CHAPTER 21 FINALLY! Mr. & Mrs. Reid
I got Nick up early in the morning and forced Uncle Henry to let us go home to pick up my tuxedo. This was a brilliant idea to see Emily before the wedding, or so I hoped. Driving like a speed demon the phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Good morning Handsome.” Ah, there was my sweet bride.
“Hello, my beautiful bride. You’re up early. Did you sleep well last night?”
“No. I can’t wait to have you in bed with me.” I liked the way her mind was working. Tonight would be all that I’d dreamed of.
“Aw, Sis! I don’t need to hear this kind of stuff so early in the morning. It’s making me nauseous.”
Emily giggled. “Nick, go find something else to do. Don’t listen in on a soon-to-be newlywed’s conversation. What did you expect?”
“We’re driving and you’re on speaker so we’re going to have to keep this conversation G rated, although I like the way you’re thinking.”
“Where are you off to so early in the morning?”
“We’re coming home briefly to pick up our tuxes and then we have to meet everyone at the spa for haircuts and grooming.”
“Does that mean we can see each other this morning?” Her excitement couldn’t be contained.
“I will try and sneak into our room but Nick is supposed to be my guard. He promised the Chief to keep me away from you.”
“Nick, if you give me thirty minutes with your brother, I promise you a meal at Masa when we get back from our honeymoon. What do you think?” She begged her brother.
Nick wouldn’t change his mind – actually he didn’t have much of a choice.
“Sis, if I let Jake see you, the Chief promised to torture me on my wedding day. He threatened many times.”
“Nick, we won’t tell him. I promise!”
“They’ll read it on Jake’s face. He’ll have a stupid grin instead of this scowl he’s had since Friday night.”
I picked up the phone to have a private conversation with her.
“What will you promise me if I sneak into our bedroom for half an hour?”
“What can we possibly do with all these people in the house? There’s no privacy right now.”
“We can always lock the door.”
I saw Nick look away and hum a tune to himself.
“Why don’t you get into the room first, then we’ll talk.”
“Alright. I love you.”
Emily wasn’t exaggerating about the house being a zoo. Women were inside the house getting groomed and men were outside the house building our wedding. I snuck past Aunt Babs and ran upstairs. Almost in the clear, our door in sight, I tip toed past Jane’s room and out came Laney.
“Mom, Gram,” she hollered.
I tried to muzzle her with my hands. “Laney, come on. Let me see Emily. I’ll remember this when you get married.”
It was no use. The cavalry showed up within seconds. I pleaded to see my bride. “Just a quick hello, Mom. I promise, I’ll be right out.”
“Laney, carefully go into Jake’s room and grab his tux. We need to get him out of here. And make sure Emily stays in her room.” Aunt Babs ordered.
“Gram, let me see my bride. We haven’t seen each other since Friday.” I begged again.
“Jakey, you’ll see her soon. Now get going,” she commanded.
Without a choice I yelled through the door, “Emi, I’m off to the barber. I’ll see you tonight, Sweetheart. I love you.”
“I love you too.” She called right back. “I feel like a prisoner in my own house.”
Leaving the house I understood the reality of today. Excitement was not an exact enough definition for what was going on in my head and my heart. The girl I loved from the moment I saw her in the grocery store would soon be mine. We would never have to part; we would never have to say good bye. I would finally be with her daily, sleep with her nightly, and love her eternally.
My head was in a cloud the rest of the day. As soon as Nick and I were done, we headed back home and I watched the backyard metamorphose into a wedding garden. Two tents went up and as I started walking out to see what was in the tents, Nick and Doug stopped me.
“What’s the matter now?” I asked.
“Emily is watching from your room. We can’t let you out there.” This had gone far enough. I was about to go out when Nick mentioned, “Sis looks gorgeous. Don’t you want to wait just a little longer and see her when she walks down that aisle? She will take your breath away.”
Liking what he said I sat in the living room and tried to calm the butterflies. The phone rang and it was from Jane.
“Hey Jane. How’s Emily?”
“Hi Honey.” It was my bride!
“Emi! Hi Love. My gosh, I’ve missed you. Can you believe we’re finally getting married?”
“I’m so excited.” She sounded like she was walking on cloud nine. “Are you home? Do you see how incredible the house looks?”
“Yeah, I’m home but they won’t let me outside because they see you watching from our room. This has gotten ridiculous. But, it’s almost over. I’ll see you soon.”
“Sorry, Jake, time’s up. She’s starting to tear. See ya later,” Jane explained tersely then hung up.
I waited some more till Uncle Henry came and told me it was time. Though extremely nervous, my feet practically ran to the altar. Nick and Doug stood as my groomsmen while Gram, Mom and Dad sat themselves. Jane was next to walk down and lastly I saw Sarah getting ready to walk. I peered around Sarah to find my bride but she was hidden behind the French doors.
The moment I’d dreamed of for many months arrived. Wagner’s Wedding March began and I watched Emily step out to the door with her head down and body paused. It looked like she needed a moment before starting down the rose petal aisle made just for her.
When her head lifted, our eyes met, and I was blown away by the sight. I had to force myself to breathe, she was so stunning. While she slowly walked down the aisle, I reminisced on our first meeting at the grocery store, to the heart wrenching day she left me for Japan, to our loving reunion in Kyoto. So many highs and lows marked our relationship. Those days were done. Our slate was clean now – ready for new adventures, new mistakes, and new ways of making up for those mistakes.
I walked out to Emily as she reached the altar and took her hand. Pushing back her veil, I was overcome by her beauty. Today, I understood the definition of beautiful to mean Emily Logan Reid.
“You look beautiful,” I whispered while kissing her shiny red lips.”
The crowd chuckled.
Unable to focus on anything the minister had to say I eagerly awaited the vows and the exchanging of rings. Emily stubbornly refused another ring so I placed the same eternity band on her finger as a symbol of our eternal commitment to one another.
He finally pronounced us and we kissed for the first time as man and wife.
“I love you, Mrs. Reid.” I said while kissing my bride a few more times.
“I love you too.” She glowed.
We took our obligatory pictures alone and then with the family and Jane annoyingly tagged along as Emily’s helper. When we got to the reception everybody appeared to be having a great time.
“The food smells so good, Honey. When can we eat? Jane only let me eat a small salad today.”
“Let’s go eat now. What do you want me to get you? There’s an array of Mediterranean tapas, and all kinds of pizzas.”
“You’re not eating yet. We can’t get food on your dress,” my pesky sister discouraged. “I can get your some water if you like.”
“Never mind,” Emily moaned. “Let’s ditch her,” she whispered. I laughed at my wife.
“Congratulations, guys!” All of our cousins came to greet us. “What an amazing wedding and reception.”
“Thanks,” we answered. “Wait till you see the dinner tent. They’re opening it now,” Emily announced. “Let’s go in.”
The dinner tent showcased a variety of sushi and steaks and pasta which all looked appetizing.
“Honey, I want to show you something.” My wife led me to the cake table. “Aren’t these cute?”
Emily had petit fours made with our caricatures on each one of them.
“These are a tribute to our Paris trip and your proposal. I’m going to see what you taste like,” she said and popped one in her mouth. “Yum.” She smiled like a little child.
After much pleading Jane finally allowed us to sit and eat our meal. Jane brought us a large platter of everything the party had to offer and I fed my radiant bride. Towards the end of dinner, Nick got up to the mic and started our toast.
“Jake and Emily are the only married couple I know who were broken up longer than they were together. I think they technically dated less than three months. Due to my brother’s stupidity, Emily left him for Japan for four months and they finally reunited with the help of Emily’s ex-boyfriend of all people.” Emily’s friends all laughed at this comment.
“Jake had a chance to reunite with Emily in New York in the middle of their separation, but due to his stupidity again, he went chasing after a ring my sister threw at him instead of chasing after her. They finally got back together in Kyoto and he proposed to her in Paris.”
Nick turned to my bride, “Emily, you’re the coolest sister anyone could ask for. I love you as though you’ve been a part of our family since the beginning.” He then turned to me. “Jake, you’ve been a role model to me since we were kids and I wish you and Emily a lifetime of happiness.” Turning lastly to the crowd he said, “I’d like for you all to help me cheer my brother and sister, Dr. and Mrs. Jake Reid.” We both got up to hug Nick.
Next on the to-do list was the cake cutting and Jane gave me a stern warning to be a gentleman and not smear any frosting on my bride. I didn’t know what would possess her to think I would do such a thing to my bride. I fed Emily her piece while being blinded by the photographers.
Emily grabbed a huge piece of cake and before I knew what was happening, she mashed it on my face to a throng of cheers.
“You want to play naughty?” My devilish tone must have scared her. She tried to run away, but not before I grabbed her and came down hard on her lips. Jane wasn’t happy with me ruining Emily’s makeup. Emily didn’t seem to mind as she kept coming back for more kisses and cake.
The majority of the guests moved back into the other tent to dance and we followed along. Once we got on the dance floor, we noticed no one else. Our lips didn’t part, our bodies moved as one.
“Excuse me, may I cut in?” I heard someone say but didn’t care to look up. Our embrace continued.
“Excuse me, may I cut in?” Whoever this was, I was irritated.
“Yes?” I asked.
Max wanted to dance with my wife and after a quick hesitation, I told him, “Briefly. I’ll be right back to claim my wife.”
“Honey?” My wife whispered, “Can you bring Jane over here in a couple of minutes?”
I nodded my head okay and went to look for Jane.
“Hey, Jane. Emily’s looking for you.”
“I can’t believe you two are separated.”
“Let’s go. I want to get back to my wife.” I pulled her along.
We got to Emily and Max and I found Max a little too close to my wife. Emily looked up at me in delight. “Um, Jane?” Emily asked her new sister. “Do you mind changing partners with me? I’d like to be back in my husband’s arms.”
Jane and Max couldn’t help their huge grin as Emily leaned over and gave her ex boyfriend a final hug and kiss. He would always have a teeny tiny piece of her heart and I was okay with that.
“You are the most incredible woman in the entire world. Thank you for putting a smile on my sister’s face.”
“She’s our sister now.” Emily answered.
I didn’t let anyone else dance with my bride. I monopolized her the whole evening. When night fell upon us, all the chairs were set up on the lawn to watch the fireworks.
“Ladies and Gentleman,” the DJ announced, “Please grab a seat and watch for a most special fireworks show. I’m told that the groom’s wedding present will happen sometime during this display.”
“What’s the present?” I kept asking while trying to kiss my bride.
“It’s coming up. You need to pay attention or you’ll miss it.”
I watched intently but saw nothing that resembled a present so I started playing with Emily’s neck. Emily pointed to the sky and called out, “Here it comes.”
I looked up and saw the letter I. Then came the shape of a heart. Then came the letter U. Then I saw a letter J explode, then an A, then a K, and lastly an E.
While they shot off more hearts, I contemplated what I just saw. I, heart, U, JAKE. That spelled, I love you Jake!
“How did you do that?” In awe, I stared at my wife. “That was the coolest present ever!”
Emily explained the difficulties she went through to get my present and my family and I were amazed. With fireworks done, I tried to convince my bride to start our wedding night a bit sooner but she wouldn’t budge. I begged, pleaded and implored but to no avail. Walking away pretending to be sore I hoped she would follow me but instead she went and danced with every guest who came to the wedding. I, too, got absconded by my aunts and girl cousins and was separated from my wife for hours.
Finally, my wife conceded she was ready to leave. We said our thank yous to our family and I rushed Emily into the car.
“Which negligee did you bring?” was the first question I asked when we got into the car. I couldn’t wait to see her in a negligee – or better yet, nothing at all.
“Oh my gosh! I forgot to pack the negligees. I only brought my flannel pajamas.” She started yawning. “I’m exhausted. I couldn’t sleep a wink last night. Aren’t you tired?”
My face could not have looked happy. She turned away. I hoped she was kidding.
“So which negligee?” I asked again. “Is it that red one I picked out in London? It’s not that boring white one Gram picked out is it?”
“I’ll give you two clues. Tonight’s outfit was not purchased in London but you’ve seen it before.”
Fantastic! I thought. “You kept that one from Paris? The one that was supposed to go to Sarah?” I had begged her to keep this skimpy teddy she had purchased as a gift for Sarah. She must have obliged.
My bride looked out the window and was in deep thought. Perhaps all this talk about tonight was making her nervous. I forgot at times that I needed to be sensitive to the fact that this would be her first time.
“Are you okay?” I asked reaching over to hold her hand. “Am I making you nervous about tonight?”
“I’m fine – a bit scared but happy to be here with you.”
“Sweetheart, you have nothing to be afraid of. Although it was frustrating at times, I’m thrilled you have been with no one else. I consider it a real honor to be your first and only man.”
Even in the wee hours of the morning, there were many guests who congratulated us as Emily, still in her wedding dress, and I walked up to our honeymoon suite. Placing the Do Not Disturb sign on our door, I carried her over the threshold and we began our life as Mr. and Mrs. Reid.