The guests jump out of their seats and cheer.

  “I’m your wife," I say, no longer able to contain myself.

  "Finally."

  With Amanda on one side and Travis on the other, I wheel my mom back down the aisle, while our family and friends follow behind.

  • • • •

  We spend the rest of the afternoon, and into the evening, arm in arm talking with guests, drinking and eating, and basking in the pure glory that is Mr. and Mrs. Cashman.

  A while later, the photographer asks to take a few pictures. Travis pulls me onto the beach when he sees that the sun is about to set.

  "You look incredible," he says, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me in.

  "You, my husband, look simply delicious in this outfit," I whisper, drawing his mouth to mine. We get lost in our kiss as the sun goes down. We’re interrupted when Drew taps Travis on the shoulder.

  "It's time," he announces. I narrow my eyes, looking at Travis. He smirks.

  We stroll back into the Love Shack, and he brings me onto the dance floor. Walking over to the DJ, he grabs a microphone. "I know that your dad isn't here for you to have your father daughter dance, but your mom wants to have a mother daughter dance instead. She's picked this song especially for you.”

  My mom is up on her feet, being assisted, walking to me. I completely lose it, again. The song My Wish begins to play, and I take her in my arms and we dance. I hold her so tight, and press my cheek up to hers. I thank her for being the person that she is, for bringing Travis back to me, and for everything that she's done for me in my life. She doesn't speak―she can't speak―but the hold that she has on me and the look in her eyes is enough for me to know that this is exactly how she wanted her life to end.

  The song ends, and Drew and Marla's husband, Greg, return with her wheelchair. She sits but motions to Drew. He walks over to the DJ and grabs the microphone. "Travis, your parents couldn't be here, and mom wanted you to have your mother son dance so it's now your turn.”

  Travis stands there with his mouth agape, speechless. My mom stands back up out of her chair with assistance, and Travis rushes to her. The song Kind and Generous begins to play, and Travis takes her in his arms and they glide across the dance floor. Travis holds her close while whispering in her ear. Large tears stream down both of their faces. I'm left without words, admiring the beauty in front me.

  The song ends, and they help my mom back to her chair and return her to the side of the dance floor. I go and hug her, and wipe the tears from her face.

  "Let's lighten things up a bit," Drew says in the microphone. Travis goes to his side and they both have a sly look on their face.

  Travis grabs the microphone. "Bear with us. We were a bit bored today waiting for the girls to get ready, so we've only had a few hours to practice this. But here goes nothing." The song Bringing Sexy Back starts to play.

  They stand in the middle of the dance floor and strut around. The guests erupt in applause and whistles. Slowly kicking off their shoes, they toss them to the side. Everyone starts chanting, “Take it off.” They strut around a bit more in an attempt to look seductive and, despite what everyone else is thinking, Travis is pulling it off quite well. They then start unbuttoning their shirts in sync with each other, and all of a sudden the dance floor fills up with more guys as they all join in. I keep my eyes locked on Travis. When they throw their shirts toward us, all the women rush to grab them as they fall, acting overly excited when they catch them. They put their hands on the buttons of their pants, slowly unbuttoning them while the song ends. The women all chant, “Booooo.” Travis looks adorable with his playful smile, but he also looks damn hot in his linen pants.

  He walks in my direction and I run to him, jumping up and wrapping my legs around him, kissing him. The guests erupt in cheers and clink silverware to their glasses. Before I can say anything, he lowers me back down when he hears the song change. He grabs his shirt and puts it on, leaving it unbuttoned. He takes my hand in his and wraps his other arm around me, pulling me in. "This song is for you," he whispers.

  The DJ announces that it’s our first dance, while the song At Last begins to play. I pull him close and rest my cheek against his, and he sings into my ear. If this is what heaven feels like, please take me now. This man is so incredible, and I'm certain that I'm the luckiest woman on the planet. The song ends and Travis twirls his finger in the air to the DJ.

  The song begins again, and we continue to dance while he sings to me. The room is so silent that you can hear a pin drop. Everyone stands around, watching us. My heart is calm―it's content.

  We spend the next few hours dancing and chatting with guests. The DJ announces that everyone is to go outside on the beach. I look at Travis and he winks. He leads me outside, just as a display of the
most beautiful fireworks bursts into the sky.

  "You did this?" I ask, wide-eyed. He smiles his most stunning smile. I lay my head on his shoulder and we enjoy the light show.

  After the fireworks are done, Drew lets us know that mom is tired, and she's requested that he take her home.

  We go on the patio where she's sitting and I hug her. "Thank you so much for today. It was simply magical." She puts her hand over her heart and nods.

  Travis leans down and hugs her, while whispering something in her ear.

  "I'll see you tomorrow," I say. She kisses my cheek. Drew wheels her out. Other guests begin to leave as well, and Amanda's grandparents come to pick her up.

  We take to the dance floor some more. Travis leans in and whispers, "I have one more surprise for you." I look up excitedly at him. "Come, let's go. The guests won't even know we've gone," he says, giving a wave to a few friends as we walk to the door.

  We get in his Cadillac, and I cuddle in close. Twenty minutes later, we pull into the driveway of his new house. He doesn't say anything―he simply comes to my side of the car and takes my hand helping me out. He scoops me up into his arms, and I yelp in response.

  The pathway and porch are lit up with a path of candles. After strolling up the stone pathway and onto the porch, he pushes the front door open to a path of candles leading up the stairway. Kicking the door closed behind him, he climbs up the stairs while kissing me.

  We reach the bedroom door, and he pushes it open. I gasp at the view. In the bedroom sits a lone king-sized bed, draped in white silk sheets. Candles and sunflowers illuminate the room in a warm glow. "I couldn't wait until we moved in to see how we like this bedroom," he says, laying me on the bed. "And I really couldn't take seeing you in that dress much longer. I'm anxious to see those blue underwear, Mrs. Cashman," he says, lowering himself on top of me.

  I put my hand up to his chest, pushing him back. "No, Mr. Cashman," I whisper, raising an eyebrow. He narrows his seductively gray eyes in confusion, and stands.

  Leaning back on my elbows, I look up at him with lust. "Your wife first needs to see more of that striptease you started on the dance floor."

  Epilogue

  My mom passed away three days after the wedding. She slipped into sleep and never awoke. She was comfortable and content, with her family surrounding her when she joined my dad—her true love. Her memorial service was two days later. She wanted a small gathering of her close family. The service was somber but beautiful. My aunt Jackie, her sister, spoke about her life and the love that she had for her family. My mom had already made arrangements for everything. She never wanted to bother her kids with any of the matters surrounding her death. After her memorial, my aunt handed me, Drew, and Marla a letter that my mom had written while she was on her death bed. That gesture, along with my wedding that she had a firsthand role in planning, made me realize that while others may have seen her as dying―it being her last days here on earth―she saw it as an opportunity to simply continue caring for her family as she always did. I always admired my mom for the unconditional love that she had, and the many sacrifices she made throughout her life for us. She was a woman with so much grace. On the day she died, she looked happy. She gave me the greatest gift I will ever receive, and I could never repay her for it. But seeing how happy she was on my wedding day, confirmed to me that it wasn't only a gift for me but it was one for her as well. There is no denying the love that she had for Travis, and he for her. And the thought that she got to spend a year with him before she passed,makes my heart happy. While I thought every passing day would get easier without her, instead I miss her more every day. I don't think anything could fill the void I have in my heart for her, and her memories only fill a small part of it. She left each of her children a sizable amount of money. I still haven't gotten myself to do anything with mine. I feel like she already did and paid for so much that it doesn't feel right to use it, so I've tucked mine away for a rainy day. I feel her with me every day—I wake up thinking about her, and catch myself in thought during the day. And then I end my day thanking her for bringing my soul mate back to me. I even wake up many nights looking at the clock, to find that it’s three thirty-six—the time that she passed away. I find great comfort in knowing that she's watching over me.

  A week later, I put my house on the market and accepted an offer that was well below market value. I felt content in shedding myself of the place that I once called home, but never really felt at home in. I took the money that I made from the sale and paid for Amanda's plastic surgery over the summer, and put the rest in an account for her future. I got great joy in putting that money toward helping her—the same money that I once felt was dirty as a result of my dad's outrageous plan. Travis was right; Amanda is such a beautiful young lady inside and out. She has welcomed me so openly, and even recently has called me mom. I could never replace her mom, but knowing that she's developed a love for me so great that she feels like I help fill the void―if even a little―is both overwhelming and wonderful. We’re lucky to have her in our life.

  Around the same time, I decided to accept the teaching position at the law school. I made Laura and Matthew partners at the firm, and turned over complete management to them. I agreed to stay on consulting, but I've enjoyed spending my days in the classroom instead. While I do believe that my dad had a big influence on my decision to pursue law, I'm now also certain that it is what I feel most comfortable doing. I enjoy the sense of accomplishment I get every day, when I’m standing at the front of the class, molding the minds of future lawyers. I see the desire and drive that I once had in every one of the students, and it's refreshing. Teaching has also afforded me more flexibility, and as a result I've been spending a lot of time at the Love Shack. I often take my laptop and work from there. It’s still my favorite place to be―that is, besides in Travis' arms. Travis and I have been able to spend a lot of time together, it's been remarkable.

  While moving out of the law firm, we made a significant discovery. Upon moving the desk out of my office, a stack of envelopes, bound by elastic, were found tucked away behind a drawer. The envelopes contained the letters that Travis had written to me the weeks following our break up. I'm certain my dad had forgotten he had placed them there. Each envelope was still sealed, still unread. Travis and I have spent many nights reading them in bed together. There is no denying the love that he’s always had for me. And had I received those letters seventeen years ago, I would have seen that he could have never cheated on me. His words glide across the paper and are filled with so much emotion.

  Last week Laura told me that her sister gave birth to a baby boy, and apparently Rich has become quite the happy dad. I can't say that I'm not happy for him. As much as I want to harbor ill feelings toward him for the rest of my life, I can't. I'll never forgive him for agreeing to what he did with my dad, but if Sarah is the one that he fell in love with, then how could I be angry with him over that. If my life's journey has taught me anything, it's that we don't get to choose who we fall in love with, our hearts do that for us. I wish them nothing but a good life and happy family.

  Rich isn't the only one with a growing family. Two weeks after the wedding, Travis and I decided to stop my birth control and to start trying to have a baby. Well, apparently our tries worked, because four weeks―to the day―after we made that decision, I was staring at two blue lines on a pregnancy test. Upon finding out, Travis went into full daddy mode. His excitement is contagious. We did have a bit of a surprise at our ultrasound in August, when the technician revealed that there were two heartbeats. While it took me a great deal of time to get over that shock, it never seemed to break Travis' stride. It possibly even sparked it that much more. I guess the plans of getting married and having three kids, like we had when we were younger, is going to become a reality quite soon. The look on Amanda's face when we told her was priceless. She couldn't contain her excitement, and she's joined Travis in preparing the nursery. The thought of having two lives growing insi
de of me, as a result of the love between Travis and I, is beautiful. I'm looking forward to sharing the experience of raising a family with my one true love. It all feels right. Being pregnant and losing my mom,has made me realize what really matters in life, so I've decided to take a year off from teaching once the babies are born. Who knows, I may decide to take more time off afterward. I’m now starting to understand the desire and need that my mom had to care for her family. Travis, Amanda, the babies growing in my belly, and my siblings—there's nothing else that matters more to me in this world.

  This is our love story, and I couldn't have dreamt up a better ending. While we were certainly presented with an obstacle, love won out in the end. It always will.

  • • • •

  My mom's hand-written letter to me:

  My beautiful baby girl,

  If you’re reading this that means that I'm now with your dad. But my heart will be with you forever. I will be there during your greatest accomplishments and your darkest days. Please remember the things that I've taught you and the ones that you've taught me. I've always admired you. You have always taken pride in the things that you've done. I know that life has presented you with more than your share of challenges, but please remember to never get angry at the small things and that most people are good. But most importantly, when in doubt, always lean on the side of love. Life means so much, but people mean so much more.

  I will miss you just as much as you miss me. But knowing that you’re now in the arms of your true love, I know that you’ll be fine. Travis is a man unlike any other and you’re fortunate to have him back in your life, but he’s also equally as fortunate to have you. I’m certain that if your dad would have had the chance to experience the two of you together as I have, he would have never gone to the lengths that he did to keep you two apart. Your love for each other radiates. There's nothing more a mom could ask for.