Marry Her Anyway…
A/N: Just something I wanted to try. This story came to me after obsessively listening to/watching the video for "Rude" by Magic! All mistakes are mine. All characters belong to S. Meyer. Song credit, of course, to Magic!.
As soon as my alarm went off, I flipped off the covers. Next to me, Rosie threw her arm over her head, whining, "Emmy, too early…"
I suppose to her it was early. We were up rather late this morning.
Rosalie Hale and I had met about a year ago when I was performing with my cousin's band, Sex Hair. I won't lie and say it was an instant connection. But she was gorgeous and funny, so I liked hanging out with her.
Her best friend, Alice, had come with her that first night and fell head over heels for Jasper, Sex Hair's bassist. Rosie and I got to know each other as Alice and Jasper made out nearby.
Rosie was one of the most fascinating people I had ever met. I found myself falling in love with her. And truthfully, it terrified me. You see, she was from a very wealthy family. Like East Coast wealthy….like old family money, high society, country clubs, the works.
Me? I'm just Emmett McCarty, middle class all the way. My parents worked hard for every dime they earned. And raising a family of nine wasn't easy. We didn't have everything, but we never went without the essentials.
It took about six months of knowing Rosie to get up the nerve to ask her out. I knew I wasn't her usual type, but then, she had only ever dated "Daddy-approved" guys before meeting me.
By some miracle, she agreed to not only a first date, but several dates with me. For her 22nd birthday, we took a day trip to a nearby beach. I had even packed a picnic. Everything went well, until it started pouring rain. We gathered our belongings quickly and raced to my car…only to find the keys locked in it. I was mortified, but my Rosie just dropped the blanket she was holding on the hood and began dancing in the rain. I laughed and danced with her. Eventually, my cousin, Edward, brought my spare key so we could get home.
Our first I-love-yous came one night after playing at one of the town bars. Sex Hair was made up of four members: me, Edward, Jasper, and Ed's friend, Ben. I played drums and usually picked up the harmonies. However, that night, Edward was dealing with some allergies or something. Either way, he could play the guitar, but singing was out for him. Jasper and Ben can sing, but they don't always know the lyrics. So that night, they fixed a mic to my drum set and I sang instead.
We had been working on a cover of the old Eric Clapton song, Wonderful Tonight. We played that as our last song and I dedicated it to my Rosie. After our set, she tracked me down just off stage and threw herself at me.
I caught her and felt her tremble. Looking down at her, I saw her tears.
"Baby, what's wrong?"
"That was beautiful, Emmett."
"Oh," I said, bewildered. "But why the tears?"
She sniffled and said, "Because I love you and that was so—"
She didn't get any farther because I had to kiss her right then. I pulled away when I had to breathe. I tipped my forehead to hers.
"I love you, too, baby," I told her. "I have for a while now…" I confessed.
This time, she kissed the living shit out of me. We went home together that night.
Since then, Rosie and I spend as much time together as we can. But sometimes it is difficult. Her father does not approve of me. At all.
It doesn't matter that I work my days as a personal trainer, a job that I don't necessarily love but brings in a good, steady income. My weekend nights are for performing with Sex Hair. It does not matter that I love his daughter…or that she loves me. It does not matter that I have a degree because it comes from a state university, even though I went on full scholarship. I am not who he would choose for his daughter.
But none of that matters today. Today, I am going to go see him. I'm going to ask him for his blessing to marry Rosie. Rosie does not know I'm doing this today. We've talked marriage and even kids, and I know she would say yes if I asked. But I know her father is a traditionalist and I'm hoping I can win him over by asking him first.
I kissed Rosie to encourage her to wake up. Even though she kissed me back, I am positive she will go back to sleep. I left her in my bed while I went to shower and dress.
I picked out my best suit of clothes for talking with her dad. The few times I've met him, I've been dressed casually or "dinner and a movie" dressed up. However, today requires more effort. Once out of the shower and clothed, I went back to my love. She's out of bed and stretching.
"Hey, babe," I said, "Shower's free if you want to get in before Ed or Ben."
She smiles as she passes me, still sleepy. I head to the kitchen. Edward's in there, with his girlfriend, Bella. She's sitting on the counter, while Ed's toasting something in the toaster. Ben is at the table with a mug of coffee and his phone. Edward looks up as I come in.
"Today's the day, huh?"
Yeah, Edward and I have talked about this. He knows what this suit means. He knows I'm going to her father today. Bella squeals quietly. That means Edward told Bella. Ben looks up from his phone. Okay, he knows too. And so does Jasper for that matter. Ben starts texting madly. Probably to his girl, Angie. Blabbermouths.
The front door opens and Jazz calls out. We yell back at him and hear his footsteps in the hall. Sure enough, he does a double take at my attire. But then a slow smirk hits his face.
"Alice said it would be today…" is his only comment.
The shower turns off across the house.
"I gotta get Rosie home, guys."
They all start moving and grabbing cell phones, wallets, and in Bella's case, a purse. Bella kisses Ed and says something about going to work. She then comes over to hug me tightly and wish me luck, before she leaves. The rest of them stand there expectantly.
"What?" I ask.
"We're waiting for you," Ben replies.
"What do you mean?"
Ed shrugs, "We're going with you…"
Jasper adds, "So you don't chicken out…"
Ben finishes with, "Then we can celebrate."
I shake my head at them and go check on Rose. No sense talking them out of it. They are as stubborn as me. I have the best friends.
The five of us piled into my old beat up Chevy and headed to Rosie's home.
When we got there, Rosie got out and ran to the back side of the house. I waited a few minutes. I admit it, I was stalling. Have I mentioned her dad is not a fan of me?
My three friends finally pushed me out of the car and toward the front gate.
"Go on, dude. You won't know until you ask," Jasper prodded.
One last deep breath and I stepped onto the walk. Three firm knocks to the door and I waited, heart both in my hands and in my throat.
Marcus Hale, himself, opened the door. He recognized me immediately.
"What do you want?" he growled. "Rosalie is not here. She spent the night with her friend, Alice."
Yes, I knew my girl told lies about where and with who she spent the night.
"Sir," I said, "I'm here to see you."
"You have nothing to say that I want to hear."
"Mr. Hale," I paused, took another breath, and plowed forward, "I came to ask you for your blessing. I want to marry your daughter and love her for the rest of my life. I know you don't think much of me, but, sir, I love Rose, she loves me, and I'm asking that you say yes. Please, sir. She's my world—"
Her father's expression did not change one bit as he interrupted me.
"Young man, you will never have my blessing. Not even the day I die. Tough luck, the answer is no."
And he pushed me off his step.
I couldn't help myself. I was hurt and angered. I burst out.
"Why you gotta be so rude? Don't know know I'm human, too? I may not be like you, but I love her and if she says yes, I'm going to marry her anyway."
The man just stepped back into his house and slammed the door in my face. Dejected, I went back to my friends.
They knew. They had seen it, even if they were not able to hear the words.
"He said no," I confirmed, head hanging low.
"Marry her anyway," Edward responded.
I took a couple of steps toward the car when the guys surrounded me, allowing me to wallow for a moment. It was nice to have their support.
"No matter what her dad says," Ben stated, "Ask her."
"You can find a way, Emmett," Jasper spoke up. "We're your family. If you want her, and she wants you, then we support you. Let's go home and figure out a new plan."
We climbed back into the car. Ed drove as I racked my brains for possible ways to get Mr. Hale to change his mind. I knew Rosie would like it better if we had his blessing.
Back at the house, we headed to the garage. Not really to practice, but more to work out some emotions. Ed was all for grand romantic gestures, while Ben was for sneaking Rosie out and eloping in Vegas. Jasper felt that I just needed to keep trying, wear him down, so to speak.
We were halfway through a song that Ed had written, when a message came through.
*Ugh, have a family dinner tonight. Wish I was with you.*
*Sorry, baby. Dad lecturing?*
*If only.*
A second response popped up before I could type back.
*Daddy's trying to set me up with Royce King II, son of Daddy's golfing buddy.*
My body went cold at that text. I wasn't worried about Rosie dumping me for this Royce guy, but I knew what her dad was doing. I needed to think faster. But nothing was coming to me. Certainly, I could change my jobs to something "Daddy approved", take out a loan for a big expensive house, or buy a fancy flashy car, but even if I did all three of those things, he still wouldn't like me.
I text her back. *So very sorry, baby. Can I do anything?*
*I'll let you know, bear* was her reply. But she ended it with a happy winky face, so I knew she wasn't mad at me. Maybe at her dad, but not me.
I spent the next few hours in the garage with the guys. Our attempts at practice weren't going well as I kept stopping to check my phone. I knew from experience her family usually at dinner around 6, and it was after 7 now.
We were just nailing down Ed's new song when I stopped again. This time I really did have a text from Rosie.
*Ew. Hiding in bathroom from Royce*
*Why are you hiding in the bathroom?*
*He thinks because Daddy likes him that we're sure to get married.*
What the hell?
*Uhm, sorry, what?* I typed to her.
*Yeah, he doesn't know the meaning of personal space and keeps asking how many kids I want.*
I didn't have a response to that. Her father was clearly working overtime to keep Rosie away from me.
Her next response popped up.
*Save me?*
That was all I needed. Rosie was not a damsel in distress. She could take care of her own. But this was something different. She knew her father was up to something. And she asked me for help. So I did the only thing I could.
"Guys," I said, standing and tossing down my drumsticks, "I gotta go."
I drove like a bat out of hell to her house. I knew this wouldn't endear me to her father in the least. But I'd be damned if he was going to try to marry his daughter off to someone else.
I jumped out of the car once I stopped and headed up the walk. Knocking a bit harder than was polite, I waited for someone to answer the door.
A small squeak alerted me to the window peephole at eye level. I could only see one of his eyes through the little opening. He wasn't even going to open the door for me.
"What do you want, Mr. McCarty?" he snarled.
"I want to marry your daughter, sir. I told you that this morning. I can't live without her. You can love me or hate me, but she and I will be at the alter soon. Or we can run away together. You know she's in love with me and would go anywhere I go. Just please, for her, say yes."
"Mr. McCarty, you are interrupting what was a pleasant family meal with our guest. My answer is still no."
And he shut the little door.
I slammed my palms against the door. He was killing me. I stood there for a few minutes, hoping he would come back and let me talk to him. I wanted him to know I wasn't going to go away. After a few more minutes, I realized he wasn't coming back. I slumped my shoulders and walked back to my car for the second time that day.
I didn't heard the argument on the other side of the door. I didn't hear the doors slamming or the feet running. I don't know how long I sat in my car, looking at the ring I had bought, before I heard my name.
Looking up, I saw my Rosie, in jeans and a half shirt, running down the walk. I leapt out of my car and met her. Her face was flushed, her breathing hard.
"Are you okay?" I asked, carefully grabbing her chin to tilt her face up. I needed to see her eyes.
"Yes, I'm okay. Daddy gave me an ultimatum. Leave you or leave home."
This wasn't how I had planned asking her. Not by a long shot. But it felt like now was the moment. Now was right. I reached for her hand and slipped the ring into her fist.
She opened her hand to see what I had given to her. And as a disbelieving smile began to spread across her face, I got down on one knee.
"Rosie, will you marry me?"
Her yes was nearly silent, but it was all I needed. I slid the ring onto her finger and bounced up to hug my fiancée and kiss the shit out of her.
We raced back to my place to tell the guys. Being the awesome friends they are, they congratulated us heartily, never once bringing up Rosie's family.
"Emmett," Rosie asked, "Can we get married right away? I don't want to wait and I don't want my dad to try anything to interfere."
"Whatever you want, baby," was my only response.
The next couple of days were a whirlwind as Bella, Alice, and Angela did everything they could to help Rosie. Bella had a vintage gown in her re-sale shop that according to Rosie fit perfectly. Angela's dad, a minister, agreed to marry us. Alice said she would take care of planning the after wedding dinner.
We chose to get married on that Thursday evening, less than a week after Rosie left her home. The guys and I got ready in the main bathroom of the house as the girls took over the en suite in Edward's bedroom.
We had about two hours before the ceremony when I had an overwhelming urge to see my girl and ask her something. I was halfway down the hall when my bride to be opened the door, already dressed. We spoke at the same time.
"I want to try—"
"I think we should try—"
We looked at each other. Tears shimmered in her eyes.
"You want to go see your dad?" She nodded. "Let's go then. Maybe if we ask him together…" I said.
I knew this was the way she had ever planned to get married. And I wanted to give her every chance to have her family there.
The eight of us crammed into two cars and drove to her parents' house. Once there, Rosie and I walked up, hand in hand to the door. We knocked, then stepped back to present a united front with our friends. Her mother and father were together when they opened the door. Her mom was half in the bag from the look of it. Her father, meanwhile, was stern as ever.
"Rosalie," he said as a greeting, taking in our outfits. "Are you ready to stop this foolishness?"
Hearing her indrawn breath, I took over.
"Mr. Hale, I'm here with Rose to ask for your blessing. We want to be married. We love each other and want to be a family. We can do this without your permission, but we'd like your blessing. Please, say yes."
"Daddy," Rose began, "please, I love him. And he loves me. Say yes and come to our wedding."
"Marcus, dear," her mom began.
"Boy, I've told you already. You'll never get my blessing to marry my daughter. Rosalie, if you do this, you are no longer my daughter. I've said no and no still means NO."
And with that, he pulled her mom into the house and slammed the door.
I looked over at Rosie, half afraid that she would go into the house with her parents. This was real. Not an empty threat. She looked incredulously at the closed door.
"Why's he got to be so RUDE. Doesn't he know I'm human too?" She grabbed my hand and turned to me. "Let's go get married."
I had to stop and kiss my girl.
We got married that night. Just the eight of us and Mr Weber, the minister.
Alice had food delivered from the local Italian place and we celebrated as a family.
Even now, 10 years later, I'm the luckiest man in the world. Less than six months after we married, Sex Hair got a record deal and a spot on a tour. The girls, of course, were our groupies.
Our first single to go platinum was one Ed helped me write about how Rosie and I got engaged.
And now, as I watch her put our youngest to bed, I am even more in love with her today than 10 years ago. Her father still hasn't spoken to us. Which is sad because he's missing out on our awesome kids. Rosie sends her mom a Christmas card every year, with a picture of our family.
"And Daddy and you got married in Uncle Eddie's garage…" my three-year-old, Lily, said in awe. She loves her "uncle" Eddie and watching us play.
"Yes, we did, little one," my wife replies. "It was a beautifully, perfect day. Now, go to sleep," she says to Lily, tucking her in as I step into the room to kiss my baby girl good night. Together, we leave her room, lights low, door cracked open.
"Did the others give you trouble?" she asks.
"Nah," I say. "Henry was passed out already. Emma and EJ were almost asleep before I shut their doors." Henry was our 7 year old, while Emma and EJ were our 5 year old twins.
"That's good," she hums as she pulls me to our room. "Happy anniversary," she whispers, leaning in for a kiss.
"To my beautiful Rosie," I answer, grabbing the remote to the sound system. Our song came on, playing softly. "Would you trade it?" I ask, something I haven't asked in a while.
"No," she says, laying her head on my shoulder as we dance, "I would marry you anyway."