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The Hallmark Channel's 'Chesapeake Shores'
Mick and Megan O'Brien
By Annette Zoaps
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'Mother of the Bride'
Chapter 1
"I'm sorry, honey," Mick tells his oldest child. "I'm going to be late for the rehearsal. There's a fender-bender up ahead, and traffic on this blasted bridge is at a dead stop."
"That's okay, Dad," Abby replies, holding a hand over her free ear so she can drown out the noise in the sanctuary. "We'll wait for you."
"You don't have to wait. I have an idea."
. . .
When Abby gets the text message she's expecting, she makes an announcement to the family and friends gathered at the church for her and Trace's wedding rehearsal.
"Hey, everyone. Dad's running late because of an accident ..."
"Oh, no! Is he all right?" Megan exclaims.
"Yes, Mom. He's just stuck in traffic. But he wants us to go ahead. And Mom, he wants you to stand in for him and walk me down the aisle."
Abby sees her mother's eyes light up, only to dim within seconds.
"I'm not sure I should," Megan says softly.
"Here's his text. See for yourself." Abby holds up her phone for Megan to read.
"All right." Megan nods. "I'll fill in just until he gets here. Sweet of him to ask," she says, only loud enough for Abby to hear.
. . .
When Mick finally arrives, he quietly takes a seat in the front row, next to his ex-wife.
"Did I miss everything?" he whispers.
"Just the first run-through," Megan replies, confused by Mick's smile in return.
The minister continues his instructions to the bridal party, then calls for a second walk down the aisle now that the father of the bride is present.
Megan waits with Trace's mother for their escorts, and is surprised when Jess pulls her by the hand to the very back of the assembled group, where Mick and Abby stand.
"Is everything all right?" Megan asks.
"Mom, I need you to do something for me."
"Anything, sweetheart." Megan beams.
"Join us. Walk down the aisle with Dad and me."
Megan is shaking her head before Abby can finish her request.
"No, sweetie, no." She casts an apologetic glance at Mick. "That's your dad's honor. He earned it." Her voice catches.
"Megan, don't stand on ceremony," Mick cajoles. "Join the fun! We want you to."
"You can't deny the bride's request," Abby pleads.
"Are you sure?" Megan looks from Abby to Mick, and back again.
"Please?" they say in unison.
She sighs. "I can't deny you. Either of you."
At the altar, Abby gives her father a kiss on the cheek and turns to her mother with a hug.
"Mom, I'm so happy that both of you are with me," Abby says so only Megan can hear. "But I want you to know, this was Dad's idea."
Megan's eyes widen in surprise.
Abby smiles and joins her husband-to-be at the altar, and Mick holds out his arm to accompany Megan to their seats. As they get settled, he places his hand over hers, and Megan feels him relax. A familiar warmth spreads through her — but is it too familiar?
She frees herself from his arm and senses him tense slightly. Having second thoughts, she slips her hand into his, and doesn't have to look at him to know he's smiling.
Before she realizes it, she's smiling, too.
. . .
Saying goodbye to friends and family after the rehearsal dinner, Megan seeks out Kevin, who was her ride for the evening, but Mick finds her first.
"Looks like Trace is having the boys over for poker tonight — sort of a bachelor party," Mick explains. "Kevin asked me to make sure you have a ride home. Do you mind if I drive you?"
"I don't mind," she replies. "In fact, I was hoping for a chance to talk to you."
"Uh oh. Am I in trouble?" He flashes a disarming smile that has gotten him out of many a jam — more than a few of which were between him and Megan.
She tilts her head. "Just the opposite."
. . .
"Want to come in?" she offers after he parks in her driveway. "I can make some tea."
"Sure, that sounds nice. You said you wanted to talk?"
"Yes," she says, without revealing anything more.
He comes around to her side of the car and opens the door, offering his arm to walk her to the entrance.
"Practice for tomorrow," he teases.
She laughs.
Inside, he follows her to the kitchen as she begins to prepare the tea. She hears him bustling behind her, and by the time she turns around from the stovetop where the kettle is waiting to boil, she sees that he's filled a tea tray with everything they need and is casually leaning with his elbow on the counter.
"You've never been in my kitchen. How did you …?
"Habit. I figured you still kept a sugar bowl and a jar of honey in the lowest cupboard to the right of the sink, cups and saucers next to that, and the spoons in a drawer underneath."
"Sometimes it's infuriating how well you know me," she says, trying to hide how flustered she feels.
"I think the word you want is 'delightful.'" He grins.
Megan shakes her head, thankful for the distraction of a Facetime call coming in on her phone. She sees it's Abby and swipes open the connection.
"Hi, honey. Shouldn't you be getting your beauty sleep for tomorrow?"
"Heading to bed right now," Abby promises. "I was hoping to catch you and Dad, but it looks like you're already home."
"He's here," Megan says, moving the phone so Mick is pictured behind her.
"Oh! Well, I wanted to ask you something."
"What is it?" Megan asks.
Simultaneously, Mick says, "Everything okay?"
"It's the first dance. That is, after the first dance — and after I dance with Dad and Trace dances with his mother — usually the parents dance. Are you, um, comfortable dancing together? I'm sorry I didn't ask before. I assumed it was out of the question, but after tonight, I began to think you might not mind."
"That's fine, honey," Megan assures, putting on her most confident face.
"I'm game, but with my two left feet and the fact that I haven't danced in — when was the last time we danced?" he asks Megan. "I'm afraid I'm putting you both in danger. But I'll risk it if you will."
Abby laughs. "Maybe you'd better practice. I'll text you a link to the song we're playing." She yawns. "I'm going to bed now. Thanks for being willing. Love you both!"
"See you tomorrow, sweetheart!" Megan blows her a kiss.
"Love you, doll," Mick adds, waving from behind Megan.
Just before the screen goes blank, they hear her say, "That was out of the 'Twilight Zone.'"
Megan's phone chimes, and Abby's message comes through.
"Let's have our tea at the table and listen to the song," Megan suggests.
"Don't forget, you wanted to talk to me about something."
She raises an eyebrow. "That's the second time you've reminded me."
"Sorry," he says with an awkward shrug.
Megan syncs her phone to a speaker system and launches the tune. As it plays, she pours the tea.
"Oh, Sinatra, 'The Best is Yet to Come.' I love 'ol' blue eyes.'" She closes her eyes and lets the melody envelop her. "I think it'll be easy enough to dance to. Don't you?"
When she looks up, Mick's blue eyes meet hers, and she sees something new — and unsettling — in them.
She glances away and is about to pour another cup of tea when Mick stops her.
"I think Abby was serious when she said we should practice."
"You were never as bad a dancer as you claim," Megan reminds him. "Besides, haven't you and Abby already been practicing?"
"No, there hasn't been time. So you and I have to practice for the both of us. We've got to pull together for Abby, right?"
He stands and holds out his hand.
After a slight hesitation, she takes it and accompanies Mick to the middle of the living room.
They assume a formal dance posture, but they're both awkward and rigid as they move. Megan can feel that he's as nervous as she is.
"Megan."
"Yes?" She jumps, startled.
"If you have something to say to me, I wish you'd say it. Give me a chance to apologize, or whatever."
"You haven't done anything wrong, and I'm a little embarrassed to bring it up," she begins, inching closer to avoid his scrutiny. "Why did you ask Abby to let me walk down the aisle with you?"
"Abby asked you." He tells only half the truth.
"She asked me at your request. She told me so."
"So she spilled it, huh," he says softly.
"Mick, why did you include me?"
"Ever since you came back to town — which I'm glad you did, don't get me wrong — you haven't been yourself. Especially once all the wedding hullabaloo got going."
"I don't know what you mean. I'm thrilled Abby and Trace are getting married, and I couldn't be happier to be part of the planning."
"Are you thrilled? Are you really happy?" He stops mid-dance and lightly touches her chin. "Megan, where's your smile?"
"We're — we're concentrating on dancing, not joking around," she deflects.
"I'm answering your question. I asked Abby to include you because I miss your smile, and I want to make you happy."
"Oh, Mick," she says softly, stroking his cheek with her fingertips. "My happiness isn't your responsibility."
"It is, when I'm the one who hurt you so badly you had to leave."
"That's old news. I'm sorry; you're sorry. Now, I'm working on finding my place here in Chesapeake — working to fit in with the family. And what you did earlier really helped. I'm happier than I've been in a long time." She smiles as proof. "So, thank you. I mean it."
She presses a quick kiss to his cheek.
It's his turn to look surprised, and Megan sees a hesitancy in his eyes, as though he's debating something within himself. Finally, he digs into his pocket.
"I have something for you, something I've been carrying around a while. Hold out your hand."
She does so, and he places a key in her palm — a patterned key in pastel pink, dotted with rosebuds.
"It's for the house. You're part of this family, and I want you to feel it's your home, too."
"Give you a kiss, and you take a mile," she chuckles, wiping at the tears forming in her eyes.
He laughs. "It's not like that, unless you …"
"Shush!" She feels a warm flush come over her cheeks.
"There's nothing wrong with a woman having a key to the house where her children and grandchildren live."
"And her ex-husband?"
"An added bonus," he provokes.
"All right, ex-husband, I think it's time for you go." She gives him a quick hug. "Text me when you get home safely."
"Yes, Mother."
She laughs. "I'm sorry. I always say that whenever the kids are leaving."
"No problem. I'll text you."
"All right," she says softly. "Good night."
"See you tomorrow when I pick you up for the ceremony."
He not only smiles as he exits through the door, she can see him broadly grinning all the way to his car.
. . .
"I'm safe at home. Good night." Mick's text is accompanied by a photo of him under the covers and hunkered down in his pillows.
Enough of the bed is showing that Megan can see he's sleeping on one side of it — his side.
"I'm about to fall asleep myself," she replies, although the picture of him snug and warm — and so gosh-darned handsome — is driving thoughts of sleep far away. "See you in the morning."
"I'll bet you're still up, worrying and making lists for tomorrow," he types.
"No. Too tired for that." She texts him a selfie in return. She's also in bed, peering over the top of her reading glasses with a book open on her chest. Her face is scrubbed clean of makeup, and she's sure she looks quite plain. She's careful not to reveal that she, too, sleeps on only one side of the bed.
Mick texts back an emoji of a smiley face with big hearts for eyes.
"It's been a long time since we had a nice talk in bed," he adds.
"Mick, you're terrible!" she types. "Good night. See you soon."
"Can't wait."
They text each other smiley faces and the conversation ends.
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See Chapter Two
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If you love Mick and Megan as much as I do, be sure to check out my other stories:
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If you love Mick and Megan as much as I do, be sure to check out my other stories:
NEW! Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, The Whiskers of Machu Picchu, 2 chapters
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Come Let Me Love You
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Fear of Flying, 3 chapters
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, The One That I Want
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Where the Wind Blows
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Once a Promise
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Mother of the Bride, 2 chapters
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, Love Song
Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores Mick and Megan O'Brien, First Kiss
The Hallmark Channel's 'Chesapeake Shores' — Mick & Megan O'Brien, 9 chapters
Chesapeake Shores — Megan at the Met — Mick and Megan O'Brien, 6 chapters
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I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been reading and making positive comments about my stories!
I appreciate it more than you know!
Annette Zoaps
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