The sound of raindrops falling on the stone pavement brought a wisp of loneliness into the chapel.
Cameron sat on the edge of the cold, hardwood pew with her legs politely composed and her hands neatly folded on top of her knees. Her verdant eyes rivaled the dimness of the gloomy skies outside. They were fixed ahead to the center of the altar, where the bride and her groom stood gazing into one another's windows of their souls. Her eyes would not focus. She could see not the lavish embellishments on the white wedding gown, nor the expert trimmings on the handsome black tux. It was all a blur.
…and for the better.
A sad smile crept to the corner of her lips as she thought.
"I do." A strong voice echoed to where she sad from the altar.
Her lips curled up a little more; her wedding had been different, there were no 'I do's in their vows. It wasn't in a chapel either. They were not children of God, thus the house of God was clearly not for them. As she leaned back against the pew, her hands still overlapped, Cameron could see it crystal clear, laid out perfectly in front of her. She could almost smell the refreshing scent of the lush green grasses…
It was a typical day in early autumn. The maple leaves had just begun to blush, a few windswept. The angel white veil swayed serenely behind her rolling waves of auburn, she gazed into his eyes, immersed in their depth. He opened his mouth and spoke with harmony.
"I, Emmett Cameron, take you, Allison Reign, to be my wife, to live with you from this day forward, for better or for worse, in plenty and in want, in strength and in weakness, and to love and to cherish you, so long as we both shall live."
…so long as we both shall live.
The words left a tangled knot in her throat; she swallowed it and smiled up at him.
"I, Allison Reign, take you, Emmett Cameron, to be my husband, to live with you from this day forward, for better or for worse, in plenty and in want, in strength and in weakness, and to love and to cherish you, so long as we both shall live."
There was no hesitation. She loved him.
The groom's voice resonated back from the altar again "With this ring, I pledge you my love". Cameron closed her eyes; this had been the same.
He took her hand and slid the ring gently on her finger. It was simple, traditional, and elegant—a diamond standing in solitude on a shimmering orbit of silver.
"With this ring," he said with a smile, his tone melodious. "I pledge you my love."
She feared the hands of the clock would tick too fast, but in his warm eyes she took solace.
The Father's deep, clear voice reeled her back to reality. "…I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Vaguely, she saw them lean into each other, the white veil trailing down the bride's face. She could not forget this part even if she wanted to.
She closed her eyes and lifted her brows slightly, beckoning him, teasing him with a gentle smile. He beamed and leaned down…
A roar of cheering laughter erupted and brought her back into the chapel. She looked up and realized this was not her wedding, not the past; she couldn't see the clear sky that was royal blue on that blissful day. Suddenly, she felt confined in the roofed building.
All around her, a sea of joyous tears surged out. Every ocean is formed by streaming rivers and she was one of them. The tears she shed for who... she did not know.
xxx
The heavens stopped crying and the sun started to smile. Cameron felt no different.
The guests were now scattered outside on the freshly mown lawn around the church. It's no wedding without the after party.
"Allison, there you are!" The bride's grand smile stretched out on her rosy cheeks has she tripped her way through the plastic white chairs. "I'm so glad you made it!" The two women pulled into a heartfelt embrace; Cameron could feel the thrill and delight jolting through her body. She had once felt the same.
"How could I not, you would have skinned me alive!" They laughed; hers took effort and hers none. "Well what can I say…congratulations!" she gave the bride another hug, a faint smile on her lips. "Isn't it great, it cleared up for you guys too."
"I know! Thanks so much, Allison. Here let me introduce…"
xxx
The champagne tasted bitter and sour.
It reminded her somewhat of House—not that she's ever tasted him. Quietly, Cameron laughed pitifully to herself and shook her head.
She took another sip anyway. They had gotten the best, Moet & Chandon; the family was apparently French. It had already been stored for decades, no reversing that fact, and no rewinding to the past…
Her brows locked together so tight, she was afraid she might lose the key forever.
Emmett looked up at her and tried to smile. It looked like a wince. The merciless wrath of thyroid cancer and its even more agonizing treatment had drained him empty. His eyelids drooped over his warm chestnut browns, dark bags underneath shadowed the sockets and his lips were nothing more than a thin pallid line against his ghostly flesh.
"...Hey." He breathed, inaudible. And Allison knew, then and there, she was going to lose her most beloved treasure, her key.
"Hey back." She knelt beside the bed, the scent of the too-clean linen that could only belong to the hospital wafted up her nostrils. She held his hand in both of hers and smiled one last time for him. "I love you." Her voice wavered and she bit her lip inside her mouth.
He smiled then, a sight she hadn't seen for what seemed like an eternity. His lips parted and he mouthed the last sentence he never finished. "…I love y…" As his eyes fell closed peacefully, Allison finally understood the meaning of forever.
A drop of tear rolled down her cheek to the corner of her mouth. It tasted bitter and salty. A bit like House, she thought—not that she's ever tasted him, or ever will. Her brows winced.
He was that one other man in her life that could lock her brows. She didn't think the old one would go away, and in a way, it hasn't. As time past, what remained was the rust that would stay with her, a painful memory that she had to bear.
House had placed a new lock on her. She had fallen once again. It hurt, but she knew the feeling of standing up was better than money can buy. She wanted to own the key, she tried to. She'd tried to stand up on her own, to stand up without his lending hand. She was determined not to give up, but…maybe some things just aren't meant to be. She had given up.
Cameron shook her tears away smiled dully at the notion of how naïve House must have thought her to be. But it wasn't a high school crush and she didn't think of him as a charity case. If he couldn't break free from his own lock, then maybe she was wrong about him.
Another drop rolled down her cheeks and she realized the heavens started to cry once more. An accompaniment on her part would be out; the song was over before it even started.
Through the shower of rainwater, Cameron could make out the silhouette of a white limousine. She started toward it where the crowd of guests was busy laughing and throwing confetti upon the newlyweds.
He led her across lawn on a leisure jog, a cascade of confetti rained down on them. They were laughing, dodging the sheer slivers of paper squares and strips. When they finally weaved their way to their classic '62 Cadillac Deville, she swung her arms over her head and let the bouquet of flower airborne. The mixed scent of lilies, carnations, and roses of every kind filled the air. She didn't take a glance back to see who had caught it.
The couple was at the foot of white stretch now, the bride turned to the mass of friends and families gathered before her, her face shone with delight. Cameron had to smile. She stopped her step at the back of the group. They caught each other's eyes and the bride gave her a wink. She reeled her arm back and threw it forward in one smooth motion, the bouquet of flowers parted her fingers.
Cameron traced it as it sailed through the air, making exceptional distance. Still the softball girl. She thought and chuckled. The blur of pink seemed to travel in slow motion. Arms of those in front of her were outstretched, hands grasping at the air for the lucky emblem that meant they would be next. It became apparent that the bouquet itself refused to descend. She watched it soar past the heads before her and gradually start its descent.
Involuntarily, Cameron lifted her own hands. She didn't need a black eye for the next month. Faces began to turn to her and when it finally landed, in her palms. The crowd cheered again, they shouted out blessings in every form. She could only stare wide eyed at the band of red and white roses in her hands, unexpected and uncertain. She looked toward where the limo had been, but it was already gone.
There were people around her now, elders patting her shoulder, young ones tugging her dress. Someone amongst them called out, "Hey congrats! So who's the lucky guy, eh?" They laughed amiably, Cameron kept shaking her head, but the smile across her lips gave it away.
She brought the bouquet to the tip of her nose and breathed in slowly. They smelled…well, a lot different from House. She had to laugh; it was a wonder why anyone would choose not sweet but the other.