Long Live Us
Fifty-Three
This was it. The day I dreamed of since I was a little girl looking at my parents' wedding album. I was going to marry Jack. God, I was so nervous I was shaking and my breathing was shaky at best. I felt like I was having a panic attack.
"Stell, it's time to get dressed and ready," my mom said, poking her head into my old room.I was staying with my parents while Jack stayed at our house, "Honey you look as pale as a sheet. Do I need to get your father?"
"No Mom," I replied, barely over a whisper, "I don't need Dad."
"What's the matter, sweetheart," she asked.
"I'm really nervous. I practiced my vows over and over last night. Now I'm afraid I'll say something wrong and Jack'll call it off," I told her, fighting the urge to cry.
"Jack loves you, baby. He's not going to walk out on you. You'll do great out there. I just know it," she kissed my forehead, "Take a hot shower while I make you breakfast."
I took my shower and slipped on the robe my mom left for me over my strapless bra and matching panties. I sat down at my old desk and put my head down. My mind and heart didn't stop racing. I felt so terrified of today. I was afraid something was going to go wrong. I was started by a soft knocking on the door. I looked up only to see my dad poking his head in with his eyes closed.
"Are you decent," he asked.
"I'm in a robe you're safe," I chuckled at him being such a dork.
"Mom spilt the beans. How are you feeling," he asked as he sat on my old bed.
"I feel so sick right now. My heart is pounding out of control and I can barely breathe," I told him as I moved to sit next to him.
"You're have anxiety, like me," he wrapped his arms around me, "But you'll be great out there. I was scared shitless when I married your mom. I was afraid I'd screw something up and let her and you two little unborn babies down. But I blew your mother away. I know for a fact you'll do it to Jack."
"Do you really think so," I asked.
"I know so," he kissed my forehead, "Now go eat breakfast. Then your mom is going to doll you up in way too much makeup and tug on your hair to tame it."
"I got the mane from you, Dad," I told him as I ruffled his dark brown hair that had grayed more in the last year and a half.
"This hair is fantastic, thank you," he sassed as he threw his bangs out of his eyes.
"Dad, you are so weird," I laughed at him before we both went down for breakfast.
"Mom is Jack in his spot," I asked as I poked my head out of my bedroom. Dad ran interference when I got here to get Jack outside of the house so I could sneak into the bedroom.
"Jack is in position," Tom answered. He was the best man and he looked dapper in his tux, just like Dad whenever he's in a suit.
"You have to get in position too," I punched him on his shoulder.
"I came to wish you luck, sis," he replied as he hugged me sideways and kissed my cheek.
"Now go, Aubree's waiting," I pushed him off as Dad came over to my side.
"Ready for your shining moment, princess," Dad said as he held out his arm for me. I swear my mom was a lucky woman for winning my dad and she was good at keeping him in line; he looked so good in his tux.
"Daddy, how old would you'd have wished for me to be getting married," I asked him.
"Honestly maybe twenty-three, but I'm glad you are getting married today. He's going to make you so happy," Dad smiled and squeezed my hand, "You've made me so proud, Stella. You got signed to Hopeless, you balanced your career with school, you've become a fantastic mother, and you're going to be a great wife to Jack. I love you so much, my darling little princess."
"I love you too, Daddy. I'll always be your little girl, just not so physically little," I told him.
Soon my music was cued up and the doors opened to reveal me to the crowd that came to watch me marry Jack. I took a deep breath before I stepped out with my dad. I looked at only Jack and he was smiling like a lovestruck fool. I saw the happiness in his eyes; I was all his and he was all mine. I'll only share him with one other girl, and that's our daughter.
"The couple would like to recite their vows. Miss Gaskarth," the minister looked at me and I got nervous. Aubree held out my index card I wrote my vows on, but I rejected them; I'd let my heart speak for itself.
"Jack, we grew up together. We always had each other since I was born. You became my best friend as soon as I knew what a best friend was. We played in the mud and dirt and snow together. Now we make music and play with our daughter together. You are my first love, my first kiss. You are my first for so many things. You are the only man I can love with every once of my soul. I'm sorry that you don't have my heart, that stayed with my dad," I chuckled a little with my dad on that one, "But I will never leave you because you are my world and without you, I am so lost. I love you, Jack, and I am ready to spend the rest of my life as your wife."
I heard my parents both sniffle and I saw tears in Jack's eyes. I knew I had said all the right things and made him feel the love I have for him.
"Stell, it's time to get dressed and ready," my mom said, poking her head into my old room.I was staying with my parents while Jack stayed at our house, "Honey you look as pale as a sheet. Do I need to get your father?"
"No Mom," I replied, barely over a whisper, "I don't need Dad."
"What's the matter, sweetheart," she asked.
"I'm really nervous. I practiced my vows over and over last night. Now I'm afraid I'll say something wrong and Jack'll call it off," I told her, fighting the urge to cry.
"Jack loves you, baby. He's not going to walk out on you. You'll do great out there. I just know it," she kissed my forehead, "Take a hot shower while I make you breakfast."
I took my shower and slipped on the robe my mom left for me over my strapless bra and matching panties. I sat down at my old desk and put my head down. My mind and heart didn't stop racing. I felt so terrified of today. I was afraid something was going to go wrong. I was started by a soft knocking on the door. I looked up only to see my dad poking his head in with his eyes closed.
"Are you decent," he asked.
"I'm in a robe you're safe," I chuckled at him being such a dork.
"Mom spilt the beans. How are you feeling," he asked as he sat on my old bed.
"I feel so sick right now. My heart is pounding out of control and I can barely breathe," I told him as I moved to sit next to him.
"You're have anxiety, like me," he wrapped his arms around me, "But you'll be great out there. I was scared shitless when I married your mom. I was afraid I'd screw something up and let her and you two little unborn babies down. But I blew your mother away. I know for a fact you'll do it to Jack."
"Do you really think so," I asked.
"I know so," he kissed my forehead, "Now go eat breakfast. Then your mom is going to doll you up in way too much makeup and tug on your hair to tame it."
"I got the mane from you, Dad," I told him as I ruffled his dark brown hair that had grayed more in the last year and a half.
"This hair is fantastic, thank you," he sassed as he threw his bangs out of his eyes.
"Dad, you are so weird," I laughed at him before we both went down for breakfast.
"Mom is Jack in his spot," I asked as I poked my head out of my bedroom. Dad ran interference when I got here to get Jack outside of the house so I could sneak into the bedroom.
"Jack is in position," Tom answered. He was the best man and he looked dapper in his tux, just like Dad whenever he's in a suit.
"You have to get in position too," I punched him on his shoulder.
"I came to wish you luck, sis," he replied as he hugged me sideways and kissed my cheek.
"Now go, Aubree's waiting," I pushed him off as Dad came over to my side.
"Ready for your shining moment, princess," Dad said as he held out his arm for me. I swear my mom was a lucky woman for winning my dad and she was good at keeping him in line; he looked so good in his tux.
"Daddy, how old would you'd have wished for me to be getting married," I asked him.
"Honestly maybe twenty-three, but I'm glad you are getting married today. He's going to make you so happy," Dad smiled and squeezed my hand, "You've made me so proud, Stella. You got signed to Hopeless, you balanced your career with school, you've become a fantastic mother, and you're going to be a great wife to Jack. I love you so much, my darling little princess."
"I love you too, Daddy. I'll always be your little girl, just not so physically little," I told him.
Soon my music was cued up and the doors opened to reveal me to the crowd that came to watch me marry Jack. I took a deep breath before I stepped out with my dad. I looked at only Jack and he was smiling like a lovestruck fool. I saw the happiness in his eyes; I was all his and he was all mine. I'll only share him with one other girl, and that's our daughter.
"The couple would like to recite their vows. Miss Gaskarth," the minister looked at me and I got nervous. Aubree held out my index card I wrote my vows on, but I rejected them; I'd let my heart speak for itself.
"Jack, we grew up together. We always had each other since I was born. You became my best friend as soon as I knew what a best friend was. We played in the mud and dirt and snow together. Now we make music and play with our daughter together. You are my first love, my first kiss. You are my first for so many things. You are the only man I can love with every once of my soul. I'm sorry that you don't have my heart, that stayed with my dad," I chuckled a little with my dad on that one, "But I will never leave you because you are my world and without you, I am so lost. I love you, Jack, and I am ready to spend the rest of my life as your wife."
I heard my parents both sniffle and I saw tears in Jack's eyes. I knew I had said all the right things and made him feel the love I have for him.
11/4/13